A7r with RF glass

[YYV_146]

As this is the most active a7 thread... If a current 5n user wanted to buy one today -what are the cliffnote, one line answers to the following?

1.) a7 seems to be better than a7r with legacy lenses?
2.) Legacy SLR (think Leica R) lenses perform better than RF?
3.) Are there any issues with any of my existing adapters?
4.) What can I expect from my existing natives?
5.) What is the preferred (new FF) native?

I REALLY want an M9, so sell me!

Thanks!

1. Yes, but only for wides. For lenses above 50mm the A7r should be better
2. Maybe. The wides may perform better, but there are some RF lenses that may work quite well with both bodies - such as the WATE
3. Some electronic adapters may not be able to cover the FF frame. A manual M-NEX adapter should still work perfectly.
4. 1.5x crop mode, or shoot as-is and crop in post. Some lenses may even cover FF, such as the 10-18mm at 12-16
5. All of them except the 28-70 look great. I'd buy the 55 1.8 in a hearbeat if I don't already own two RF 50s...

 

[dcsang]

Jeremy,

Depending on what you shoot (people vs street vs landscape) the A7 and 50mm pre-ASPH lux will do just fine. I'm mainly a "people" shooter and have the 50 lux in my arsenal. I have yet to shoot RAW with the camera (mainly because I'm not sure it's supported yet in LightRoom and even so, that means I have to upgrade my LightRoom from 4.x to 5.x) but the jpegs are very very good imho.

Larger image on my Flickr

That's straight out of the camera jpeg with the 50 pre-ASPH lux @ f2 - I am not a pixel peeper so I don't know if there are artifacts in this image that would need to be corrected - but have a look see at the full size image on Flickr and you can determine that for yourself. 🙂

Cheers,
Dave

 

[venchka]

I think the M Hexanon f2.8/28mm is a Distagon type design. That might not be enough though since it still has the short M mount register.

Anyone have one to test ?

Send the a7 & a7r and I will test with:
M-Hexanon 28/2.8
UC-Hexanon 35/2.0
Canon 35/2.0 Concave S.S.C.
50mm Dual Range Summicron
5.0 cm/1.4 Nikkor
Canon 50/1.4 S.S.C. & 50/3.5 Macro S.S.C.
8.5 cm/2.0 Nikkor
90mm/2.8 Elmarit & Elmarit-M, first and last versions of the 90mm Elmarit.

Return shipping NOT guaranteed! 😀 😎

I am having a really hard time trying to decide between the Olympus, Fuji and Sony cameras. Still pondering.

Wayne

 

[Ryan1938]

I am having a really hard time trying to decide between the Olympus, Fuji and Sony cameras. Still pondering.

Wayne

Coming from Leica, I can tell you this about your choices:

1. The Olympus feels more like a computer than a camera. That, and I just don't buy into the small sensor. Keep in mind, I have not owned one - just borrowed them.

2. Fuji. The X-Pro1 is a fantastic camera. I've owned one. It's not sexy at all... just feels like a work tool. The x100S is the sexy beast and maybe the best digital camera I've ever owned. I absolutely adore mine as much as I love my M6. That's saying something.

3. Sony. Ironically, I'm selling my XP1 outfit to buy an a7. I've never liked Sony cameras and hated the day I spent with the Nex7. However, the full frame/unlimited glass options have swayed me enough to give it a shot.

 

[jsrockit]

2. Fuji. The X-Pro1 is a fantastic camera. I've owned one. It's not sexy at all... just feels like a work tool. The x100S is the sexy beast and maybe the best digital camera I've ever owned. I absolutely adore mine as much as I love my M6. That's saying something.

It's funny, but the X-Pro1 is the one I choose to fondle... 🙂

 

[venchka]

Coming from Leica, I can tell you this about your choices:

1. The Olympus feels more like a computer than a camera. That, and I just don't buy into the small sensor. Keep in mind, I have not owned one - just borrowed them.

2. Fuji. The X-Pro1 is a fantastic camera. I've owned one. It's not sexy at all... just feels like a work tool. The x100S is the sexy beast and maybe the best digital camera I've ever owned. I absolutely adore mine as much as I love my M6. That's saying something.

3. Sony. Ironically, I'm selling my XP1 outfit to buy an a7. I've never liked Sony cameras and hated the day I spent with the Nex7. However, the full frame/unlimited glass options have swayed me enough to give it a shot.

Thanks Ryan! My intended use for a small digital camera is to provide a light tight housing for a digital sensor to record images from the aforementioned list of vintage rangefinder and SLR lenses. I too lean toward a full frame digital camera because it pains me to turn my lenses into something they are not. I can't imagine a UC-Hexanon 70MM/2.0 lens. On the other hand, a Nikkor 170mm/2.0 or 180mm/2.8 Elmarit-M might be interesting.
Pondering & Pondering.

Wayne

 

[flyingpalm]

A7 with VC 12mm LTM

 

[flyingpalm]

A7 with Voigtlander Nokton 50/1.5

 

[Michalm]

A7 with Voigtlander Nokton 50/1.5

Great conversion congrat

 

[gdi]

Send the a7 & a7r and I will test with:
M-Hexanon 28/2.8
UC-Hexanon 35/2.0
Canon 35/2.0 Concave S.S.C.
50mm Dual Range Summicron
5.0 cm/1.4 Nikkor
Canon 50/1.4 S.S.C. & 50/3.5 Macro S.S.C.
8.5 cm/2.0 Nikkor
90mm/2.8 Elmarit & Elmarit-M, first and last versions of the 90mm Elmarit.

Return shipping NOT guaranteed! 😀 😎

I am having a really hard time trying to decide between the Olympus, Fuji and Sony cameras. Still pondering.

Wayne

I can report that - based on my low light, nighttime, inside my house, picture of my son's Disney chessboard with my freshly unboxed A7R, the Hex 28/2.8 looks very promising. Hopefully I can do some more Hex testing the AM, with the 28, UC 35 2.0, and the Limited 50mm. Though I am not very concerned about the 50.

 

[ishpop]

Just mounted my Rokkor-M 40mm on the A7r. So far have had a real tough time at f2 using focus peaking and successfully focusing anything close to minimum focusing distance. I always seem to be front or back focusing by 2-4 MM... Regardless, if I can tweak the settings a bit to get the hang of that, it will be interesting to see how I like working with the RAW files. Here's a few untouched (just re-sized) jpegs from lunch:

 

[venchka]

I can report that - based on my low light, nighttime, inside my house, picture of my son's Disney chessboard with my freshly unboxed A7R, the Hex 28/2.8 looks very promising. Hopefully I can do some more Hex testing the AM, with the 28, UC 35 2.0, and the Limited 50mm. Though I am not very concerned about the 50.

Oh my. You have the missing part in my Hexanon puzzle. Have fun! 😉
Keep us posted. I feel a drain opening in my bank account.

Wayne

 

[f16sunshine]

Oh my. You have the missing part in my Hexanon puzzle. Have fun! 😉
Keep us posted. I feel a drain opening in my bank account.

Wayne

I have that same feeling. Lets see some from that Hex limited too please 🙂

 

[kermaier]

I have that same feeling. Lets see some from that Hex limited too please 🙂

No, please don't! I sold mine about 3 years ago, and still feel sick every time I see pictures from one! :bang:
::Ari

 

[uhoh7]

Today I tested a "minimalist lens set" with the A7r: m-rokkor 40/2 and CV 75/2.5 The entire package could be bought for 700USD.


DSC01580-2 by unoh7, on Flickr
note 75/2.5 is shown on adapter.
Temp was 0 F


DSC02466-2 by unoh7, on Flickr
above is the 40/2 @ 5.6 ish and below at f/2:


DSC02488 by unoh7, on Flickr

Here the CV 75/2.5: around 5.6

DSC02393-2 by unoh7, on Flickr

@f/2.5

DSC02407 by unoh7, on Flickr

200 shots indoors and out, used 50% battery

 

[travellingcello]

Awesome! Is that the Leica 50/2.8 elmar, with a screw mount adapter? Where did you look up the flange distance details?

Any pics with this combo?

Yes but it's a M mount lens. I haven't had time to take any proper shots and upload, will do so in the near future!

 

[gdi]

Oh my. You have the missing part in my Hexanon puzzle. Have fun! 😉
Keep us posted. I feel a drain opening in my bank account.

Wayne

I made the mistake of buying a moderately cheap adapter while waiting for my A7r and it is a piece of crap. Only about 3/4 of my M lenses of LTM with adapters even mount.

The Hex 28 will fit only after wiggling it around, and I will have to swap my UC adapter to one that mounts. The 50 mounts fine, I think the adapter was "designed" based on a single M lens and there was no consideration for the variations of the bayonet lugs to accommodate frame selection! So stay away from the "Pro Optic" adapter!

I have a Voigtlander adapter on order for delivery Tuesday, so I hope that solves that problem.

Anyway - rant off....

 

[hunz]

Awesome!!.. Ultra Wide Angle M-Mount Lenses THAT WORK On Sony A7R (Leica "WATE" Tri Elmar 16-18-21mm f/4 ASPH

http://3d-kraft.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=148&catid=40&Itemid=2

I also here through the grapevine the Leica 24mm f2/8 ASPH works quite well with the A7R. Anyone else come across this and pics?

 

[gdi]

Some Hex tests on the A7r...

These aren't that bad, IMO...

A7r_HexLimited (1 of 1)-5 by gdi2003, on Flickr
Hex Limited @f1.2

Compare to:

A7r_Nocti (1 of 1)-5 by gdi2003, on Flickr
Noctilux @ F1.0



Some sets to look at if you want. I was pushing things by shooting wide open or closed down a stop.

Hex 28 F2.8:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/69104028@N00/sets/72157638450288534/

Hex UC:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/69104028@N00/sets/72157638450390634/

Hex Limited F1.2:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/69104028@N00/sets/72157638450226723/

 

[uhoh7]

CV 35/2.5 skopar on A7r uncorrected. This lens would have to go into the "not optimal" category.


DSC02685-2 by unoh7, on Flickr

much better close in:

DSC02671-2 by unoh7, on Flickr

Here Canon LTM 100/3.5. vignette is due to adapter.


DSC02732 by unoh7, on Flickr


DSC02755 by unoh7, on Flickr


DSC01625 by unoh7, on Flickr