Skip to main content

Impressive image quality from Sony’s Alpha A7 and A7R may make you splurge for full frame

sonys alpha a7 a7r image quality may make splurge full frame dsc00364
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Check out our reviews of the Sony Alpha A7 and A7R digital cameras.

Last week, we headed down to Tennessee to spend some quality time with Sony’s newest cameras (we were guests of Sony, but the opinions are our own). Two of the cameras we used the most were the new game-changing Alpha A7 and A7R full-frame mirrorless cameras.

Recommended Videos

To say they’re amazing cameras is a bit of an understatement, but we’re going to refrain from lavishing them with full praise until we spend more time with a review unit. Full-frame cameras are typically large and bulky, but Sony has managed to fit a ton of high-resolution imaging goodness into a compact body. Both cameras feature a lot of new tech, like the Bionz X image processor and fast autofocusing (click here to read more about the specs in them). We will bring you more about our overall first-impressions in the next few days – performance, ease of use, etc. – but in the meantime, we want to share with you some of the images we shot. Great-looking images is why you go full-frame, and the A7 and A7R don’t disappoint.

Sony supplied us with the 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 (SEL2870) full-frame lens (the kit lens that’s available as a bundle with the A7) and the Carl Zeiss Sonnar T 55mm f/1.8 full-frame prime lens. Being that they’re E-mount cameras, we also could use non-full-frame E-mount lenses or, via an adapter, A-mount DSLR lenses, but we stuck with the supplied lenses most of the time, out of convenience.

The images aren’t completely flawless, but considering how we shot with the cameras – we were usually playing around with the various settings and shooting handheld – we’re really happy with how the majority of our photos looked. Our lead camera reviewer David Elrich shot some amazingly sharp images, using a variety of lenses and in different modes and settings. The great colors and details captured by these cameras are making us reconsider how we feel about full-frame photography from a consumer standpoint. We will have a final verdict down the road, but until then, check out some of the images.

The image above was shot with the A7 and the 28-70mm lens. The image to the right is a close-up crop. Despite being a kit lens, we found it to be capable in situations like this.

The image above was shot with the A7 and the 55mm lens. The A7 uses the same sensor as Sony’s Alpha A99 DSLR, and while the A7R might have the better sensor, the A7 is no chump.

Here’s the same model, but photographed with the A7R and 28-70mm lens. Unless you’re a pro, most of us probably can’t tell the difference.

The image above was shot with the A7R and the 55mm lens. The image to the right is a close-up crop of the fire that’s burning.

We didn’t really want to get too close to the swarm of ladybugs in this area of Southern Tennessee, but you can see the details when you zoom in on the image. We used a A7R and 28-70mm lens.

Another sample image from the A7R and 55mm lens. In case you were wondering, that’s a statue of Jack Daniels of Tennessee whiskey fame.

Here, we have country music star Leah Turner doing an impromptu performance inside a recording studio. The lighting and position of where we stood wasn’t great, and Turner moved around a lot. Still, the A7 and 55mm lens did their best.

The A7 and A7R are made of magnesium alloy and weather-sealed, so we took them out to a muddy field during a wet day to photograph some off-road Jeeps drive by. With the A7R and 28-70mm lens, we were quite a distance away from the vehicle, and we didn’t get quite the sharpest image as we fiddled with the manual mode settings. Still, for most people, this image isn’t bad and you can still make out the words on the vehicle clearly when cropped in.

DSC00290
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Finally, we have an image of musician Ben Folds performing at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. This was shot with the A7R and 28-70mm lens in mostly low light. The image, while fine at small sizes, does exhibit noise when you zoom in. But the noise is fairly even and it’s a useable image even if you enlarge it.

Topics
Les Shu
Former Digital Trends Contributor
I am formerly a senior editor at Digital Trends. I bring with me more than a decade of tech and lifestyle journalism…
Don’t miss the chance to get this 128GB SD card for less than $100
The Lexar 128GB Professional 2000x UHS-II SDXC Memory Card on a white background.

Your new purchase from camera deals will need storage for photos and videos, but you can't buy just any SD card that you see online. It's highly recommended that you invest in a high-quality storage device like the Lexar Professional 2000x UHS-II SDXC Memory Card, which you can currently get from B&H Photo Video with a $75 discount on its 128GB version that brings its price down from $170 originally to a more affordable $95. You may want to buy multiples of this SD card while it's available for less than $100, but you'll have to hurry because we're not sure how much time is remaining on this bargain.

Why you should buy the Lexar Professional 2000x UHS-II SDXC Memory Card
More devices are using microSD cards for expanded storage, but according to our guide on finding the right memory card for your digital camera, most DSLR cameras and mirrorless cameras are still using SD cards like the Lexar Professional 2000x UHS-II SDXC Memory Card. Lexar is one of the brands that we wouldn't hesitate to recommend to photographers, and this SD card's read speed of 300 MB/s and write speed of 260 MB/s will enable quick transfers and smooth shooting. Additionally, as an UHS-II card, you won't have a problem with advanced functions such as continuous shutter bursts, rapid shooting, and raw and JPEG captures.

Read more
Capture all the action with the GoPro HERO12 Black — $150 off today at Amazon
The GoPro Hero 12 Black Creator Edition set up on a small tripod on the beach.

In the moment, when you're blasting over that jump on your dirt bike, catching that killer wave, or jumping off of whatever insane cliff you've found, you don't necessarily think about capturing it all. But one of the best ways to make that happen is to strap on an action cam, like a GoPro. You can capture all of the action, and it's relatively low-lift. You wear whatever unique mount is best for the situation and the camera does all the work. There's just one issue, action cameras can be expensive especially if you're on a budget. However, today, Amazon has the GoPro HERO12 Black for $150 off. That brings it down from its normal price of $400 to $250. You can use that extra money to grab an accessory and you're good to go. GoPro HERO12 Black captures it all in 5.3K or 4K so you can rewatch the glory over and over.

 
Why buy the GoPro HERO12 Black? To capture the action, that's why
An action camera like a GoPro makes it possible to capture the action, in full detail, no matter what you're doing. You don't even have to be doing crazy stunts either. A common misconception is that they're only useful for outdoor activities, but no they work for filming just about anything. Even if you're having a barbecue, or a birthday party, or want to see what your roaming cat sees throughout the day -- a GoPro is what you need.

Read more
NASA astronaut Don Pettit talks photography from the space station
NASA astronaut Don Pettit discussing his photography from aboard the ISS.

NASA ASTRONAUT DISCUSSES PHOTOGRAPHY IN SPACE WITH NASASPACEFLIGHT.COM

NASA astronaut Don Pettit arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) in September on his fourth orbital mission in 22 years. Besides working on various science projects on the space-based facility, Pettit is also known for his keen interest in photography, and he regularly shares his impressive efforts -- including rivers, clouds, star trails, and high-speed spacecraft -- on X and Instagram.

Read more