Last week, my new Sony A7R6 arrived, and I have spent countless hours over the last few days configuring it to my shooting style. Virtually every button and dial can be assigned to any function, allowing you to set the camera up exactly for your own needs and preferences. My original plan was to sell my A7R4, pictured above, and use my Sony A1, pictured below, as my second body. I have now decided to sell my A1 as well and purchase a second A7R6. The reason for this is that the A1 has a different button layout and less programming flexibility. Once I build my muscle memory for the new camera, I don’t want to (and am increasingly unable to) remember a different set of function assignments for my second camera. Also, the A7R6 battery is not compatible with the older models, complicating charging and battery management, especially when traveling. You might wonder why I keep a second camera body. The main reason is so I can have two different lenses mounted and at the ready. I normally keep my “backup” camera mounted to a 600mm telephoto with all the settings optimized for “birds in flight.” When I see something interesting outside, I can grab this setup and be shooting within a few seconds. It is how I captured this Bald Eagle. My main body is normally mounted to a 20-70mm lens, which is what I shoot 90% of my photos with. I also use two bodies when I travel to places that are cold, windy, dusty, and/or near bodies of salt water. One will have a telephoto zoom and the other a wide-angle zoom, allowing me to shoot wildlife or landscapes without swapping lenses. A single grain of salt can ruin a camera sensor, so the last thing you want to be doing is changing lenses in the field. Later this year, we are traveling to Antarctica, where the tour company specifically warns about changing lenses outdoors.

As of today, both my A7R4 and A1 are up for sale and I have an order in for a second A7R6.