The Phoblographer recently published an article on 5 photographers that are getting the most use out of the Sony A7R4, and I am grateful to be one of the featured photographers.
I have shot on numerous cameras in the past, including Canon, Nikon, Olympus and Sony. I even shot on Pentax during the film days. Recently I made the switch to Sony from using primarily a Nikon D850. I had a Nikon D850 that I shot most of my wildlife with using the 500mm f4 lens, but when Sony came out with the 400mm f2.8, I decided to make the switch to full Sony. I shot with the Sony A7R when it first came out, and I noticed in looking at my prints over the years, the best ones seemed to come from that camera. That’s not the only reason, but was a big part of the switch.
Other reasons include the following:
- Mirrorless cameras are smaller, more compact, and lighter
- Video functionality is better and easier to work with in the field
- Faster autofocus and silent shutter
By the time you add a 400mm f2.8 to the A7r4, it may not be that much lighter, but they are more compact, and make it easier to travel with, especially if you are traveling internationally.
Video function was a huge part, as with a DSLR you had to switch to live view, and shooting with longer lenses, a tripod was absolutely necessary. It is so much easier with the mirrorless cameras to switch back and forth and catch video in the field. Most of the time, that video opportunity will not last long, so you have to be able to switch quickly. The only downside with that is that with SD card buffer rates, you often have to wait for the buffer to clear before you can start video.
Mirrorless have both phase and contrast detection and can offer faster autofocus, which is a relatively new feature. DSLR’s used to be faster. The silent shutter is awesome to shoot with as well, as don’t have any mechanical movement if you are shooting longer exposure images. It is also nice to be close to wildlife and not have the constant loud mechanical shutter going off. It can present some opportunities that you might not get otherwise.
Please be sure to check out my instagram @jmdarter if you don’t already follow me!
Black chinned hummingbird. We were able to participate in the banding of some of these hummingbirds, and the following photo and video were from that process. This hummingbird weighed in right at 3 grams, and was successfully banded. If ever caught again, the location and weight will be recorded.
Although my favorite subjects to photograph have long been the top apex predators of this world, birds are also a favorite of mine. As a kid, I used to read all the Audubon books and identify birds. Birds are challenging to photograph in flight, and these hummingbirds take that to a whole new level. The speed and agility of them make it even tougher to catch small moments like this one, of a Calliope landing on a small pinecone about the size of a thumbnail, covered by spider webs.
The calliope hummingbird is the smallest bird native to the United States and Canada. It has a western breeding range mainly from California to British Columbia, and migrates to the Southwestern United States, Mexico, and Central America for its wintering grounds. It`s fascinating that these tiny birds migrate that range, and by themselves, one at a time, not in flocks. #audubon #hummingbirds
I spent the last week in Canada photographing 3 different species of hummingbirds, the Rufous, the Black Chinned, and the Calliope. This photo is the Rufous.
It was an incredible experience, and I shot more in those days than I have in a long time! Get ready for the hummingbirds, because I have a lot of photos and reels to share in the upcoming weeks. For anyone interested, you should check out the link in bio for @aarons_tours as I am sure the next couple years are going to book fast! This is one of my favorites from the trip, but I still have lots to go through! #hummingbirds #birdphotography
