Sony a7II and leica lens? Real life experience?

[ColSebastianMoran]

Sony's focus peaking is very effective for using MF glass.

 

[cz23]

I like focus peaking for 50mm and longer. But given the DOF of wides, at least at the apertures I normally use, all that highlighting is distracting.

John

 

[jarski]

Sony's focus peaking is very effective for using MF glass.

I've had somewhat mixed results. Sometimes when trying to focus less contrasty point in view, peaking does not always show it correctly. This slows you down quite a lot. (been using apsc models, not latest full frames)

 

[venchka]

Experience with my new Sony A7M2 in the first month.
Lenses that I have used critically so far, in order of focal length:
Canon New FD 24mm F 2.8. Couldn't be happier.
Canon Radioactive FD 35mm F 2.0. Same as 24/2.8
Canon FD 50mm F 3.5 Macro. Unreal performance.
Leica Elmarit-M 90mm F 2.8. Last version. O.M.G.
I have several more rangefinder and Canon lenses to wade through.
So far, I don't see any ill effects in the photos caused by the Sony A7II and vintage lenses. Any blemishes have been operator error in the beginning.
A 5 frame pano I made to day with the Canon 24/2.8:
http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/venchka/backyard/20190702-DSC01289-Pano-2.jpg.html

Wayne

 

[shawn]

So far, I don't see any ill effects in the photos caused by the Sony A7II and vintage lenses. Any blemishes have been operator error in the beginning.
A 5 frame pano I made to day with the Canon 24/2.8:

I shoot mostly vintage lens on my Sony too. With SLR lenses you should be pretty much always fine. When issues arise it is with rangefinder lenses and those on the wider end of the spectrum. With them you can get smearing and color shifts on the edges. With 50s you might see differences in field curvature but the effects are pretty mild at 50mm and above.

Have fun!

Shawn

 

[venchka]

I just read the whole title of the this thread. "...Leica lenses."
Oops.
Well, since the Leica M to Sony E-mount adapter finally arrived I can get cracking with:
Konica 28mm M-Hexanon & 35mm F/2.0 LTM
Leitz 50mm Dual Range Summicron & Nikkor 50/1.4 LTM.
Canon 135mm F/3.5.
Surely something in that pile will work. Actually, the 90mm Elmarit-M works famously. Hopefully the rest will too.
Wayne

 

[shawn]

I'd love to know how the Konica 28mm does on the Sony. I have a bunch of Konica LTM/M lenses but not that one.

Shawn

 

[Greyscale]

Congratulations on the free camera!

Yes, many Leica-mount lenses will work just fine on the a7 series. For the most part, the lenses that cause problems are the older non-retrofocus wide angle designs that have the large rear elements...

These were made with a 1947 CZJ T Biogon LTM on my Sony A7ii. Yes, they get a little mushy towards the edges, but this lens gets a little mushy towards the edges on an LTM body as well.


Zeiss Biogon 35/2.8 T LTM (1947) by Mike Novak, on Flickr


Zeiss Biogon 35/2.8 T LTM (1947) by Mike Novak, on Flickr

I cannot think of any LTM lens that has a larger, more protruding rear element.

Where I get the most utility from the A7ii and LTM lenses are with lenses longer than 50mm, which can be a PITA on their native bodies, but are a joy to use on the Sony. Heaven is a Nikkor PC 85/2 and a Sony A7ii.

 

[AlwaysOnAuto]

I've enjoyed using a Nikkor 24mm on my A7ii. Great lens for shooting cars which I do a lot of, or try to anyways.
I recently treated myself to a b-day gift of an A7iii in hopes that the autofocus will keep up with my grandkids better than the A7ii.
The next test will be shooting fireworks tomorrow night.

 

[Emile de Leon]

The A72 is a steal these days..I got mine w/zoom brand new for around $800- B&H special. Use all kinds of Leica lenses on it..
I think this was the 35mm f1.4 pre..

 

[craygc]

I think this was the 35mm f1.4 pre..

I would guess that the issues with the 35 Lux pre asph (on the sony7ii a) probably aren't that far removed from the 35 Lux asph v1. I did a degree of testing on the asph v1 a little while back while investigating the potential for using a PCX front filter. What I found was massive field curvature, especially wide open, due to the thick sensor stack. See the bottom of the linked file; focusing best as possible on the corners at around 500mtrs (on a tripod), the centre was in focus at about 5 mtrs. A PCX filter, although far from perfect, has delivered substantial improvements. Also in the attached file you can see a comparison in different sections of the frame both with and without the PCX filter for each aperture.

35mm Lux Asph tests

 

[venchka]

New camera. Old lenses. AWESOME!

New camera. Old lenses. AWESOME!

This is real life. Photo from yesterday.
Sony A7II. Leica Elmarit-M 1:2.8 90. Last version.
Hand held. Massively cropped. Click the Enlarge icon below the photo window. A real monitor works best.
http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/venchka/backyard/20190721-01720.jpg.html

Canon 135/3,5 LTM. Same dragonfly. Same hand held exposure as above.
http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/venchka/backyard/20190721-01739.jpg.html

I'll be back with samples from the Leica D.R. Summicron, Konica 28-M & 35-LTM, Nikkor 50-LTM & several Canon FD mount lenses that continue to amaze me. 😀

Cheers!
Wayne

 

[DHK]

Closest thread I can fit this into: a7ii + Canon ltm 28 2.8

 

[sevres_babylone]

With It - August 2019 by sevres babylone, on Flickr
Sony A7SII with "Zeiss C Sonnar 50mm f1.5"

 

[Huss]

and a 1:1 crop

What a sweetheart!
:angel:

 

[rhl-oregon]

I recently upgraded an A7 II with the Kolari mod after 4 years with an A7 Kolari (which is now in RFF classifieds for trade, soon for sale). I did this in part to be able to use Tech Art when I want AF on my M lenses.

I shoot those M lenses on an M-D 262, mostly, and love its filmic interface and optical RF focusing, but the A72K live view / focus magnification makes night life subjects much easier to focus on the CV 35/1.2.

F2 iso 3200

F1.2 iso 3200

 

[Huss]

Love your dogs Robert!

It seems to me that one advantage that Sonys have over my Nikon Z7 is that they much more accurately show the exposure with adapted lenses. (and yes I have my Nikon set correctly...)

 

[rhl-oregon]

Thank you, señor of the chichi boardwalk pooch.

My plan is to keep on my lifetime blinders concerning Nikon, if only coz tumbles into rabbit holes and warrens of lesser known gear has brought me to a point where I can use words like Werra and Ihagee and Balda in a sentence unfit for normal human warmth, but might make folks think I once taught North Euro mythology . (RFF aided me in this, like a fixer specializing in historical gateway drugs.)

With Sony A7, I’m on my 3rd since transitioning out of Fuji X in 2015. I can get what I want from it, and ignore the TMI* menus. The plan now is to use the A72K with adapted a M lenses, as I first did with a ZM 35/2.8 (55/.18 AF came later)—and especially for F1.1-1.4 projects.

In this thread, my experience and practice has a clear limit: in keyword/shorthand/jargon, it’s Kolari, RF, BW, live view, focus mag.

Brookings, Oregon
CV 35/1.2 v1 (A7K)

Moonstone Beach, California
ZM 21/2.8 (A7K)


*too much info

 

[DHK]

Just sneaking this Canon 28 ltm in here...

 

[rhl-oregon]

No sneaking required when the 28mm shows so beautifully. (On my first A7, the 28/1.9 ltm CV simply did not work, unless I cropped out the sooty smeared corners to, oh, a 40mm FOV.