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Normal to Portrait Zoom for E-mount

e_dawg

New member
Anybody suggest a normal to telephoto zoom for E-mounts? I'm looking to build a mirrorless system and weighing options between the usual culprits (Sony, Olympus, and Fuji), and one of the requirements of the prospective system is that it has a zoom that covers the normal to portrait focal length range for event photography and family stuff. About 40-120mm or so (135/FF equivalent), f/2.8.

TBH, i don't know E-mount too well and would appreciate some assistance here, since there seems to be a bunch of Sony experts here. Haven't been following all the developments since than the last time i had GAS several years ago and was here buying and selling to expand my A-mount inventory ;)

To put it in A-mount lens terms, what i would be looking for is something akin to the 28-75/2.8 on a APS-C sensor A-mount body (which would be equivalent to 42-112mm on 135/FF). Is there anything like that for E-mount? Either 135/FF A7 or APS-C A6000?

Looking at Olympus, they don't do any overlapping focal length ranges. It's usually 24-80mm and 80-300mm (135/FF eq), but nothing that bridges the two ranges.

Which also begs the other question of why is it so hard to find a zoom that covers this range on its native sensor format without resorting to using a FF lens on a crop sensor body? Am i the only person in the world who finds that focal length range useful? Especially for event photography where you want to get candid / portrait shots, but also need to switch to a normal focal length quickly for a group shot or stuff that happens close to you without switching to another body with a wider lens on it?

I know various manufacturers have their slow variable aperture 18-105, 18-135, f/3.5-5.6 etc zooms, but would prefer the DoF isolation of a f/2.8 zoom.
 

ggibson

Well-known member
Sony has a 16-70mm f4 zoom for APS-C e-mount. I've heard good things about it.

Or Fuji has a 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 zoom for x-mount (also APS-C).

For m4/3, a lot of people have been wanting a rehash of the 4/3 Olympus 12-60mm f2.8-4 zoom, which is fast, covers an incredible range, and is super-sharp as well. You could get an E-M1+adapter for Auto-focus (though I don't think it compares well to native m4/3 lenses).
 

e_dawg

New member
Lumix 4/3 has a very good 35-100mm f2.8; i use it on my Oly EM-1
Hi Jim,

Hmm, 35-100/2.8... nice lens. I find, however, that 35mm is just too long to get those nearby / group shots, as it translates to ~70mm (135/FF eq).
 

e_dawg

New member
Sony has a 16-70mm f4 zoom for APS-C e-mount. I've heard good things about it.

Or Fuji has a 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 zoom for x-mount (also APS-C).

For m4/3, a lot of people have been wanting a rehash of the 4/3 Olympus 12-60mm f2.8-4 zoom, which is fast, covers an incredible range, and is super-sharp as well. You could get an E-M1+adapter for Auto-focus (though I don't think it compares well to native m4/3 lenses).
Aha! 16-70/4 on APS-C E-mount. Now that is pretty close to what i am looking for. Anybody know of any rumours of upcoming standard focal length f/2.8 zooms in that range for mirrorless? Are they afraid it would be too big & heavy? (although the old Tamron 28-75/2.8 on traditional dSLR systems was relatively compact and light... *goes into photo gear closet and admires my two 28-75/2.8's, one for Nikon and one for Sony dSLRs*)
 

D&A

Well-known member
It's probably not what you are looking for but when I saw y our posting, it caught my eye since few people these days are looking of a normal to telephoto zonal length zoom lens. It immediately reminds me of a lens I used often for event photography and that is a long time ago Pentax had a 45 - 125mm full frame zoom that fit the bill perfectly. It is a gem of a lens with a simply one touch zoom and focusing ring and a constant f4 aperture. I actually ended up with 2 of these lenses since it was unique when introduced. Still is in many respects.

Dave (D&A)
 

jlm

Workshop Member
next step down with the pana/Lumix is 12-35 f2.8 so your wants straddle the 4/3 offerings
 
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e_dawg

New member
It's probably not what you are looking for but when I saw y our posting, it caught my eye since few people these days are looking of a normal to telephoto zonal length zoom lens. It immediately reminds me of a lens I used often for event photography and that is a long time ago Pentax had a 45 - 125mm full frame zoom that fit the bill perfectly. It is a gem of a lens with a simply one touch zoom and focusing ring and a constant f4 aperture. I actually ended up with 2 of these lenses since it was unique when introduced. Still is in many respects.

Dave (D&A)
Yep, that lens sounds just right. And since that lens was unique, it also alludes to the fact not many people were looking for that focal length range back then either...
 
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