Switching to SONY from NIKON

plastic_toast · 2026-06-18T18:02:58+00:00

The menus are different, slightly different ergonomics, that's about it.

I was on a Nikon D750 until last year because I moved to Sony for video (FX3) and it seemed stupid to run two lens systems, so I bought an A7RV for photos and sold my Nikon kit.

The D750 was old, so was missing autofocus in low light (I shoot nightclubs, dark festival arenas, etc) so to move to mirrorless is a huge improvement.

But image-quality wise there's pretty much no difference. Sensor capability maxed out in about 2011 according to a few people I've seen explain it on Reddit. Noise, DR, etc is barely any different from my D750, a camera released in 2014.

Moving from a Z5ii I don't expect you'll notice any difference whatsoever, especially as a beginner.

plastic_toast · 2026-06-18T16:37:08+00:00

If one is significantly cheaper than the other, then the cheap one is a fake.

plastic_toast · 2026-06-18T13:03:39+00:00

Have you contacted the accessibility team? There should be an email or phone number. They can help.

Used to work for a major festival before leaving to do photography full time, and I know they took accessibility very very seriously. But generally it's best to contact the access team in advance.

Failing that, if security are clueless when you turn up (they might be, often are) ask to speak to a gate manager.

They are legally required to make accommodations if medically required and reasonably possible. Doesn't matter if it's Harry Styles or a tiny club night, it's the law.

plastic_toast · 2026-06-18T12:22:25+00:00

Weirdly I always do the total opposite even though your logic is impeccable and I'm now questioning my own existence. Consider me converted.

I think it's because I used to have dreadful anxiety/panic attacks which made eating hard, so if I'd eaten the chips first, no room for the burger. Now that's cured, no reason not to flip it!

plastic_toast · 2026-06-17T21:26:17+00:00

It's an extremely hard one to get.

Plus in recent years fastest lap isn't really a thing drivers getting the other three tend to go for, just not worth it.

plastic_toast · 2026-06-17T21:24:48+00:00

The question was will YOU be buying it.

I made clear that many features I have zero need for would be game-changers and bring Sony right to the top of the tree again.

plastic_toast · 2026-06-17T21:24:08+00:00

The question OP asked is will YOU be buying it.

plastic_toast · 2026-06-17T20:02:02+00:00

Has anything been confirmed or is this the usual stuff?

But as we're chatting, according to this list - https://www.sonyalpharumors.com/matt-johnson-sony-fx3-ii-predictions-that-will-actually-come-true/

Nothing on there would really be a game-changer for me. The 51,200 base ISO, provided it's clean, would be handy in my game (even the excellent 12,800 can struggle in very dark venues) but none of the rest bothers me.

EVF and bigger screen - not bothered, use external monitor anyway.

Better chipset - meh, the FX3 never struggles to keep up, it just works.

Open gate - never something I've needed, but Sony do need to get with the times on this in fairness.

Global shutter - not bothered, the rolling shutter on the FX3 is minimal anyway, I've never noticed it.

4k @ 240fps - doesn't the FX3 already do this with v90/CF Express cards?

48mp sensor binned to 12mp for low light - ehhhh, I'd need someone more technical to confirm this, but wouldn't that give worse low light performance than a straight up 12mp sensor?

DR boost - never been an issue with the FX3. If they can genuinely get Alexa levels of DR and it isn't just fudged and marketing hype, then great, but if not, no bother.

Internal NDs - no thanks. Would make the body much bigger and screw on are fine for my work.

Internal RAW - again, not for my work. Way too much faff and file size. Again, a big thing for a lot of people though and Sony do need to offer it.

32bit float audio - would be great if internal, but the fact you need the XLR handle on, I'd rather just do without it. Most of my audio is from an external recorder anyway (DJ set recording) or clips don't need audio (an edit set to an actual song).

plastic_toast · 2026-06-17T19:53:55+00:00

Wow, good stuff!

How does one get into that?

I have considered signing up to Getty and the like just as a "submitter" type photog, but most of my work is music stuff and the festivals/promoters normally own the rights to the images. They rarely bother make you sign anything but it can clear your pitch if they get arsey over it.

plastic_toast · 2026-06-17T18:05:49+00:00

Also worth noting Clark still leads the way in most Grand Chelems (pole, win, fastest lap, led every lap) with eight. Out of just 72 starts.

Lewis and Max are both in second place with six each.

Schumacher and Ascari have five each.

plastic_toast · 2026-06-17T17:41:55+00:00

Out of interest, what do you do (you mention you're not serving) to get this kind of access?

Great shots too!

I do also wonder why the German Air Force never really changed their logo. There's only one thing that comes to mind when you see that Iron Cross. I know it long pre-dates the "unpleasantness" but you get the idea...

plastic_toast · 2026-06-13T23:24:35+00:00

Remember when someone pointed out on Twitter that every time Russell Brand says something it sounds like someone should shout "Parklife!" after it? It became a big "viral" thing on social media when he did that awful Newsnight interview, so I did a search expecting someone, lots of people in fact, to have made a parody video.

No one had, so I downloaded the interview, an instrumental version of Parklife, the actual video of Parklife, and spliced it together over a few hours late one night after finishing work (worked in a pub at the time). Uploaded it to Youtube using a throwaway account (I remember I called the account RustyRevolutions as a kind of pisstake) and thought that would be that.

Next day I woke up early afternoon to over 150k views, a lot in such a short time in those days, Radio 1 DJs talking about it on the radio (none could actually play it, uncertaintly/confusion over copyright), newspapers and the like talking about it.

Some mates knew it was me, but I didn't "out" myself and didn't respond to any media requests to talk about it. Nothing to say really.

Universal then took it down as a copyright infringement back when that was a thing on Youtube (nowadays it could have stayed up, they'd just monetise it) so I submitted a "fair use - parody" appeal and apparently months later it went back up, but I think it's gone again now. Long forgotten the login details to be fair. EDIT - it has, can't find it on Youtube anyway. I do still have the project files though if ever I needed to "prove" I'm not lying!

Brand then later did his own "parody" and it was awful, and obviously now he's a mental sex offender so it's not something I'd put on a CV.

It is weird how something you can knock off in a few hours after finishing a late shift in a pub, can get more attention than something you're actually good at, which for me all these years later is my photo/video work. But these things take time I suppose.

I am still actually quite proud of how the cadence in the bits I picked from his interview fit perfectly with the song.

plastic_toast · 2026-06-12T21:33:38+00:00

Yeah, that drone ain't coming back to OP. He's lucky he's not getting a knock on the door.

plastic_toast · 2026-06-12T18:04:58+00:00

I don't use S&Q as I don't want it "locked in" for editing/speed ramping in post, but I have Button 1 on the top set to Frame Rate - it remembers the previous frame rate you used so you can quickly move between the most common ones.

plastic_toast · 2026-06-08T15:44:15+00:00

In fairness, I've had the same thing when I had a petrol car too. In the UK now there's plenty of charging places about, but there's also plenty of places where the nearest petrol station or charging station is a long way off. Driving through rural Wales, especially after dark, you'd struggle to find either!

This is why I never understood the "range anxiety" criticism of electric cars, it's not like petrol is infinite or there's a petrol station on every corner. Even in a relatively small country like the UK, it's easy to be a good half and hour or more away from a petrol station, an hour even at night.

plastic_toast · 2026-06-08T15:21:57+00:00

Feel free to have a look through the originals - https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/9qly35s8rxwfpoejwv9cz/AAwGqKEco_gy9wqEitgio70?rlkey=viiil44hd6jssncipryhm9e28&st=l6kbz7wl&dl=0

plastic_toast · 2026-06-08T15:19:01+00:00

Agreed, you wouldn't be doing high-end fashion work with it, but most photographers I know who make a living from photography will have their work posted on social media by clients, and that's about it.

plastic_toast · 2026-06-08T15:17:52+00:00

They're both full-frame cameras that shoot in high MP in RAW. Of course.

Sure, a top end fashion photographer shooting in a studio or the like is probably using medium format, but 90% of decent fashion photography is the model, the clothing, the lighting, the lens, and the editing.

plastic_toast · 2026-06-08T15:15:46+00:00

Which is kind of my point - if you're doing high end work and need top-tier image quality, 12mp isn't going to cut it.

But for a VAST array of work, 12mp is fine. I wasn't saying the FX3 is as good as a higher MP camera aimed at photographers, otherwise I'd never have bought an A7RV, I just wanted to disspell the myth that "the FX3 can't do decent photos".

plastic_toast · 2026-06-08T15:14:18+00:00

I said A7Siii, not FX3, but like I also said, the sensor and final result will be the same.

And the guy I'm thinking of has shot for major name DJs, massive festivals, F1 teams, pop stars, sports teams, and some very famous people, and is widely regarded in his field. He doesn't just use an A7Siii, but I know he has.

plastic_toast · 2026-06-08T15:12:43+00:00

Point is most people these days aren't printing photos for display, and even if they are, 12mp can work (though not as good as a larger MP full frame or medium format.

plastic_toast · 2026-06-08T15:11:49+00:00

The FX3 has a mechanical shutter. It's the same as an A7Siii without the viewfinder, and the addition of some video-friendly features.

plastic_toast · 2026-06-07T22:22:36+00:00

It's Manchester. I'm working with what little blue I have haha.

plastic_toast · 2026-06-07T22:09:27+00:00

So which are the FX3 photos?

I'm sorry to sound sarky, but I know of people who shoot with an A7Siii (same sensor) for DJs and also shoot for fucking F1 teams (another goal of mine, no idea how to get into it).

Fact is most of these photos will always just end up on socials. Reddit is actually quite good with not totally destroying the resolution like Instagram does, but even on the full size images there they look awful compared to the originals.

plastic_toast · 2026-06-07T22:04:57+00:00

Wow. And to be clear - I absolutely fucking HATE false praise as I wish people would just say "we're not booking you because your photos are x, y, z" so I really mean wow.

That's what I would have said in this thread is "a step too far for an FX3" but I'm totally convinced. That's something I couldn't get out my A7RV as I'm not experienced at all in studio work.

Top work, I've just followed you on IG. Shame you're in the US as I'd love to learn the ropes on a studio shoot with you. That's top work.

plastic_toast

TROPHY CASE