Tink I may be waiting on my next camera

J

JimDE

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I currently own a Contax G2 system, a Minolta 7D system, and various other cameras with little into them money wise. I see there is an adapter ring for Contax G2 lenses (the one I just ordered even stated the 21mm will work but I have my doubts) for the Sony Nex plus Sony is to offer an adapter ring for Minolta/Alpha lenses to Nex. Seems like an obvious choice for me being as I have 5 G series lenses and 5 Minolta lenses already to look at the Nex. Rumors have it a full manual setting will be available on the Nex 7 which is to ne offered in September. I really don't care about the 7's video capabilities but would like as much camera as I can get in a camera where I can use the glass from both systems I already own.

I know the Minolta/Alpha adapter isn't out yet but I just ordered the Contax G lense adapter which is out. Anyone using one of these adapters and Contax G lenses on a Nex 3 or 5 yet? If so I would really like to hear your comments on the pairing or any pics you may care to share.
 
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Another question for the NEX 5 users is: This will most likely be one of the last camera's I buy (being retired and on a fixed income) and feel the NEX line just fits in pairing of my other two systems together into one camera system. As I stated shooting video is not my thing and if I wanted a video camera I would buy one and a still camera is for stills. The rumored NEX 7 features seem to emphasize the video improvements and only mention manual adjustability as a second or third thought. For the current NEX owners, if you were me, would you wait for the possibility of a NEX 7 or just go ahead and get the NEX 5 now?

If the 7 will be a vast improvement in still photography with Contax G and Minolta A mount lenses with the emphasis on serious photographers then its a no brainer. If it is a step up in video work and offers no manual knobs for selecting modes, shutter speeds, iso's, etc and targets the stepping up P&S market then IMO it is not worth the wait. I realize nothing has been released on this rumored NEX 7 but I am sure someone has something to offer on this topic from conversations with reliable sources. ;)

Thanks in advance for your suggestions!
 
IMO the higher iso performance kinda negates a need for stabilization but no viewfinder is something I also will have to get used to. I ordered the Contax G adapter and the Minolta/alpha adapters so I kinda look at this as a universal lightbox more than anything.
 
Here's one I took today when my Contax G adapter arrived..... this was taken with the 45mm F2 wide open at iso 200

DSC00144.jpg
 
Jim, congratulations on your new rig, and I hope it does what you want.

It gets a little confusing when you use two different Usernames for posting, though, especially in the same thread! Concentrate your activity under one name? :)
 
Doug, Honestly it was not my attempt..... awhile back I had a logon issue and finally I just re-registered. When I logged in with my iPhone I thought the Jim DE logon was the only one I had. I was signed on on my desktop so I just posted to the thread I had here and saw it was my DEcevR login. It was not an intentional deception in anyway. I figured it would be obvious because I was following the lead information in the posts with both names.

You can look on my posting history..... I have never been guilty of a bait and switch post with the ID's. Sorry if it did cause any distrust to the thread for anyone. It was purely an accident.
 
DEcevR said:
Here's one I took today when my Contax G adapter arrived..... this was taken with the 45mm F2 wide open at iso 200
Click to expand...

Congrats and nice picture!

Where did you order from?
How much is transferred between camera and body? Guess it is manual focus only.

Interesting.

Cheers,
Xpanded
 
xpanded, I ordered it from Digifan in China .... it was one of the very few times I have used E-Bay or ordered from oversea's but they were the first one's I saw and unlike some of the others stated Kipon adapter would work on the 21mm (my suggestion it don't try the 21mm no matter what they suggest... I was skeptical and very cautiously attempted that one... about 1-1.5 mils from seating in the opening I noticed interference so I went no further with this experiment). The 28mm on up does work! The experience with the seller was excellent and the product was to me very quickly.

Contax G lenses with the Kipon adapter on the NEX 5 has to be shot on aperture preferred and manual focus. The large focus ring works very well IMO. I am having a blast with it! I also have the Minolta/Sony adapter made by Sony which I am using my old Minolta lenses on. With it all I lose is auto focus. The focus assist on the NEX makes this a snap with 7x and 14x views.

I look at the NEX as a digital lightbox that I can use to tie in several systems to one very small camera body with excellent low light capability. "No light" at 12800 iso has to be seen to be appreciated. It's no Velvia 50 but it is way better than I ever expected it to be.

So far the Contax G 28mm shows the very slightest of smearing at the furthest tips of the corners, I can lose much more digital negative just printing a 8x10" image than is affected with the marginal smearing seen with the 28mm. I can't find my 35mm lenses as I really disliked it on the G2 so I never carried it (I think it is out in storage in the midwest so getting it will be awhile). The 45mm and 90mm are just plain awesome in IQ on the NEX. Nice to have a "digital" Contax G ;) The Minolta lenses images are nice but nothing like the G's of course I have only shot Minoltas in variable focal length versions too. I would like to find a 100 macro Minolta to try.

There you have it..... the NEX, the way I am using it, is a APC sensor digital lightbox with a factor of 1.5-1 that is combining several systems into one with excellent IQ and a small package I can cap and carry inside a photo vest with several high quality primes.
 
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DEcevR said:
There you have it..... the NEX, the way I am using it, is a APC sensor digital lightbox with a factor of 1.5-1 that is combining several systems into one with excellent IQ and a small package I can cap and carry inside a photo vest with several high quality primes.
Click to expand...

Thanks a lot - that is a great summary. I only have one lens (45mm) and is also far away, but I am getting it back in a few weeks. Now I only "need" a Nex :D

Do you btw have any of the Sony Nex lenses? And, if, can you comment on them? Feedback seems a bit unequal.

...xpanded
 
Right now you can only buy a NEX with a lens.... I have the zoom and it was OK. Auto focus worked well it does have some distortion at some focal lengths but it wasn't that objectionable. I would have no problem using that lens alone on a trip if I had to. I can't tell you about the 16mm but I had a chance to get one with my package for $100 and didn't because my objective was 3rd party primes.
 
It's the Contax G series lens adapter I use. This is the NEX 5 with the 28mm F2.8

IMG_0213.jpg


Example with the 45 f2 indoor available incandecent light
DSC00007.jpg
 
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I really hope they sell the NEX 7 without a lens.

I finally played around with the 5 and 3 at B&H yesterday. Not as bad as i expected, but not quite as good as i had hoped. I thought, with a Sony NEX lens, that with AF enabled, there's a 'full time' manual option, with the magnification. But, i couldn't get that to happen. Does it have to be either AF on or off? It's probably moot. If i had an AF lens, i'd probably just use AF. I'm hoping they come out with a 50mm and 35mm equivalent. Or, i might use my Contax G35....

Steve Huff has a nice review of the NEX, with large sample images:
http://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2010/07/26/sony-nex-3-and-nex-5-digital-camera-review/
 
CK it does..... it is an AF assist or fine adjustment. Turn it on in the AF menu and auto focus as normal then when you touch the lenses focus ring you can do magnified fine tuning of the focus at 7x or when it is activated touch the lower soft button and go to 14x.

With adapted lenses you use manual focus all the time and if you touch the soft button once 7x assist stays on twice 14x stays on.

Hope that cleared it up a bit for you if you handle one again.
 
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