Moving from Canon 6D MkII to the Sony a7R III

[ericgtr12]

So I've pulled the trigger for the Sony α7R III, primarily because I can continue to use my Canon lenses with the MC-11 adapter, to me having to get rid of all my lenses and move was too much so this seems like a good solution.

I've been very happy with the Canon 6D MKII and don't mind the DSLR aspect of it, I wasn't compelled to move to mirrorless to keep up with the times as much as I am the increase in dynamic range and better low light photography that the Sony is known for.

I know the Canon R5 and R6 are competitive but with everyone raving about the Sony I'm going to give it a shot and see how it goes.

 

[Mark0]

I think you’ll enjoy moving to Mirrorless. I moved to Fuji from Canon a few years ago and I’ve never looked back. Like everything just now, camera and photography equipment prices are crazy so I don’t plan on upgrading again any time soon! Enjoy the new camera, let us know how it goes and feel free to share some photos from the new gear ??

 

[tizeye]

Welcome to the dark side. While I love my a7Rlll...and resist the urge to upgrade, one thing to be aware of that the IV resolved. Keep an eye on the exposure compensation dial. It is friction only, not lift lock, and with its location on the top with overhang can adjust rubbing against your clothing. Not critical, as will notice the exposure adjustment real time in the LCD/Viewfinder...just be aware to check it.

Menus? People complain about them but you get use to them. I came from Nikon so don't know Canon menus. Nikons just scrolled on and on within the primary topic. Sony is topic based as well but page limited, so what you see is what you can adjust, or skip and advance to the next page(s) until you reach what you want to adjust. You can set custom buttons, but ignoring that feature, the more likely used are on forward pages in the menu, while lesser used - like format an SD card - are on distant pages.

 

[ericgtr12]

I think you’ll enjoy moving to Mirrorless. I moved to Fuji from Canon a few years ago and I’ve never looked back. Like everything just now, camera and photography equipment prices are crazy so I don’t plan on upgrading again any time soon! Enjoy the new camera, let us know how it goes and feel free to share some photos from the new gear ??

Hoping so, I know there's a learning curve that I'll have to contend with coming from the Canon but I'll practice on that. Of course I can't try it out until I get my adapter but have been brushing up on configurations.

Welcome to the dark side. While I love my a7Rlll...and resist the urge to upgrade, one thing to be aware of that the IV resolved. Keep an eye on the exposure compensation dial. It is friction only, not lift lock, and with its location on the top with overhang can adjust rubbing against your clothing. Not critical, as will notice the exposure adjustment real time in the LCD/Viewfinder...just be aware to check it.

Menus? People complain about them but you get use to them. I came from Nikon so don't know Canon menus. Nikons just scrolled on and on within the primary topic. Sony is topic based as well but page limited, so what you see is what you can adjust, or skip and advance to the next page(s) until you reach what you want to adjust. You can set custom buttons, but ignoring that feature, the more likely used are on forward pages in the menu, while lesser used - like format an SD card - are on distant pages.

Thanks for the tips, I'll have to watch for that, there's nothing worse than realizing your exposure compensation was 3 st0\ops off until you open your images up in post. I'll definitely use the custom function buttons once I get things dialed in and figured out.

 

[AlaskaMoose]

So I've pulled the trigger for the Sony α7R III, primarily because I can continue to use my Canon lenses with the MC-11 adapter, to me having to get rid of all my lenses and move was too much so this seems like a good solution.

I've been very happy with the Canon 6D MKII and don't mind the DSLR aspect of it, I wasn't compelled to move to mirrorless to keep up with the times as much as I am the increase in dynamic range and better low light photography that the Sony is known for.

I know the Canon R5 and R6 are competitive but with everyone raving about the Sony I'm going to give it a shot and see how it goes.

Congratulations on your new camera. Most of the difficulties you will encounter at the beginning relate to navigating through the menus and settings, but that's about it since the settings themselves are universal across cameras.

There is a big jump from a Canon 6D to a Canon mirrorless, but one thing that is consistent throughout is the menus layout. I imagine that it is something similar to switching from a Mac to a PC (or vice versa), but once you learn the new system you get used to it.

 

[mackmgg]

Menus? People complain about them but you get use to them. I came from Nikon so don't know Canon menus. Nikons just scrolled on and on within the primary topic. Sony is topic based as well but page limited, so what you see is what you can adjust, or skip and advance to the next page(s) until you reach what you want to adjust. You can set custom buttons, but ignoring that feature, the more likely used are on forward pages in the menu, while lesser used - like format an SD card - are on distant pages.

I've got both Canon (R6) and Sony (RX100), neither are scrollable (same layout for both) but the Canon ones seem to be more intuitive because it's less nested. An example of that is I wanted to take an HDR shot a couple days ago (which I rarely do), and couldn't find the exposure bracketing setting. Turns out it's nested inside "Drive Mode" which is fine, but it means you can't find it just by scrolling through the pages. Whereas on the Canon if you just go through every page you'll find almost every setting (some are nested, but not as many) until you find what you're looking for.

But that just means you need to look up any function you want to use, and then try and remember where it is. This isn't a problem for the things I use often, since I tend to know where they are on both cameras. But if it's something I use rarely (like bracketing) it can be harder to just find on the Sony menus. So if you're frustrated with the Sony menu because you can't find something, a quick search online will usually tell you exactly where it is.

Thanks for the tips, I'll have to watch for that, there's nothing worse than realizing your exposure compensation was 3 st0\ops off until you open your images up in post. I'll definitely use the custom function buttons once I get things dialed in and figured out.

Luckily with all these modern cameras the dynamic range is good enough that when you do accidentally set it to "-3" you then just move the slider to "+3" in post and you don't lose much unless you're already at the limits.

 

[Clix Pix]

Welcome to the world of Sony users! Since my first FF Sony body was the A7R IV, I can't really speak to specifics about the A7R III. I was lucky in that by the time I bought the A7R IV I had already used the NEX 7, the RX10 IV and several iterations of the RX100 series so the menu was relatively familiar to me. Nonetheless the "old" menu IS cumbersome. The new menu, available in the A1 and a couple of the other new Sony bodies, is much more convenient and comfortable to navigate and now I'm spoiled by it! I noticed it particularly today when I was doing the switchover from DST to EST on my cameras. Like anything else, though, one gets used to something eventually and you'll be fine with the menu. Once you get things set up to your liking you really shouldn't need to "menu-dive" very much at all, anyway.

You might want to watch a few videos on setting up the A7R III and maybe pick up an eBook or even a print book -- I find that to be very helpful when dealing with setting up a new body, even in a brand with which I am now familiar. Gary Friedman (Friedman Archives) has a book in .pdf format for the A7R III. I've got his books for the A7R IV and the A1 and they are really useful. Of course Sony has their User Guide available online, and downloading that can be helpful as well.

Prior to the move to Sony I was a Nikon user for many, many years so am really unfamiliar with Canon and its offerings. As people here know, I'm not a big fan of using adapters, my philosophy being that if I'm buying and using a particular brand of camera I should also be buying and using the lenses which were and are designed and made by the same manufacturer. I'd really recommend that at some point, maybe not right now, you go ahead and pick up a native Sony lens -- there are some terrific ones -- in order to get the full benefit of the "Sony Experience."

 

[ericgtr12]

Welcome to the world of Sony users! Since my first FF Sony body was the A7R IV, I can't really speak to specifics about the A7R III. I was lucky in that by the time I bought the A7R IV I had already used the NEX 7, the RX10 IV and several iterations of the RX100 series so the menu was relatively familiar to me. Nonetheless the "old" menu IS cumbersome. The new menu, available in the A1 and a couple of the other new Sony bodies, is much more convenient and comfortable to navigate and now I'm spoiled by it! I noticed it particularly today when I was doing the switchover from DST to EST on my cameras. Like anything else, though, one gets used to something eventually and you'll be fine with the menu. Once you get things set up to your liking you really shouldn't need to "menu-dive" very much at all, anyway.

You might want to watch a few videos on setting up the A7R III and maybe pick up an eBook or even a print book -- I find that to be very helpful when dealing with setting up a new body, even in a brand with which I am now familiar. Gary Friedman (Friedman Archives) has a book in .pdf format for the A7R III. I've got his books for the A7R IV and the A1 and they are really useful. Of course Sony has their User Guide available online, and downloading that can be helpful as well.

Prior to the move to Sony I was a Nikon user for many, many years so am really unfamiliar with Canon and its offerings. As people here know, I'm not a big fan of using adapters, my philosophy being that if I'm buying and using a particular brand of camera I should also be buying and using the lenses which were and are designed and made by the same manufacturer. I'd really recommend that at some point, maybe not right now, you go ahead and pick up a native Sony lens -- there are some terrific ones -- in order to get the full benefit of the "Sony Experience."

Thanks! My MC-11 adapter finally arrived yesterday so I finally got a chance to play with it a little bit. Here are my observations so far, noting that I haven't actually gone out on a shoot with it yet.

1. As far as using the new mount with my existing lenses I am quite impressed, in fact in a blind test I don't think I would've noticed the difference, the focus is just as fast and the images are tack sharp on my L lenses. This is a huge relief.
2. The delay after taking a shot without an actual mirror flipping will take some getting used to. I never realized that I relied on it until I started using this camera, for example, if I click and the shutter takes a second or two then I know it's too slow and I need to adjust for it. With this I have no real way of knowing but you can see it all in realtime so it's just a matter of my learning curve.
3. The menu system and layout is vastly different from Canon, learning where things are will take time, For example I put it in manual and it took me 5 minutes to realize there was a wheel in the very front to dial in front to change the fstop. I felt pretty stupid when I realized it, but this is one feature that I found easier than the Canon, it's more intuitive.
4. The lack of a fully articulating touchscreen isn't a deal breaker but I will miss it, I'm older and that was a nice feature when it came to ground level shots while being able to look straight down at the screen.
5. The colors, details, and dynamic range from the test images I took are off the charts compared to my 6D MKII, there's just no comparison, this thing is next level.

I'll keep working with it and once I'm in the field that's when I'll fully realize my lack of knowledge when it comes to quickly changing settings around but like anything else you just have to learn and adjust. So far I'm really impressed and have no regrets, it's a definite step up.

 

[Clix Pix]

I'm glad you've been able to get started with your new camera! After a while it will become second nature, knowing where certain functions and features are, and of course you also have the convenience of being able to set custom buttons to put things where they will be most useful to you, too. In addition, the 'My Menu' feature is handy for putting certain items all in one menu list, quicker to access than looking through the full menu.

To me, being able to see everything in the EVF is really valuable, so that I can immediately realize when I need to adjust something even before I've clicked the shutter button. One thing which was new to me is Zebras for overexposure -- they show the user prior to making the exposure that it needs to be adjusted a bit and it's nice to see that before, rather than after the fact (zebras replace the "blinkies" that we see in a DSLR during playback when chimping).

That is good news that your Canon lenses all work so well with the adapter and the A7R III! Gets you off to a good start while still using the lenses that you know and trust. Some day, though, you'll want to try out a native Sony lens......

Happy shooting!

 

[Darmok N Jalad]

Thanks! My MC-11 adapter finally arrived yesterday so I finally got a chance to play with it a little bit. Here are my observations so far, noting that I haven't actually gone out on a shoot with it yet.

1. As far as using the new mount with my existing lenses I am quite impressed, in fact in a blind test I don't think I would've noticed the difference, the focus is just as fast and the images are tack sharp on my L lenses. This is a huge relief.
2. The delay after taking a shot without an actual mirror flipping will take some getting used to. I never realized that I relied on it until I started using this camera, for example, if I click and the shutter takes a second or two then I know it's too slow and I need to adjust for it. With this I have no real way of knowing but you can see it all in realtime so it's just a matter of my learning curve.
3. The menu system and layout is vastly different from Canon, learning where things are will take time, For example I put it in manual and it took me 5 minutes to realize there was a wheel in the very front to dial in front to change the fstop. I felt pretty stupid when I realized it, but this is one feature that I found easier than the Canon, it's more intuitive.
4. The lack of a fully articulating touchscreen isn't a deal breaker but I will miss it, I'm older and that was a nice feature when it came to ground level shots while being able to look straight down at the screen.
5. The colors, details, and dynamic range from the test images I took are off the charts compared to my 6D MKII, there's just no comparison, this thing is next level.

I'll keep working with it and once I'm in the field that's when I'll fully realize my lack of knowledge when it comes to quickly changing settings around but like anything else you just have to learn and adjust. So far I'm really impressed and have no regrets, it's a definite step up.

The first time you go mirrorless and engage silent shutter (e-shutter), you’ll feel like you’re cheating or not using a camera or something. No clicks, but a wonderful image (or many more images than you were anticipating if you hold the button down too long!) still emerges. Great for wildlife, where as little sound as possible is preferred.

 

[Clix Pix]

Silent Shutter is such a blessing for so many photographers: wedding photographers, sports photographers, photojournalists, wildlife photographers.....

 

[ericgtr12]

The first time you go mirrorless and engage silent shutter (e-shutter), you’ll feel like you’re cheating or not using a camera or something. No clicks, but a wonderful image (or many more images than you were anticipating if you hold the button down too long!) still emerges. Great for wildlife, where as little sound as possible is preferred.

Silent Shutter is such a blessing for so many photographers: wedding photographers, sports photographers, photojournalists, wildlife photographers.....

I'll definitely try that out on the hummingbirds in my yard, who are almost always spooked by the sound of the shutter. One other thing I discovered was aps-c mode, how awesome is that? It drops you down to 18 MP but still worth it for the crop factor if/when needed. Overall, the Canon cannot compare.

As for lenses, unless I can find a really compelling reason to move to native lenses I'll be sticking with my L glass, the fact that I can continue to use them is the main reason I made this switch. The images, usability, and quality are all top notch but if/when I decide to add I'll start looking at their lineup. I also see a lot of other manufacturers are making lenses for their E mount as well.

 

[Darmok N Jalad]

I'll definitely try that out on the hummingbirds in my yard, who are almost always spooked by the sound of the shutter. One other thing I discovered was aps-c mode, how awesome is that? It drops you down to 18 MP but still worth it for the crop factor if/when needed. Overall, the Canon cannot compare.

As for lenses, unless I can find a really compelling reason to move to native lenses I'll be sticking with my L glass, the fact that I can continue to use them is the main reason I made this switch. The images, usability, and quality are all top notch but if/when I decide to add I'll start looking at their lineup. I also see a lot of other manufacturers are making lenses for their E mount as well.

The trick with hummingbirds and e-shutter is that the results can suffer from distortion, where the wings will look rather unnatural. I found on my camera (different model and format entirely) that you get better results at certain shutter speeds over others when using e-shutter. Definitely want to chimp a few times so you don’t return home with a bunch of mutant hummingbird photos.

 

[ericgtr12]

The trick with hummingbirds and e-shutter is that the results can suffer from distortion, where the wings will look rather unnatural. I found on my camera (different model and format entirely) that you get better results at certain shutter speeds over others when using e-shutter. Definitely want to chimp a few times so you don’t return home with a bunch of mutant hummingbird photos.

Got it, I'll keep that in mind. Lately I've been trying to get them at rest while perching so hopefully that won't be an issue but I'll play with it.

 

[Clix Pix]

I'll definitely try that out on the hummingbirds in my yard, who are almost always spooked by the sound of the shutter. One other thing I discovered was aps-c mode, how awesome is that? It drops you down to 18 MP but still worth it for the crop factor if/when needed. Overall, the Canon cannot compare.

As for lenses, unless I can find a really compelling reason to move to native lenses I'll be sticking with my L glass, the fact that I can continue to use them is the main reason I made this switch. The images, usability, and quality are all top notch but if/when I decide to add I'll start looking at their lineup. I also see a lot of other manufacturers are making lenses for their E mount as well.

I've written about this before and those who are familiar with the story don't have to bother reading it.....

For me, lenses were a key factor in moving forward from DSLR to mirrorless. I had a number of older Nikon lenses plus some more recent, of course, but during the hiatus I took from photography altogether lots of newer Nikon DSLR bodies and lenses and such arrived on the scene which I did not use. When around two years ago Nikon announced its mirrorless Z series, in the promo material they assured Nikon owners that they would be able to use all or most of their lenses with the FTZ adapter, no problem.

Yeah, well, as I soon found out. that was a bit exaggerated, as there WAS a problem, a big one, at least for me and probably for others as well. When reading the fine print and actual compatibility charts that eventually were issued, it became very clear to me that some of my lenses would not work at all with an FTZ adapter and a Z camera body or they would work, but would be usable only as manual focus lenses rather than autofocus lenses. I was more than disconcerted by this.

Ah, but no problem, I'd just buy the native lenses that I wanted and that would be that. This was the second point at which I was quickly stymied since the lenses that I most particularly wanted were not even in the "road map" issued by Nikon back then. Ehhhhhh......

Having reached the sad conclusion that after many, many years Nikon was no longer going to be meeting my photographic needs I made the decision that since I was ready to go mirrorless that it would be another brand altogether, one which already offered what I needed and wanted, and that is when I made the total switch from Nikon to Sony. It has been nearly two years now -- close to the end of this month -- and I do not regret it at all. I've loved my A7R IV and am even more in love with the amazing A1, and the lenses that I have gradually purchased and used as need (or desire) indicated, have been absolutely stellar. I know many people are quite happy with their Nikon Z camera bodies, the FTZ adapter and either the F-mount lenses they already had or new native lenses that Nikon is gradually putting out, and that's great for them. Whatever works for each photographer is what matters, right?

In addition to Sony native lenses I also have a couple of Voigtlander lenses, which are made in only mounts for Leica and Sony. They're manual focus lenses but since I usually do use manual focus for macro anyway and the Sony bodies provide focus peaking as well as zoom magnification assist and other aids, manual focus isn't that much of a problem. However, I would not use manual focus on shooting most other lenses or kinds of photography, as my aging eyes aren't that great!

Have to admit, that in the two years I've had the A7R IV I have never tried APS-C mode, nor have I in the A1. Just not my thing..... Usually I shoot what I want in FF mode and then if I feel the need to crop, just do that and it works out fine in the end.

 

[AlaskaMoose]

If one has a high quality Canon EF lens that works with you camera, whichever the brand may be, it makes no sense to get rid of it and buy a new lens. For example, there are some photographers in this forum using $12,000 and more EF lenses that are renown for the high image IQ desired for professional wildlife photographers. Since newer mirrorless cameras incorporate IBIS that that works in conjunction with lens IS, the older high quality lenses work quite well "adapted" to the camera. And even if the lens doesn't have IS, it still benefits from the in-body IS (IBIS).

An example of a pro EF lens used by wildlife photographer. Even this older lens is backordered at B&H:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1433722-REG/canon_ef_600mm_f_4l_is.html

By producing the right adapters, Canon and Nikon aren't abandoning the photographers who already have high quality lenses. As for Sony, it was an very wise move to support lenses produced by other makers. That is a plus for Sony camera users.

 

[ericgtr12]

If one has a high quality Canon EF lens that works with you camera, whichever the brand may be, it makes no sense to get rid of it and buy a new lens. For example, there are some photographers in this forum using $12,000 and more EF lenses that are renown for high image IQ desired for professional wildlife photographers. Since newer mirrorless cameras incorporate IBIS that that works in conjunction with lens IS, the older high quality lenses work quite well "adapted" to the camera. And even if the lens doesn't have IS, it still benefits from the in-body IS (IBIS).

An example of a pro EF lens used by wildlife photographer. Even this older lens is backordered at B&H:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1433722-REG/canon_ef_600mm_f_4l_is.html

By producing the right adapters, Canon and Nikon aren't abandoning the photographers who already have high quality lenses. As for Sony, it was an very wise move to support lenses produced by other makers. That is a plus for Sony camera users.

Great points. I've noticed that the IBIS is automatically turned off when I have my IS lenses mounted, was glad to see I didn't have to manually change anything. Additionally, from all my tests so far the same lenses on the Sony produce far better quality than they did on the Canon.

It would be one thing if I were losing stops of light or something but this is more like apples to apples. To me, it's pointless to change out all my glass when what I have works without any issues.

 

[Darmok N Jalad]

Great points. I've noticed that the IBIS is automatically turned off when I have my IS lenses mounted, was glad to see I didn't have to manually change anything. Additionally, from all my tests so far the same lenses on the Sony produce far better quality than they did on the Canon.

It would be one thing if I were losing stops of light or something but this is more like apples to apples. To me, it's pointless to change out all my glass when what I have works without any issues.

I’m not sure how Sony does it, but some camera makers when you mix body and lens brands, you can choose which you want to use, IBIS or OIS. Shorter focal lengths often do better with IBIS, while tele‘s do better with OIS.

 

[Clix Pix]

Since the lenses that I've used with my Sony bodies have been either Sony lenses or ones made for Sony e-mount all I can say is that I haven't noticed any issues with IBIS or OIS. Some of my lenses, especially the long ones, have a switch on the lens itself which can be used to shut off IBIS or OIS, whichever, which is useful when using a tripod. One of Sony's terms for image stabilization seems to be "SteadyShot."

Right, Eric, if everything is working well to your satisfaction with the new Sony A7R III and your Canon lenses, that's really good news!

 

[AlaskaMoose]

Great points. I've noticed that the IBIS is automatically turned off when I have my IS lenses mounted, was glad to see I didn't have to manually change anything. Additionally, from all my tests so far the same lenses on the Sony produce far better quality than they did on the Canon.

It would be one thing if I were losing stops of light or something but this is more like apples to apples. To me, it's pointless to change out all my glass when what I have works without any issues.

All lenses produce sharper images if mounted on mirrorless cameras. Several DSLR cameras have an option for adjusting the focus point (I don't know if the 6DII had it). The focus adjustment applies to an individual lens only, not for all the lenses. But that is not longer needed in mirrorless cameras. In this case if there isn't a mechanical problem with the lens, it's focus accuracy is quite good. That's why your existing lenses seem to be more accurate with your new camera. The same for my older Canon lenses adapted to my R6.

Now, one can afford to get rid of the expensive off-brand lenses to replace Sony lenses that don't need adapters to mount on your camera, by all means go for it. These new lenses for mirrorless cameras, from all manufacturers, are designed to be lighter, and to take full advantage of both in-body and lens IS (give you additional f/stops). But believe when I tell you that photographers who already have the Canon and Nikon lenses that cost a small fortune (from $6,000 to nearly $25,000) aren't going to discard these lenses because their construction quality and the IQ they render are second to none. They are heavy because of all the metallic parts used, while the new ones are lighter because of the plastics used.

Besides that, several lens manufacturers are already producing lenses with the correct mounts for mirrorless cameras. The market lens competition is fierce, which in turn helps the consumer save cash. By the way, the Canon lenses designed for mirrorless cameras (RF lenses), have a ring at the base of the lens that allows for changing some of the camera's settings without using the menus. So Canon has produced three adapters for its mirrorless cameras: one of the adapters included the ring (above), and the cheaper one of the two does not. Also, one allows for inserting ND and other filters, and includes the control ring. In this case the filter is placed closer to the sensor instead of up in front of the lens.

 

[ericgtr12]

Welcome to the dark side. While I love my a7Rlll...and resist the urge to upgrade, one thing to be aware of that the IV resolved. Keep an eye on the exposure compensation dial. It is friction only, not lift lock, and with its location on the top with overhang can adjust rubbing against your clothing. Not critical, as will notice the exposure adjustment real time in the LCD/Viewfinder...just be aware to check it.

Menus? People complain about them but you get use to them. I came from Nikon so don't know Canon menus. Nikons just scrolled on and on within the primary topic. Sony is topic based as well but page limited, so what you see is what you can adjust, or skip and advance to the next page(s) until you reach what you want to adjust. You can set custom buttons, but ignoring that feature, the more likely used are on forward pages in the menu, while lesser used - like format an SD card - are on distant pages.

Just wanted to bump this and say that after working with it for a while, this is a really excellent camera, I would say a huge upgrade from the Canon 6D MK II. However, you're dead on with this comment, I've found myself accidentally changing this nearly every time I'm out using it. Would love to find a way to disable it but it doesn't seem possible, I can tape it down but don't want to get glue marks on it.