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Would you buy a GM lens?

Zony user

New member
I will have 3 small lenses in my bag so going with maybe one or two heavy ones will keep the bag much better balanced with weight and bulk.

So VC15 , Loxia 21 , Sony 28 comes Wednesday

Than the 35 1.4 and the new 85 1.4 will replace my Batis 85 but again I don't have to hurry either since I'm well covered. I have the 24- 70 f4 currently.

Obviously for me it's all about quality of the new GMs if they will switch that things out and of course money. I don't mind paying the freight but just need to find the cash. Lol
Are you still considering swapping the FE 35/1.4 with the RX2? Or has that ship sailed?
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
I'm going with the 85 1.4 first I already have my Batis 85 pre-sold. Mine is a laser it's just need to find a few dollars but I really would like to get it for a big gig on the 8th of March with models and such. So I'm trying to figure out the timing. What we don't know is when available in our actual hands. We can pre-order here on 2/10 but when they ship is a question mark
 

sjg284

Member
The GM lenses seem quite.. large.
A7r II + GM lens is now in the Leica SL size/weight class, which is interesting.

To a degree, it seems Sony & Leica mirrorless are converging on each other.
Leica will remain 2x the price, better weather sealed, and simpler in use.
Sony will remain 1/2 the price, more cutting edge tech (IBIS / pixels / video) , but with rather complex menus/controls/ergonomics.

The pricing spread will remain constant.
Leica will probably remain a generation behind on some features, but for many will hit a point of sufficiency.
That is, if you are willing to spend 2x. Or if you need weather sealing / can't deal with Sony menus&controls.

I say this as someone using both Leica M & Sony A7 series (Leica for last 10 years, Sony for last 18 months).
They both end up in my bag for different reasons.

My hope is that Sony maintains at least 2 lens lines.. GM being big/heavy/expensive/optimal. And another lens line of.. small and good..
 
V

Vivek

Guest
Vivek, This is sort of a open ended question... one we just don't know how good or bad this series of glass may be until it is put into paying customer hands. Would I buy one? If it was great and I needed it then sure I'd buy one..... Am I going to buy one? I don't think so as I just don't have a need for any of those 3 lens offerings. I have one lens in the 24-70 zoom range for A mount and it collects dust covering the sensor on a old A33 on a stoboframe that might get use once or twice per year. I have 2 lenses in the 70-200 range in A mount and I can't remember the last time either has come out of there case's. The 85? I have the 90 and am very happy with it so no sense buying the 85mm GM.
Tough crowd that just does not say:

Untitled by Vivek Iyer, on Flickr

:ROTFL:
 
That GM 85 has my name on it. I will skip the monstrous GM 135/1.8 (or 2) and go straight for the behemoth GM 200/2. And then the GM 600/4... oh wait, kinda got carried away :D.
 

k-hawinkler

Well-known member
That GM 85 has my name on it. I will skip the monstrous GM 135/1.8 (or 2) and go straight for the behemoth GM 200/2. And then the GM 600/4... oh wait, kinda got carried away :D.

Hi there Hiep,

300 mm and beyond? Ah, that's why I have MFT gear. :LOL:
 

Slingers

Active member
I'm not interested in these lenses, in fact I'm thinking about doing the opposite and selling a few lenses to simplify my choices.
 

jaree

Member
Thanks for asking Vivek, I will buy the 24-70 and 70-200. No brainer in my view for a versatile 2 lens do it all for a trip. Throw in the FE35 2.8 for street and a A6300 as well to cover upto 300mm and I am all set for a trip to Montana. No more adapters!:thumbup:
 

ohnri

New member
We are planning a family trip to Italy and France.

I think the !6-35 and 85/1.4 would be all I need.

I already have the lovely 16-35 so it looks like I'll be picking up the 85/1.4 GM.

The 24-70/2.8 is also high on my list but I may wait on it for now.

-Bill
 

Pradeep

Member
I will not be getting the 85 because I am happy with my Batis 85 at present and it's already big enough for the A7RII.

The 24-70 is tempting only because my current f4 version is not sharp enough for me and my Canon 2.8 is not being used much given I need an adapter for it. I did use it in the past with my Canon FF bodies but over the past 2 yrs I've gradually stopped using Canon for anything other than wildlife.

So for landscapes, travel and family stuff, it is just the Sony now (sadly even my Pentax 645 hasn't seen much use since the A7RII arrived). Which means the new 24-70 will be very attractive. The only issue is that I have three excellent primes that cover this particular focal range - the Batis 25, the 55 1.8 and the Batis 85. So it will be a question of whether I want to switch from primes to a single zoom, albeit with equally good IQ. Then there is the heft issue, granted it will replace my three primes in the bag, but on camera it will be a beast to lug around. No longer the discreet small camera shooting, now I will look like anybody else with a big DSLR and a monster lens on it.

I am sure everyone realizes it but few give it a second thought - hard to escape notice if you've got a huge camera/lens pointed at a person in the street.

Finally, the 70-200. Definitely not getting this one - for now. To me this would primarily be a wildlife lens, although I can see pros using this for that beautiful bokeh at 200mm in a head and shoulders portrait of the subject taken outdoors.

I have the f4 version from Canon and it works for me quite well. IF Sony comes up with a new body that may potentially replace the Canon in terms of AF, frame rate etc then I may consider this along with the new body. Would still need to keep the Canon body for the beyond 200mm needs, but I am guessing that in the next 2-3 years I will be an ALL-Sony man.

So, in a nutshell, 85 No, 24-70 likely, 70-200 no unless a 'compatible' body shows up from Sony.
 

Annna T

Active member
85mm F1.4, no : I'm already covered at that focal length with several 90mm. If I wanted to get a portrait lens, I would rather go for the Batis which is lighter.

24-70mm F2.8, no : I've got a good copy of the F4 version and I prefer lighter lenses. I would have considered a 24-105/120mm F4 if the IQ was good. That would make a perfect allaround lens, for non photo outings, where I could go with a single zoom.

70-200mm F2.8, no : I do already have the 70-200mm F4, in two versions, the Sony which is very few used since I have got the A7r2, because the Canon version is sharper while less cumbersome and I have the 1.4 extender for it. For more reach, I prefer the MFT format, it is lighter.
 

dmward

Member
At the moment, the only one that has a strong attraction is the 24-70.

The 70-200 less so, but somewhat attractive to complement the 24-70.

The Batis is such a nice lens I don't see swapping it for the 85, even though I like the idea for an aperture ring.
 

ShooterSteve

New member
85mm F1.4, no : I'm already covered at that focal length with several 90mm. If I wanted to get a portrait lens, I would rather go for the Batis which is lighter.

24-70mm F2.8, no : I've got a good copy of the F4 version and I prefer lighter lenses. I would have considered a 24-105/120mm F4 if the IQ was good. That would make a perfect allaround lens, for non photo outings, where I could go with a single zoom.

70-200mm F2.8, no : I do already have the 70-200mm F4, in two versions, the Sony which is very few used since I have got the A7r2, because the Canon version is sharper while less cumbersome and I have the 1.4 extender for it. For more reach, I prefer the MFT format, it is lighter.
I thought the Sony 24-70 f4 was too large and now the 2.8 is even larger. I guess there's no way to make the quality necessary in a smaller size? I'll probably just stick with my Canon glass until Sony figures it out. I hope they at least make a super high quality 35 and 50 and 135 all at f2 and can keep the size down.
 

iiiNelson

Well-known member
I thought the Sony 24-70 f4 was too large and now the 2.8 is even larger. I guess there's no way to make the quality necessary in a smaller size? I'll probably just stick with my Canon glass until Sony figures it out. I hope they at least make a super high quality 35 and 50 and 135 all at f2 and can keep the size down.
The Loxia 35 and 50 are available now if you don't need AF.
 

spence

New member
They're too big and too heavy for me.

My kit right now is the Sony 28/2 and the Contax G 45/2 and 90/2.8, and I'm addicted to the extreme portability.

I'd love to see more prime FE options with AF in the 2-2.8 range with size and quality as a primary design emphasis. I don't need f1.4 or even f1.8, and am not willing to pay the price in terms of expense, or weight, to use fast lenses.

There's no going back for me.
 

AlexLF

Well-known member
I want to see these lenses compared to Zeiss Otus. Then sell my kidney and buy one or another :)
 
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