New to Sony with an A7

B-9

B-9

Devin Bro
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Well, I guess I'll jump into the Sony forum now!

I snagged a Sony A7 first gen for a reasonable price at BH.

Hoping it will replace a lot of the gear I have sold or plan to sell.

Already purchased a few adapters for glass I plan to keep.

What are some of the better FE lenses to look at?

Yes it is a very loose ended question...

Any quick tips or must have accessories you would recommend?
 
The Voigtlander VM-E close focus adapter is highly recommended. I have one for an E-mount APS-C camera, and it allows me to adapt Leica M-mount and LTM mount lenses. This review provides some more info on the adapter.
 
I have the A7SII, but so far have only been using M-mount or LTM lenses with an adapter. A friend recommended the Sony 28mm F2. I've been eyeing the latest Sony 85mm F1.8 which has been getting good reviews for its quality at a reasonable price.
 
I should look at the VME, although I did read about the Techart AF gizmo. I opted for a 9$ adapter for now.

28/2.0 is one of the more affordable lenses I've heard mentioned. I though I would try the kit lens but after a few sour reviews decided to save on the premium and just get some cheap adapters to start.

Thanks for the comments guys!
 
I just got the A7r II with the Zeiss 55 1.8 simply awesome! The 55 1.8 was worth the price of admission... I purchased it used locally... Can't recommend the lens enough...
 
35photo said:
I just got the A7r II with the Zeiss 55 1.8 simply awesome! The 55 1.8 was worth the price of admission... I purchased it used locally... Can't recommend the lens enough...
Click to expand...

Yeah, that lens is special. I miss it... though I can't say I miss the A7r or A7 II. :)
 
Any Zeiss 50mm you can get your hands on.
I'm using my Planar 1.4/50mm from my old Contax kit.
The M 2/50mm or ZF planar would be nice too. Of course there are 2 E mount Sony 50mm's as well.

I'll write this completely unscientifically, lenses with Zeiss T* coatings really cut crisp form on this sensor.
I'm enjoying the 50, 60mm Macro Planar, and 2.8/85 Sonnar a lot.
Have yet to try the longer Sonnars but there is time.
The Sony sensor has a look. Not ready to sell the 5Dii yet which also has a look but if I could only keep one ;)
 
switched from Fuji to Sony with the A7RII.
Have the Loxia 21mm and FE 28mm, planning to get the FE 55mm 1.8 later on if I feel like I need it but for the time being my Pentax-M 50mm 1.4 or Collapsible 50mm Summicron will do.

sevres_babylone said:
I have the A7SII, but so far have only been using M-mount or LTM lenses with an adapter. A friend recommended the Sony 28mm F2. I've been eyeing the latest Sony 85mm F1.8 which has been getting good reviews for its quality at a reasonable price.
Click to expand...


I'm on the fence between the 55mm and 85mm, need to shoot more to see which FL I'm missing but have legacy lenses to cover those ranges at the moment too (50mm and 90mm)
 
For a long time I used a basic A7 with the ZM 35/2.8. Anything RF wider smeared; this was well documented and I proved it to myself as well ;) with 21-28 CV Ultrons and Skopars. OM lenses (and SLR lenses in general) worked fine.

The 55/1.8 seems to me the one native lens to not do without. Try it at least. If that was all I had, it would suffice. But after a parking lot accident with A7 #1, I bought a Kolarified A7 (aka A7K), and can use even the CV 15/4.5 on it.

A fair number of my RFF gallery images from spring through fall 2015 are exclusively the A7 & ZM 35/2.8. Apply that logic to FE and maybe the FE 35/2.8 is the one to try. I skipped the 28/2 because I have GR for 28 :). Yesterday I shot the A7k on the foggy coast with the ZM 50/2, 21/2.8, the CV 35/1.4 and ND filters. Check out the A7 Kolari related threads here and at FM for useful info about adapting RF lenses, or just get an adapter for your favorite SLR lenses. And have a blast.
 
rhl-oregon said:
... I skipped the 28/2 because I have GR for 28 :)...
Click to expand...

I know the feeling. I've been pairing my GR with the Sony (or the M9 when it wasn't off for sensor replacement) and longer lenses.

taemo said:
...
I'm on the fence between the 55mm and 85mm, need to shoot more to see which FL I'm missing but have legacy lenses to cover those ranges at the moment too (50mm and 90mm)
Click to expand...

I have the two Voigtlander 75s (the heliar 75mm LTM on the Sony is nice compact package) and a Canon ltm 85mm, and what seems like a zillion 50s. At some point I'd like to check to see if my autofocus works though:)
 
Ive been shooting my old 28-70/2.8 Minolta.

Possibly my favorite pro zoom of that era. Its HUGE on the A7.

Its really making me consider the Sony A900/850 haha I guess if im going to use a big pro zoom I should not mind a bigger camera body.

I shoot casually at best so whats a extra pound or so ;)

the 50/1.7 is a much better match with the LAEA4 and A7 body better yet stick to Leica lenses.
 
I have the original A&R and had it modified by Kolari Vision with the thin filter conversion as well as full spectrum IR. The thin filter conversion has eliminated the smearing that I was getting from my favorite ZM 25/2.8 and the IR conversion allows me to shoot IR and 'normal color' images with the use of filters, with the obvious downside of having to use a filter with every lens I use with this body.

The usual caveat with adapting WA M-mount lenses apply to the A7, although the edge smearing is much worse with the A7R. Shoot a few with your M-mount WA lenses and check the results. If the problems are there, consider the Kolari Vision thin filter conversion.

I think the FE 55/1.8 is universally regarded as a gem. I also have the FE 28/2. Beyond that, I mostly adapt M-mount and F-mount lenses. With the M-mount lenses I use the Hawks Helicoid adapter v1 (I think it's up to v5 by now). The VM adapter is well-made albeit at a higher price. In any case, I would recommend a close focus adapter over a regular adapter -- it just adds to the fun.
 
35photo said:
I just got the A7r II with the Zeiss 55 1.8 simply awesome! The 55 1.8 was worth the price of admission... I purchased it used locally... Can't recommend the lens enough...
Click to expand...

I bought a used A7 just to use this lens, simply great lens worth every penny plus more.
 
My big poke towards the A7 was the LAEA4 and the ability to adapt the 3 minolta lenses I still own. 28-70/2.8 50/1.7 100-200/4.5. The last two I acquired a year ago for 20$ in mint condition surprisingly.

I did grab a cheap adapter for my screwmount lenses and the few Nikkors i have left including a 35/1.4.

Overall, Its just a little small and the control layout is awkward with bigger hands.
 
The 55mm f/1.8 Zeiss is fabulous. The seriously go-to lens. (The 50mm f/1.8 FE lens is very reasonably priced and good but not in the same league.)

I have been using Zeiss Contax SLR lenses with adapter; good fun and good results.

I think the focus peaking in the Sony cameras is very, very good, makes MF lenses quite usable.
 
I do love the peaking,

I have been dabbling with the video as well.

Thinking/Planning selling the A7 to help a friend.

Maybe I should look into the II this holiday season after I've done my good deed.
 
B-9 said:
I do love the peaking,
Click to expand...

Focus peaking is fine on its own, but works even better when combined with focus magnification (esp. for critical focus):

1. Assign focus magnification to one of the buttons (I use the back button AF)

2. Activate focus peaking and adjust focus

3. Press the assigned button twice to the magnified view.

4. Adjust fine focus

5. Press the shutter button.
 
The resolution of the evf is good enough that I have completely abandoned peaking.
It’s just a distraction and really ugly to look at.
11x mag and focus!
Now if only Sony would let us program a button with one press to get there... 3 presses to full magnification gets to be “enough already”.
 
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