O Lawd Hep Me

First of all, here's the theme song for this post.

Secondly, readers can help: you can either post a comment that says, "Mike, the last thing you need is another camera," or else you could helpfully point out deficits, flaws, and shortcomings in the Sony A7s.

Thank you. That would be nice of you.

I got a chance to handle and shoot a little bit with the Sony A7S and the ZA 35mm ƒ/2.8 lens at Art's Cameras Plus in Waukesha. As soon as I had it in my hot little hands I thought, "uh-oh."

Art's Cameras counterman Gavin Donaldson, from New Zealand.
(Before you ask the obvious, his wife is from here.)

Yes, I know that gear lust is often just a substitute for actually working on photography and taking pictures, and I know that I can't afford a new camera now. (House poor for the foreseeable.) My go-to Sony NEX-6 is not even two years old yet.

And, I have enough cameras. Right? Everybody?

But man oh man, that is one sweet little device. The A7S with the 35mm lens on it just fits like a glove, and the AF is fast and positive and you could sell recordings of that shutter noise. I could take pictures with that thing all day and never get tired of just working the camera. Catnip. Catnip! Damn, damn and damn.

Please tell me I don't need this. I really don't need this. You know I worked all the way through art school with a Contax and yep, a Zeiss 35mm ƒ/2.8 lens. But I do not need....

I do need to stay away from Art's Cameras, that's what I need. I need to stay away. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful camera and lens.

Mike
(Thanks to Gavin)

Original contents copyright 2014 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved. Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site.

TOP's links!

(To see all the comments, click on the "Comments" link below.)
Featured Comments from:

Dave: "Two reasons not to buy it: 1. Your writing is better when you are not stressing about finances. 2. Your blog is more interesting when you are suffering from unsatisfied gear lust."

R. Edelman: "I love my A7. The Zeiss 35mm ƒ/2.8 is a wonderful lens. Together they make a great package with respect to size, weight, balance and, most importantly, image quality. The NEX-6 is becoming of less value every month. Why not sell the NEX-6 and the lens, and save some bucks with the A7, instead of the A7s."

Patrick Murphy: "The A7S's standout features for stills are the amazing low-light (high ISO) capability and the totally silent shutter mode. Expect a roughly three-stop gain over most DLSRs. In PASM mode without a flash, the shutter can be set to be completely silent. Unfortunately, some Auto and Creative modes, and flash mode, require the mechanical front curtain shutter to actuate. Its sound is roughly comparable, or slightly more noticeable, than current DSLRs.

"These features are important for weddings, events, street, etc. If you need them, you know it already!

"If you do not need these features, and like the A7 in general, consider the lower cost A7 which also features faster phase detection AF in continuous AF mode. The A7R and A7S only have slower contrast detection. By the way, the A7S is a low-light focusing demon. I do not use an autofocus illuminator and it still picks up focus down to –4EV.)

"The A7R has higher resolution (36MP with no anti-aliasing filter, vs. 24MP on A7 and 12MP on A7S). But its shutter sound is more noticeable—no electronic front curtain like A7 and A7S—and there have been reports of shutter shake around 1/100 second on a tripod. Plus it takes an excellent lens to fully resolve the 36MP sensor.

"I have an A7S and love it, but low-light and silent mode are more important to me than resolution and fast continuous AF. Finally, since you probably have lots of legacy lenses, you can use most or all on any A7 (in manual focus mode) with an adapter."

Mike replies: Excellent thumbnail review. Thanks.

Ruby: I see darr's comment [Darlene had suggested renting one —Ed.], and I agree. I had this with the RX10, so I rented one. It was fun, but not enough fun to spend the money to buy it."

tex andrews (partial comment): "When I first saw the A7/A7R online, I rolled my eyes because of the pentaprism hump. But when I first held one in my hands at Photo Expo last year, I was shocked. It was really wonderful in hand."

Speed: "I satisfied my last 'new camera fix' by using the proceeds from selling my motorcycle. Love the new camera. I still have the motorcycle."

Mike replies: Made me laugh. Sounds very familiar.

Roger Overall: "The A7S is a wonderful video camera. Enthusiast and professional filmmakers are raving about it. It has the sLog codec too. That alone used to cost more than this camera does. A great bargain from that point of view. And it records 4k too, though you'll need an external recorder. Still, it does superb 1080 and you'll get many years of filmmaking joy from it. You could change TOP to The Online Filmmaker. ...Is this helping any?"

Edward Taylor: "Mike—the A7s is a video camera. I owned one and returned it. It really cannot be considered a modern stills camera because even though 12 MP may seem adequate, it is a handicap in terms of ability to crop and it may limit the size of a print. I was not convinced that the high ISO potential was all that helpful on stills anyway. I have an A7r which I love, and I think the A7 would be a good choice also."

dave2: "I have been fighting the urge to buy the A7S since it came out. In my mind its the perfect all around camera/camcorder. For video it uses every pixel (except what has to be trimmed to fit the 16:9 format) which makes for amazing video. For stills it can handle every lighting condition you will ever encounter. The only people who should not buy it are people who want a lot of pixels or who are hung up on lenses. If I didn't have one kid in college and another starting next year I would have one. I hope this helped."

Rodger Kingston: "The camera and lens are $3,300! In an evolutionary environment where everything becomes obsolete almost as you buy it, spending that kind of $$ on a camera (one that you're not going to use for paying work) is like buying $300 shoes for a kid who will outgrow them in a few months."

John Masters: "Get the camera. Life is short and you only have one of them (lives, that is). Plus, love the look on Gavin's face. It's like he has just said, 'So, buy the #$%%# camera already, or just leave and quit wasting my time!'"

Norm Nicholson: "MUST HAVE PRECIOUS! I succumbed and bought an A7, and now when I go out the door...I still take the X-E2."

Duncan: "Here's what I hear you saying: 'Please don't throw me in that briar patch!'"

Rob L (partial comment): "I'm no help to you; the acquisition and disposal of cameras is it's own, fun hobby.  :-)  "

GRJ: "Did I see something in one of your recent posts—the one about the near miss while you were driving—about a new girlfriend in your life? If so, why not ask her what she thinks?"

Mike replies: Yes, I either almost killed her or saved her life, depending on your perspective. The A7S isn't an actual possibility for me. I really can't afford it, and in fact I can't afford the 12–35mm Panasonic lens I want for the E-M1. But I might try to save up for the A7 Mark II or A7S Mark II for 2–3 years out.

Comments

[Roger]

We enjoyed a long weekend in Seattle a few weeks ago. Sitting next to us in a coffee shop there was a fellow with an A7. I was taken by how small it was and its overall design. He loves the camera. I am happy to report that my X Pro-1 along with its Zeiss 12mm and Fuji 23mm were powerful armor against the Sony's siren call.

Not so sure that the Nikon D600 would have been up to the task.

[Mark Hespenheide]

Mike,

You do not need an a7s.

You need an RX1.

[Stephen Scharf]

I agree, you don't need this camera.

Now, get out and shoot with your X-T1 and that sweet 23mm some more! ;-)

[Moose]

The 7S makes different trade-offs than the 7, in favor of high ISO performance, at the cost of less DR, better video, at the cost of less resolution for stills, etc. The 7R makes compromises for super high resolution.

The 7 is the model best optimized for straight still shooting. Is the attraction of the 7S it's actual feature set, which seems not aimed at you, or that it's new - SHINY! - and you held it?

If the images I've seen from you here over the years are any indication, you will get no better results from the A7S than you are now from the NEX-6. That's not a negative comment, but an observation that, the occasional testing of limits aside, your photography doesn't push the capabilities of an excellent camera like the NEX-6.

If it's about the lens, and the 7S is just a vehicle, I think an A7 is a better match for you.

If it's about the lens, can you first determine whether the new Zeiss, whether 'better' than the one you loved or not, makes images that you will like as much?

It would be a bummer to drop that cash and find that the results aren't what you expect.

In another couple of years, the A7S will be in the same position as the NEX-6. So why not continue to take good images with it and let it be in danger again then?

Any help?

[Enrique Martin]

To heck with it. I SAY GET THE CAMERA.

am a Nikon shooter.

[Ken James]

Mike, you publish a blog about photography. Photography is created by a technological marvel called a camera. Lots of your readers are interested on your take on these things. I originally was attracted to you by your lens rantings. Buy the camera. Tell us about it.

[Abbazz]

Dear Mike,

The Sony A7S is the perfect camera for you: a no-nonsense camera which is just about the right size and heft, feels good in the hand, is a dream to use with any lens from any maker and delivers superb images that you can turn into gorgeous B&W prints.
But you don't want to hear this, right?

Cheers!

Abbazz

PS: My Sony A7 has given me a real sense of fulfillment and has cured my gear addiction for good. Since I bought it, I have never been tempted by any other camera. It is the first time I feel this way since I bought my first digital camera in 1999. In the past 15 years, I have acquired more than 40 cameras, mainly DSLRs and mirrorless digital cameras, without never really succeeding in finding the camera I was looking for.

The best thing is that I can now use all the lenses in my collection with the Sony A7 and a few adapters. And the Sony is great for manual focusing, even in difficult conditions.

In fact, I would have prefered the 12 MPix A7S to the 24 MPix A7, but the A7S hadn't been released yet by the time I bought my A7. Anyway, I am now used to the A7, I don't even feel the urge to buy an A7S. We get along so well that I am confident we will live happily ever after...

[Auntipode]

Unfortunately, I'm trying to convince myself to buy a couple of expensive Micro43 lenses to avoid a similar attraction.

[adamct]

FWIW, I kind of love that picture. It's a portrait in the truest sense of the word (or at least it appears to be). The expression, the body language, the lighting (including the highlight up top -- Sorry, Gavin!) and context/location really bring it all together.

As a side benefit, this comment gives you a free pass to rationalize your trip not as gear lust, but "actually working on photography and taking pictures"...

Best,
Adam

P.S. Don't do it. I'm actually serious. For someone who likes smallish cameras with fast-ish 35-40mm lenses, it seems like you have an embarrassment of riches. It seems hard to believe this would really give you much capability you don't already have right now, and I'm sure that money is better spent on other things right now.

[john krill]

You have to be willing to sell three of your current cameras. If unwilling to do this then you really don't need another camera.

It's that simple.

[B. R. George]

What about the A7S in particular, as opposed to the plain ol' A7, is a draw for you?

(I'm mainly asking because I'm curious, but if this talks you into a more economical option, that's not a bad thing.)

[Dennis]

Mike, you do NOT need another camera.

As for the camera, you already have a NEX-6 with a Zeiss 24/1.8 which is pretty much the same thing. And you're looking at a $3300 kit ! And that's only $800 worth of lens and $2500 for a Sony camera body.

Hmmm ... what else can I tell you. OK - take a look at that picture you posted. Take a look at the expression on Gavin's face. It's saying "Mike, you don't need another camera".

How about this one: "Mike, you just bought a house !"

That help any ?

[Rick Wilcox]

Mike, you poor bastard. You're just like me: clean shaven (I read that in a prior post) and no one within earshot to whisper "No". Me? I'd get that camera and lens. That's because I probably have one goal in life that you don't. That would be that when I die, I want to leave behind tremendous debt.

[sebastian]

now you know what a "no-no-no shop" is.

[Kyle Batson]

This year I have taken trips to three countries and my Sony a7 (the vanilla kind with a glorious 24mpx sensor) accompanied me to each one (Peru, Bolivia and India). The 35mm Zeiss was basically bolted on the front of the camera the whole time. I absolutely love the camera, I can safely say it's my favorite camera ever, and the combination of Zeiss lenses constantly stuns me with its image quality. I highly recommend it, Mike.

[Gabe]

It'll improve your life,change your outlook, make you more desirable to women, pay your mortgage, stretch you three inches so you'll never have to lose weight, cause you to discover three hundred new adjectives, teach you all you wanted to know about cricket, change your stance, give you x-ray vision, make you a luminary, show you the way and light the light.

It will not make you a better photographer.
You need a Leica S2 for that.

Cheers!

[darr]

I can usually find a fix with a rental for a week, and I always stay away from the suppliers on the street.

[Ray]

Think about writing a story (which is what you do) and consider how the A7S will enhance, or not, that story. Would the story be any better/worse because of/lack of the A7S?

[Dony]

I could take pictures with that thing all day and never get tired of just working the camera.

i am sorry that i can not push you to stay away from that camera. but, i can encourage you to buy that thing you described as 'I could take pictures with that thing all day and never get tired of just working the camera'. it sounds like a dream camera, and it will be for you... until the next dream camera appears, even it's not even two years old yet.
good luck and be happee with that a7s.

[D. Hufford.]

No problem. See the "Sony Timer," included free with every Sony product. Well-known in Japan http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_timer

[John W]

Have you considered Cameraholis Anonymous??? I hear they have some really cool gear there ... but you don't get to take it home.

NO! You do not need another camera!!!!

[Steve P.]

Sorry to rain on your parade but I've read more than one internet report (so it must be true) that
the 35mm f2.8 lens, while thoroughly competent, lacks a certain indefinable quality which we'll call "soul". Keep this in mind and you won't be so tempted. Oh yeah, and avoid looking at anything that has the name LOXIA on it.
Hope this helps!

[Patrick Dodds]

Do you still have The Dragoon? I've lost track a bit. If you do, you could do worse than pair it with the Sigma 35mm 1.4 Art lens - an absolute corker of a lens that might cure you of at least one part of this acquisition lust.

[Mark]

As soon as I had it in my hot little hands I thought, "uh-oh".

That was exactly my reaction when I tried out the X-Pro 1 when it first came out. I was kinda hoping it wouldn't be so nice. Well, my wallet was.

[Ash]

Having purchased a Sony RX100 (for the wife...), I can say that Sony cameras are pretty good, with some excellent technology.

That said, nothing I have encounter yet delivers images that look as good straight away as Fuji X cameras. They have better auto white balance, better color and better metering than anything I have tried with a Sony label on it.

The A7s is a very different beast than the RX100 of course, and at it's price point it should be a superb image making machine. The key here is price point. If your budget for camera bodies stretches to $2500, then an A7s/r is certainly the way to go.

The X-T1 is certainly cheaper, less impressive in some ways, but manages to best the A7 series in some important areas at a lower price point.

The X-T1 has traditional controls, more controls, smaller lenses, more lenses, and the images just look better to my eye.

[Michael Roche]

Just think back to the "buyers'remorse"you suffered after the D800 purchase,that should cure this bout of "GAS", have a good day Mike, me, I'm trying to stop myself from getting that FE 35mm 2.8 for my A7.

[Bruno Masset]

Mike Johnston wrote:
> you could sell recordings of that shutter noise.

As for the "shutter noise" of the 12-megapixel A7s operating in fully electronic shutter mode — which isn't available on the 36MP A7R and the 24MP plain-vanilla A7, — recordings are actually being sold ;-)

[Christer Almqvist]

I think Sony should send you an A7r with a full set of lenses for a long term test, say two years. That would benefit Sony, you - and all of us.

[Speed]

We almost never need a new car and we almost never need a new phone and we almost never need a new camera. But we almost always feel better when we get a new car, a new phone or a new camera. And then comes the bill.

In Greek mythology, the Sirens [ ... ] were dangerous yet beautiful creatures, portrayed as femmes fatales who lured nearby sailors with their enchanting music and voices to shipwreck on the rocky coast of their island.
[ ... ]
According to Hyginus, sirens were fated to live only until the mortals who heard their songs were able to pass by them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siren_(mythology)

[Jim Simmons]

That look on Gavin's face is him missing New Zealand and thinking about another damned Wisconsin winter coming his way. I doubt any camera other than the 7S could fully capture that with such fidelity.

Another full frame 7S you could consider would the Petri 7S. I took some great shots with one on 1971.

[MikeR]

Talk to Kirk Tuck. On second thought, maybe not.

Take an inventory! Bring your cameras together, and ask yourself, Do I REALLY need another?

How about a threat? Try this one: If you buy that camera, I will not buy any more TOP prints.

Hmmm ... Okay. A strategy: Give us a thorough review after the first month. And, a second review after six months. (I'm curious to see how long your infatuation lasts. Uh-huh, I think none of us can stop you from buying that camera.)

[Luke]

I shot several hundred shots each with the A7, A7R, and A7s. I think you'd be happier with the a7R, unless you plan to switch to video.

But I agree with Hespenheide, what you really need is the RX1, with its Zeiss 35 tuned specifically to sit up next to the full-frame sensor.

[Len Kowitz]

Mike,
The Sony DSC-RX1 is wonderful. machine!
The Sony engineers are smarter about exposure that I will ever be and I love the camera.
Len

[bokeh]

Buy the camera. It's only money.

[Michael Steinbach]

Toss a coin. Heads you buy it, tails you wait until tomorrow and buy it. :)

[Shaun]

Mike, your the first I've heard who likes the A7 shutter sound. Most complain about the vibration. Maybe it has been fixed on the a7S?
I almost, almost went for the a7R last week, when Adorama was running the $345 trade-in discount for a final price of $1753.
How did I resist?
I took the Fuji X-E2 and the 23 1.4 out for a walk, and came back cured. For the moment. Because buying into the Sony system would mean selling the Fuji gear. And the Fuji lenses are just too sweet to let go. That's not what I hear about most of the Sony FE offerings, aside from the 35 and the 55 1.8.
I expect the next generation of a7's will work out the few bugs people see in them, and it may be time to take the plunge.

[tex andrews]

Mike, you were seduced by the "A7" aspects of the camera (maybe plus the shutter sound), not the "S" part, which is very niche and not really your niche.

Wait for the next generation, which apparently is coming soon. Then look seriously.

When I first saw the A7/A7R online, I rolled my eyes because of the pentaprism hump. But when I first held one in my hands at Photo Expo last year, I was shocked. It was really wonderful in hand. Same as the A900 when I handled that at another Photo Expo some years before.

The results were that I bought an A850 (and also partly from your blog, btw), and I bought the A7R in January. Pretty terrific cameras, both of them.

Whatever you do, don't pick up a 645Z....not your style of camera, I know, but once you get over what a chunk it is, oh my.

[John Brewton]

You don't need it! Because if you are overtaken with gear lust, there will be another camera out in six months which will capture your emotion even more. Remember: it ain't the camera!

[John Krumm]

I didn't know they had improved the shutter sound with the 7s.
I've been resisting the A 7r in part because of the reportedly loud shutter.

Sony hit a sweet spot with these cameras. Not sure if the s version is the best for a stills guy, but maybe the lower resolution has appeal? Or perhaps they made other improvements with the newer model.

I can't offer any good advice, since I'm at least as bad with such urges.

[Robert Roaldi]

Think how good you'll feel about resisting temptation.

[David Miller]

Mike, if buying the A7S were the right decision you would have bought it already and not bothered with this post.

At least wait until you've sold your old house; better yet, wait six months or a year and see if your ardour has cooled.

I've just spent several weeks flirting with the notion of buying an A7r as my dedicated landscape camera, and have finally accepted that it's not The One. Maybe the next iteration? In the mean time I am selling my extensive Canon kit, which has barely been touched since I acquired a much less cumbersome Fuji X-T1. (I'm 66, which will explain a lot to others of my age group.) I should be left with a little pot of money ear-marked for another camera — I wonder whether temptation will increase or decrease if I can make a purchase without the excitement of financial sacrifice?

[Paul]

The A7s kind of reminds me of this quote from Peter Turnley when asked about the Leica Monochrom last year with your print sale...
"But, here, it is very much worth noting that the Leica Monochrom is in my mind a game changer. The most important aspect about this camera is that it allows one to see and photograph in low light. The camera produces files at 1600 and 2500 ISO that are spectacular in the subtlety of the mid tones and in the detail in the shadows and highlights. One can walk into a low lit subway car and photograph like in daylight. The same in cafes, restaurants, or walking the streets at night."
I've heard the A7s high iso capabilities are amazing it sees in the dark.

[Ger Lawlor]

Mike, take two paracetemol and a cold shower. And WHATEVER you do, don't look up the sensor performance on DXOMark or try it in 100% silent mode.....

[Ned]

I agree with John Krill. In fact it should be mandatory that you offer up a camera at a slight discount to your readers before you buy another. This is a cry for help right?

[Bernd Reinhardt]

I don't think you should buy anything at the moment. You are at a big turning point in your life (empty nest) and cluttering up your life with new toys and new debt won't help that. I suggest going back to something you loved on the past. Why not loading in a roll of black and white film in that old Contax. Won't cost a lot and might bring back old memories to get you grounded. By the time you shoot and process twenty rolls, a new Sony camera will have been released (or a new Fuji, Olympus, or whatever you think you absolutely must have in order to make photographs.)

[Wayne Pearson]

Buy it! You only live once. Sell all your other cameras and go for it. Enjoy!

[Alan Fairley]

One word: lossy RAW file compression (OK, that's four words). WTF?? Add to that well documented shutter shock problems at certain speeds (http://blog.kasson.com/?s=Sony+shutter+shock), and I decided to wait for the next iteration of the camera and live with lugging the D800 around in the interim....

[John Lloyd]

Hang in there. Wait for the XP2!

[Mike Smith]

Go to the bank -- get 33 $100 bills and pile them on your desk -- look long and hard, and decide if you want to swap them for another camera. If yes, buy the Sony. If no, go out and shoot with what you've got.

This works for me.

[John e Wilson]

Ck rollingroad.com he enjoys UR blog that's how I found this site look at his leica X1 pics thm ask urself if u need Sony or s/h X1. U save a bunch of cash, for what I think would b equal iq

[Jack]

My experience has been that the shiny objects that cross my path (or me their's) lose their luster in an appallingly short time. This usually occurs when the realization sets in that the only difference in my life is that money is gone, never to return.

The shiny object remains all that it was in the store (or, much more often, in the previous owner's possession), but somehow seems less. The promised magical transformation is almost never realized.

I've found no cure for the shiny object's siren song, however my wife has proven to be a relatively effective prevention. She always asks the chilling question, "What's wrong with the shiny object that you have?" Which, of course, is so unfair.

[Roger Bradbury]

Do not buy this camera! You have a severe case of:

Gear
Acquisition
Syndrome

You have GAS. What can this camera do that all your other cameras cannot do? Or to put it another way, what can you not do at all with your present cameras that this camera will let you do?

[Kenneth Tanaka]

LensRentals is your friend.

[Marc Gibeault]

You have to wait for at least the second generation.
In six months?

[Timo]

Love my RX-1 ... gorgeous colors. I wish the autofocus were more world-class, but it's fun to make do.

Wast tempted by the A7 (especially after I misplaced my first RX-1), but I wish it had two of the RX-1's best features: the leaf shutter is nice and quiet and low-vibration, and the fill-flash (I keep my flash comp dialed way down at -1.7 stops) works great for environmental portraits.

Curious if there might be an RX-1 replacement in the works ... then it will be O Lawd Hep Me for me

[Dan Daniel]

You are on a binge. The house move has opened the gate of 'must spend money, have no choice,' and now all sorts of items/impulses are hoping to slide through while the gate is open. And as with other binges, you know what is going on and what it leads to, but it's too much fun to just keep spending.

[DLC]

Mike,
Once a few years back in my beloved camera store as I drooled over a 50mm sum.Leica I had just ordered, one of my sales friends reminded me that I needed another lens like I needed another hole in the head,to which I replied,what does NEED have to do with it? If all you ever get in life is what you need bread,water,clothing and shelter will suffice.If you can afford it without taking from your family or fundamental needs,GET It.

[Bryan Willman]

A man trying to avoid drink should not hang out in taverns.
A Mike trying to avoid buying cameras he cannot afford should not hang out in camera stores.

[Bryan, who was saved by digital because it meant an end to trips to buy film that turned into film++++ other stuff instead.]

[DC Wells]

Maybe it's just business.
I am not a tax lawyer. but it seems to me that if you buy it because your readers (business) demand it, it's more tax deductible than if you buy it because of personal lust. On the other hand, your cash flow is helped more by holding off, even if your lust flow is not. . .

[Richard]

I have used all three of the A7's and they are all nice but they all have strengths and weaknesses. The A7 is the best all around choice for every kind of photography. The A7r is for landscape, incredibly sharp but I really don't like it for portraits. The A7s is for video, and wow what beautiful video it outputs, really the best DSLR for video out there right now (full frame) but with the 12 mp I find it is a bit lacking on the photo side compared to the A7. Basically I would recommend this camera but the A7s only if you plan on shooting a lot of video. Save yourself some money and get the A7 if you want an all around good (actually amazing) camera.

[Charlie]

Have you looked at the RX-1? The combination of sensor and lens makes any flavor of R7 unworthy of comparison. Get an RX-1!

[robert e]

When gear lust becomes unreasonable, I look at this project:

http://thomashudsonreeve.com/papercams.html

More often than not, it wows and shames the grabbing hands into submission.

Sometimes, though, gear lust is a symptom of something else. Perhaps you and your #1 have grown apart? I'm not sure there's anything wrong with buying a camera that fits better than any camera you have or have had in the past, especially if it's within your means.

If it's not going to work, you'll probably know in a month or two, and you'll likely be able to recover the majority of the money you invested. If you really hit it off it'll be easier to let other gear go to somewhat cushion the financial blow.

On the other hand, asking TOP readers to stop you from buying a camera is a bit like wikipedia asking its users to stop it from adding more articles, or TMZ pondering whether it should give celebrities more privacy.

[Frank]

Wait for the Sony A7x.

[Eric Rose]

Contact our friend George Barr, he was less than impressed with the one he had.

[FrankB]

Get the new camera but wait 2 years. It will be cheaper and you will have the thrill of anticipation waiting for it. You have a perfectly good camera to use until then.

[Paul Richardson]

Just say no. You don't know me but you can trust me on this.

[John]

"Resistance is futile ... "

Sincerely,

The Borg

[Rogerbotting]

A friend of mine bought a Porsche by rationalizing to his wife,' it's cheaper than a mistress'!
Maybe you can work that sort of logic, somehow.

[Ailsa]

Er... *small cough*

[Rob L]

Sell the Beast and NEX-6, get the A7s. Keep your 24 and crop square. Sell the 28 nikkor as well to boost your Sony lens collection... I'm no help to you, the acquisition and disposal of cameras is it's own, fun hobby:)

[Stephen Scharf]

I could take pictures with that thing all day and never get tired of just working the camera.

You can do the same thing with your E-M1 and that sweet little Panny 12-35/2.8 you've been wanting all this time. And save $2300 in the process.

Personally, with M4/3 and APS C offerings as good as they are these days, I see no compelling reason for "full-frame". It just means bigger, heavier glass.

[Bryce Lee]

Having just sold ALL of my Nikon gear, am without said compny for the first time since 1983!
Purchased a FujiFilms XT-1 and an 18-135 zoom for same.
My funds of late are less for various reasons however my desire for toys no less.
Therefore Mike, just do it, buy or lease or rent the damn camera.
Get it out of your system; at least until the next shiny photographic toy appears...

[PVS]

You get plenty of comments and visits everytime you mention A7 series. Must be the controversy! ;)

Mine A7 is on the way, still trying to convince myself I don't need 35/2.8 FE - I have 5 fast (f/1.4, f/1.8 & f/2) 35s in my cabinet (in 3 different mounts) currently and the adapters are on their way as well. We'll see how it goes.
I tried RX1 with EVF couple of times and no matter how hard I tried to like it it didn't feel like a camera, it did feel like a serious tool but the shooting experience was zero.

Hey, you can always get one Olympus mju2 for cheap, it comes with built-in flash - just like RX1r.. By the way, has anyone noticed how prices dropped for RX1r?

[Pak-Ming Wan]

My friend came around the other night with his A7S with the shutter set on electronic (fully-silent) mode... brilliant camera.

I for one understand your camera-lust.

Pak

[bill]

Mike stop the madness, enjoy the GAS but take pictures. Was in the same boat went to pick it up and bought a used XE1, carry it, take pictures with it and lust over equipment, but with $$ in the bank.
Think the Nikon D800e that came to hand and you loved everything about it. What advice would you give someone?? ouch bet that hurt :-)

[David Zivic]

I live in Cabo San Lucas and am flying to San Diego next week to buy a NEX 6 with the pancake zoom 16-50. It will compliment my A7r. A commenter suggested selling it. Interested ?

[jim woodard]

Mike,
I don't know why you'd want a camera that cant get the mustache in focus?

[Robert]

I tried an A7 something a while back. It left me completely underwhelmed. About a week ago though I got hold of an OM-D. As a D800 owner but an old time owner of several OM's tHis set me on fire . My objective now is to get an OM-D even if it means the D800 has to go.

[Rod Graham]

There's this on Imaging Resource today:

http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/sony-a7s/sony-a7s-shooters-report-part-ii.htm

[Paul Amyes]

Oh dear Mike. What have you done? I suggest you get yourself to the nearest Cameraholics Anonymous (CamAnon) and quickly start the 12 step program.

The moral of the story is never, repeat never go into a camera store and hold any item you may have an interest in. Would you have an alcoholic go to a liquor store to just look?

Repeat after me "My name is Mike .... I'm a Cameraholic"

[Mike Plews]

Remember Mike that things don't make you happy. EXPENSIVE things make you happy.
Actually we both know they don't but it really looks like the ship has sailed on this one.

[Jamie Pillers]

Sell all the cameras you currently own, except maybe something small for around the family/house dog/kid/flower photos. THEN, buy a body that's now out-of-date and thus heavily discounted (but has plenty of hefty full-frame pixels). Use all the extra dough you now have to buy one or two lenses that you've deeply lusted after. Lens value, especially for the all-time great lenses, stays high and in some cases even gets higher.

[Ilkka]

Next year, Mike. Next year. It may be cheaper. Or there may be a better model. Just wait until next year and then decide (again).

[Arg]

No image stabilisation. You will be throwing away 3 stops of low light performance purely to maintain a higher shutter speed that you would never have needed with IS.

On the same theme: slow lens. *Another* two stops thrown away.

[David Owensby]

Use the money (or debt) to travel to someplace new. No matter how good the camera is, you are taking pictures of stuff you see everyday. And if you do travel, KISS, KISS.

[Manuel]

Mike, take the wise words of Rodger Kingston in due account. In a few months you'll look at the A7S and ask yourself what was in your mind to splash that kind of money on another digital camera.

[Film shooter]

Load up any film camera with a roll of Kodak Portra 400 and take 36 frames. It will make you remember how beautiful film can be. And you can have your choice of dozens of wonderful film cameras, all inexpensive, that will outlast all of us. No "upgrades" ever required. If you want "digital", an Epson V600 scanner for a few hundred dollars will scan those negatives in a few minutes. Seriously, consider getting off the digital crazy-wagon and your wallet will thank you.

[Leslie Quagraine]

As the old saying goes, 'Shop till you drop.'

[Charlie Ewers]

I could never tell anybody not to buy equipment given my own record in that department, but I can tell you there's an A7s on FM forums right now for $2150. Might ease the pain a little.

[LeftCoastKenny]

...and in fact I can't afford the 12–35mm Panasonic lens I want for the E-M1.

Probably just as well. The Oly 12-40 2.8 is the better glass ;-)

[Sarge]

But I might try to save up for the A7 Mark II or A7S Mark II for 2–3 years out.

I'm with you, Mike. 2-3 years out the a7S will have gone down in price to where I can afford it.

By then, I will also have mastered the art of taking "full-frame" (i.e., no-crop) photos. I own a 12MP mirrorless going on 3 years now and I still crop half of the time.

Meanwhile, I've acquired a sturdier tripod, a pair of nodal rails, an L-bracket and QR system; for stitching photos (up to or in excess of 36MP) and for long exposure shots.

What I "saved" by delaying a camera upgrade went to buying lenses. Yesterday, I traded in my mint Distagon 2/18 for a Planar 2/50 and a 21mm Voigtlander, both brand new. I lost some money in the trade but got the two new lenses for pobably the lowest price in the world (in Hong Kong).

I'll probably regret selling the Distagon when I get my a7s. But on full-frame, 21mm is *wide* and the Color-Skopar is not bad and takes 39mm filters like 2 other lenses I already own.

[Bernd Reinhardt]

"But I might try to save up for the A7 Mark II or A7S Mark II for 2–3 years out."

Or just buy a used A7s when the A7sII comes out for pennies on the dollar and let someone with deeper pockets lust for the faster buffer and higher megapixel count.

[Michael Bearman]

Another RX-1 fan here.

[Marino]

Mike, i have owned an A7s for two weeks now. It has just that thing: the magic. I dumped all my Nikon D700 kit AND all my four years long love affair with m43 cameras to get one. It's just great. 
Oh, and about 12 MP being too few to crop for decent printing: BS. Leave this for pixel-peepers.

[Rod Graham]

Compromise: Buy the Olympus 12-40 Pro.

[Sylvain G.]

Mike,

If you like the A7S and feel it's hard to resist, the last thing you want to try, or even, to approach, is an A7S with one of these new Zeiss Loxia lenses...

I tried that combo in photokina and I'm dreaming of it every single day since then.
It's just a combination of perfect build and operations, TALKING to the camera.

Those perfect aperture & focusing ring... start focusing and tada you see that magnify/peeking activate instantaneously.

M mode, totally beautiful seamless operations.

Good luck.

Sylvain

[I don't think the Loxia 35 would be good for my work, even with perfect handling qualities. The bokeh looks nasty and that would bother me too much. That's just me. (The downside of a connoisseur having strong tastes.) --Mike]

[Sarge]

Mike,

Just a correction to my comment: The 18mm Distagon ZM is an f/4 not f/2. If it were an f/2(!) I would have kept it. My bad.

[Godfrey]

I have an A7. It works well and allows me to use my Leica R lenses on a digital body where they perform well. The images it makes are excellent. But there's little about that really sings to me, it's the lenses that I use on it that make me smile. The A7 body itself is kinda clunky and awkward in use, just happens to be as good as I can get for these lovely lenses.

[Jack]

The long term solution to GAS is to buy the most expensive camera you can imagine. Say a Leica S2 in 2011. Then in 2013 when the S type 006 is announced you will discover that the cost of upgrading your camera is so expensive that you can easily rationalize not upgrading until the type 007. When in 2015 the type 007 is available, it is so expensive you decide to wait until type 008. In this manner you can save $50,000 in just five years time. With the $50,000 savings you can pay down the mortgage on your house.

[Jim]

Ya know, for that kind of $ you can get a nice used Miata to drive around in with the new g'friend to find locations to take pictures. Don't you miss the Miata?