While perhaps most famous as one of the world's largest electrical and audio brands, Sony has been a major force in the photographic world ever since its 2006 acquisition of Minolta and the alpha mount. Since then Sony has proven to be an innovative manufacturer, being on-board early for in-body image stabilization, live view, electronic viewfinders, and mirrorless. They were the first brand out with full-frame mirrorless and continue to be a leading force in that market. They were also among the first to switch to a focus on premium compacts catering to the serious photographer instead of the more consumer-oriented models that dominated last decade. If you don't already associate Sony with top-tier imaging devices, it's time for you to start.

Introducing

The Sony Alpha 9 Mark III

Global Shutter. 120FPS Continuous Shooting.

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Full-Frame Mirrorless Cameras

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Why do I want a Full-Frame mirrorless?

Why Full Frame?

Full frame cameras have a digital sensor the same size as a frame of 35mm film (24x36mm). These cameras often represent the highest models in various camera lines, and are a common choice for professionals and advanced hobbyists alike.

Some advantages of a full frame sensor are:

  • Larger surface area generally allows for more light collection per pixel, which allows for better dynamic range and better low light performance.
  • Being the same size as 35mm film cameras, lenses maintain their 'correct' field of view that generations of photographers are familiar with.
  • Larger sensor size results in shallower depth of field at a given aperture for the same field of view vs cameras with a smaller sensor.

Some disadvantages of a full frame sensor are:

  • Many full frame models are higher level, and cost more
  • Full frame cameras are physically larger and weigh more than most crop sensor cameras
  • Full frame cameras require full frame lenses, which are generally bigger, heavier, and more expensive than lenses for crop systems

You might consider full frame if:

  • You enjoy shooting landscapes where you can easily bring a tripod
  • You do much of your shooting after dark or in interiors with dimmer than standard office lighting
  • You don't do mostly telephoto workou don't do mostly telephoto work
  • You find yourself struggling to get enough subject/background separation at wider focal lengths

Mirrorless Lenses

What lenses do I need?

Sony's Lens Lines

Sony offers lenses for three different mounts. Depending on what type of Sony camera you own, you will need to look for lenses based on this.

E Mount

These lenses are for use with Sony's APS-C mirrorless cameras. They can be used on full-frame mirrorless as well, but only in crop mode so you will lose some the camera's resolution when doing that.

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FE Mount

The "F" stands for "full frame," and these FE lenses are necessary to get the full use out of Sony's popular full-frame series of Alpha mirrorless cameras. They can also be used on crop-sensor E mount cameras as well.

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A Mount

These lenses are from Sony's older DSLR and SLT cameras, and cannot be used on current mirrorless cameras without an adapter. If you have a Sony DSLR though, these are the lenses you want.

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RX Series Cameras

RX Series Cameras
Why Sony RX Series Compacts?

Why Sony RX Series Compacts?

Sony's RX line of premium compacts offer a mix of traditional point-and-shoot size and convenience with larger than traditional sensors and top-grade optics for the optimum combination of portability and image quality. While there are multiple models available for different needs, there are roughly three main lines within the RX series.

The RX1 line

A professionally-oriented fixed focal length camera with a full frame sensor. The fixed 35mm f2 lens is an ideal 'do-anythng' general lens, and by pairing it with Sony's famous full-frame sensor it makes a great general use camera capable of performing in pretty much any situation.

The RX10 line

Features a bigger 'bridge' style body, which is needed to help balance the line's focus on wide-range fast-aperture zooms. To support such impressive zooms the RX10 series utilizes a 1" sensor–smaller than typical DSLR and mirrorless sensors but still two times larger than typical point and shoot sensors for improved noise performance and dynamic range. The RX10 line is ideal for people who want a full range of focal lengths for any use case, but don't need the size or investment of a changeable lens system.

The RX100 line

Also built around 1" sensors to allow a balance between camera size and lens flexibility. The RX100 series uses a smaller body design like the RX1 line, but offers zoom lenses instead of just a fixed focal length. The combination of the fast zoom lens plus the small size and improved low light performance make them the ideal choice for the general shooter looking to upgrade from their phone or aging compact. They are also ideal choices for people who like to shoot concerts or events, as unlike many changeable lens systems they are still allowed in most venues (though, always check with the venue first).

Crop-Sensor Mirrorless Cameras

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Why Sony Crop-Sensor Cameras?

Why should I get a crop sensor camera?

Crop format cameras are any camera designed to be able to use full frame lenses, but with a sensor size that is smaller than a frame of 35mm film. The end effect is that the image appears to be 'cropped in' from what the full frame would have recorded, which make lenses have a narrower field of view and greater depth of field than they would on a full frame sensor.

Some advantages of a crop sensor camera

  • A smaller sensor is cheaper to produce, and these cameras are often more affordable than a full frame model
  • Support components for a smaller system can also be smaller, allowing the cameras to be greatly reduced in size and weight
  • Crop sensor cameras can accept either full frame lenses (with a crop factor), or dedicated crop lenses, offering a greater range of choice between quality, weight, and size.
  • The narrower field of view means that telephoto lenses work like much longer lenses on a full frame sensor, making it cheaper and lighter to carry longer lenses.
  • The deeper depth of field makes it easier to get images where the entire subject or view is in focus without having to resort to smaller apertures.

Some disadvantages of a crop sensor camera

  • The smaller sensor area means in general the pixels collect less light, which leads to a small decrease in low light performance and dynamic range.
  • Many (but not all) crop sensor cameras are less robust or full-featured than full frame cameras.
  • All lenses will have a crop factor, making them appear longer than on a full frame.
  • The additional depth of field can make it difficult to get strong subject/background isolation at wider focal lengths.

You might consider a crop sensor camera if:

  • You are more budget conscious.
  • You prefer a lighter camera system.
  • You don't shoot much at night, or prefer using a flash inside.
  • You shoot sports or wildlife and need as much telephoto power as you can get.

Memory Cards

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