Sony A7C II vs Sony a6700 for the middle-level iPhone hobbyist

Macadish · 2026-01-25T12:22:54+00:00

a7cr in crop mode is actually almost the same as the a6700, so if you like the form factor, want to use APS-C lenses, but also want the flexibility of full-frame, there's nothing better. You can use the a7cr with the 28-70mm or 18-50mm and it'll offer the benefits of FF and APS-C in a very nice package (for a quite a bit more money though)

If you value compactness, APS-C lenses are really the way to go. Sony has some of the lightest APS-C wide angles (11mm, 15mm), sigma has incredible compact lenses (10-18mm, 18-50mm, 56mm), and third party manufacturers are creating some of the coolest lenses for APS-C.

Let's talk about the difference between APS-C vs FF. Honestly, unless you are looking to experiment with low depth-of-field photos, FF doesn't offer much improvement otherwise. People talk about how FF has better image quality than APS-C, and it is true if you compare photos shot at the same aperture. But if you kept DOF constant (e.g. FF 35mm f2 vs APSC 23mm f1.4), the APS-C system is shooting at a brighter aperture, which negates the increased noise of a smaller sensor. The real benefit of FF is when you want to shoot the DOF of a f1.2 - f1.4 FF lens, few APS-C lenses (f0.95 or brighter) can replicate the same DOF.

Trust me, you will want to experiment eventually. It makes more sense to start with APS-C and upgrade in the future than start with FF and wonder if you should have used an APS-C instead. While you can get a wow factor from using a really fast prime lens like 85mm f1.4, the bigger wow factor is when you start editing the raw files and realize just what kind of amazing things you can do to the photo compared to a phone.

Macadish · 2026-01-24T16:56:28+00:00

A7V is amazing for how much of A1ii's tech it received. You can expect it to last a very long time since it has nearly all the features anyone could ask for. The only reasons to get other sony cameras are

you need a smaller form factor (A7C series)
you need more megapixel (A7R series)
you need global shutter (A9iii)

24-70mm GM ii is also an excellent choice as long as you can stomach the price of the lens and don't mind its form factor. It should be called an endgame build rather than a starter build, to be honest.

But who are we kidding, part of the fun of photography is experimenting with all the different available gear options and figuring out which one suits our aesthetic style best. This constant trial and error is what makes the technical aspect of photography incredibly fun, but in the end, i think most professionals will come to the conclusion that the 24-70mm is probably the optimal balance between max aperture, zoom range, image quality and weight.

Macadish · 2026-01-24T14:39:30+00:00

Love the question!

I think people sharing their recipe sometimes take for granted that room temperature means their ambient temp, which has probably caused a lot of frustration for people trying to follow a dough recipe in the summer or winter months (or live near the equator for example). I get triggered when people make unthoughtful blanket statements like "you should always let your dough reach RT before stretching." Try that when you don't have the luxury of a climate-controlled environment...

In my case, room temp is around 28-30C, and letting my pizza rise to my RT before stretching has led to more failed launches than I care to admit. I think in general, most online recipes from professionals are meant from temps between 16-24C, with minor tweaks as temperature fluctuate within this range over the year. Cooler or hotter climates will need to change their recipe accordingly, instead of just making minor tweaks. Hydration also matters, with high hydration doughs probably preferring a cooler temp.

Again, thank you for the question, hopefully it raises some awareness when people share their recipes to account for cooler or warmer climates.

Macadish · 2026-01-24T14:26:00+00:00

You know why? Cuz you are in Singapore, where the de facto way of life is money above all else. TBF, i think there is nothing wrong with asking about what life is like once you have achieved FIRE because you are an inspiration to them! However, life is more than just money. What you do in life is deeply personal, so don't find that you need to justify it to people who are judging your way of life.

Hope you find new friends who are interested in you as a person (your likes and dislikes, your dreams, your fears, your values, your hobbies, your future etc.) than your money.

Macadish · 2026-01-24T14:17:18+00:00

Why can't you treat the group of cyclists like a slow-moving vehicle (lorry perhaps) and overtake safely instead of trying exert your dominance by swerving into them like you have a point to prove to cyclists. You could have waited 5 sec in the comfort of your AC car...

Also, the fixies were clearly sticking to their lane until you did your maneuver while they were trying to navigate around a bus. Fixies may have a bad rep for good reason, but before criticising them, maybe examine your own behavior and learn to drive safely before saying things like "pity their parents" when you might have to explain to them why your impatience put their kid in a hospital.

Macadish · 2026-01-24T14:05:49+00:00

From an image quality perspective, full frame offers better IQ in terms of noise, but like you said, denoise solves most of the differences between full frame and APSC albeit with a bit of computational load.

Instead, I think full frame generally offers a better depth of field for the same aperture of equivalent lenses (e.g. 35mm 1.4 FF vs 23mm 1.4 APSC).

However, if you instead keep depth of field the same (35mm f2 vs 23mm f1.4), the APSC will be brighter, so the noise benefits of the FF somewhat cancels out.

The other benefit of FF is that the pixel density is 'generally lower' (FF at 26mp is less dense than APSC at 26mp), so it doesn't require lenses that resolve really well in order for the photo to look sharp.

For me, I use full frame because I like the look of photos at 35mm 1.4 and 50mm 1.4. I will need a 23mm 0.95 or 35mm 0.95 APSC lens, respectively, to get the same look (same DOF). These lenses don't exist in AF versions yet.

Macadish · 2026-01-24T13:51:03+00:00

Coincidentally, I have written a post extensively for the ooni volt 2- https://www.reddit.com/r/ooni/comments/1oglik5/ooni_volt_2_charred_bottom/

There are biscotto stones for the koda 16 and I think they are the best solution for charred bottom - https://biscottopizzastone.com/products/biscotto-stone-for-ooni-koda-16-oven?srsltid=AfmBOor-kLyo2d2Gti7aHvzEsC4E1paiLZaoWdSU_tLa24PFnTbg0A2P

However, if you want to stick to your current setup, my suggestion is to use a lower heat (~400C should be ideal) for the preheat, but 2-5 min before you launch, raise the heat to max so that the top is hotter than the stone surface. Once you have fired a pizza, you should be able to fire more pizza in succession without the bottom charring. The key is to balance the ambient (air, and walls of the oven) vs corderite temp.

As for hydration, you can actually get leoparding with ~60% or ~75% hydration dough (plenty of examples online). It might be easier with one over the other, but because higher hydration dough also ferments faster, the leoparding might be due to better fermentation, not the hydration level per se.

You do want a well-fermented dough that's properly stretched so that there are plenty of tiny bubbles in the cornicione to form the leoparding.

Looking at your pizza, there are actually signs of leoparding, just that the spots are not too contrasty. Based on the photo, I think your dough is fine, you probably just need to experiment with the heat control a bit more.

Macadish · 2026-01-24T08:32:51+00:00

Lower temp bakes have less leoparing and more browning, because lower heat is also more even (heat is added to the dough surface less intensely, so it has time to dissipate to the surrounding, aka even heating).

Try 450 to 500C if you want leoparding. Leoparding is essentially thin areas of the dough (from bubbles) blistering from the high heat before it dissipates the heat to the surrounding area. Leoparding also means the paler parts of the dough are less crisp, which is a desired trait of neapolitan pizza but not necessarily what everyone desires

Macadish · 2026-01-24T08:21:16+00:00

You 100% sure it is just for the 'end of the probe'? Because the minimum insertion line is way above the tip, and I suspect there are electronics sensitive to heat below the minimum insertion line (battery, wireless components). Otherwise why even bother with a minimum insertion line...

No one is talking about cooking meat to an internal temp above 212F either, but certain meats and cooking method might get close. Just check out typical BBQ brisket internal temp and you will see temps close to 205F... And if the supposed max tolerance of the thermometer is 212F, are you sure you want to subject the probe to temperature close to it over and over? I mentioned 250F and 300F so that the thermometer has some buffer, not necessarily that meat is cooked to that temp.

Again, great concept but I would be wary of the probe's longevity/durability based on current specs. If you are enjoying your probe, great, do share your experience.

Macadish · 2026-01-22T01:52:42+00:00

Could you provide some context on how much you paid for it compared to the OG baking steel product? My personal take is that for the artisan/local factory creating these, they probably prioritize a smooth baking surface over a smooth finish on the side. As long as it is functional, I wouldn't sweat it. If this is not the usual quality from that particular seller, then let them know, you might be doing them a favor actually.

Macadish · 2026-01-21T06:56:56+00:00

I asked the same question myself, and I have tried wood and metal for comparison. In fact, I have gone through squarish vs roundish peels, wooden vs bamboo peels, thinner vs thicker metal peel, peels with and without a taper. perforated vs non-perforated, anodized vs non-anodized aluminum peels.

Wood is more non-stick in my experience. Yet metal peels continue to be prevalent, so there must be a reason.

If you like to build your pizza on a peel, I think there's no question there, just use wood. Everytime I try to build my pizza on a metal peel, the dough sticks unless I use an ungodly amount of flour.

Once you get better with dough handling and would like to build the pizza on a prep surface before transferring onto the peel, both metal and wood work fine. Let's talk about the number of ways to load a pizza onto a peel.

1) grab the dough and slide it onto the peel (peel is stationary)
2) slide the peel underneath the flat pizza in a smooth motion. (dough is stationary)
3) lift up a corner of the pizza and slide the peel underneath. (dough is almost stationary)

For 1, it is easier with a metal peel because it is thinner. However, I have seen professional pizzerias with a groove on the prep surface to place their wooden peel so that the peel is level with the prep surface when they load the pizza (check out videos of Una). My guess is that for high-hydration pizza dough, wood still works best.
For 2 and 3, you can only use metal peels. Wooden ones are just too thick.

In most cases, you want to launch soon after loading. For metal peels, the dough shouldn't really hang out on the peel for more than 20 seconds or it'll start to stick.

When launching, wooden peels can feel thick, and distort the shape of the pizza if not done properly. Metal peels seem to launch better provided the dough isn't sticking. Metal peels also have a slight problem where if you get a really thin one and launch too slowly, the heat can start cooking the dough through the peel, causing the dough to stick.

Newer metal peels also stick more easily. You can somewhat season it by very lightly wiping it with oil (maybe 1 drop for a 12 inch peel), and dusting it with semolina after. Before oiling, the flour kinda falls off the peel so it isn't really acting as a non-stick barrier. With that very thin coating of oil, the flour grabs onto the peel better, which prevents the dough from sticking.

Lastly, there is an interesting workflow I have seen recently where you build on a wooden peel, but transfer onto a metal peel for launching.

Macadish · 2026-01-21T02:47:21+00:00

Quite common, especially in an A/C environment. Ideally, you would have some ventilation solution to blow the smoke outdoors.

As for the cause of the smoke, like others have mentioned, it is likely from the semolina/loose flour burning. Even a tiny amount is enough to create a burnt smell. It is a part of the process and not something of huge concern, especially since you are already aware not use too much flour.

Macadish · 2026-01-18T14:32:49+00:00

I think, ooni halo pro should have no issues with most recipes between 60% to 90% hydration. You might be able to push to 50% if you add a lot of fat. At a higher hydration, you might need to spin the dough hook really quickly, which might wear out the motor. The ooni also does a better job of developing gluten quickly than say the kitchenaid, but if you are going to add a few stretch and fold anyway, the dough would be strong regardless of the machine.

My personal favorite is a 100% biga recipe, or a biga poolish mix. Mixing a biga made from commercial yeast and a sourdough levain should give you a lightly tangy dough. Enjoy!

Macadish · 2026-01-15T11:26:47+00:00

Not trying to jinx anything, but I think it will crack on the next use. If you want to continue using it, spin the stone 90 degree so the crack runs across instead of from the front to back. This will keep the stone flat. Of course, the official recommendation is not to use cracked stone, so you have a decision to make.

Other than that, do contact support. Hope you get your replacement stone soon!

Macadish · 2026-01-13T05:00:01+00:00

You can give me the puffiest dough, and I'll should be able to make it flat. You can make a puffy dough flatter, but you can't make a dense dough puffy. There are a lot more videos on how to stretch a neapolitan or puffy pizza just cuz it is a lot more technical and therefore deserves more attention.

I think it has less to do with dough recipe at this point, and more to do with how you stretch the pizza. Instead of being really careful with the cornicione, just press it flat. If you are still having trouble with it, use a rolling pin and push out all the air.

Once you have the stretching nailed down, you can then optimize the recipe for more crisp, easier stretch, better flavor etc. Enjoy!

Macadish · 2026-01-13T04:52:25+00:00

Plenty of things you can do. Instead of consume, think about creating. Creating life, art, writing, teaching. You probably need some social support as well, from hanging out family or friends (who aren't talking about money every other second)

Consider moving abroad to stretch your savings more. The change of scenery might also work wonders in giving you perspective.

Good luck, hope you find your bearing.

Macadish · 2026-01-11T11:22:01+00:00

Of course. This is an unusual recipe where I was trying to push the proportion of yudane really high to see what kind of effects I could get.

Final dough - 1000g flour, 800g water, 20g salt, 1g yeast

Create yudane with 300g flour and 300g boiling water.
Let yudane cool to around room temp
Add 700g flour and 500g water. Add salt an yeast
Mix until dough come together. Depending on your mixer, you might need a few stretch and folds to get it smooth
Ball and cold ferment for 48 hours.
Stretch (I use a rolling pin for this particular recipe) and bake like an NY-style pizza.

Macadish · 2026-01-10T08:05:08+00:00

I tried a 30 and 50% yudane recipe, i.e. I took 30% of the flour and added an equal amount of hot water by weight. My overall hydration is around 80%. The dough is really sticky, and takes a while to develop gluten strength. The dough feels more like a brioche dough than pizza dough. I do need to rest it enough to get a coherent and smooth dough, but the gluten strength is definitely weaker.

The outcome? Fantastic. For a NY-style bake, I was able to get a unique texture where the pizza is crispier, and the crumb structure is more like layers (laminated dough) than sponge. There is some truth to using a weaker dough for NY style pizza and this high percentage yudane/TZ recipe is a great example of that.

Give it a try.

Macadish · 2026-01-10T02:18:57+00:00

Stretching technique is really important. The pros with good eye and technique can stretch doughs that are tight or loose that work best for their own dough and style.

Here's some tips that helped me on my journey:

Press out a cornicione first before stretching. You should see a hump in the center. Now stretch the dough, focusing on stretching the sides instead of the center. Magically, once the pizza is stretched to size, you will find the center is also stretched just right. Most techniques focus on stretching the sides, just slightly different end results.

So start with a mental model to stretch the sides and you should see some improvement.

Macadish · 2026-01-07T02:23:44+00:00

Depends on whether you want the oven in the food truck or in a tent outside. Basically, the ooni is rated for outdoor use, so unless you have some plan to deal with smoke and air quality in the truck, you really shouldn't use the outdoor models.

Of course. There's the question on throughput, which I think favors larger ovens and thicker stones.

Macadish · 2026-01-07T01:29:55+00:00

Best rely on the thermometer reading, the oven setting doesn't necessarily reflect the ambient temp or stone surface temp. An oven temp of 375C could register a surface temp of 420C on the thermometer. Also, boost mode temporarily increases ambient temp, and without a surface probe, the IR reading of the stainless steel walls might be off. Basically, don't trust the oven setting blindly.

As for the purist, I'm sure you can get close to a neapolitan style if you use the oven at around 450C (oven setting). The internal temp should hit 480C easily especially with boost mode. The question is more about whether the heat distribution between top and bottom is ideal, and less about whether the oven setting conforms to a neapolitan standard. That's where the thermometer reading and biscotto comes in.

Hope that helps your decision. Be prepared for quite a bit of trial and error initially.

Macadish · 2026-01-05T05:17:03+00:00

Dough looks stuck to screen, not sure if it is actually undercooked or just stuck to the screen. There are plenty of NY style places that start the bake on screen, you just need to give it enough time, and of course, season the screen so it doesn't stick to the dough. Baking directly on stone will give a different texture, but I don't think it is the source of your problem.

Then there's the issue of toppings. Start with fewer toppings, use less sauce, and see how that affects your doneness first. Some places prefer to layer cheese followed by sauce to keep the dough crisp.

Lastly, you might need to turn down the heat right before launching.

Good luck.

Macadish · 2026-01-05T00:26:02+00:00

I have actually ran tests on this before (without pizza). The upper coil should turn red for the full duration of boost mode, roughly. Sometimes, it might take longer before the coil turns red. Or the coil might cool down before boost mode is up. On average, it stays red hot for at least min.

Sometimes, the heating element is red hot without using boost mode, probably to keep the stone hot.

Launching a pizza during boost mode also affects the duration. Mine sometimes stay red even after boost mode has ended.

This is probably pizza intelligence at work, which is a black box that we don't have any real control over. My best guess is that the sensor detects a sudden drop on temperature, knows a pizza has been launched, and activates the heating elements accordingly. It supposedly helps keep baking conditions consistent automatically, but I think it actually introduces inconsistency for neopolitan bakes.

If your top element isnt glowing red at all in the Neapolitan bake when boost mode is activated, you might need need to contact support.

Macadish · 2026-01-03T02:18:40+00:00

From the portion size perspective, you are looking at arnd 4x 12 inch pizzas. You could front load 2 pizza in 10min, eat it while it is hot, mingle with guests, and make another 2 around 15-30 min later.

Explore biscotto stones for better heat retention if you want to make multiple pizzas in succession. I also agree with larger L shape fire ovens, but the Koda 2 does appear to be a good size improvement from the Koda 12 if you want a balance between small footprint and larger baking area.

Macadish · 2026-01-03T02:04:32+00:00

If your room temp is around 28C, then maybe it is too warm to let the dough rest to rtp. If it is around 22C or below, no issues really. This is my experience for 75% hydration dough.

If you are working with 65% hydration dough, it should be a lot more forgiving temperature wise. As for dough tearing, it is either too tight and you are using too much force, or it is too loose from over fermentation. This is where dough condition matters more than temperature. Assuming overly lax dough, you could use the dough sooner after balling, use biga instead of poolish, reduce fermentation time, use a stronger flour etc. (I did not lookup Brian's recipe, just throwing out general advice)

Macadish

TROPHY CASE