A list of lenses that have been tested on the NEX--good and bad!

[Jonathon Delacour]

it won't give you the small size of a rangefinder lens but any slr 24mm will work with no optical issues on NEX. most of them end up being the same size as the kit zoom even with the adapter - nowhere near pocketable but functionally not much larger than any of the of the 24-25mm rangefinder lenses and they can focus much closer. there are 24mm f/2 lenses in nikon F, canon FD, and olympus OM mounts all of which are well respected lenses and most (not the olympus) can be found at quite reasonable prices. if you don't need the speed there are a ton of f/2.8 or slower 24mm slr lenses. the best fit of these is probably the olympus OM 24mm f/2.8 - it is reputed to be an extremely good performing lens and is quite small. right now i am using a rokkor MD 24mm f/2.8 that i am quite happy with (except for the speed) while i wait for sony to release a lens roadmap. i'm hoping for a zeiss 24mm f/2 - but i doubt i'll see one anytime soon.

+1

You might also try looking for a Vivitar 24/2 or 24/2.8. The Komine-made versions (with serial numbers starting with 28) are generally regarded as the best.

Regarding the size advantage of the Leica M lenses, this post by Douglas Ferling in the Fun with the NEX cameras thread provides a useful perspective from someone who has used a Leica M and a Sony SLR lens on his NEX-5:

Oddly enough, I kind of like the ergonomics of my 50mm with the Alpha adapter better than my little M lens, because it sits nicely in the hand, and the focusing ring is in a good place. I may get the new cheapie Sony 35/1.8 for when being as small as possible isn't a priority.

 

[volkerhopf]

Today I played a little bit with the NEX -again. I use a JINFINANCE adapter and it works quite well. The most interesting lens for me was the Elmarit 28 but it did not give me good results. So I thought I try the TRI Elmar at 28mm and I am really happy with this one. Since I carry both the M8 and the NEX in the same bag the TRI is not an extra piece to carry.
I have 2 comparison shots on my blog.

Cheers Volker

http://333-2009.blogspot.com/2010/08/elmarit-28-versus-mate-28-on-nex5.html

Ok, I admit that I've gotten completely confused about the comments on "other" lenses used on the NEX.

I would like this thread to be a list of lenses that have been tried. If you have been able to draw conclusions, let us know. Include pertinent info such as quality of infinity focus, center and edge sharpness, ease of use, comments on adapters, or other info as you deem important.

Please post your conclusions, pro or con.

 

[douglasf13]

+1

You might also try looking for a Vivitar 24/2 or 24/2.8. The Komine-made versions (with serial numbers starting with 28) are generally regarded as the best.

Regarding the size advantage of the Leica M lenses, this post by Douglas Ferling in the Fun with the NEX cameras thread provides a useful perspective from someone who has used a Leica M and a Sony SLR lens on his NEX-5:

FWIW, I've become more accustomed to the handling of the tiny CV 35/1.4 on my NEX-5, so I'm not so sure about adding the larger 35mm lens anymore. The advantage of throwing the NEX into small pocket in my various bags (or even a pants cargo pocket) is too great to give up. My biggest issue was using a focusing tab at waist-level, but I'm ok with it now.

 

[simonclivehughes]

Has anyone tried the CV 12mm on the NEX yet? I used to use one on my Epson R-D1 (same crop) to very good effect. I'm tempted to pick up another but I'd rather hear from someone first.

Cheers,

 

[Rurouni]

Has anyone tried the Voigtlander 28/2 ultron on the nex yet? I'd like a 42mm fov

 

[simonclivehughes]

Runouni,

I've got the 28/2 but I'm still waiting for my adapters!! I'll report back once they come in and I've had a chance to shoot with the Ultron.

Cheers,

 

[Rurouni]

Great Simon thanks! Should be a really sweet combi

 

[simonclivehughes]

Has anyone tried the Voigtlander 50mm f1.1 lens on the NEX? I see nice images from this on m4/3 but not the NEX yet. I have the CV 50mm f1.5 but the 1.1 definitely interests me.

Cheers,

 

[douglasf13]

I'm sure the 50/1.1 is great on NEX. Most of the issues with corners seem to be happening with lenses wider than 35mm.

 

[simonclivehughes]

Douglas,

I'm not so worried about the corners, but I'd like to see how it is for CA etc, and just have a look at the image IQ on the NEX.

Cheers,

 

[douglasf13]

Gotcha. I haven't seen examples myself. You might want to look around for M9 examples as a rough guide, if you can't find NEX samples.

 

[sebboh]

Douglas,

I'm not so worried about the corners, but I'd like to see how it is for CA etc, and just have a look at the image IQ on the NEX.

Cheers,

from my experience using other lenses on both 4/3 and nex i can say that CA, coma, and sharpness should be slightly better on the nex and distortion and vignetting should be slightly worse on the nex. all of this is just due to the difference in sensor size and should apply to all FF lenses with a focal length longer than 35mm.

 

[jonoslack]

Gotcha. I haven't seen examples myself. You might want to look around for M9 examples as a rough guide, if you can't find NEX samples.

Oh Douglas - very very rough - comparisons I've done between M lenses on the NEX and the M9 aren't kind, not even slightly.

 

[douglasf13]

Jono, I simply meant in regards to getting a feel for the lens characteristics. I'm certainly not calling the NEX an M9!

Granted, for fun, I would love to see some NEX and M shots with the same 50mm M lens and cropping the APS-C portion out of the M9 frame.

 

[jonoslack]

Granted, for fun, I would love to see some NEX and M shots with the same 50mm M lens and cropping the APS-C portion out of the M9 frame.

But it's not the type of thing that a sensible person puts on line

If you'd asked two weeks ago I could have sent you some raw files . . . but I'm afraid they're long since binned.

 

[roweraay]

Just sold off my NEX5 and the 2 lenses, in the "for sale" forum. I just was not using the NEX5 as much as my A900, and the impending arrival of the A55 (which would work natively with all of my existing A-mount lenses) was the final nail.

I still have the NEX-to-A-mount adapter but might sell it off shortly, now that the camera is gone.

 

[MPK2010]

Oh Douglas - very very rough - comparisons I've done between M lenses on the NEX and the M9 aren't kind, not even slightly.

Interesting, I think the comparison between M Lenses on the NEX and M8 is actually not wholly embarrassing to the NEX, although there are indeed ways in which the NEX falls short (as well as some advantages in post). The M9 must really be quite a step up. One of these days my resistance may finally run out.

 

[barjohn]

I will join the heretics and say that not withstanding Jono's experience, other tests seem to be contradicting that the M9 just blows away the NEX. See the following Steve Huff "Crazy Comparison ..." test with the M9 against the NEX with kit 18-55. While the difference is visible, much can be attributed to two factors, better lens resolution and more megapixels. Having seen first hand how much better the NEX is with a good lens I know that the difference shown in Steve's test will diminish considerably and to the point that in all but a very large image one could not justify the cost difference.

Pump the ISO requirement up and the NEX may even be superior to the M9 from an IQ perspective. The reasons are simple when you think about it. The keys to a good image are the sensor, the processing algorithm, the computer power to do the processing and the lenses. If the lenses are equalized (i.e. the same) the differences come down to the three other major variables. I seriously doubt if Leica has the knowledge and depth of expertise that Sony has in digital image processing. How much Sony chooses to make available in any particular model is a marketing and not an engineering decision. When it comes the the processor, Sony once again has a significant advantage in both experience and their selection of processors including the use of custom ASICs. Since Sony designs and fabricates their own sensor they clearly have the advantage there too. Again, how they choose to use the advantage is the key and typically these are marketing rather than technical decisions. Since Sony has no real interest in making the NEX cameras work better than the M9 with all M lenses, they will not optimize the sensor or processing for such lenses as it is not to their advantage. Leica has focused on trying to make the sensor and algorithm optimal for their lenses and short registration. Their struggles and on going problems with some lenses still is a reflection of their relative inexperience in the digital domain combined with the inherent difficulty of the problem. My guess is that center performance will be very close less the difference in megapixels but outer portions of the frame will be better on the M9. Steve plans to conduct further tests when he gets his adapter so we will all see for ourselves.

 

[Vivek]

My take on the NEX-5 is that it is not a real camera! It is a sensor that spits out dressed up images.

If anyone wants to beat up on Leica or any other real cameras, they will have to look for another real camera to compare it with!

 

[barjohn]

Vivek,

Pray tell what is a "real camera" and what makes it so? In the pre-electronic/digital days one might say the quality of the lens and mechanics combined with the functionality such as ability to use a wide variety of lenses, ruggedness, and handling defined a real camera from something less. With the same film available to everyone it really came down to lens quality and aperture and shutter accuracy for exposure accuracy to define image quality along with size of negative.

Electronics with digital in particular have changed everything. By your way of thinking todays electronic flashes are not real flashed we need the old bulb flash units for a real flash. P.s. I used those in their day and it was a real pain so I will take the electronic variety and call it a real flash. Of course you may go back further and call a real flash the try with powder to ignite as the only real flash.