I ordered the A1ii without hesitation. Pre capture is a game changer for wildlife photography in just capturing ‘the shot’. The other new features are nice to have for me, I have never had a problem of putting spot on the animal with the A1 AF, although I am sure the A1ii with give me more keepers. I will now be far more likely to take portrait format shots with the new screen. Interesting idea to use the boost button to slow down frame rate. I will try that set up myself, as I tend to leave my camera on high frame rate, as I would rather sort thousands of images than miss the perfect moment.
This video was amazing and your wildlife photography was stunning. You’re a very talented photographer who humbly approaches other genres with an open mind willing to learn and apply your talent to it and because of that you end up with really good results. You and Vanessa did exceptional. Maybe you guys can teach Jared a thing or two because he thinks he is the greatest photographer that’s ever lived but his work consistently falls short when compared to professionals 😂
Ahh look. He read past your comment and didn’t heart it. What an A hole. A word of advise V ., don’t even watch this guys stuff. He’s not worth you spending your time watching. He’s an unappreciative dude that thinks he’s god gift to photography that has no manners. Probably scared his BF gonna get mad at him for liking you’re comment .
Don’t expect to much of a human interaction with these type guys. They are here to sell ads and shill for sponsors. You guys are just numbers to them. That’s all. You heard what he said. He would of never paid for this trip unless it wasn’t gifted to him. “ hey guys, buy me a free vacation and ill shill”
@@PhotoGuy623 guys come on. I'm really not here for this kind of talk. I think those images he took are great that's why I commented. Nothing more or less. Its good to see sample images that are good for a change. as far as all the other stuff.. i dont care and have moved past that. I really could care less if Ortiz like my comment or deletes it. as long as he read it. he can do whatever he wants. doesnt bother me. As far as Jared, i dont watch his stuff anymore so what these 2 think of me or whatever.lol well lol ... i got big fish to fry in 2025 so not gonna entertain petty small things. Going to be very selective on who I choose to give my time and attention too. thanks guys.
Me teaching you anything is like the altar boy lecturing the priest but here I go. I have the A7RV which has that AI focus and yes just like you said if the animal is in the grass it tends to focus on the grass etc instead of the animal. I shoot a lot of Eagles and they are often in trees with branches etc. What I do is set it on bird, continuous AF, tracking with the small central area marked and not wide tracking. Then when I go to shoot I hit the eagle in the center small area and it locks on thus that shifting to the wrong things is much much reduced.
I wish all camera reviews were as honest as this one! (There are some good people out there) Real world compressive reviews and comparisons are the best! Great job Manny!
Pre-capture: On the Canon R5M2, I assign pre-capture to Custom Shooting Mode C1. Customize the M-Fn button to C (Switch to Custom Shooting Mode). When shooting in Manual mode, I can just press the M-Fn button to go straight into Pre-capture with 30 frames/second. Just 1 press on the M-Fn button, no need to go into the menu. Works very well.
One thing... does pre-capture SAVES the images, even if you decide to not press the button fully, or it hold the same way only in buffer? I think OM System and Sony doesn't save the images on card untill you press fully the button.
@@pentagramyt417no it does not save.. it continuously rolls, and when u take a shot it then saves the pre capture photos taken before that shutter actuation.
I was about to say the same thing. For a totally new body at USD 6500...Sony could afford to come up with a better screen. Why can't they shrink their Sony BRAVA TV's into this new A1 II?
@bobamarmstrong Do you ever wonder why people buy their stuff even with a subpar screen? hahaha. Obviously its enough of a tradeoff for having everything else Sony offers. hahaha
same screen mechanism? It's actually better than any current camera screen, and the screen is full hd, not 480p. Neither did the 520p evf devolve in resolution when AF ing like the "stacked sensors with 9 million dots" that is just full HD going down to 280p the moment the cameras have to work the slightest, even when manual focusing
@@Snerkler1Me too, i had the A77II for 7 years and got so sad when i had to replace it because it was almost as expensive to repair as to buying an A7IV. Sony quality cameras died with the A99II, which despite having "old tech" is able to clock 100 uncompressed 14 bit raw 42 megapixel photos at 12 fps while the new "dual exmor rs" mirrorless cameras can't do more than 6fps and have an insane amount of logical bottlenecks that stop you from actually making them work about half of what Sony promises. Blame these new coming influencers like Manny, North Borders and the icelandic guy who haven't seen a camera before 2020 and, like Manny, Borders and Icelandic, absolutely ruin the photos in post processing 😊👍
Sony must have known A1II was evolutionary camera not a revolutionary camera. Adding a high-quality rear screen would've been something to separate it from the rest of the range. Like many others I find it really puzzling Sony do not to do this. I suspect Canon shooters are equally puzzled by Canons decision to put the cheapest design of rear screen on their cameras i.e. The flip out screen most manufacturers reserved to the lower end of their range. Maybe Sony, Nikon and Canon have an agreement never to make the perfect camera. If they did, why would we ever upgrade? :)
The pre capture , the best sensor on the market and the new Ai AF , makes it for me the best camera on the market right now! For me this not just a " firmware".The problem withe A1 ii is that the A1 on itself when it came on the market , was already a stunning camera, but that on itself doesn't make the mark ii not a inferior update
I’ll keep shooting my A1 and A7RV. I just can’t stomach losing $3500-4k for selling my A1 and upgrading for basically one feature, which is pre capture. I already have the articulating screen on the A7RV. I would recommend most people taking advantage of the current great price on the original A1 which is still phenomenal. It’s going to take the same images and video at the end of the day.
Great content and very good observations, Manny. Thanks. I have the A1 II on order and should receive it in a couple of weeks. For me (me!) the A1 II is the best overall camera to date. First, I am a Sony shooter with lots of Sony glass and not at all interested in changing. 70% of what I shoot is landscape for which I have had an a7r5. 20% of what I shoot is youth field sports, mostly soccer. For that I had an A1 which I traded up to the A9 III which I never used at 120FPS but the pre-capture was amazing for not only getting the shot (headers, etc) but also saving frames because I wasn't just shooting-in-case as you pointed out in the baseball example). For me, the sensor size of the a9 III was an issue for landscapes. And the lack of speed on the on a7r5 was a pain when shooting sports. The A1II gives me all that I need in both areas. And with the ergonomics of the a9 III which I LOVE over the original A1. And, again, over the original A1 is that "floppy screen" which helps on some sports compositions I like to do but really helps when I am doing landscapes and want to get close to the ground or even high on a tripod. Now a quick question. Is Luminar Neo a substitute for Photoshop? Do you access it from within Lightroom? Is its role similar to the Nik software from years ago? (Just trying to understand how it would fit into my workflow and primarily my landscape photography workflow.)
Yeah for you, I think it’s the perfect middle ground of resolution and speed. As for Luminar, it can be used as a standalone software and/or as a plugin that you can access directly from Lightroom
Imo if you’re using the A1 for news/crucial journalism shots, or wildlife I could see the justification for upgrading. If you were considering an A1 and hadn’t already bought one, I think you can go ahead and buy this one for sure. I own an A1 for studio and portrait shots. The occasional sports too. I don’t think I’ll upgrade because it suits everything I need it for right now. I definitely think this has some noticeable improvements, but only for selects types of photographers. And for videographers it almost offers no benefit at all.
You have a great way of finding the small things that only owners experience once they have had the camera for a while. I have both A1 cameras and agree with everything you point out.
Why are so many people butthurt about using Luminar, Topaz, and photoshop!? 🤦🏻♂️ Im sorry, but if I travelled 8000 miles for photos of a lifetime and the lighting + conditions just arent in the cards for me, you better bet Im going to use Luminar, Topaz, or Photoshop to bring out the most in my photos. Its not cheating, its simply using the software tools to enhance the areas in your photos that could use a touch up. It makes your photos pop + draw your attention a bit more to your subjects/areas. Thanks for taking us on the journey with you Manny. Amazing photos and videos to say the least! 📸❤️
I'm debating on whether to buy the original A1 or the new one. I'd be doing Sports photography, which requires two cameras, and as of now the only camera I own is the A7IV, and a 70-200 (24-70 & 85mm too ) Besides sports I'd be doing other types of photography work, such as events, photoshoots, among others. Would you recommend me getting the original model, since I'd be saving around 2300$ , and then in the future go for a tele, or make the extra effort and "future proofing" myself with the A1II ? Both options are seem viable for me, so I've been asking around. Just concerned I'd be missing out on the new ai subject tracking for sports If i went with the original A1 :) Thanks in advance!
On my R5ii i have pre capture on most of the time when I shoot action, while using the back af button, half pressing the shutter button allows to start buffering pre capture. I am not sure if that works the same on the A1ii, but i find the best way to control having pre captured frames or not.
Would really be nice not to have to pay 5k for something over 10fps. Still though this camera does it all, yes r5ii is cheaper BUT by the time I sell and buy glass I may as well stay with Sony.
Gotta say it hasn’t started yet but from Jared’s podcast when he said you were going I was so hyped ! Huge inspiration for me and to see you go out of your comfort zone is always amazing to watch Keep killing it , much love man 🙇
Man don’t mention it 🙇 You’ve helped me so much in my day to day and photography. I’m not good in social settings . I try to be but I felt locked up a social battery and I’ve heard you talk about how you’ve tried to combat that and watching you try made me realize I’m capable past it as well . I want to thank you for being a part of that growth for me , love your work stay blessed 🙇
Reminds me of MY 90s traveling across the Philippines - Indonesian archipelagos with just a suitcase, over the shoulder - film - pack with dry ice and my backpack stuffed with my Nikon F5 and N90 and Hasselblad 501C (for the DETAILED landscapes) for almost a year; island hoping by plane, ferry and Bukis Prahau… of course, I had no idea what I shot until I got back to NYC and picked up my 600 rolls of chrome (that I would send back once very week or so) no “digital” back then… my only regret was no video BTS that would have made it worth building a channel!
Hey Manny, I appreciate you and your videos, like what you are doing with all the gear back in the years to get an idea of preparing, taking photos and post production. I do not want to be disrespectful, but just a void a fake sun or sun lights. This is surreal, what you did with the elephants is some case of art, fine. All what you trining to say as conclusion is: If you want the sensor, crap the A1, if you want a up to date camera, crap A1II. Thanks for sharing your expirence.
As you point out, the screen is the big thing. Had an A7iv, switched to a used A1 because I wanted properly focused sports pics. I now have to lie on the floor to get low angle shots. I may upgrade to A1ii when it gets reasonable on the used market. Or go to A7v if the AF is OK. A7iv had everything I need except AF.
@@bngr_bngr A7IV is really average I'd rather go A6700 if could once again. I can't say I see much difference between my A7IV and A6400. Really. Even bird AF claim it's locking on the eye, but misses in most scenarios..
Really enjoyed your honest review even though Colby Brown thinks that just because you're not a wildlife photographer you shouldn't be listened to or being reviewing a wildlife camera. Great review and great points raised good and bad 👍🏾
Tx! Do you use aperture priority? With Nikon (in aperture priority) we can’t change iso without a combo. (Press a button a turn rear dial.) Does Sony allow to change iso without combo? (So without releasing the half pressed shutter button.) Tx!
Reminds me of MY 90s traveling across the Philippines - Indonesian archipelagos with just a suitcase, over the shoulder - film - pack with dry ice and my backpack stuffed with my Nikon F5 and N90 and Hasselblad 501C (for the DETAILED landscapes) for almost a year; island hoping by plane, ferry and Bukis Prahau… of course, I had no idea what I shot until I got back to NYC and picked up my 600 rolls of chrome (that I would send back once very week or so) no “digital” back then… my only regret was no video BTS that would have made it worth building a channel!
The "major flaw" is the A1II packaging box is basic white. Going to ruin my Sony box collection themed in black/orange! Guess I'll have to place it next to my Tamron boxes.
Manny , great video , but realistically speaking , like Jared or other people who try to hype canon or Nikon as they are probably benefiting from them, it is ridiculous. Reality is that canon released a flagship camera that is half the MGP of Sony and still behind the A1 4 years ago. Let me not start with Nikon. So it is unfair to justify a shitty camera like the canon or Nikon at 5500 but not appreciated the Sony A1 II and the fact that is still way ahead of the competition If money is the objection, people should switch to a Nikon and Canon. I use both alongside Sony. Honestly , I feel Nikon focuses much on color and AI looks of the images instead of technology or features, while Canon has improved but I feel it is still a camera with technology that are not syncing together. It’s not cohesive . Anyhow this is my opinion, and I don’t mind paying 6500 for a camera that I can use for 3 years and not feel one regret. While canon people and Nikon by the time they receive their new camera a new one is released
no real bias then mark?. You are welcome to your a1, its a great body. But other manafacturers also produce amazing products. The R5 ii is waay cheaper, and most who have used both say has better autofocus. The Nikon z's are awesome. If it makes you feel better by all means keep up the confirmation bias. Whatever helps you feel better about the price.... I'm fascinatedabout the canon technology 'are not syncing together and not cohesive. More fascinated that canon and nikonians 'receive their camera a new one is released', but that is also sadly garbage, as Sony produces more bodies, more frequently, than anyone else....
Absolutely gorgeous photos, Manny. Looks like a special trip! I'd be interested to know if there is any snobbery with wildlife photographers toward those who use these new AI AF and tracking, like it's somehow 'cheating' and the camera is doing most of the work? Or is everyone is 100% on board and embracing it? Maybe a bit of both... It does certainly close the gap between top tier wildlife photographers and 'enthusiasts' when timing and control is everything. We absolutely hold Sony to a much higher standard than anyone else, and if they don't blow the doors off and set new industry standards, we call them lazy. Did they need to do better? The closest market competitor, Canon, don't even have a 'legit' flagship and Nikon killed their own Z9 by releasing the Z8... I get why they sandbag tech and it's smart for Sony to stay just ahead of the pack until they need to drop the hammer and put clear daylight between them and the rest. It's not exciting but that's the business I guess! At $6500 I understand why its flaws deserve more criticism than other competitors. If they had dropped the price it would be a smash and got far less criticism. My opinion is irrelevant though... For the type of stills photography I do; I'm still happily using the A7R IIIA. Maybe I'd pick up an A1 (mk1) if prices dip enough to tempt me, but definitely not an A1 II customer...
thank you for shooting lots of photos. even if a shot is ok, it's all about landing the shots and everyone needs to avoid the film era mindset of limited shots. but EVERYONE with the new aii2 or a9iii needs to shoot exclusively nr mode. cameras are so fast people dont understand how many shots are taken in a split second
When I think about Manny being there with the bugs, it reminds me of the South Park episode where they are in the rain forest and that woman (Jenifer Aniston) would turn around there would always be a giant 3ft roaring bug attached to her backpack.
I just don't have words for it. You work with very expensive devices and lenses of more than 20,000 € and then you use software that has absolutely nothing to do with reality! I call that very sad and testifies to, fill it in yourself. I don't understand it and will never understand it.
Im going to go out on a limb and assume that he was contractually obligated to use that program for a sponsorship. I may be wrong but I don't believe most professional photographers would use ai editing apps, most would use Lightroom to edit their photos. I could be wrong though
and if you can’t affort a 1.2lens or f4 supertele just buy the cheapest version and fake the picture with the new ai blur function and no one will find it different from a picture taken with a 18k lens😂
So true. We're forgetting why we take photos. To capture moments and id like it to be accurate as possible. Especially journalistic/wildlife style photos. In the future i can hear manny saying "im going to add more elephants here to enchance the biodiversity"
I'm pretty sure the screen quality is due to the battery limitations. The obvious compromise having a higher res and brighter screen will be worse battery life. Hopefully they will fix it in the new gen bodies. Nonetheless it is what it is. Sub par quality
it would all be fixed if they abandoned the BIONZ XR processor and went to a lower node with more efficiency which would not overheat as fast, be less power hungry & write to CF-A Gen 4 speeds. This camera is a joke because it has the same processor that overheats too fast
The thing is you don't have to though. It's just an option, and for fast paced animals that stay moving on the regular, it allow for more freedom to compose w/o having to worry about moving your reticle around w/ a joy stick. Composition is arguably the most important element of being a photographer.
Yeah, have you use these systems before? To just say it's simply let the camera decide is not accurate. For example if you're tracking the closest I across the frame you'll be moving along with it in total your arms your body everything. But generally in most cases what's the eye tracking you can simply move your hands around and change the composition while the eye stays in focus. To assume or think that you're just sitting back and holding the button... That's just a lazy way to approach it and I don't support that at all. Lastly these cameras still have wonderful 1-shot focus. You don't have to use the eye focus at all. So there you go problem solved right? 👍🏾
I am still enjoying using manual focus lenses. Iv tried using autofocus and it holds zero interest for me. Taken with a Nikkor 300 2.8 IF-ED AI-s on Nikon F2as/MD-2 on Tri-X.scontent.fyyc2-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/275278866_985814519025223_8803800156369634891_n.jpg?_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=cc71e4&_nc_ohc=RrNVZ9ww94oQ7kNvgG1m_Li&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent.fyyc2-1.fna&_nc_gid=AhRss6tLP7t4U3QmjAybv_G&oh=00_AYDfzdCu4do8qQ8lkFo_ciokDKUtOAx6fBlnVxjT4KtZ2A&oe=6770378F
Great looking photos looks like it was an amazing trip but I would like to see your photos up against Jared photos because I know he used Canon cameras on that trip would be a great video idea for you guys
Great video Manny, I like you just cannot understand why Sony does not put in better screens at this price point. They have the technology. I was also hoping for an integrated vertical grip with a bigger battery
If I’m scooting thousands of pictures I don’t want to be constantly changing these little low capacity batteries. Back in the day Nikon made a battery grip for the D700 so we people could drop a D3 battery in the grip.
real wildlife photographers must be laughing really hard on how you produce a 99% artificial image. just try sending that image to any contest. dont get me wrong. it is a pleasing image, but that is not wildlife photography.
I'm a purest.. i get it.. Luminar is great.. but i will not change my natural shot other than to work with exposure. It's like fishing... you catch the fish or you don't.. Ai won't catch the fish for you. Lets stay true to the craft.
I really want to know any wild life photography? Like how much a year you guys make to afford and justify A1ii with those massive prime zooms Am literally scratching my head here!
They get them for half price, or free. All the people in the camera industry get two items each year for 50% off MSRP. I know a guy who only paid $6000 and got the a9iii & 300GM at the same time
I dont need eye detection AF. Still using dslr photographing wildlife and and i can get great photo out if it. The problem with mirorless camera is its lack of dimention. The images look to digital. People buy expensive camera but yet they still have to edit it in computer. For me its a big dissapointment.
@@wira8811 Soon you will, there is no doubt about it. The only question is: can neural network drawings be called photographs? Why do I, as a photographer, need images that are not real? For such photos there is Midjourney. Another couple of years and you won’t be able to distinguish the photograph of elephants from this video from what the neural network will draw from scratch.
@EdvardKALEN the only thing i need mirorless is because they dont have any sparepart left to repair dslr. Not because dslr is not capable of taking good picture. I have been using 1dxii for 6 years. Its more than capable than most modern mirorless except those flagship..
The screen is only a viewfinder. Useful for framing the image. That's it. Put your money where it makes a difference. Good software makes a difference, a slightly better viewfinder do not.
Yes sir! Did you bring up the screen brightness issue to Sony reps that were there? Yes I would love to see were it failed during AF. So I know where i might have troubles. Can wait till I get mine from Amazon. It’ll be a while bc I got in my preorder very late. I need to look into luminar from the examples you showed! Wow! I briefly had an a7r5 so I completely get prayer mode! It was so awesome to shoot low angle shots without needing to lay down on the floor . The next time I did same thing with my a1, I realized how annoying it was!
Manny! Again great review. I’m using the a1 II since a week now, while I kept my old a1. The new AF is of course the main differentiator between the old and the new. And your are right, if somebody shoots just portraits, the old a1 is still more than just fine.
I love you Manny yet using Luminar AI is a no go for me. Basically what yo can do with the software you could have gone to the local zoo and just replace the background, sky etc. Yeah it looks cool yet its not a "true" representation of what you photographed
Hey sir,Congrats on being a Canon Ambassador< Also what combo is better?Canon R1+Rf 200-800mm vs. R5ii+Rf 100-500mm L vs. Nikon Z8+Z pf 800mm?Let me know. Cheers, Met
Why would we work any harder? Or develop any skills? We might as wel send a drone to take the pictures, throwing the collected content in an AI editing tool and post the output on social media while taking credit for creative hard work, praying for likes 😅😂
I don’t think people really understand how much time and work goes into creating videos like this one. Truly outstanding Manny!
I ordered the A1ii without hesitation. Pre capture is a game changer for wildlife photography in just capturing ‘the shot’. The other new features are nice to have for me, I have never had a problem of putting spot on the animal with the A1 AF, although I am sure the A1ii with give me more keepers. I will now be far more likely to take portrait format shots with the new screen. Interesting idea to use the boost button to slow down frame rate. I will try that set up myself, as I tend to leave my camera on high frame rate, as I would rather sort thousands of images than miss the perfect moment.
Yeah it’s one of those things where you don’t know what you are missing until you try it yourself. This is a solid upgrade for someone like you
This video was amazing and your wildlife photography was stunning. You’re a very talented photographer who humbly approaches other genres with an open mind willing to learn and apply your talent to it and because of that you end up with really good results. You and Vanessa did exceptional. Maybe you guys can teach Jared a thing or two because he thinks he is the greatest photographer that’s ever lived but his work consistently falls short when compared to professionals 😂
Now that's Art. good job Ortiz.
Ahh look. He read past your comment and didn’t heart it. What an A hole. A word of advise V ., don’t even watch this guys stuff. He’s not worth you spending your time watching. He’s an unappreciative dude that thinks he’s god gift to photography that has no manners. Probably scared his BF gonna get mad at him for liking you’re comment .
Don’t expect to much of a human interaction with these type guys. They are here to sell ads and shill for sponsors. You guys are just numbers to them. That’s all. You heard what he said. He would of never paid for this trip unless it wasn’t gifted to him. “ hey guys, buy me a free vacation and ill shill”
@@PhotoGuy623 guys come on. I'm really not here for this kind of talk. I think those images he took are great that's why I commented. Nothing more or less. Its good to see sample images that are good for a change. as far as all the other stuff.. i dont care and have moved past that. I really could care less if Ortiz like my comment or deletes it. as long as he read it. he can do whatever he wants. doesnt bother me. As far as Jared, i dont watch his stuff anymore so what these 2 think of me or whatever.lol well lol ... i got big fish to fry in 2025 so not gonna entertain petty small things. Going to be very selective on who I choose to give my time and attention too. thanks guys.
Love your videos Vahagn. Keep it going .
@ thank you lbo
You shot half the cast of The Lion King or Mufasa😂😂😂
😂😂😂
Me teaching you anything is like the altar boy lecturing the priest but here I go. I have the A7RV which has that AI focus and yes just like you said if the animal is in the grass it tends to focus on the grass etc instead of the animal. I shoot a lot of Eagles and they are often in trees with branches etc. What I do is set it on bird, continuous AF, tracking with the small central area marked and not wide tracking. Then when I go to shoot I hit the eagle in the center small area and it locks on thus that shifting to the wrong things is much much reduced.
I wish all camera reviews were as honest as this one! (There are some good people out there) Real world compressive reviews and comparisons are the best! Great job Manny!
1% camera and skill 99% AI photo editing.....
Someone is salty lol
Pre-capture: On the Canon R5M2, I assign pre-capture to Custom Shooting Mode C1. Customize the M-Fn button to C (Switch to Custom Shooting Mode). When shooting in Manual mode, I can just press the M-Fn button to go straight into Pre-capture with 30 frames/second. Just 1 press on the M-Fn button, no need to go into the menu. Works very well.
One thing... does pre-capture SAVES the images, even if you decide to not press the button fully, or it hold the same way only in buffer? I think OM System and Sony doesn't save the images on card untill you press fully the button.
@@pentagramyt417i dont think it save those images before few secs actually pressing shutter, cause if it will save it and eat up lot of storage
@@pentagramyt417no it does not save.. it continuously rolls, and when u take a shot it then saves the pre capture photos taken before that shutter actuation.
@@ItsBerg Thank you both for confirmation.
It’s so funny how Sony who makes TVs uses low quality screens. Even on their flagship
Sony always do that. The problem is they keep doing it and people continue to buy their stuffs
I was about to say the same thing. For a totally new body at USD 6500...Sony could afford to come up with a better screen. Why can't they shrink their Sony BRAVA TV's into this new A1 II?
@@hishamosman4341 lol
@bobamarmstrong Do you ever wonder why people buy their stuff even with a subpar screen? hahaha. Obviously its enough of a tradeoff for having everything else Sony offers. hahaha
Appreciate your honesty as always, Manny. Very good points about the screen. It's high time Sony update to high quality, bright amoled.
Screen brightness kills batteries, could it be that they made it dimmer to extend battery life a little?
good point.
Except the battery life is worse than the OG A1
This, perhaps also giving reason to purchase external monitors
What's even more amazing is that the old Sony a77 back in the days had the same screen mechanism but Sony teased their customers since lol
I had the A77 and the mechanism was not the same as the current Sony mirrorless 👍🏻
same screen mechanism? It's actually better than any current camera screen, and the screen is full hd, not 480p. Neither did the 520p evf devolve in resolution when AF ing like the "stacked sensors with 9 million dots" that is just full HD going down to 280p the moment the cameras have to work the slightest, even when manual focusing
@@Snerkler1Me too, i had the A77II for 7 years and got so sad when i had to replace it because it was almost as expensive to repair as to buying an A7IV. Sony quality cameras died with the A99II, which despite having "old tech" is able to clock 100 uncompressed 14 bit raw 42 megapixel photos at 12 fps while the new "dual exmor rs" mirrorless cameras can't do more than 6fps and have an insane amount of logical bottlenecks that stop you from actually making them work about half of what Sony promises.
Blame these new coming influencers like Manny, North Borders and the icelandic guy who haven't seen a camera before 2020 and, like Manny, Borders and Icelandic, absolutely ruin the photos in post processing 😊👍
"Thank you for your honesty".
I already knew you could do killer portraits.. but damn my guy! Some of these shots are Nat Geo worthy!
Absolutely amazing 🔥🔥
Sony must have known A1II was evolutionary camera not a revolutionary camera. Adding a high-quality rear screen would've been something to separate it from the rest of the range. Like many others I find it really puzzling Sony do not to do this. I suspect Canon shooters are equally puzzled by Canons decision to put the cheapest design of rear screen on their cameras i.e. The flip out screen most manufacturers reserved to the lower end of their range. Maybe Sony, Nikon and Canon have an agreement never to make the perfect camera. If they did, why would we ever upgrade? :)
🎯
Maybe the better screen will come out on the a7V.
That Leopard shot thoooo 😍👌
The major flaw is the price! 😎😎
The pre capture , the best sensor on the market and the new Ai AF , makes it for me the best camera on the market right now! For me this not just a " firmware".The problem withe A1 ii is that the A1 on itself when it came on the market , was already a stunning camera, but that on itself doesn't make the mark ii not a inferior update
I’ll keep shooting my A1 and A7RV. I just can’t stomach losing $3500-4k for selling my A1 and upgrading for basically one feature, which is pre capture. I already have the articulating screen on the A7RV. I would recommend most people taking advantage of the current great price on the original A1 which is still phenomenal. It’s going to take the same images and video at the end of the day.
Great content and very good observations, Manny. Thanks. I have the A1 II on order and should receive it in a couple of weeks. For me (me!) the A1 II is the best overall camera to date. First, I am a Sony shooter with lots of Sony glass and not at all interested in changing. 70% of what I shoot is landscape for which I have had an a7r5. 20% of what I shoot is youth field sports, mostly soccer. For that I had an A1 which I traded up to the A9 III which I never used at 120FPS but the pre-capture was amazing for not only getting the shot (headers, etc) but also saving frames because I wasn't just shooting-in-case as you pointed out in the baseball example). For me, the sensor size of the a9 III was an issue for landscapes. And the lack of speed on the on a7r5 was a pain when shooting sports. The A1II gives me all that I need in both areas. And with the ergonomics of the a9 III which I LOVE over the original A1. And, again, over the original A1 is that "floppy screen" which helps on some sports compositions I like to do but really helps when I am doing landscapes and want to get close to the ground or even high on a tripod. Now a quick question. Is Luminar Neo a substitute for Photoshop? Do you access it from within Lightroom? Is its role similar to the Nik software from years ago? (Just trying to understand how it would fit into my workflow and primarily my landscape photography workflow.)
Yeah for you, I think it’s the perfect middle ground of resolution and speed. As for Luminar, it can be used as a standalone software and/or as a plugin that you can access directly from Lightroom
Imo if you’re using the A1 for news/crucial journalism shots, or wildlife I could see the justification for upgrading.
If you were considering an A1 and hadn’t already bought one, I think you can go ahead and buy this one for sure.
I own an A1 for studio and portrait shots. The occasional sports too. I don’t think I’ll upgrade because it suits everything I need it for right now.
I definitely think this has some noticeable improvements, but only for selects types of photographers. And for videographers it almost offers no benefit at all.
You have a great way of finding the small things that only owners experience once they have had the camera for a while. I have both A1 cameras and agree with everything you point out.
Lot’s of useful info for me in this review. Thanks Manny. Looking forward not getting my A1ii next week.
More ppl need to speak up about the screen quality! It’s crazy new Sony bodies aren’t stepping it up
Why are so many people butthurt about using Luminar, Topaz, and photoshop!? 🤦🏻♂️
Im sorry, but if I travelled 8000 miles for photos of a lifetime and the lighting + conditions just arent in the cards for me, you better bet Im going to use Luminar, Topaz, or Photoshop to bring out the most in my photos. Its not cheating, its simply using the software tools to enhance the areas in your photos that could use a touch up. It makes your photos pop + draw your attention a bit more to your subjects/areas. Thanks for taking us on the journey with you Manny. Amazing photos and videos to say the least! 📸❤️
I'm debating on whether to buy the original A1 or the new one. I'd be doing Sports photography, which requires two cameras, and as of now the only camera I own is the A7IV, and a 70-200 (24-70 & 85mm too )
Besides sports I'd be doing other types of photography work, such as events, photoshoots, among others.
Would you recommend me getting the original model, since I'd be saving around 2300$ , and then in the future go for a tele, or make the extra effort and "future proofing" myself with the A1II ?
Both options are seem viable for me, so I've been asking around.
Just concerned I'd be missing out on the new ai subject tracking for sports If i went with the original A1 :)
Thanks in advance!
On my R5ii i have pre capture on most of the time when I shoot action, while using the back af button, half pressing the shutter button allows to start buffering pre capture. I am not sure if that works the same on the A1ii, but i find the best way to control having pre captured frames or not.
I just looked up the exact same trip yesterday because I’m planning to go next month, and now you’ve posted a video about it today-that’s wild!
Roooaaaw...
I bought Luminar Neo a year ago. It's useful to edit photos quickly and those you need to deliver overnight.
A7R V to add to my A9 for me then. You really helped me decide. Thanks Manny!
Would really be nice not to have to pay 5k for something over 10fps. Still though this camera does it all, yes r5ii is cheaper BUT by the time I sell and buy glass I may as well stay with Sony.
I love the Color Transfer add-on, it is a cool feature. You can use the color grading from any of your favorite movies.
Have an x2d for everyday general use and a sony a7rv for video and portraits.
Gotta say it hasn’t started yet but from Jared’s podcast when he said you were going I was so hyped ! Huge inspiration for me and to see you go out of your comfort zone is always amazing to watch
Keep killing it , much love man 🙇
Yoo that actually means a lot man. You just made my night 🙏
Man don’t mention it 🙇
You’ve helped me so much in my day to day and photography. I’m not good in social settings . I try to be but I felt locked up a social battery and I’ve heard you talk about how you’ve tried to combat that and watching you try made me realize I’m capable past it as well . I want to thank you for being a part of that growth for me , love your work stay blessed 🙇
Reminds me of MY 90s traveling across the Philippines - Indonesian archipelagos with just a suitcase, over the shoulder - film - pack with dry ice and my backpack stuffed with my Nikon F5 and N90 and Hasselblad 501C (for the DETAILED landscapes) for almost a year; island hoping by plane, ferry and Bukis Prahau… of course, I had no idea what I shot until I got back to NYC and picked up my 600 rolls of chrome (that I would send back once very week or so) no “digital” back then… my only regret was no video BTS that would have made it worth building a channel!
Hey Manny,
I appreciate you and your videos, like what you are doing with all the gear back in the years to get an idea of preparing, taking photos and post production.
I do not want to be disrespectful, but just a void a fake sun or sun lights. This is surreal, what you did with the elephants is some case of art, fine.
All what you trining to say as conclusion is:
If you want the sensor, crap the A1, if you want a up to date camera, crap A1II.
Thanks for sharing your expirence.
As you point out, the screen is the big thing. Had an A7iv, switched to a used A1 because I wanted properly focused sports pics. I now have to lie on the floor to get low angle shots. I may upgrade to A1ii when it gets reasonable on the used market. Or go to A7v if the AF is OK. A7iv had everything I need except AF.
It’s crazy how bad the A7iv doesn’t focus for sports.
@@bngr_bngr A7IV is really average I'd rather go A6700 if could once again. I can't say I see much difference between my A7IV and A6400. Really.
Even bird AF claim it's locking on the eye, but misses in most scenarios..
Those photos man! Impressive work!
Very good camera, but it’s overpriced. Competitors much more cheaper. For me better to buy z8 or r5 ii.
What camera body cap you use on the A1 II?
Did you have pre AF turned off when you were losing focus to the grass? I suspect it may have been on.
Really enjoyed your honest review even though Colby Brown thinks that just because you're not a wildlife photographer you shouldn't be listened to or being reviewing a wildlife camera. Great review and great points raised good and bad 👍🏾
If Colby brown says it I automatically discount it.
Tx! Do you use aperture priority?
With Nikon (in aperture priority) we can’t change iso without a combo.
(Press a button a turn rear dial.)
Does Sony allow to change iso without combo?
(So without releasing the half pressed shutter button.)
Tx!
Event and portrait photography which would you choose SONY A1 or SONY A7CR? Thank you
A1
Reminds me of MY 90s traveling across the Philippines - Indonesian archipelagos with just a suitcase, over the shoulder - film - pack with dry ice and my backpack stuffed with my Nikon F5 and N90 and Hasselblad 501C (for the DETAILED landscapes) for almost a year; island hoping by plane, ferry and Bukis Prahau… of course, I had no idea what I shot until I got back to NYC and picked up my 600 rolls of chrome (that I would send back once very week or so) no “digital” back then… my only regret was no video BTS that would have made it worth building a channel!
The "major flaw" is the A1II packaging box is basic white.
Going to ruin my Sony box collection themed in black/orange! Guess I'll have to place it next to my Tamron boxes.
A1ii supposed to have 2 additional stops for IBIS. Do you noticeable improvement using 400mm f/2.8 lens since 400mm lens IBIS is pretty poor with A1.
For video, I definitely noticed the difference when I was filming handheld with the 400mm
@ With A1 handheld video is not really practical due to poor IBIS. Glad A1ii work
there appears to be a Luminar ad in my Sony ad😡
Manny , great video , but realistically speaking , like Jared or other people who try to hype canon or Nikon as they are probably benefiting from them, it is ridiculous. Reality is that canon released a flagship camera that is half the MGP of Sony and still behind the A1 4 years ago. Let me not start with Nikon.
So it is unfair to justify a shitty camera like the canon or Nikon at 5500 but not appreciated the Sony A1 II and the fact that is still way ahead of the competition
If money is the objection, people should switch to a Nikon and Canon. I use both alongside Sony. Honestly , I feel Nikon focuses much on color and AI looks of the images instead of technology or features, while Canon has improved but I feel it is still a camera with technology that are not syncing together. It’s not cohesive .
Anyhow this is my opinion, and I don’t mind paying 6500 for a camera that I can use for 3 years and not feel one regret. While canon people and Nikon by the time they receive their new camera a new one is released
no real bias then mark?. You are welcome to your a1, its a great body. But other manafacturers also produce amazing products. The R5 ii is waay cheaper, and most who have used both say has better autofocus. The Nikon z's are awesome. If it makes you feel better by all means keep up the confirmation bias. Whatever helps you feel better about the price.... I'm fascinatedabout the canon technology 'are not syncing together and not cohesive. More fascinated that canon and nikonians 'receive their camera a new one is released', but that is also sadly garbage, as Sony produces more bodies, more frequently, than anyone else....
Absolutely gorgeous photos, Manny. Looks like a special trip!
I'd be interested to know if there is any snobbery with wildlife photographers toward those who use these new AI AF and tracking, like it's somehow 'cheating' and the camera is doing most of the work? Or is everyone is 100% on board and embracing it? Maybe a bit of both... It does certainly close the gap between top tier wildlife photographers and 'enthusiasts' when timing and control is everything.
We absolutely hold Sony to a much higher standard than anyone else, and if they don't blow the doors off and set new industry standards, we call them lazy. Did they need to do better? The closest market competitor, Canon, don't even have a 'legit' flagship and Nikon killed their own Z9 by releasing the Z8... I get why they sandbag tech and it's smart for Sony to stay just ahead of the pack until they need to drop the hammer and put clear daylight between them and the rest. It's not exciting but that's the business I guess!
At $6500 I understand why its flaws deserve more criticism than other competitors. If they had dropped the price it would be a smash and got far less criticism.
My opinion is irrelevant though... For the type of stills photography I do; I'm still happily using the A7R IIIA. Maybe I'd pick up an A1 (mk1) if prices dip enough to tempt me, but definitely not an A1 II customer...
So cool😎
Sony please do something about your camera screen quality. I don't know y you can't understand how sooooo important monitor screens are.
Cool video - where have u been ??
thank you for shooting lots of photos. even if a shot is ok, it's all about landing the shots and everyone needs to avoid the film era mindset of limited shots. but EVERYONE with the new aii2 or a9iii needs to shoot exclusively nr mode. cameras are so fast people dont understand how many shots are taken in a split second
When I think about Manny being there with the bugs, it reminds me of the South Park episode where they are in the rain forest and that woman (Jenifer Aniston) would turn around there would always be a giant 3ft roaring bug attached to her backpack.
🤣🤣🤣🤣
That dog is like " Hey dude - wtf are you doing !!"
How the heck is Vanessa Joy just chillin next to you shooting canon?!
I just don't have words for it. You work with very expensive devices and lenses of more than 20,000 € and then you use software that has absolutely nothing to do with reality! I call that very sad and testifies to, fill it in yourself. I don't understand it and will never understand it.
Im going to go out on a limb and assume that he was contractually obligated to use that program for a sponsorship. I may be wrong but I don't believe most professional photographers would use ai editing apps, most would use Lightroom to edit their photos. I could be wrong though
and if you can’t affort a 1.2lens or f4 supertele just buy the cheapest version and fake the picture with the new ai blur function and no one will find it different from a picture taken with a 18k lens😂
They sponsored the trip so he had to use their products for editing.
Maybe now will understand?
So true. We're forgetting why we take photos. To capture moments and id like it to be accurate as possible. Especially journalistic/wildlife style photos. In the future i can hear manny saying "im going to add more elephants here to enchance the biodiversity"
I'm pretty sure the screen quality is due to the battery limitations. The obvious compromise having a higher res and brighter screen will be worse battery life. Hopefully they will fix it in the new gen bodies. Nonetheless it is what it is. Sub par quality
it would all be fixed if they abandoned the BIONZ XR processor and went to a lower node with more efficiency which would not overheat as fast, be less power hungry & write to CF-A Gen 4 speeds. This camera is a joke because it has the same processor that overheats too fast
Mine arrives today!
Ok, that luminar software took my attention 👀
What did you use for metering?
LENS HOOD! - You are triggering us! - gr8 vid.
It seems to me that letting the camera decide where to focus removes one of the most interesting and important elements of being a photographer.
The thing is you don't have to though. It's just an option, and for fast paced animals that stay moving on the regular, it allow for more freedom to compose w/o having to worry about moving your reticle around w/ a joy stick. Composition is arguably the most important element of being a photographer.
Yeah, have you use these systems before? To just say it's simply let the camera decide is not accurate. For example if you're tracking the closest I across the frame you'll be moving along with it in total your arms your body everything.
But generally in most cases what's the eye tracking you can simply move your hands around and change the composition while the eye stays in focus.
To assume or think that you're just sitting back and holding the button... That's just a lazy way to approach it and I don't support that at all.
Lastly these cameras still have wonderful 1-shot focus. You don't have to use the eye focus at all. So there you go problem solved right? 👍🏾
I am still enjoying using manual focus lenses. Iv tried using autofocus and it holds zero interest for me. Taken with a Nikkor 300 2.8 IF-ED AI-s on Nikon F2as/MD-2 on Tri-X.scontent.fyyc2-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/275278866_985814519025223_8803800156369634891_n.jpg?_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=cc71e4&_nc_ohc=RrNVZ9ww94oQ7kNvgG1m_Li&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent.fyyc2-1.fna&_nc_gid=AhRss6tLP7t4U3QmjAybv_G&oh=00_AYDfzdCu4do8qQ8lkFo_ciokDKUtOAx6fBlnVxjT4KtZ2A&oe=6770378F
@9:37 Absolutely phenomenal photo!
where is your beanie from?
Great looking photos looks like it was an amazing trip but I would like to see your photos up against Jared photos because I know he used Canon cameras on that trip would be a great video idea for you guys
Nikon has theirs the same way (screens) 8 and 9. I love it because of the lower angles i can get.
Great video Manny, I like you just cannot understand why Sony does not put in better screens at this price point. They have the technology. I was also hoping for an integrated vertical grip with a bigger battery
If I’m scooting thousands of pictures I don’t want to be constantly changing these little low capacity batteries. Back in the day Nikon made a battery grip for the D700 so we people could drop a D3 battery in the grip.
With a major flaw.... I pass this one.
real wildlife photographers must be laughing really hard on how you produce a 99% artificial image. just try sending that image to any contest. dont get me wrong. it is a pleasing image, but that is not wildlife photography.
I'm a purest.. i get it.. Luminar is great.. but i will not change my natural shot other than to work with exposure. It's like fishing... you catch the fish or you don't.. Ai won't catch the fish for you. Lets stay true to the craft.
Why would you edit a photo to be so different than what it appeared as in the EVF?
Because some photographers are artists, not photocopiers. :-)
Which then for portrait ?
lonely lion among the canon tigers.
Great video bro
I really want to know any wild life photography? Like how much a year you guys make to afford and justify A1ii with those massive prime zooms
Am literally scratching my head here!
They get them for half price, or free. All the people in the camera industry get two items each year for 50% off MSRP. I know a guy who only paid $6000 and got the a9iii & 300GM at the same time
much respect and welcome to the dark side (wildlife), super jelly you got to to go to the motherland, its def a dream of mine
It’s a joke to put the same CPU in this body. I’m fine with the sensor, but that BIONZ XR can’t write to CF-A Gen 4 speeds and it overheats too fast.
They're saving the new BIONZ XR2 processor to be used in the A7V so A1II owners will moan why they can't get it in a firmware update =]
Damn….i may have to get Luminar
I dont need eye detection AF. Still using dslr photographing wildlife and and i can get great photo out if it.
The problem with mirorless camera is its lack of dimention. The images look to digital.
People buy expensive camera but yet they still have to edit it in computer. For me its a big dissapointment.
There is a solution to the problem. Those who don't want to edit images buy phones.
@EdvardKALEN can you take good picture or shoot like a pro wildlife photography with phone ? 🤣
@@wira8811 Soon you will, there is no doubt about it. The only question is: can neural network drawings be called photographs? Why do I, as a photographer, need images that are not real? For such photos there is Midjourney. Another couple of years and you won’t be able to distinguish the photograph of elephants from this video from what the neural network will draw from scratch.
@EdvardKALEN the only thing i need mirorless is because they dont have any sparepart left to repair dslr. Not because dslr is not capable of taking good picture.
I have been using 1dxii for 6 years. Its more than capable than most modern mirorless except those flagship..
Fro was on photo trip😅
The screen is only a viewfinder. Useful for framing the image. That's it.
Put your money where it makes a difference. Good software makes a difference, a slightly better viewfinder do not.
well there's the a1iii I suppose in a few years that none of us will be able to afford either.
plz can you shoot good quality photos of NJ UAP\UFO ? it feels like everyone is filming on phones from the 2000s
I’m just starting the video right now let’s see if I should spend $6500 and upgrade from what I already have
Hope I answered your question 🙏
Yes sir! Did you bring up the screen brightness issue to Sony reps that were there?
Yes I would love to see were it failed during AF. So I know where i might have troubles.
Can wait till I get mine from Amazon. It’ll be a while bc I got in my preorder very late.
I need to look into luminar from the examples you showed! Wow!
I briefly had an a7r5 so I completely get prayer mode! It was so awesome to shoot low angle shots without needing to lay down on the floor . The next time I did same thing with my a1, I realized how annoying it was!
should get rid of the dirt road on that elephant picture to really make it majestic
Great video
Yo!!! One day imma do travel photography too
Sony intentionally crippled the screen, so you buy the next iteration, dont you hate that kind of BS
Always the awkward ending haha
Keep doing you bro
Manny! Again great review. I’m using the a1 II since a week now, while I kept my old a1. The new AF is of course the main differentiator between the old and the new. And your are right, if somebody shoots just portraits, the old a1 is still more than just fine.
camera shaking all over the place wouldnt be helping the af issue 10:13
I love you Manny yet using Luminar AI is a no go for me. Basically what yo can do with the software you could have gone to the local zoo and just replace the background, sky etc. Yeah it looks cool yet its not a "true" representation of what you photographed
Luminar (and Evoto) are so powerful. They can do absolutely wild things.
Hey sir,Congrats on being a Canon Ambassador<
Also what combo is better?Canon R1+Rf 200-800mm vs. R5ii+Rf 100-500mm L vs. Nikon Z8+Z pf 800mm?Let me know.
Cheers,
Met
just get yourself an external monitor
Why would we work any harder? Or develop any skills? We might as wel send a drone to take the pictures, throwing the collected content in an AI editing tool and post the output on social media while taking credit for creative hard work, praying for likes 😅😂
Amazing. Wish it was on Lumix, Hasselblad, or Leica