Mike Evans posted an exhaustive article for current M-mount lens owners on Macfilos.com. For the first time Leica lens owners can buy a FF digital camera that is not a $8000 Leica M. Thes are some short thoughts:
– On the A7-A7r: “In my view any problems with lenses longer than 28mm will be minimal.”
– Why buy M-mount lenses for the A7-A7r: “Because M lenses are purely mechanical, they last and last and last. The second advantage lies in the short-travel and ultra precise focus ring. Most M lenses have a maximum travel of about 40 degrees. Those who invest in mechanical M-mount lenses have none of these worries. Their lenses sail on serenely across the seas of time, appreciating in value all the while, and can be bolted on to a wide range of systems, present and future.”
Also Lloyd Chambers is explaining some bsics about the use of M-mount lenses on the new Sony FF cameras: “my guess is that the A7R will fare much better than the A7 due to its microlens design which is absent from the A7”
SAR note: I bought the new Voigtlander VM-E adapter and the fantastic [shoplink 21602 ebay]Voigtländer Ultron 21mm f/1,8 lens (here on eBay)[/shoplink]. I will test it ont he A7r and share the review on SAE. Hope this is one of the wide angle lenses that works fine on the A7r! If you also have some M-mount lens +A7r test to share drop me a message! Thanks!
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Support SonyAlphaRumors: After months of FF mirrorless rumor work I would be glad if you can support my work by making your A7-A7r purchase by using these links below. I will earn a small commission and you don’t pay one single penny more! Thanks!
Specs and Preorders in US and Canada (Click on store name to see direct preorder page):
Dedicated Sony announcement page at Amazon US (Click here).
Sony A7r body at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Sony A7 body at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Sony A7 with 28-70mm kit lens at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Sony RX10 at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Zeiss 24-70mm at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Zeiss 35mm at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Zeiss 55mm at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
70-200mm A-mount at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Sony A-Mount to E-Mount Lens Adapter at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto.
Sony A to E adapter with mirror at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto.
A7/A7r leather case at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
A7/A7r vertical grip at Amazon, BHphoto, SonystoreUS.
Sony W Series Battery Charger at Amazon, BHphoto.
Sony FA-CS1M Off-Camera Shoe at BHphoto.
Semi-Hard LCD Screen Protector for A7-A7r at Amazon, BHphoto.
Specs and Preorders in Europe:
Sony A7r body at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT, WexUK, WexDE.
Sony A7 body at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT, WexUK, WexDE, Amazon UK, Amazon DE, Amazon FR.
Sony A7 with 28-70mm kit Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT, WexUK, WexDE, Amazon UK, Amazon DE, Amazon FR.
Sony RX10 at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT, WexUK, WexDE.
Zeiss 35mm at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT,
Zeiss 55mm at Sony DE, UK, FR, IT, ES, NL, BE, CH, AT, SE, FI, NO, PT
Asia:
A7r at Digitalrev
A7 at Digitalrev.
A7 with 28-70mm lens at Digitalrev.
26 Responses
I’ll test all my lenses on the A7r as well as soon as I get it, so it can be useful for other SAR readers.
Contax G 21, 28, 35, 45, 90
Leica Noctilux 50 f1
Konica M-Hexanon 35/2 and 50/2
Voigtlander 32/1.2
and plenty other 50mm from my 50mm collection
Great Kjuzul!
+++ Looking forward to hearing from you. I also got a full set of Contax G lenses. The main reason I may buy a A7/r is to use those lenses.
I am very interested in the outcome of your Contax G lens test on the A7r.
thanks, loren
Hurray !!! Thanks so much Andrea.
I’ll test all I can as well with friend’s lenses and mine : Elmar 24, Summicron 28, Lux 50, CV 35/1.2, Elmarit 90/2.3, Apo-Telyt-135, G28, G45, G90 (plus some R lenses 19 Elmarit, 35 Summicron, 50 Summicron, Makro 60, Elmarit 90).
Wonderful news ! Thanks again.
@khuzul cannot wait to read what you have to say about the Hexanon lenses (lucky you ;))
I am very interested in yout CV35 test 🙂
As soon as the A7R arrives 😉
will you be testing 28mm summicron on sony a7r?
I’d be more than happy to see it… i suppose it won’t perform so different in corners stopped down to elmarit 28mm.
So I’d be glad to see this!
http://cityusam01.blogspot.tw/2013/10/sony-a7-ilce-7.html
UWA primes on A7 look like performed better on A7R, less color shift issue. (CV15,R20 Biogon)
Why do they shoot at 6400 and f22 ?
want to use infinity so that the lens can more close to cmos. I do use different aperture for testing, just post some of them for my blog only. Thz for interest for my blog pic.
f5.6 or f8 will be best for getting a sense of sharpness. Also 6400 makes it really difficult to check sharpness because of noise. Anyway you have a great blog and excellent taste in cameras in lenses. Thanks for posting 🙂
I’ve preordered the A7r and I have a few Leica lenses I’ll test with them when it arrives. Thanks for keeping this site up and it’s been real helpful.
I have:
21,35,50,75mm Summilux
18mm Distagon ZM
12mm Heliar
90mm Summicron (Pre-A) and 90mm Summicron ASPH
Will also try it out with some of my alpha lenses, if I decide to get the LA-EA4…
I’ve got a bunch of rattling M lenses too. I wish SONY could get an A7r to someone knowledgeable in order to test.
Dear SAR, where did you pre order the new Voigtlander adapter? Thanks!
Fotomundus24.de. They are the official German Voigtlander reseller.
So, yet again, the most interesting part, wides, won’t work properly.
I wonder where the bashers /trolls are?
Best guess: maybe they don’t have the lenses mentioned above (nor can afford them).
I am very interested in how well the Leica R 19mm Elmarit performs on the A7r. Does anyone here who has preordered have this particular wide angle lens?
@Gorodish Yes, I own version II of the Leica R Elmarit 19/2.8. I’ll post a review as soon as my A7R arrives. Living in France, it might not be as early as in other countries, but I’ll be sure to be as quick as possible. I’ve used it in the past on a NEX-5N and it was great. The only problem is the Leica-R adapter which makes this lens seem very large (it isn’t, it’s actually smaller than Zeiss’s new 55mm F1.8 Sonnar). See : dearsusans.wordpress.com/2011/11/25/70-the-sony-nex-5n-and-exotic-lenses-leica-m-leica-r-zeiss-zm-zeiss-cy-panasonic/
@Avatar Leica is overpriced crap ! Only snobs by Zeiss & Leica ! 😉 😉
This is perfect Pascal! I’ve been reading your blog ever since you posted about the A7s and I like your reviews. I look forward to your results with this lens on your A7r with anticipation. Hopefully it will be sharper than your NEX-5N. I have other Leica R lenses I am hoping to use on this camera (90 Summicron and 28 Elmarit) but I want to get a super wide for landscape. It will be either the Leica 19 v II or a forthcoming (hopefully) Zeiss FE 18mm lens.
The whole linked article is speculation.
Tests show significant problems with M lenses wider than 35mm and above 35mm the situation is hit or miss depending on lens design.
Oh I see, it’s the same like dearsusan’s article – assumptions, no experiences with real products. Thanks for sharing a bit pointless though.
gosh i want the A7 but am going to wait to see what new alpha mount stuff comes out so i dont have to replace all my lenses… (dont want to have to add a bulky adapter…)
I’m surprised that the discussion is still about the micro lenses. I think much of the corner smearing is probably the result of the AA filter at the wrong angle.
Now I am totally confused. Some early tests show problems with M mount lenses on the A7R and some say they work better with the A7
To much confusion going on. Just gong to wait and see what is the actuall truth. I shoot landscape and own a few Zeiss ZM lenses, 35/2 50/2 and 85/4. I hope they all work with the A7. I don’t need or want 36MP
Yeah I know 36MP is better, yet at the same time 36MP requires a tripod, and excellent technique to get critical sharp images.