Lol
Who’s buying the Sony a1MK2?
- Thread starter DavidT
- Start date
-
- Tags
- sony a1mk2
If you would like to post, you'll need to register. Note that if you have a BCG store account, you'll need a new, separate account here (we keep the two sites separate for security purposes).
who did you pre order with?
Roberts
I put no money down or even card info
Jose Raposo
Well-known member
Not sure it will replace the 600 but even with the 2X it's really good, I've shot it exclusively for the last 4 months or so and for me personally it's the best lens I've ever shot with.
From today, a shot of my favourite subject with the 2X.
American Kestrel by Jose Raposo, on Flickr
Looks pretty darn good with the TC. I have bad injuries to both arms and the weight savings would be great if it passes the image quality test. I never use a tc on the 600 to be honest and find cropping to be better than using the TCNot sure it will replace the 600 but even with the 2X it's really good, I've shot it exclusively for the last 4 months or so and for me personally it's the best lens I've ever shot with.
From today, a shot of my favourite subject with the 2X.
Jose Raposo
Well-known member
Yeah the biggest selling point for me is the weight of this thing, I can walk all day with it and not feel like I got run over by a truck at the end of the day.
I got a chance to shoot a Kestrel at 300 the other day, not something that I can normally do with Kestrels and the detail wide open was really something else.
DSC06119 by Jose Raposo, on Flickr
nmerc_photos
Well-known member
FWIW - after the initial excitement wore off, I cancelled my preorder and returned my CFA cards to sit back with Nikon for now.
My initial thinking was that I'd buy the best no matter what, (Sony A1 II + 300GM + 600GM), but when I started adding up the transition costs I could nearly buy an additional TC prime (400/600TC) for the same cost.
Which is more important for securing shots? 30FPS (vs 20), better AF, and precapture, or TC lens? I think it's a toss up depending on subject.
So for now I kept the Nikon kit, may add some more lenses for "free" compared to the Sony swap, and reevaluate when the A1 II is available for $5K or less in a few months. Or if/when Sony comes out with their own TC primes.
Everything I'm reading and talking with dealers about says there's not much interest in the A1 II right now, even less than there was for the A9 III. Hopefully the market will show Sony where the pricing should've been, and make it a more palatable swap in the near future.
My initial thinking was that I'd buy the best no matter what, (Sony A1 II + 300GM + 600GM), but when I started adding up the transition costs I could nearly buy an additional TC prime (400/600TC) for the same cost.
Which is more important for securing shots? 30FPS (vs 20), better AF, and precapture, or TC lens? I think it's a toss up depending on subject.
So for now I kept the Nikon kit, may add some more lenses for "free" compared to the Sony swap, and reevaluate when the A1 II is available for $5K or less in a few months. Or if/when Sony comes out with their own TC primes.
Everything I'm reading and talking with dealers about says there's not much interest in the A1 II right now, even less than there was for the A9 III. Hopefully the market will show Sony where the pricing should've been, and make it a more palatable swap in the near future.
Last edited:
I’m sort of thinking they’ll have some discounts coming up soon
arbitrage
Well-known member
I think you made a good choice.
If I had all that nice Nikon glass you do I'd at least wait for more info on what and when a Z9II is about.
Z9II within a year could easily match the A1II for most specs like FPS, AF, Raw Precapture etc.
Granted, my answer to your question is that I'd favour the 30FPS, better AF and precapture over a TC lens for securing shots. But a TC lens sure is sweet (I used to own the EF 200-400/1.4TC lens).
Maybe it is a race to the finish between a Z9II that can match the A1II versus a Sony 600TC or 400TC lens.
Sony won’t. Maybe a dealer will but it won’t be advertised.
Roomer has it the 400GM with TC is coming on 2025 and the 600GM the year after that. In my opinion if that happens the game is over and Sony has won for those who want the big glass.
RikWriter
Well-known member
Uggghh. That's both great news and terrible news. Great in that I won't have to switch to Nikon to get the benefit of those lenses and terrible in that my 600 f4 will be worth so much less to sell to fund it.
Well, I better start saving.
Although, I also think Sony has really left the door open for a Z9ii that is far more capable than what we'll get with the a1-2. And Nikon already has that glass.
It'll be an interesting couple of years.
Last edited:
Jose Raposo
Well-known member
Start saving is right, the 600GM is close to 20 grand up here in Canada taxes included, can only imagine what the 600 TC would cost. Need to sell off all my Leica M glass that has been collecting dust.
I’m curious what would happen if you went to the USA and took it home in a camera bag? Couldn’t you buy it much cheaper?
I’m with you. I wouldn’t upgrade my 400GM. My 600GM I would but I might keep my current copy for my spouse. Not sure but the price of the original GM will drop a few grand I’d guess.
Jose Raposo
Well-known member
Hi David
Not sure it would be worth the hassle and the risk, getting caught at the border without declaring your purchases is a big deal up here, also our dollar is in the dumps compared to the US dollar at the moment.
As a side note, I travel to Europe every summer and I always make sure that I have my original purchase receipts of every piece of photographic gear for the return home, just incase.
arbitrage
Well-known member
Probably not. The current exchange rate when it goes through a VISA card right now comes in at 1.45x. So if we look at a Nikon 600TC even when on current sale for $14.5K it would cost one $21K. At its regular price it is $22.5K. In Canada the 600TC lists at $19,700 (not on sale). I've been offered to buy one from my dealer for about $1500 less than that. So with the currently brutal forex rate it doesn't make sense driving to the US and buying.
It would make more sense for you guys to drive over to Canada and buy your camera gear there. You'd be saving $$$$$$
Hmmmm…I live in Minnesota, so the trip wouldn’t be too long. Anyone know of a reputable camera shop near the MN/Canada border?
Edit: looks like there’s a place called Imagetech in Thunder Bay ON.
Edit 2: Didn’t realize one can simply buy a camera from Canada and have it shipped to the US duty-free. Seems like you’ll still pay sales tax, but no big deal.
Last edited:
That’s crazy! Why is the exchange rate so horrible?
lukemeup
Well-known member
Multiple factors.
Canada is forced to cut prime rate faster than USA (unemployment growth / economy slowdown). The looming threat of your incoming president's tariffs is just adding to overall doom and gloom. Our liberal government making some not very smart choices is yet another thing. Canada will elect a populist mini Trump next year and the pendulum will swing to conservative side of things for a couple years (and everything will be instantly wonderful because everyone suffers from short term memory loss).
Until another swing in the future.
Sony has a habit of pricing its products above its competitors. And Nikon will almost certainly have a new Z9 within two years (perhaps one year), with a new Z8 to follow afterward. As Steve says, Nikon’s glass is already available. The game is never over, David. It’s consumers who benefit.
I agree wholeheartedly with what you’re saying about Nikons pricing. I do love the small Sony bodies and all of my lenses but the camera body pricing is way out of whack and that was very apparent with the A9iii. All of these cameras are all so good now and the differences are just too minimal at this point to switch systems. I really loved the Z6/7 bodies but hated the size of the Z9 and after finally seeing the Z8, it’s still larger than I would want.Sony has a habit of pricing its products above its competitors. And Nikon will almost certainly have a new Z9 within two years (perhaps one year), with a new Z8 to follow afterward. As Steve says, Nikon’s glass is already available. The game is never over, David. It’s consumers who benefit.
nmerc_photos
Well-known member
yeah we will see.. I think in the end all brands will end up being roughly equal in terms of body performance and glass, but there will always be months (years?) between when they play catch up.
for example my year with the Z9 + 400TC over the RF 600, I captured tons of images I would've missed with the R5 + RF 600 combo. Same thing if I went A1 II + 600GM over Z9 + 600TC potentially.
the ball is definitely in Nikon's court to make something that at least catches up to the R5II / A1 II, if not surpasses it. neither of those releases have been particularly well received, even by fanboys.
I really hope the Sony 400TC isn't the first released, because with the advent of the 300GM - I don't think I'd ever buy a 400TC again.
What I'd really like is for Nikon to come out with a 300TC, instead of a 100-300. Even if they do choose the unfortunate route of a 100-300, I'd probably buy one and pair it with the 600TC and call it good.
So many options, and none of them are bad. Just about nitpicking and min maxing.