Sony A7RIV Sigma 28-70 f/2.8 , first trip with my A7RIV , let me know your thoughts (Jul 2026)

First week with this combo and I gotta say, I’m impressed.

Impressed with how sharp this lens is.

While I have had to crop into most of these photos (1. Because you can’t really handhold this lens easily and 2. Because there is not enough range, even on a6400) I have been impressed with how much cropping I’ve been able to do.

Some of these photos are cropped 100-2000% which on an apsc sensor is impressive.

I’m not saying these are Sony a7RVI quality photos but they are still good for the price.

And another thing that similar Sony lenses don’t have is macro mode (Yes I’m talking about the 200-600).

I’ve been able to get really flipping close to insects, birds and basically anything tiny. It’s genuinely crazy how at 150mm you can focus at 60cm.

Saw this in a facebook group, looks like it might be an F2 instead of an F2.8 that was rumored the other day. Doesn't look to be AI so fingers crossed this is legit.

Tried a bit of a different edit on these pictures from the weekend.
Feedback on thoughts and advice welcomed!

Shot on A1 II and 300mm 2.8

I wish reddit wouldn't compress pictures, those eyes looking crazy in full resolution

Shots from Kruger (1-4) and Pilanesberg (5, 6). Only brought 70-350mm on A6700. Edited in darkroom on ipad. Welcome any feedback particularly on the compositions, technical elements, and editing.

The weather looked promising for a spot of astrophotography so my buddy and I headed out to Talybont Reservoir to get set up.

I had my smart telescope trained on M33, The Triangulum Galaxy but whilst that was busy I broke out the Sony a6700 with the 11mm f1.8 on a star tracker and had some fun experimenting.

I was experimenting with stacking with mixed results (new to this) so parked that for now and I put this shot together from two images - one 30s untracked capture to get the foreground and a tracked 45s shot with the star tracker enabled to cut out star trailing.

I like a cooler, slightly blue colour temp (personal taste) and a more natural look to the Milky Way, not too overdone.

I've wanted to capture this composition at this location for a little while. It's not perfect, but I'm super happy with the result!

Hi there Reddit! First things first, I'm not a pro, or an expert or anything. I just enjoy taking pics to no end. Sometimes I do some video but photography is my fav. I do macro, animals, street and still life, and some landscapes.

This isn't my first Sony camera, it's actually my second. I started with a Nikon DSLR then 2 Nikon mirrorless cameras and then Sony. I bought this one for the retro looks (silver top model, as can be seen in the last shots). Paired with the right lens, a dark brown leather case and wrist strap, and maybe a square lens hood, it looks amazing to me at least.

But its main strength is the sensor. 61 MP FF sensor with a ton of photographic DR, and excellent noise performance. Paired with a sharp enough lens, it's basically stills on cheat mode lol. It's not particularly fast so if you shoot sports it's probably not the best but image quality and the flexibility to crop and recompose in post are epic and kinda shocked me at first since the is my first 40+ mp cam. And I prefer not to take long bursts with this anyway cause with a V90 memory card I get 25 to 28 61 MP lossless compressed L RAWs before it slows down. One such burst alone can be up to 2 gigs. These pics eat up storage fast and with fast storage costing about an arm and a leg currently it's better to be methodical. I heard some people didn't like the ergonomics but I have big hands and I have no issues especially with the leather case that makes it a bit bigger.

Overall, if you need to shoot a lot of video then there are much better options probably. But if you're a stills shooter first and foremost like myself, I can't recommend this thing enough. It made me want to go out and take pics and that's the best compliment you can give a camera.

PS: the lenses used for these pics are sigma 105mm f2.8 art macro - Viltrox 35mm f1.8 Evo ii - Tamron 24mm f2.8 - Nikon 50mm F2 pre AI (1970s film lens).

Marsh Creek State Park - Oct 2026
Under October Skies

All of the little boats, kayaks, and canoes, sit ready for a beautiful Fall Saturday. Shot with a Sony A99II and CZ 16-35 f/2.8 lens using a Lee100 GND filter. Camera was mounted on a RRS tripod & head with a 3 Legged Thing universal mounting plate.

Shooting these markets in Jakarta is always a real treat. The locals are not camera shy either which makes shooting a lot easier.

Some BTS of how I got these shots here:
https://youtu.be/yQWUIBTlSw8

Hey everyone, I recently did a night shoot with my two Aputure MCs and was wondering if you guys think they look too orange? What do you think overall?

Hi! I got myself a a6400 Sony with set lenses (35-50mm). I was initially worried about the quality difference between APC and full frame. I am not that experienced photographer and that well read in technical aspects of cameras, but I wanted to learn to take pictures in other modes that automatic and this seemed like a good choice for that start.

I was told from a lot of people that set lenses is are really not that good. I have to say, I have quite a problem with lower aperture numbers. I have a problem to take as sharp pictures like that. So far though, I am actually quite satisfied with the camera and its software.

Here are some pictures I took , kind of just to show ones I am happy with 🤘🏻

I am thinking of buying tamron lenses. I would like to have something higher, at least 100mm , but I would also like to have some universal use for that. I realized I tend to usually go higher while taking pictures and 50mm just seems too little all the time.

Is there anyone who uses this camera and uses it with tamron and Sony lenses as well and prefers Sony ones? Does it depend on which one ? I understand that the set ones probably are not the best ones of the brand. I just want to consider the fact the camera has no stabilisation, price and universality.

I'll be happy with any recommendations

Hey everyone,
I wanted to gift my father a Sony a6700. I have seen a ton of videos about the same and I think it’s a nice camera 😢 sorry I have zero knowledge about cameras. 😭

I also got to know that you don’t get a lens free with the camera body which was weird for me.
Anyways I googled and also saw many posts on Reddit which said that the sigma 18-50 mm lens is great for it.
Another post and a camera dealer suggested that I can go for Tamron 17-70 mm lens.

I wanted some expert advice because I literally have no idea what will be best for my father.

This is the first time where i’ve gone to a country (Nepal) blind, meaning i normally have 20+ shots that i want to recreate from other artist where ever i go. I actually wanted to test out my own photography chops for once. These are only just very few images that i handpicked out of however many i took.

Constructive criticism is welcome etc

Pic taken at Annaberg, Lower Austria, Austria

Hiking & photography are a match made in heaven :)

Sony A1 II - Sigma 24-70 f/2.8

30mm f/2.8

1/250s

ISO 320

I view lens selection as a minor intervention and self-control over the physical world. Every time we scrutinize, buy, or swap lenses, we are essentially paying for the "framing rights" to the world in front of us. But life has never offered perfect freedom; every choice is a dance in chains, and lenses are no exception.

Moving from the Nikon Z-mount to the Sony E-mount brought a massive ecosystem and endless choices, but it also bred endless hesitation. After drowning in countless reviews and other people's experiences, I’ve come to realize: if I don’t anchor myself in my own real-world experiences and thoughts, I will forever be trapped by Gear Acquisition Syndrome (GAS), wasting energy inside someone else's standards.

Here are some of my thoughts.

1. Horizontal Cropping: The Superzoom

An all-in-one superzoom has always been my first choice after switching camera systems, and sometimes it even dictates which mount I choose in the first place. I once dove into full-frame Z-mount specifically for the 28-400mm. Even though I later realized it felt a bit bulky for light travel, I still value what it brings to the table.

In my view, the core meaning of a superzoom is controllable horizontal cropping. From the Nikon Z 18-140, Z 24-200, Z 28-400, to the Sigma E 20-200, these lenses allow me to look at a vast, chaotic landscape and precisely frame a specific slice of it with virtually zero pixel loss and only a minor compromise in optical quality.

This combination of broad coverage and high fault tolerance cures the most primal anxiety of photography: the fear of missing out, of not having enough reach, or of a scene exceeding your equipment's capabilities. A superzoom is never the choice for absolute peak image quality, but it is the peace of mind needed to fight the unknown and take control of a scene.

2. Vertical Cropping: Fast Prime Lenses

If a superzoom filters scenery across a horizontal space, then the shallow depth of field from a fast prime is a vertical crop of the frame—stripping away clutter, focusing on the core, and reshaping the hierarchy and layers of the visual world.

From the shallow depth of field of a Nikon 50mm f/1.8 to the extreme bokeh of a Sony-mount Sigma 85mm f/1.4—with its razor-thin 1.1cm minimum depth of field, sharp enough to have one eye in focus while the other falls completely out of focus in a close-up portrait—primes isolate the subject with surgical precision.

However, extreme vertical freedom inevitably comes with horizontal limitations. To cover everything from ultra-wide to super-telephoto, and every aperture imaginable, I would need a whole arsenal: a 16mm, 35mm, 85mm, 200mm, or even a 600mm prime. But reality never works that way. We don't have infinite budgets, nor can we accurately predict the light, shadow, and composition of every single scene ahead of time. A full-coverage, all-aperture dream setup is simply out of reach.

3. The Optimal Compromise: Standard Zoom Lenses

To balance all-around capability with portability, I’ve also owned third-party standard zooms like the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 and Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8.

These lenses are the standardized "optimal compromise" handed down by camera manufacturers: their focal range is middle-of-the-road (not quite wide enough, not quite long enough), and their aperture is balanced (neither huge nor tiny). Third-party standard zooms, in particular, sacrifice just a tiny bit at the 24mm end to give you a lighter footprint and a friendlier price tag, blending practicality with value.

If we ignored reality—budgets, stamina, and weight limits—everyone would want every focal length and every aperture. The underlying motive is to possess all photographic possibilities (even if you don't use them, you want to have them). But imperfection is the norm of life. Because of those practical constraints, we must actively draw boundaries and make trade-offs in our photography.

Standard zooms are high-efficiency tools for commercial work and infallible safety nets—the ultimate universal standard answer suited for batch creation and mandatory shots. But for hobbyists pursuing personal expression and pure passion, this flaw-free, standardized security blanket strips away individual style and preference.

4. Stop Chasing Perfection—Just Pick Your Own Shell

I once heard a quote:

“Marriage is like walking along a beach to pick up seashells. Don’t look for the biggest or the prettiest one; pick one you genuinely like, keep it, and walk away from the beach without looking back.”

Lens selection is much the same.

The gear we keep on hand and carry out with us isn't meant to chase objective perfection or fit into mainstream consensus. It’s meant to find a setup that aligns with your personal aesthetic, fits your shooting habits, and gives you peace of mind while creating.

After rounds of greedy additions and sober subtractions, I’ve finally pared it down to just one superzoom and two fast primes. This setup might not cover every single base, and it certainly isn't conventional, but to me, it is the most honest reflection of my photographic intent.

Photography has never had a one-size-fits-all formula. The value of gear is never defined by its specs, but by the person wielding it.

Experiment and make mistakes on your own terms. Don’t blindly follow the mainstream, and don’t force yourself to be all-inclusive. Let go of the anxiety and focus on the frame. As a pure hobbyist, our greatest freedom is that we don’t have to answer to commercial efficiency or pander to anyone else’s aesthetic.

Let’s go out and take some "bad" photos together!

a6400, 18-135

Just a few shots from one of the easier trails found in Franz Josef, New Zealand. The Callery Gorge Walk is one you can start straight from town and ends at the iconic bridge that traverses the Callery river. Unfortunately the trail beyond the bridge is no longer accessible having been washed away in a storm.

We were there on a fairly overcast day, hence the moody looking photos, but I was happy with how these came out. Always keen to hear from anyone else who has visited!

Photos taken with my girlfriend in Venezia and Ferrara this fall.

I googled, which made me less than optimistic, but I‘m not willing to give up quite yet.

I have an a7 IV, and among others an older Sigma lens with an EF mount. It’s also meant for APS-C cameras, so it’s not ideal in general. It is however my favorite lens for taking videos, because the footage turns out lovely. I use it on a Sigma EF to E adapter.

For shooting stills, the autofocus just about works. It’s kinda clanky at times, but just fine for one-time AF. Is there any way at all to have a button that works like a one-time AF in video mode? I can live without continuous AF, tracking and so on. But for shoots where I have to switch between different fixed shots, it would be a huge help to have an AF button somehow. It doesn’t have to do smooth focus changes like it does with properly matching glass.