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Lens experience with Sony Nex-5 and Nex-7

Woody Campbell

Workshop Member
Could you please share your experiences with lenses on these cameras?

Sony E mounts? Sony A mounts? Leica M mounts? Others? Pros and cons of the lenses you've tried?

Thanks.
 

hot

Active member
I am using 28 lenses with NEX5 and/or NEX7 - from 8mm to 500mm.
All work okay, E-mount, Canon, KonicaAR, Samyang, cctv ... adapters from $8 - $30
 
V

Vivek

Guest
All on NEX-7. I ditched the NEX-5 a while ago.

Sony E-mount:

16/2.8 Dog.:thumbdown:

24/1.8 Gem :thumbs:

30/3.5 Macro fabulous!:thumbup:

C-mount

Fujinon-TV 50/1.2 (same one that was also made in LTM). :thumbs:

Fujinon-TV 75/1.8 :thumbs:

Olympus pen F:

See: http://forum.getdpi.com/forum/alternative-forum/33362-pen-f-lenses-olympus.html

:thumbs:

LTM/M mount:

Canon 50/0.95 :thumbs:

I don't use anything else in these mounts.

In principle, I could use a few hundred other lenses from various systems/mounts. I post some examples from time to time.
 

Hosermage

Active member
my experiences of NEX5 with:

SEL18200 - the only E-mount lens I use. It's big, but not heavy, so I carry it in case I'm too lazy for MF or need the wide/zoom versatility. IQ is good, AF speed acceptable. Great for video since that's what it was meant for.

ZM 50 C-Sonnar - love the wide open look, but the 1.5 crop factor makes it harder to use as the default lens.

'Cron 50 DR - Sold this after I got the ZM Sonnar, but before that, it was my goto lens because I can get close focus without the hawk helicoid M adapter.

VC 35/1.2 - This is what I end up shooting with most of the time, in door, low light. Creamy bokeh and excellent sharpness.
 

Paratom

Well-known member
I like using Sony Nex lenses on the Nex.
24/1.8 whenever the light is dim, othrwise the Kit lens when its long enough, and the 18-200 for video or when I need more reach.
I am looking forward to add the 50/1.8 Sony.
I have adapters for Leica M (I used the 35/1.4 and 50/1.4 Leica asph lenses) and R but find R lenses too big and I just prefer AF over focuspeaking whenever its possible.
I think the 24 is my favorite. Greta lens IMO.
 

Woody Campbell

Workshop Member
I've got a full range of current (and a few interesting legacy) Leica M lenses. They all work sensationally (the CV 16 and 12 are a little wonky in terms of color shifts but if you have C1 or cornerfix they're fine). The WATE is a dream on the wide end.

Maybe the Leica lenses are all I need - I probably don't need to explore c mounts or contax g mounts (I shot a g for years and the lenses are terrific and probably a bargain).

I'm finding that accurately focusing the longs (perhaps starting at 35mm or 50mm) requires opening up to max f stop and stopping down to shoot, which slows me down. I hope that I'll get better with practice.

I've got the Sony Zeiss 24 and I like a it lot optically and from a form factor standpoint. I got it hoping that it might be usefull at events or other situations were shooting speed counts, but in low light it hunts like the devil - all the way from close focus to infinity. Might as well stick to my 24mm lux.

Has anyone compared the Tamaron super zoom to the Sony?
 

alphaman

New member
I use mostly Contax Zeiss lenses...
All work well and look made to fit.

Michiel

My experience too, I use the 35/2 and 90/2.8. The cheap Contax to NEX adapters seem to be ok from my experience, so no need to splash out!

I have also used a variety of Minolta and Sony A lenses using the Sony adapter (second version) and also with great success. The NEX combined with the Zeiss 135/1.8 looks mad but works very well for available light work, in my case theater photography.
 
(...)

I've got the Sony Zeiss 24 and I like a it lot optically and from a form factor standpoint. I got it hoping that it might be usefull at events or other situations were shooting speed counts, but in low light it hunts like the devil - all the way from close focus to infinity. Might as well stick to my 24mm lux.
Woody: Maybe you'll get a bit better results with AF on the 24mm Sony/Zeiss if you want to check the advice I gave t_streng in a thread he opened a few days ago:

"Re: NEX focus in dimn light

Simply disable the focus assist light in dimn light. Sounds absurd, I know, but if you do so, the AF area remains small (and AF doesn't hunt as much, particularly if you try to find contrasty objekts at oder nearby your desired focuspoint). Works for me ...

And when AF locks, you can override with MF for fine tuning, if there is need for it."

Sorry for the selfquotation - hope that works for you as it does for me...
 
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jonoslack

Active member
Hmmm
Sony:
16mm (I think it's fine as long as it's stopped down a bit - bad copy Vivek?)
18-55 kit (better than it should be)
18-200 (good - but I sometimes have trouble focusing in poor light)-quite big, but as hosermage says, not heavy - the lens fits in my barbour jacket pocket with the body sticking out for quick access!
24 Zeiss 1.8 (fab)

Leica M (with the helicoid adapter)
WATE - +1 to Woody - it's grate
24 'lux Excellent - but It isn't enough better than the Zeiss to make me use it (keep it with the M9)
28 'cron Excellent - focuses remarkably close
35 summarit - lovely and very small
35 'lux Excellent
50 'lux Excellent
50 nocti Excellent
75 'cron Excellent
90 elmarit Excellent
in all cases the helicoid adapter makes for fun close focusing.

Leica R:
18-200 f4 (okay - but only a short trial before adding a Sony A mount)
sorry not 18-200 - 70-210 - thank you Bart!
28-90 - Really good - and nice to handle as well
21-35 - soso results - boring range - don't bother
180 f2.8 APO Excellent

I don't have a Sony A adapter yet - so I haven't tried the A mount lenses, but I guess I'll get there!
 
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Quentin_Bargate

Well-known member
I've read in a few threads that the Tamaron gives blurry images if you use it for the in-camera panoramic shot. I suspect the OSS of the Sony zoom helps out a lot.
I have read that too, although the Tamron also has very effective stabilisation, so that cannot be the reason. However, as I would never use the in-camera pano facility, it makes no difference to me. I rate the Tamron 18-200mm very, very highly - and it comes in black too:D
 

sflxn

New member
Jono, do you have a picture of what those Leica 'lux (luxury) lenses look like on the NEX-7? I just got the Zeiss 24mm and it's a lot smaller than it looks on the web.
 

jonoslack

Active member
Jono, do you have a picture of what those Leica 'lux (luxury) lenses look like on the NEX-7? I just got the Zeiss 24mm and it's a lot smaller than it looks on the web.
luxury eh:ROTFL: I guess that's it - it's the function of lots of years collecting them and many painful CC bills!
As you say, they're quite small - which would you like to see?
 

jonoslack

Active member
I'd like to see the 35 and 50. Sometimes, they look huge on the web without being on a camera.
Hi there - in haste and trying to kill two birds with one stone:

Here is the NEX7 with the Leica 50 f1.4 Asph:

shot at ISO 1600 f2 with the Leica 75 'cron

Here is the Leica M9 with the 35 lux

shot at ISO 1600 f2 with the Leica 50 'lux

I hope this helps

all the best
 

monza

Active member
I use mostly Contax Zeiss lenses, also the fantastic zooms.
All work well and look made to fit.

Michiel
Yes. I use the 28/2, the 50/1.4, 60/2.8 Makro Planar. I have 85/2.8 and 100/2 and 100/3.5 but haven't tried them yet as I don't often need telephotos.

The NEX came along at just the right time as I was contemplating converting the Contax lenses to Sony alpha. Much easier/cheaper to just get an adapter and NEX them. :)

Also use M lenses with the helical Hawk adapter. Gives SLR-like close focus with RF lenses...45/2 Contax G Planar adapted to M, and 35/2 Summicron v1.
 

douglasf13

New member
I use the CV 15/4.5, ZM 35/2, ZM 50/1.5 and Contax G90 on the NEX-5N.

The CV 15 needs a little CornerFix for purple corners, but the resolution is good. The ZM 35/2 is the best 35mm rangefinder lens that I've tried. Both of these lenses have resolution issues in the corners of my old NEX-5, and I've seen evidence that the same happens on the NEX-7. If you're going to shoot a lot of rangefinder lenses at 35mm and wider, it's hit or miss on the NEX-7.

The ZM 50/1.5 is a great portrait lens, and it sharpens up nicely when stopped down. The Contax G 90 is fantastic.
 

jonoslack

Active member
I use the CV 15/4.5, ZM 35/2, ZM 50/1.5 and Contax G90 on the NEX-5N.

The CV 15 needs a little CornerFix for purple corners, but the resolution is good. The ZM 35/2 is the best 35mm rangefinder lens that I've tried. Both of these lenses have resolution issues in the corners of my old NEX-5, and I've seen evidence that the same happens on the NEX-7. If you're going to shoot a lot of rangefinder lenses at 35mm and wider, it's hit or miss on the NEX-7.

The ZM 50/1.5 is a great portrait lens, and it sharpens up nicely when stopped down. The Contax G 90 is fantastic.
Hi Douglas
quite agree about the ZM 50/1.5 and the Contax G 90 . . . but I don't think WA is hit or miss on the NEX7 I think the parameters are pretty clear - it's okay on more modern and tele centric lenses (like the WATE, 21 'lux, 24 'lux) less good on more traditional symmetrical designs
 

douglasf13

New member
Hi Douglas
quite agree about the ZM 50/1.5 and the Contax G 90 . . . but I don't think WA is hit or miss on the NEX7 I think the parameters are pretty clear - it's okay on more modern and tele centric lenses (like the WATE, 21 'lux, 24 'lux) less good on more traditional symmetrical designs
Hi, Jono. I'm not totally convinced. I'm not saying that several of the Leica wides aren't good on the 7, but they may still be better on the 5N at the edges. I was blown away how much sharper my ZM 35/2 was at the edges compared to all of my other 35mm lenses on the NEX-5, and then the corner sharpness improved even more on the 5N (this lens has been shown to have issues on the 7, despite being the most telecentric of the ZM "Biogon" designs.) I noticed on the NEX-7 thread that even Bob's 35 Lux shows some purple shift at the edges on his 7, and I've seen comparisons of the 18 Super Elmar between the 5N and 7, so it's all a little dodgy.

Overall, at 35mm and wider, and say some Leicas and the CV 35/1.2 are safe, when it comes to M lenses on the NEX-7, but the jury is still out on a lot of lenses, because a lot of users don't have their hands on the 7, yet.
 
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