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

[Rawfa]

The Pentax lenses, being SLR lenses with long registration distances, behave as well on NEX as any other APS-C camera. I am currently trying to decide which I like better, my SMC Tak 50/1.4 or my Voigtlander 50/1.5. The Pentax has the advantage of a closer minimum focus, and the Voigtlander has the advantage of a smaller size.

Thanks, bud. I cannot wait to try my 50mm f1.4 on the NEX5.

 

[Amatieris]

Amatieris, As far as the 21mm Contax G lens on the NEX my position has been plainly stated several times:

1. It will not mount without interference with the inside camera housing with a Kipon adapter (first hand experience as I own a 21 and REALLY wanted it to work as good as it does on my Contax G2).

2. From the pics I have seen from those using the 21mm Contax G on the NEX (obviously they trimmed the lens fins to mount it) the IQ results are so poor at various focus points and apertures that IMO there is no reason to alter my fantastic 21mm lens when used on the Contax G2 to accomplish such poor results with smearing and horrible color shifts by using it on the NEX.

Others can do as they wish ....... I'll keep my 21mm uncut and mounted on my Contax G2

Sad news indeed! You mention Kipon adapter, is there a chance someone has made (or can make) an adapter that allows this lens mounted without the romoval of the fins?
I can live with some degradation in image quality with the lens in hope that these issues become solved with future sensors.

 

[Jim DE]

The mount would have to be about 2mm thicker which would hold the rear lens extensions off the inner camera body. I am sure it could be done if they wanted to do it.

 

[monza]

...and then it wouldn't focus to infinity.

 

[docmaas]

Apparently Kipon has made a design change. Their latest contax G adapter is supposed to work with the 21 biogon without modification of the lens. As far as quality of the image goes, I don't have any idea.

Mike

Martin, Legacy rangefinder lenses 35mm seems to be as wide as you can go without smearing or color shifts. Adapted SLR lenses you can go as wide as you can afford (no issue with them at all)

Amatieris, As far as the 21mm Contax G lens on the NEX my position has been plainly stated several times:

1. It will not mount without interference with the inside camera housing with a Kipon adapter (first hand experience as I own a 21 and REALLY wanted it to work as good as it does on my Contax G2).

2. From the pics I have seen from those using the 21mm Contax G on the NEX (obviously they trimmed the lens fins to mount it) the IQ results are so poor at various focus points and apertures that IMO there is no reason to alter my fantastic 21mm lens when used on the Contax G2 to accomplish such poor results with smearing and horrible color shifts by using it on the NEX.

Others can do as they wish ....... I'll keep my 21mm uncut and mounted on my Contax G2

 

[ampguy]

Any good successes with using 28mm lens on the NEX?

 

[Rawfa]

Did anyone here try leica M lenses? I have a 35mm, 50mm and a 135mm that I think could be great.

 

[Jim DE]

Mike that one seller on eBay advertised that it worked on the 21 back in July when I bought mine from him. It doesn't and I informed him of such and he responded that he knows it doesn't work and the ad was in error. Guess he just refuses to make a change in his ad.

Let the buyer beware .... The rest of the experience with this seller was good though. It just doesn't work with a 21 .... I can hands on attest to it! There IS ONLY ONE Kipon Contax G to NEX adapter.

 

[roweraay]

Mike that one seller on eBay advertised that it worked on the 21 back in July when I bought mine from him. It doesn't and I informed him of such and he responded that he knows it doesn't work and the ad was in error. Guess he just refuses to make a change in his ad.

Let the buyer beware .... The rest of the experience with this seller was good though. It just doesn't work with a 21 .... I can hands on attest to it! There IS ONLY ONE Kipon Contax G to NEX adapter.

I ordered my Kipon adapter from the same guy, after he had pictures in his ad that showed the 21mm mounted on the NEX via the adapter. He stated that the 21mm worked without any mods, except for the fact that the adapter itself was very tight and a few rub marks had developed between the adapter and the camera mount (due to the tightness).

However, after you stated that the lens does have interference, I then turned around and cancelled the ebay adapter order. Did not want to risk it, especially since I really wanted a wider perspective than the ubiquitous 35mm lenses and truly wanted a 21-24mm lens. I thus did not need the adapter, if it did not work with the 21mm.

My Minolta 24mm f/2.8 serves that purpose very well on my A55 now ! Light, small and decent wide open performance with no color shifts or distortions.

 

[bruin]

I mentioned this earlier in this thread... but it's worth repeating that I tested the CV 28/2 and found no corner smearing or color shifts at the edges. Some (not all) 28mm RF lenses will be fine on the NEX, and most 35mm as well. Any lens with a deep rear element, like the Jupiter-12, should be tested first though.

 

[ampguy]

Thanks Bruin, I have seen many 35mm and longer length images, and they are wonderful. I haven't seen many 28mm and wider MF lens images from the NEX.

Interesting point about the lens depth factor, a 35 asph cron goes much deeper, and is concave relative to an older 35 cron 1-IV version, I wonder if that affects IQ differently on a nex than say a FF film camera?

I mentioned this earlier in this thread... but it's worth repeating that I tested the CV 28/2 and found no corner smearing or color shifts at the edges. Some (not all) 28mm RF lenses will be fine on the NEX, and most 35mm as well. Any lens with a deep rear element, like the Jupiter-12, should be tested first though.

 

[Jim DE]

Bruin I would like to see a non PP corrected image from that CV 28/2 focused to infinity and set to F2. It would be a first for me to see a RF lens under 35mm without color shift and smearing. I have seen some posted as examples of other lenses but some were definitely NOT focused to infinity and others had far greater depth of field than a 2.8 or under lens should produce so I had doubts that they were set fully open. Trust me I would like to find one.

My Contax G 28 definitely shows these traits up to 5.6 as I have stated many times...... that is why I shoot it at 5.6 or smaller aperture when I use it. It might be the CV to NEX adapter is thicker than the ContaxG to NEX making the angle of light to the edge of the sensor less but I would think it would be just the reverse not needing a focus ring.

Please post a infinity focused image set at f2 from that 28mm..... I may have to get one if it looks good.

 

[bruin]

I shot two scenes at f2 from the top of a 20+ story building, critically focused to infinity (not the infinity mark on the lens). Both are overexposed a bit because I didn't have a ND filter or polarizer handy and I was already at 1/4000. I also shot a few at f4, f8, and f16 for comparison. The lens is definitely softer at f2 compared to stopped down, but I saw no corner smearing or color shifting that stood out to me at 100% view.

Jim, PM me your email address and I'll send you the RAW files so you can judge for yourself. Maybe I'm not recognizing what others see in their 28s. And if you have the spare time, you could produce corner crops to post here.

 

[monza]

If the goal is 28mm or wider, with no smearing or color shifts, I'd suggest just adapting an SLR lens. There are many excellent ones available, very reasonably priced.

This is what I'm doing for a 24mm, I'll be getting the excellent Nikkor AIS. This lens has close range correction, with much closer focusing than any 24mm RF wide angle.

Sure, the SLR lenses may be bigger and the adapter bigger, but this is a small sacrifice considering the far better performance.

 

[Jim DE]

Monza, I do exactly as you have stated and yes it works very well with SLR lenses. Ideally I would like a CZ G mount wide angle but we have to wait for these. If someone found a small RF wide angle lens that works with great glass then I am willing to jump and get one for my needs right now. I look to RF lenses due to there size and optical quality for use on the NEX. (Heck I have attached my NEX to a 300mm SLR lens with extension tubes before but I do prefer to keep it small and light )


Bruin E-Mail sent. Maybe tough to see smearing on a downward city shot but we will see. It is easiest seen when a shot is made of a distant flat forest scene. Leaves and trees show these issues the best.

 

[monza]

Yes, a small, light RF with no corner smearing or color shift appears to be the holy grail. The 25mm Zeiss Biogon appears to work reasonably well with some color shift; whether the degree of shift is acceptable is in the eye of the beholder.

Their innate 'optical quality' (i.e., their RF design) that makes such lenses great on film is in fact the very thing that causes issues on the NEX. Even the M9 with its micro lenses cannot handle some wides, like the 21mm SA.

 

[douglasf13]

Hopefully, that prototype Zeiss e-mount lens is around 24mm and comes sooner rather than later.

 

[docmaas]

Jim,

I got the link from a potential trader for one of my for sale items. After your last I see the comment in the seller questions at the bottom of the listing is July so I suspect you are right. Nevertheless here is the listing, please confirm that it is the same one you are speaking of.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Kipon-Adapter-C...128297?pt=Digital_Cameras&hash=item483b3758e9

Thanks,

Mike

Mike that one seller on eBay advertised that it worked on the 21 back in July when I bought mine from him. It doesn't and I informed him of such and he responded that he knows it doesn't work and the ad was in error. Guess he just refuses to make a change in his ad.

Let the buyer beware .... The rest of the experience with this seller was good though. It just doesn't work with a 21 .... I can hands on attest to it! There IS ONLY ONE Kipon Contax G to NEX adapter.

 

[sebboh]

here's another interesting small 35mm f/2 i just stumbled across:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...27254&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_2745wt_1141

and some pictures with from the seller:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hawkpeng2003/sets/72157624736175687/

 

[Jim DE]

Mike..... yep that's the same one. That is not my question at the bottom ...I e Mailed them on this before and after. Before they stated "no Problem" after when there was a problem. "yes we are aware that the 21 does not mount".

But it does work with the rest of the primes above 21