USING THE FLOWERS AT THE BOTANIC GARDENS TO HELP ME CHOOSE MY TRAVEL KIT
THE CORK VISIT CONUNDRUM [USING THE FLOWERS AT THE BOTANIC GARDENS TO HELP ME CHOOSE MY TRAVEL KIT]
It's been quite the journey with my camera gear recently. After ordering the new Sony A1 II back in December 2024, I faced a long and anxious wait until it was finally delivered this past August. My dealer, sensing my frustration, was incredibly generous and gave me a Sony A7RV on loan to tide me over. The story gets better: when I eventually went to return the A7RV, he made me an offer I couldn't refuse. If I purchased two new GM lenses, I could keep the camera. An amazing deal, and one that has, perhaps serendipitously, led to my current predicament.
While I had the A7RV on loan, I had a bit of a blind spot. I somehow failed to realise that, unlike my older bodies, it could take CFexpress Type A cards. Today was my first time actually using one, and the difference it makes to workflow—clearing the buffer, transferring files—is a genuine game-changer. The only downside? The price. They are, quite frankly, eye-wateringly expensive.
This all brings me to the main challenge of the week: I'm heading to Cork and am completely torn over which cameras to bring. I need to decide between the new Sony A1 II and the trusty Sony A7RV. To make a final decision, I decided to use the "Sculpture in Context" exhibition at the National Botanic Gardens as a practical testbed.
My previous visits have yielded mixed results. A few days ago, I took the Leica Q3. This did not go well; the camera crashed, which is a major concern for a primary travel camera. Before that, I used the A1 II paired with the Sony FE 70-200mm F4 Macro GII. As you'd expect, this combination produced absolutely excellent images, but that lens, superb as it is, is not what I intend to bring on my travels.
Today, I took the Sony A7RV out, pairing it with the new FE 28-70mm F2 GM lens. I suspect this is the combination I will go with. It is undeniably a bit on the heavy side, but that constant F2 aperture and versatility are hard to beat.
Of course, the main kit is only half the battle; I also need to select a backup. This is where it gets tricky. I have to choose between the Leica Q3 and my Fuji GFX 100RF. My heart wants to take the Leica—I simply love shooting with it. However, my head is warning me against it after the recent crash. Reliability has to be the priority.
It should be noted that the Leica's problems may well be SD card related, but I simply don't have sufficient time to investigate or carry out further testing before I leave.
This leads me to an alternative approach: I might just bring the Sony A7RV with two lenses, and possibly pack the Sony FX30 as a compact backup body, just in case of emergency.
As always, I usually bring my iPhone 12 Pro Max as a final, dedicated camera backup. It produces surprisingly reasonable results in a pinch and is always in my pocket. This, naturally, leads my thoughts to the iPhone 17 Pro Max, which is set to be launched this week. Depending on the professional reviews, I may seriously consider getting it as a replacement for the 12 Pro Max.
Now, to make that final decision... I will let on my return to Dublin in early October.
It's been quite the journey with my camera gear recently. After ordering the new Sony A1 II back in December 2024, I faced a long and anxious wait until it was finally delivered this past August. My dealer, sensing my frustration, was incredibly generous and gave me a Sony A7RV on loan to tide me over. The story gets better: when I eventually went to return the A7RV, he made me an offer I couldn't refuse. If I purchased two new GM lenses, I could keep the camera. An amazing deal, and one that has, perhaps serendipitously, led to my current predicament.
While I had the A7RV on loan, I had a bit of a blind spot. I somehow failed to realise that, unlike my older bodies, it could take CFexpress Type A cards. Today was my first time actually using one, and the difference it makes to workflow—clearing the buffer, transferring files—is a genuine game-changer. The only downside? The price. They are, quite frankly, eye-wateringly expensive.
This all brings me to the main challenge of the week: I'm heading to Cork and am completely torn over which cameras to bring. I need to decide between the new Sony A1 II and the trusty Sony A7RV. To make a final decision, I decided to use the "Sculpture in Context" exhibition at the National Botanic Gardens as a practical testbed.
My previous visits have yielded mixed results. A few days ago, I took the Leica Q3. This did not go well; the camera crashed, which is a major concern for a primary travel camera. Before that, I used the A1 II paired with the Sony FE 70-200mm F4 Macro GII. As you'd expect, this combination produced absolutely excellent images, but that lens, superb as it is, is not what I intend to bring on my travels.
Today, I took the Sony A7RV out, pairing it with the new FE 28-70mm F2 GM lens. I suspect this is the combination I will go with. It is undeniably a bit on the heavy side, but that constant F2 aperture and versatility are hard to beat.
Of course, the main kit is only half the battle; I also need to select a backup. This is where it gets tricky. I have to choose between the Leica Q3 and my Fuji GFX 100RF. My heart wants to take the Leica—I simply love shooting with it. However, my head is warning me against it after the recent crash. Reliability has to be the priority.
It should be noted that the Leica's problems may well be SD card related, but I simply don't have sufficient time to investigate or carry out further testing before I leave.
This leads me to an alternative approach: I might just bring the Sony A7RV with two lenses, and possibly pack the Sony FX30 as a compact backup body, just in case of emergency.
As always, I usually bring my iPhone 12 Pro Max as a final, dedicated camera backup. It produces surprisingly reasonable results in a pinch and is always in my pocket. This, naturally, leads my thoughts to the iPhone 17 Pro Max, which is set to be launched this week. Depending on the professional reviews, I may seriously consider getting it as a replacement for the 12 Pro Max.
Now, to make that final decision... I will let on my return to Dublin in early October.