Image courtesy: 3Dkraft (Click here)
3Dkraft (Click here) compared the Bokeh performance of a long list of lenses used on the A7 and A7r:
Sony STF 135mm f/2.8 T4.5 [shoplink 23777 ebay](lens here on ebay)[/shoplink].
Carl Zeiss Planar T* 85mm f/1.4 [shoplink 23778 ebay](lens here on ebay)[/shoplink].
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.8 G (2012 model) [shoplink 23780 ebay](lens here on ebay)[/shoplink].
Zeiss FE Sonnar T* 55mm f/1.8 [shoplink 23781 ebay](lens here on ebay)[/shoplink].
SLR Magic HyperPrime CINE 50mm T0.95 [shoplink 23782 ebay](lens here on ebay)[/shoplink].
Leica Summilux 50mm f/1.4 ASPH [shoplink 23783 ebay](lens here on ebay)[/shoplink].
SLR Magic HyperPrime CINE 35mm T0.95 [shoplink 23784 ebay](lens here on ebay)[/shoplink].
Voigtlander Nokton 35mm f/1.2 ASPH [shoplink 23785 ebay](lens here on ebay)[/shoplink].
Voigtlander Ultron 21mm f/1.8 ASPH [shoplink 23786 ebay](lens here on ebay)[/shoplink].
Zeiss Otus 55mm lens [shoplink 23787 ebay](lens here on ebay)[/shoplink].
You tell me what lens performs as best 😉
More lens tests:
Vintage lens test at Artaphot. that several vintage lenses were tested on A7.
Review 35mm zeiss vg voitlander f/1.2 by Daniele Cuccia.
Dario: “Contax Carl Zeiss Planar T* 85mm f1.4 https://vimeo.com/82893653”
Sam: “I don’t think anyone’s posted anything about this yet, but the Lensbaby Tilt-Converter actually works properly with Nikon FX lenses on the new a7R. I haven’t tested a lot of lenses yet, but the 35mm f/2 AF-D lens seems to work quite well with no extra vignetting. Here’s an example:facebook.com I know it’s the stereotypical “miniature effect” but this is still more of a test. I can send you a few full res images if you want me to. I’m working on a full review of the camera and will have a section about the Lensbaby in it.”
Anonymous: “Here are vides of the Sony A7R with 5 nikon lenses https://vimeo.com/82918169 Same video with noise reduction added https://vimeo.com/82920641”
Mat and Heather: “We just published a gallery taken in Lyon (France) with the Sony A7 and Summilux lenses (35mm and 50mm) at bestmirrorlesscamerareviews.”
Pascal: “I have started reviewing a slew of Leica lenses on my A7r. My first discussion on Leica-M vs Leica-r is here : http://dearsusans.wordpress.com/2013/12/19/188-leica-m-or-leica-r-which-red-dot-for-your-sony-a7r/ and I will soon be posting a review of the Apo-Telyt-M 135/3.4 (great lens on this camera ! 🙂”
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I was just in B&H Photo in NYC the other day. It appears that the only FE zoom lens available for the A7/A7r is the Sony kit lens for the A7, which is a separate item (and wasn’t in stock) for the A7r. Is that right?
(I am aware that there’s at least 2 more FE-mount zoom lenses in the pipeline for the next couple of months, but I’m going on a trip Feb. 1st and was hoping to have an A7r and a lens in hand before then.)
Right now the only native FE zoom is the kit lens. In about two months there will be the Zeiss co-branded 24-70 f/4 which, in theory, is a better match to the A7R sensor.
Oh and that kit zoom only ships with an A7 currently, not with an A7R and you can’t buy it independent of the body yet.
Someone on dpreview posted that Sigma told him they have no plans to release FE lenses. Really bad news if it’s true, given the holes they plug in the a-mount lineup. Andrea, have any of your sources commented on this? It’s early days so they could be planning on seeing how big the market is I suppose…
As you said, they are probably watching to see how it will turn out. From their perspective, there is A-mount which has significantly less market than Canikon and then there is e-mount, which not only has small market, but also accepts any lens ever produced.
Sony may sell less A-Mounts but the company earns more from the A-Mount than the E-Mount. Sony is a profit driven company so its unlikely they’ll kill off support for something that earns them money.
The A-Mount is the third place interchangeable camera system (Camera, Lens, Flash, Accessory Sales). It has a larger user base than the E-Mount obviously. A-Mount users buy two to three times more lenses than E-Mount users. A-Mount users tend to buy much more expensive higher margin cameras, and purchase them more often. Sony, Nikon, and Canon generate more profit from the higher margin items lens, flash, and accessory sales than camera sales.
They can start with full frame version of the 30 and 19 they already have for e-mount.
From memory the cheap kit lense 28 – 70mm is not due to ship till February 7th. The real 24 – 70mm zeiss lense will ship January 24th. So might be a push to get it by the 1st even if pre ordered…
Thanks Gav. A bit curious that they have plenty of the ‘cheap’ kit lenses to ship with the A7’s but none to spare for separate purchases.
I agree that January 24th makes it unlikely I could get a Zeiss by Feb. 1st. I guess everyone buying an A7r must be using existing lenses with adapters, then?
(I’m asking because this will be my first camera purchase with a changeable lens, so I have no existing investment in any glass to speak of – so I wanted to go with an ‘native’ FE mount lens.)
I just ordered a A7 and I really did not need to see all that lens porn.
Nice pictures. It would have been good to see some bokeh with some native Sony lenses currently available, such as Sony Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* FE 35mm F2.8 ZA though.
Oh how riveting! More tests of expensive m mount lenses that have already been tested!
I’d like to see much more than a couple legacy slr tests…
Legacy SLR lens will work fine as in no color casting or edge smearing on the A7/r in case you’re wondering
Not completely true I have experienced purple corners on a couple of lens, mainly longer focal lengths 200-500mm
So far I have tested the following DSLR lenses extensively on an A7R with Novoflex adapter using the ISO 12233 test target – none have any significant problems and all are virtually indistinguishable from shooting the lenses on a D800E:
Zeiss 25mm f/2 ZF.2
Nikon 28mm f/1.8G
Sigma 35mm f/1.4
Nikon 50mm f/1.4G
Nikon 85mm f/1.8G
Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8
Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8VR2
Nikon 70-200mm f/4VR
Nikon 80-400 f/4.5-5.6G
Sigma 150mm f/2.8 Macro OS
Nikon 300mm f/4
Nikon 500mm f/4 VR
While testing my Zeiss 21mm f/2.8 ZF.2 I noticed a major problem on the left side of the frame but then tested it on two D800E bodies and it had the same problem so something has gone wrong with that lens and it is in to Zeiss for repair. So the jury is still out on that.
I haven’t yet tested the Nikon 14-24 f/2.8G but will do so in the next few days.
My issues might be cheap adapters and the fact the most notable are mirrored lens with purple into the APS-c crop but the colour cast is not visible the 5N
Nikon primes are working really nice with the A7. Even my non AI lenses are crisp a stop down from wide open.
+1- prices look ok on the nikon front too. This could sway me over to the e-mount side.
I’m still somewhat astonished that no one (that I’ve seen) has produced any images with the vintage Minolta Maxxum primes, like 100/2, 200/2.8… Even the 85/1.4 is hard to top by anyone’s standards. Even the Mino 20/2.8, 28/2 and 35/2 are spectacular performers by all standards.
To me, the best part of being an Alpha Tog is the ability to use the original Mino’s.
Suit yourself and have fun with it regardless.
I was looking for a suitable UWA with a suitable price everywhere(would have taken the Super Angulon had it been a f/2.8, would have taken the Distagon 21 had the C/Y version been as cheap as the ZE, or if the ZE had an aperture ring, or if the ZF didn’t have the backwards Nikon operation that I loathe, would have taken the Tri-Elmar if it were 1/4 of its price, would have taken the Contax N UWZ if it had proper manual focus, would have taken…), even looked into Mir lenses and a Seagull UWZ(at around $175, possibly the cheapest FF UWZ ever? With full metal construction too!), but eventually your post lead me to the W.ROKKOR 21, which from many reviews seem to be second only to the Distagon but at 1/3 of the price with Leica-like colors? Looks like I’m settling for this, right after I get a new body. Hope Sony gives me something more all-rounded than a7/R before March.
Nice no doubt, but nothing that makes me shiit my pants. I agree with above comment. Lets see some old minolta legacy lenses on these guys. Time to raise some classics from the dead.
I’ve tested a bunch of Minolta MC and MD glass, most works well.
I have a MD Rokkor-X 50mm f1.4 coming early next week.
I have a gallery of samples, mainly MC 35mm and MC 50mm f1.7
https://plus.google.com/115067742716599094489/posts/YsoHBiMhPFn
Lenses tested
Minolta MC Rokkor-HG 35mm F2.8 – Preforms better one FF
Minolta MD Rokkor 45mm F2 – Still just above average
Minolta MC Rokkor-PF 50mm F1.7 – Works so very well
Minolta MC Rokkor-PF 58mm F1.4 – Still below average to weak
Minolta MC Rokkor-PF 135mm F2.8 – Buttery smooth bokeh and super sharp
Minolta MC Rokkor-PE 200mm F4.5 – Works much better on the A7
Tokina Auto-Wide 35mm F2.8 – Still very sharp at narrower stops
If you want any particular lens tested leave a comment on the g+ post
Great pictures- these look great.
Sweet, but I still think I’m getting some great results with my “old” 70-200 G lens. http://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/33560564
135mm STF 🙂
Just ordered it two days ago!
Excellent choice!
I got it a couple of years ago: I love it.
You won’t be disappointed… 😉
Is it better than the Zeiss 135mm F/1.8?
Image quality wise they are close but it only really beats it for the quality of the bokeh so better would depend on if you want better bokeh and can deal with no AF and it is slower as well.
Thanks Wayne
I think I’m going to have a serious look at the STF. The pictures i’m seeing on the review sites are fantastic. I think I’m going to skip buying a new FF completely camera this year, and get some cool specialty maybe this, and the 16mm fish eye.
I really don’t know if it’s better or worse.
Can’t judge since I’ve never had the luck to use the 135/1.8; from what I’ve heard the Zeiss is simply amazing, but the STF is the “king of the creamy bokeh”: the Nikon 105DC doesn’t even get close to the Sony.
Sure is a lot slower and MF only, but the contrast, colors, sharpness and the pop of the subject out of the picture you get when used at f2.8[T4.5] are beautiful. There’s purple fringing (which in some cases can be cool to have as “effect”, like in water sprinkling from a fountain) but nothing impossible to clean with some post processing.
I just love it….
I totally agree with you the STF is outstanding is the real king of bokeh. There is nothing close out there. I bought it last year when Sony Argentina sold the A stock and payed $ 650 !!! For everybody who loves bokeh is a must.
…I mean: purple fringing only when direct powerful light hits a highly reflective surface… Otherwise is never there!
I had the 135mm 1.8. I had to sell it but I will be getting it again for my A7 or sony A-mount if I ever go back to A-mount. The 135 and 24-70 are probably the only sony zeiss lenses I don’t find overpriced.
Not sure I get it. Do I need a metabones speedbooster to get full frame coverage with old lenses or will any cheap adapter do for that?
most cheap should be fine
Tobias Giesen, although this is theoretically correct, in practice I would strongly advice anyone to stay away from all the cheap E mount adapters on offer.
These may suffer from bad choise of materials which will quickly be worn out, bad fit at the lens end and / or the camera end – either too tight, sometimes making it impossible to mount the lens or the camera, and even stick and impossible to dismount – or alternatively too loose, sometimes even making the lens or lens adapter combo coming apart(!), unparallel mating surfaces (making it impossible to get all the image sharp), non-correct distance between the lens and camera flanges making it impossible to focus to infinity, or making the lens focus mark passing long outside its infinity mark, internal flares and reflexes due to bad or non blackening internals, lackening baffels, even light leakage(!) has been reported, loosening paint flakes, metal chips from the production still on the adapter, sharp and scratchy edges on the adapter, cheap and doughy material making the camera-adapter-lens combo saggy, lacking feathering at the lens or camera mount making everything woobling, or feathers that quickly will loose its springiness. There are even reports about ebay adapters which have damaged lens or camera.
Just think of it this way. You have bought a relatively expensive camera, with the best sensor available, and have or are planning to get some of the best legacy lenses on the market – perhaps even more expensive than the camera, and you are willing to ruin all this quality just to save a few quids? $100-200 have to be peanuts with an investment like this!
hogan 3 hours ago | Reply Not sure I get it. Do I need a metabones speedbooster to get full frame coverage with old lenses or will any cheap adapter do for that?
Tobias Giesen 3 hours ago | Reply most cheap should be fine
hogan, the Metabones Speedbooster is designed to make it possible to get true FoV from FF lenses when used on NEX cameras (with APS-C sensors). No point in using (and paying for) a speedbooster when you already have a sensor covering FF like in A7 and A7R.
With legacy FF lenses you only need a lensless adapter tube between the legacy lens and the A7/A7R. However, I’ll strongly suggest that you stay away from all the cheap ebay adapters and get good quality adapters instead, despite that these (of course) are more expensive than the China knock offs.
Adapters proved to have good quality come from Novoflex and Rayqual. Metabones also have a few non-Speedboster “straight through” adapters. And of course, for Minolta AF and Sony A mount lenses there are the Sony LA-EA3 and LA-EA4 adapters.
All NEX E-mount lenses can of course be used too, with fully working AF, auto exposure, auto aperture, EXIF, OSS etc., and in the camera you can choose if you want the image from the NEX lens to be cropped to its APS-C image size, or enable FF, and let the NEX lens do the best it can outside its APS-C image area (some lenses for NEX APS-C are reported to cover almost all the FF area).
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I couldn’t erase the two first paragraphs in my post above – still no possibility to edit comments. Please just disregard these two paragraphs.
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That’s why I keep saying e-mount and mirrorless is the future. A-mount can be in a museum now. There are an unlimited number of superb lenses available via adapter. What a great future ahead!!!!
Awesome ! Some rumours from trusted source: a new E-mount cameras and lenses are coming…. this year 🙂 Then we can do a real test and except for CA all the “modern” $1000 lenses will be eaten by $20 (20 year old or so) lenses 🙂
I use my Minoltaglass again!!
Didn’t use it with my A850. But now the A7r has arrived… wow! Talking about the 16mm 2.8, 50mm 1.4 and the 100mm 2.0 (with the LA-EA4).
Awesome! Try it guys! Great bokeh!
Forgot to mention the 85mm 1.4 and 200mm 2.8.
I did only some testshots (especialy ISO control)so I won’t be posting photo’s yet. But I sure will do later.
Did’nt check cornersharpness (yet), but since I’m a narrow DOF shooter, that’s less important to me.
Does your LA-E4 wobble a bit? In the mount (more rotate slightly than wobble)
Mine is tight. Try different lenses maybe?
Mine is tight also (on both sides).
It didn’t came off the A7r, since I’m waiting for my first E-mountlens (FE 35mm 2.8)
Minolta 200mm AF APO HS is fantastic via LA-EA4!
I know that the Voigtlander 35mm 1.4 is often considered to be a crap lens (especially when compared to the 1.2), but I’ve gotten some good results with it–first with the Nex 7 and now with the A7. Every picture in my latest blog entry was taken with it (except the one from directly behind the bench, which was Sigma 50mm and LAEA3). There are also a few more in other posts, as well as a bunch with the Minolta MC Rokkor PG 50mm 1.4. (cthomasruth.wordpress.com)
I love seeing these minolta lenses in use. I have a soft spot for the 200mm 2.8. If they perform well then maybe I’ll reconsider an A7.
anyone experience the same problem. Strange ghost flare.
Please see the multiple green walking man shape green light flare.
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2830/11686025324_07fe86b5db_c.jpg
http://www.vahonen.com/2013/A7temp/20131211_213107_35mm_f1.4@f1.7_ISO250_flare.jpg
http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0dLJ728ukNU/Ure1qwVIneI/AAAAAAAADtE/h0AXGIukpq8/w1000-h381-no/_DSC0208-flare.jpg
http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1247655/142
We believe it happens to A7 but not A7R
sorry in Chinese but you may refer to photos and video of the following forum.
http://www.omuser.com/thread-222233-1-1.html
The stf lens looks great.
Why bother playing heavy manual lenses like these on A7, when you can put autofocus lenses of 1,4-1,8 aperture on A850, A900 or A99 body, which are much better to handle and use built in stabilization? I really like using Sigma 1,8/20 as well as CZ 1,8/135 on A900 body in the nighttime.
1. Weight
2. IQ
“Why bother playing heavy manual lenses like these on A7”
I think it is just a bonus option especially if you already own the lenses concerned.It also gives one access to a huge array of lenses that the system does not yet cover with native lenses and may in fact not do so for a long time.
The modern sensors are better than the A900,there are also several other features that help facilitate the use of manual focus lenses { focus zoom, focus peaking etc]then you have video and the saller native lenses such as the 35mm F2.8FE allows for a very compact set up when you wish to go light.
http://www.dxomark.com/Cameras/Compare/Side-by-side/Sony-A7-versus-Sony-Alpha-900___916_371
The A7r in particular allows access to what is currently the best sensor available for 35mm cameras. I can see it appealing to Canon FF shooters who have not had a native high MP camera.The ability to use there own lenses { even in limited AF with the metabones etc].
I do see your point and my use of the A7r will be with primes. I will keep my Nikon FF gear for fast heavy zooms and long lenses.
Comparing a A7 to a five year old camera is pointless. Anyone who drops an A900 for the A7 should have their head examined. The A900 may not have a stunning dxo-mark but it excels in real world conditions. An A900 with Zeiss 24-70mm, 85mm, 135mm or 135mm STF is pretty untouchable.
This conversation will become irrelevant in less than three days from now when Sony launches the next generation of A-Mounts. It is very likely that all 5th Generation Full Frame Sony A-Mounts will outperform both the A7, and A7r by a wide margin which use sensors that are one generation behind. Rumour has it the A79 outperforms the A7, for $800.00 less.
Sony held off the A-Mounts so the A7 could get a head start. Had they launched together the A7 would have failed.
Now go and play with your pocket camera.
i’m afraid I’ll have to get my head examined…
Still own the A850, but I’m sure I.ll use a a lot less in the future. But I will get a A1 also ( if it’s called like that) for safariwork with my longer lenses. But for daily and studiowork (with the Minolta 85mm 1.4) the A7 will be my tool. That sensor!
I thought these lenses would look ackward on the A7/R given the size and weight. But, looking at the pics they look fairly well balanced. Small and compact- maybe not so much. But, you’re still getting FF in a fairly tight package.
Does anyone know if the Rokkor 72mm 1.7 lens works with the metabones adapter? I know the 58 1.4 works well.
It should work because any lenses over 35mm focal length are not a problem. Only extreme wide angles can have corner issues.
Um. A what??! LOL.
I’m pretty sure there’s no 72mm f1.7 Rokkor….do you actually have one?!
The title mentions “Legacy” lenses. Yet none of the lenses, not a single one, is a legacy lens.
Please, which adapter was used to mount the Sony STF lens onto A7r ?