Full Frame Flagships: Top 5 Models

Sony A7 II body Price from 35 981 up to 57 499 ₴ →

All three second versions of Sony's full-frame mirrorless series are pulling for the role of flagships: models A7 II, A7R II and A7S II. The most affordable option among these three is the first model.

Sony A7 II became the debut full-frame camera equipped with a matrix image stabilizer on 5 axes (up-down, right-left, along its own axis). Only cameras of the same series can compete with the model in this regard. Stable allows you to win up to 4-5 exposure steps. I.e., it has become more difficult to get smudge on the image when shooting at long exposures with your hands. Plus, stabilization by means of optics has not gone anywhere (if there is a built-in stabilizer on board). In fact, we are dealing with double image stabilization — both by means of a matrix and by means of an object.

Since Sony Alpha A7 II is a mirrorless camera, it is almost twice as light as its mirrored colleagues on the shop floor. Accordingly, its dimensions are smaller. But not to the detriment of ergonomics — the controls on the "carcass" of the camera are located thoughtfully and intelligently. Convenience in the filming process is added by an inclined screen, which makes it easy to see from lower and upper angles. It is non-sensory, so you will have to set the focus point using the keys. By the way, the model is equipped with 4D autofocus with 117 phase focus sensors located directly on the matrix. The focus system does not smudge even in the dark.

In Sony Alpha systems, only one thing upsets — an undeveloped fleet of optics. Naturally, this is a matter of time and in the near future the variety of objects will grow. So far, we have to be content with what we have, or use the optics of third-party systems installed through an adapter. Plus in this state of things still exists: even the oldest manual object will be stabilized.

The camera will become a faithful companion for a landscape painter or a lover of shooting architecture. For reporting purposes, it is less suitable — general responsiveness and short duration of operation on a single battery charge do not contribute to this. Also, the model is one of the most balanced options on the market in terms of price-quality ratio.

Nikon D810 body

The D810 model has become a logical continuation of the professional 800 series of Nikon cameras. The engineers did not come up with something radically new and just updated the Nikon D800 model. Improvements have affected almost everything.

First of all, the camera matrix was updated. Its resolution remained at the same level (36.3 MP), but the total number of pixels increased slightly, and the smoothing filter (to combat moire) disappeared. This immediately affected the sharpness of the picture, which became significantly better. The resolution of the sensor also affected the size of the files. The heaviest RAW's can weigh up to 70 MB. Therefore, if the task is not to get an over-detailed picture, you can switch to a 9—megapixel shooting mode — the final image will weigh several times less.

The second innovation is the EXPEED 4 processor. Thanks to it, it was possible to increase the speed of serial shooting to 5 fps, as well as increase the range of photosensitivity (in the extended range it ranges from 32-51200 ISO units). It has become easier to shoot in conditions of bright light or lack of it, and the amount of noise in images taken at high ISO values has decreased.

In a separate line, it is necessary to highlight the 51-point focus system. To her skills was added the possibility of group tracking of the shooting object at 5 preset points. It became more difficult to lose sight of the goal.

It is surprising that with a large sensor resolution, the camera does not support shooting video in the now popular 4K format. In FullHD format, videos are written "with a bang" — all kinds of software assistants are available to the operator (zebra for identifying over-lights, volume control, etc.) and ports for connecting additional accessories (external microphone, recorder, etc.).

Nikon D810 is a tool for pros. Given the huge fleet of interchangeable optics for full-frame systems, the camera has almost unlimited possibilities.

Canon EOS 5DS body

A pair of mirrors with 5DS and 5DS R indexes was released in early 2015. The successors of the line under the number "5" became the first SLR cameras with a giant resolution of 50.6 megapixels, more inherent in medium-format technology.

In fact, the use of a matrix with such a high resolution allows you to get pictures with excellent detail. Also, the photographer gets a bonus in the form of the ability to cut out the desired fragment from the final photo without loss of quality. The fee for 50 megapixels is a low maximum operating value of photosensitivity — already at ISO 3200, noise can spoil the photo. This is due to the fact that each individual pixel has a small size, respectively, it can absorb less light. The maximum ISO can be raised to a value of 6400 units (12800 — in the extended range).

The camera has two DIGIC 6 image processing processors installed at once, because managing such a "monster" is not an easy task. They are designed to ensure the fast operation of the camera as a whole and a high rate of fire up to 5 fps in maximum resolution. The buffer does not "choke" during serial shooting, even considering that the file sizes are very impressive: approximately 65 MB weighs 1 RAW file and 20 MB is a JPEG file. Before you buy such a camera, look at your computer — will it cope with processing photos of such a large weight?

The model is very demanding of objects. Not every one of them is able to work effectively in conjunction with a high-resolution camera. Lists of recommended optics can be found both on the official Canon website and on third-party resources (Sigma, Tamron, etc.).

The Canon DSLR is designed for advertisers, landscape artists, and subject-makers. In general, all those who need amazing detail under any shooting conditions — even in the studio, even on the street under heavy rain or snowfall.

Nikon D4S body

The camera with the D4S index occupies a place at the top of the premium segment of Nikon cameras. It is difficult to say anything bad about the model, since it is purely professional and stuffed with various "goodies" to the brim.

Unlike the younger 800 series (Nikon D800, Nikon D810), we will not find a matrix with some record number of megapixels on board the flagship. "Just in moderation" is specifically about D4S. The full-frame sensor of the camera has a 16—megapixel resolution, which is a normal balance — the race for megapixels is needed only in some genres of photography, and everything is fine with the detail of the flagship, even at this resolution.

The relatively large physical size of each individual pixel that makes up the image allows you to absorb more light. It follows from this that the camera's skate is shooting in poor light. By setting the ISO to a value of 51200 units (an unattainable figure for most cameras), the picture in many cases will remain suitable for publication on the Internet. In terms of photosensitivity, only the Sony Alpha A7S II mirrorless camera can compete with Nikon, but its element is video, not photos.

The focus system of a full-frame camera has 51 points. This is not much, but she catches the object of filming in almost complete darkness, and also does not lose sight of it at the maximum speed of serial filming (11 fps). With such a "monster", you can safely go to the night stage of Formula 1 in Singapore, it's enough just to buy a high-powered TV projector.

Usually top-end cameras are not endowed with any special "chips". But in D4S they are. The camera is well able to shoot and glue pictures with a high dynamic range (in other words, HDR), and also has extensive capabilities and a huge variety of settings in interval and time-lapse shooting, i.e. in creating time lapses.

Reference. Time—lapse shooting is photographing an object from the same angle at certain intervals. The main purpose of this type of filming is to demonstrate slow—moving processes. A distinctive feature from interval shooting is that with time-lapse shooting, all captured photos are automatically collected into a video clip, whereas with interval shooting, all photos remain as separate snapshots.

Canon EOS 1D X body

Prior to the release of the 1D X model, Canon divided the flagship cameras into two separate groups — studio and reportage. In Canon EOS 1D X, they joined together.

The DSLR has only one serious competitor — Nikon D4S. Both cameras are similar to each other in many ways and are focused purely on professional use. But in three parameters, Canon still overtook its main rival: an 18-megapixel matrix is installed in its heart, the speed of serial shooting reaches 12 fps in RAW and 14 fps in JPEG, and the focus system has 61 points (with 41 cross). The differences are not so significant, but they are there.

The focus system stands out in particular. 6 modes of its operation open up almost limitless possibilities in tracking the object of filming. At the same time, each of the autofocus modes can be additionally calibrated manually, which facilitates the work of the photographer a hundredfold. What can I say, even one focus point can reliably hook a moving car.

For fans of shooting in portrait orientation, the control keys are duplicated in such a way that the main shooting parameters can be set without distracting from the process. Unaccustomed, you will not like only the weight and dimensions of the camera. But other photographers will look at him with envy and delight.

Also, the DSLR makes a very good video. The maximum resolution of the videos is 1920 x 1080 pixels. Therefore, if there is an UltraHD TV in your living room and you are going to watch your own footage on it, it is better to look at a fellow camera in the person of Canon EOS 1D C — he can write videos in ultra—high resolution 4K.

The camera is designed to take high-quality pictures under any shooting conditions. Even on a frosty day, its battery will not fail and will allow you to spend a shooting day without force majeure situations.