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1 camera, 2 adapters, 3 lenses, 6 focal lengths

f/otographer

New member
So here is a compact kit idea I have banging around in my head.

The camera
NEX 7

The adapters
(1) Metabones C/Y Speedbooster and (1) regular C/Y adapter

The lenses
Zeiss Distagon 25/2.8
Zeiss Planar 50/1.7
Yashica ML 135/2.8

Each lens will pull double duty, to be mounted on the SB and the normal adapter. This combination will give you the following prime focal lengths.


26.6mm f/2 (Distagon on SB) semi wide
37.5mm f/2.8 (Distagon on normal adapter) close to the beloved 35mm
53.5mm f/1.2 (Planar on SB) nice fast standard
75mm f/1.7 (Planar on normal adapter) nice fast portrait
143mm f/2 (ML 135 on SB) nice tele portrait
202mm f/2.8 (ML 135 on normal adapter) errrr, a somewhat use full FL

The neat thing is that it is a small and easily portable system that gives you most of the traditional Focal Lengths (or close to them) in a pretty small camera bag. Another benefit is that you can mix and match all the lenses from the C/Y catalog based on your budget or need. For instance, I will probably replace the Distagon with the ML 24/2.8 and the ML 135 with the YUS 135/2.8 which I already own. (On a side note, the YUS is actually a pretty sharp lens.)


You can easily throw in a smaller NEX body as a backup and still not need a much bigger bag. My plan is to put in my old Yashica FR1 as a nice film option when the fancy takes me.

Anyway, lots of options here. Anyone like this idea? Or have any other ideas to throw in? Would love to hear what you think.
 
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f/otographer

New member
Nice call on the tilt adapter ken, I had forgot about those. That would definitely open up some creative options.

The 85 also is a good idea. Although it would almost make the 75mm option redundant. Hmmmmm, maybe a Distagon 16/2.8, 35/2.8 and 85/2.8. Those double up nicely as well.
 
Since a Nex full frame looks to be pricy,
the crop Nex and SB could be a good way to go for some time.
And since range finder wides might not work on a FF Nex,
since they don't always work on a present Nex crop camera,
this could be a solution for many on that front as well.
I do wonder how a full frame sensor can work equally well for both full frame and crop. Seems like it would be difficult to optimize the edges for each. Until they do, the SB on a Nex 5x, 6, and 7 provides an alternative.
 
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