Last week I told you how Zeiss is about to launch some amazing E-mount manual focusing lenses. And to prepare you Zeiss launched a sort of “teaser game”. To participate just visit that page: http://blogs.zeiss.com/photo/en/?p=5285.
These lenses will be amazing. Can’t wait to get the specs about them. Some careful source may send them to me now? Just use the anonymous message box on the top-right of the page…thanks 🙂
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I have no specs of the new lenses yet but Zeiss already made manual focusing lenses for “non-DSLR”. These are the Zeiss “Full Frame” ZM analog camera lenses:
[shoplink 10875 ebay]Distagon T* 2,8/15 ZM (Click here to see price on eBay)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 9803 ebay]Distagon T* 4/18 ZM (Click here to see price on eBay)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 9804 ebay]Biogon T* 2,8/21 ZM (Click here to see price on eBay)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 9804 ebay]C Biogon T* 4,5/21 ZM (Click here to see price on eBay)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 9805 ebay]Biogon T* 2,8/25 ZM (Click here to see price on eBay)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 9806 ebay]Biogon T* 2,8/28 ZM (Click here to see price on eBay)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 9808 ebay]Biogon T* 2/35 ZM (Click here to see price on eBay)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 9808 ebay]C Biogon T* 2,8/35 ZM (Click here to see price on eBay)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 9809 ebay]C Sonnar T* 1,5/50 ZM (Click here to see price on eBay)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 9809 ebay]Planar T* 2/50 ZM (Click here to see price on eBay)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 9810 ebay]Sonnar T* 2/85 ZM (Click here to see price on eBay)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 9810 ebay]Tele-Tessar T* 4/85 ZM (Click here to see price on eBay)[/shoplink].
0 Responses
Nobody cares about more E-Mount crap. Literally nobody.
lol get back to your cave man, e mount is great
I care about E-mount, i use E-mount only 😉 but i dont care about manual focus..
Incorrect. I literally care and am literally a person, so literally someone cares and not literally nobody. So in fact, you could literally not be more wrong in your statement.
On a slightly more serious note, very interested to see what they announce, more options are always good be it manual or auto focus, A or E mount.
Trolling or disgruntled A-Mount photographer?
Why such negativity, man, E-Mount is a newer and developing system. You can’t be surprised that both Sony and Zeiss are putting their efforts into it.
If anything, I expect E-mount lenses will be replacing M-mount ZM lenses completely in Zeiss catalog, it will be their “go-to” mirrorless system to go alongside Canon and Nikon SLR lenses. Exciting times for everyone here.
I really don’t consider e mount newer. I consider it recycled technology. It’s aimed at fashionable consumption for those that want a smaller sleek package. It’s also versatile in terms of mounting lenses- non of which is anything new or innovative. It’s simply a by-product of the design.
With that said, I eagerly look foward to these Zeiss lenses. They seem a perfect fit for this system regardless of how innovative e mount actually is. So many options, but I don’t think any of them are really pushing the envelop forward. Simply more choices for those that have very specific tastes.
I bought the first generation NEX-5 because it was small, had interchangeable lenses and a large sensor. Last year I lost it so replaced it with NEX-6 which has faster hybrid AF and a view finder. Then I could not resist the appeal of the A7r with the 35 and 55. Why ? Was I succumbing to fashion ? Not at all. I am travelling 10-11 months a year with my job so I need the smallest, lightest, reasonably robust and most potent gear. For me the gear size matters to the point that it is a critical buy – dont buy criteria.
E-mount is a newer system, simply based on its release date, Roger never mentioned technology (although even there your comment can be argued). And people wanting a smaller package only do so because it is fashionable?
look like E-Honda background…
Nothing to be excited about. It will not be until end of 2015 they may start to ship and they will all be way overpriced.
It would be better if they let Cosina sell them directly.
No, of course, not: no money, no buy. But I’m very curious about which way Zeiss will go with these new-gen lenses–Otus or Touit, so to say?
Somewhere in between, probably same way as they went with ZE/ZF and ZM lineups.
Why would it be better if Cosina sold them? How do you know they will overpriced when you know nothing about these lenses?
Such negativity…
It’s 2014, and they are releasing Manual Focus only lenses? Wow. Biggest epic fail right there. I hope Sigma or Tamron hurry up and steps in and does the emount good. Cheap f/2.8 fast zoom and some f/1.4 primes at affordable prices please and take over the emount market share please. Dinosaur Zeiss and Sony can suck it.
f/2.8 zooms and f/1.4 primes are meant to be A-Mount, not E-Mount.
E-Mount is f/4 zooms and f/1.8-2.8 primes
what about f/0.95 primes?
Speedmaster 0.95/50mm is great lens, I cannot wait to see photos taken with new 67mm version. You know, Carl Zeiss Planar 1.4/50mm C/Y isn’t huge lens, the same Carl Zeiss Jena Prakticar 1.4/50mm. I suppose that there could be some 1.4/50mm Planar lens for E-mount. But I don’t expect other focal length like 1.4/35 or 1.4/85 for Sony A7. My dream is Planar 1.4/75mm, or even 2/75mm 🙂
I expect all of those lenses. 35/1.4 and 85/1.4 are just a matter of time for the E-mount.
75mm, I dont get that wish. That must be some Leica thing, insisting on a bizarre focal length only because Leica used to make a 75mm ?
I need to correct my sentense, I don’t expect 1.4/35 and 1.4/85 from Carl Zeiss or Carl Zeiss by Sony 🙂 But going back to 75mm, not only Leica. Voighlander is manufacturing Heliar 1.8/75mm, but I hope to see 75mm from Zeiss, to refresh old Biotar 1.5/75mm (or Pancolar 1.4/75mm). Biotar is hardly usable at FF and Pancolar is almost miracle to get 🙂
You love your swirly bokeh, eh? Refresh of Biotar is unlikely. No one’s gonna make that lens, maybe that new overpriced Petzval can work for you instead?
I expect a full lineup of prime lenses. It will take time, and Sony now have to prioritize what they need immediately and what can wait. But, eventually, there will be 35/1.4 and 85/1.4. Bet on it.
I hope You are right 🙂 Petzval has nice bokeh too but sharpness isn’t good as Biotar 75mm. It’s better to buy renewed Helios 40-2, descendant of Biotar. I have one problem, my religion doesn’t allow me to use other lenses than stamped with Carl Zeiss. Religious fanaticism is more than fashion lately 🙂
Another manual lens troll, where do these idiots come from. Must take a lot of jealousy and sensor envy to push people to this extreme.
The proof is in the pudding. Sales will certainly dictate if these Zeiss EF MF lenses were the right move. So at the end let’s wait and see. If well received sales will be good but if not…
So, we don’t know. So, he is a troll.
“we need moar e-mount lenses !11!!”
Zeiss and Sony annouce –insert random number– e-mount lenses.
“meh, manual sucks!! We need moar E-mount lenses !11!!”
Seriously… Just use another system and stop whining please…
Whining or stop whining? Don’t understand your comment? I THINK you are whining but who knows…..
As long as 16-35 and 100 macro comes, i am am one happy puppy
Why should we use another system?!!
Why can’t Sony honour the E-mount customers by fulfilling it’s promises about completing it’s lens line-up?!!
21st century sensor implemented with 19th century manual focusing…
Why should we use another system?!!
Why can’t Sony honour the E-mount customers by fulfilling it’s promises about completing it’s lens line-up?!!
21st century sensor implemented with 19th century manual focusing….
This was directed at you: If effectively using a manual lens is beyond your skill set then don’t buy them. Otherwise STFU!
Manual focusing will never…never…be antiquated. It’s not possible. However, auto focus lenses will. Look at the screw drive lenses now- outdated tech, nois, focus ring slop. MF? Not so….
With a film SLR camera I found manual focusing easy, fast and I nailed the shot each time. With these compact FF digital cameras I find that focussing over a screen to be much more of a gamble…
I agree that manual focus in certain styles of photography will always be in use and maybe even preferred, but to say that auto focus is going anywhere is silly. It will be replaced by more sophisticated systems, but that’s just technology advancing. It will still be “automatic.” I happen to use a fair number of manual lenses myself, but not many photographers prefer or often use manual focusing.
That was precisely his point. With each new system, you’ll need to buy new lenses to take advantage of it. Same idea with in-boys vs in-lens stabilization.
If we look at the roadmap, the only lens that can be considered to be late is the wide angle. Not sure what Sony should be honouring here.
Something new this week; manual lens trolls. People always need something to complain about and the bar just keeps getting lower. It’s the photographer’s choice on which lenses he/her chooses to invest in and use. If effectively using a manual lens is beyond your skill set then don’t buy them. Otherwise STFU!
I note that you are of the polite, courteous and well educated sort. You could have done without such acronym dont you think ?
Photokina 2014 will be the Year of Lenses, but Sony please don’t forget to refresh A99 like the Nikon D810.
I wonder if manual focus lenses is the correct way to go when cameras except Leica M are autofocus these days. I have yet to be comfortable focusing on a digital camera… To your view point aside of the fact that there will be extra gear to choose from, is autofocus a “pro” or a “con” ?
If the inclusion of autofocus did not degrade the IQ it is a “pro”.
Is a fixed focal length a pro or a con? Is a fast aperture a pro or a con?
The feature itself isn’t a pro or a con, it’s about what kind of lenses they enable.
A great example are Samyang’s fast lenses, e.g. 35/1.4 and 85/1.4. Equivalent AF lenses can cost 3x or 4x more and if you want to do work wide open, you’ll probably be relying on MF a lot anyway. So is MF a pro or a con? I think it depends on the needs of the photographer and how much money they have in the bank.
doesnt matter as long as you get the shot
It depends.
Alright, everyone here should start chipping in the effort to uncover the mystery.
Come on, get on facebook and lets see if SAR can decipher the riddle…
Can i just mention that the Admin to this page is too much of a Sony fanboy. He over-uses the word “amazing”!! How would they even know that they will be “amazing” when you know nothing about them!!! Stick to facts…and be aware that “amazing” is a very subjective word!!
I’m all up for the word stupendous or colossal.
I’m amazed you come to a rumor site looking for facts.
wow are you really that dumb?!
I would hope the administrator to a Sony rumor cite was a fanboy.
No, you can’t. It’s HIS space, he can do whatever he wants to do with it. Objectiveness is another word for boredom in this case.
Teasing? Zeiss……you know me to well.
I’ve grown to hate zeiss and their slow overpriced e lenses. I prefer equally as good g lenses- only give us some f2.8 instead of f4. The sony lens lineup flat out sucks.
What do you a mount people think when you see all these resources poured into e mount? Sad thing is, a mount has the far more appealing lens lineup. The e mount lineup is unbelievably crappy. Who thought up this garbage? Amazing cameras letdown by overpriced and unappealing lenses.
What a strange comment. You think the e-mount lineup is garbage but then you complain that companies pour resources in adding new lenses to that lineup?
Only strange that they pour resources into making more slow unappealing lenses? As maddening as the terrible e mount lens lineup is, the fanboys who feel it’s their duty to defend the crappy Sony lens lineup no matter what are even more annoying. The lineup flat out sucks. If you can look at the much less mature fuji lineup and say you still prefer the sony, well, I think you’re delusional. Fuji is making lenses people want, Sony is making lenses people aren’t really excited about but have to settle for. I’m sick of this nonsense. Give us some f2.8 zooms and more f1.8 primes. No more wildly overpriced Zeiss branded nonsense.
This is being done deliberately by Sony not to create a competitor in E-Mount for their A-Mount line-up.
So, no f/2.8 zooms or f/1.4 primes for E-Mount. FE is Sony’s compact FF system, A-Mount is it’s full-featured system.
E mount bodies are capable of incredible work but are really being letdown by this awful lens strategy. It’s sad to see the people who settle for this unappealing lens lineup convince themselves that it’s somehow great. Look at the much less mature fuji lens lineup and tell me if you still think what sony is doing is great. They’ve got to mix in some reasonably priced sony branded lenses. It’s as if f2.8 is anathema to them.
>It’s as if f2.8 is anathema to them
It’s a clear policy. If they make f/2.8 zooms, E-Mount will start to compete with A-Mount (the only difference will be AF), which they’re trying to avoid.
Besides, it makes no sense. A full-frame f/2.8 zooms won’t get any smaller than they are for A-Mount. And if you aren’t going for compact, why not pick A-Mount with PDAFin the 1st place.
Oh they will. And no, AF will not be a differentiation factor anymore in a very few years. So A mount really could die soon. They could make bigger E bodies as well. SLT will be gone soon. Its just technically realistic thinking, no A/E fighting thoughts of mine. SLT was just a bridge between DSLR and mirrorless, which will be fully crossed soon.
>SLT will be gone soon
If they do this, they’ll just lose their 8,5% DLSR market share to Canikon. Because that’s where SLT shooters will go, not E-Mount.
Actually, I think slt will become A mount mirrorless with a larger form factor and grip. The AF by then would have caught up to dslr’s by then and all the A-mount lenses will continue to be usable. Unfortunately, E-Mount will stay enthusiast oriented rather than pro-oriented.
Fuji lenses are let down by awful body strategy.
I agree that as of right now it’s a suckfest. It’s a SUCKFEST! 2.8’s and 1.8’s all day please- give it up or go home.
Nice try. Come and accuse people of defending a “crappy” lineup, before it has happened. And it’s actually pretty easy to defend it, but I guess you wouldn’t want to hear a word about it.
That’s why I’m interested in these lenses. Maybe we get some fast manual focus lenses that will actually be small and affordable. So far- as an a mount shooter- nothing they are making in e mount land is appealing. Slow overpriced lenses that are barely smaller than their FF counterparts. What the heck is the point?
Well, at least this teaser contains some information about the products unlike all those ‘we make something wonderful for you’ teasers.
The relatively long barrel of the left lens tells you that there is at least one portrait/medium macro lens coming. No, I won’t participate in the challenge because someone else will and post the results for us. Macro makes sense as AF isn’t realy crucial for that.
Well, it’s not actually that long. They’re not arranged at the same height.
Have you seen the final picture? If you click through to the website, the picture is actually even taller than the one posted here. It would suggest that there are indeed some very large lenses in this picture. If they are just scattered about, then it’s an unusual lens “lineup” shot. Most manufactures rest them on a similar plane to showcase the different sizes.
FYI, this is just a cartoon/cutout picture, not an actual picture of the lenses.
Sony had a 3 year headstart on Fuji when it comes to the e mount lens lineup. Go look at the fuji lineup and roadmap and compare it to the e mount lineup. Absolutely pathetic. Sony has made amazing bodies that are letdown by a grossly disappointing lens lineup.
Fuji has only 1 line, the APS-C mirorrless.
Sony has 4. APS-C SLT, FF SLT, APS-C mirrorless and FF mirrorless.
Well, two of the lines are dead…
Fuji ownes the APS-C space now. If your shooting that format there really is no reason not to be shooting fuji. I see a loose for Sony in that camp. As far as FF- well, we know who ownes that. If sony wants to own the FF mirrorless market then they need fast lenses….fast lenses and lots of them. They also need to get over the slow lens due to size BS.
>If sony wants to own the FF mirrorless market
They already do. They are the only ones in this market. What are you talking about?
>slow lens due to size BS
It’s not BS. Fast lenses will inevitably be large due to laws of physics. And if you are OK with large, why not just pick A-Mount with better AF, ergonomics etc.
They don’t own it. It’s like a toy or a fad and it’s not being taken seriously. I doubt Canon or Nikon feel the least bit threatened by it- yet. That’s the thing, if they want to own it they need to convince people to go beyond dabbling in it to full adoption.
Slow lenses are BS. Manual lenses can be made very fast and relatively small. a 20, 24 50 and 85 1.4 can all be made very small which is why I’m interested in what Zeiss has to offer in e-mount.
If your going to make slow asss lenses then why not just shoot fuji? They offer 1.2’s and 1.4’s so there goes the shallow DOF for those that need to stroke that itch. They are also relatively small. Heck, with F4 most of olympus offers faster speed, more DOF ….on and on and on. People like speed and for such an expensive system they should have it…all native without your crippled stupid non IBIS bodies. I want to adopt the e-mount but what I’m saying is…a lot of Sony’s decisions I find to be just plain rediculous.
Sony is the full frame mirror-less market, so far no other company has challenged that. But Sony needs to take the lead and run with it, which for the most part they are doing. The A7X series of cameras has created a new niche, and most users don’t want gigantic lenses (special purpose exceptions) to detract from the compact design. And quality over quantity is the way to go.
Exactly…so that’s why I hope these Zeiss lenses are relatively fast and small since they are manual. I’d ditch the neck anchor and all of my a mount zeiss lenses for that set up. I want some more speed though.
It should be interesting to see what Zeiss has to offer, I will be adding a full frame e-mount to my camera collection soon. I have no qualms whatsoever using manual lenses, some of my best images (past and present) were made using them.
@Dektol
I agree about niche purpose. I own A7s. Not because of the size, in fact, I have the vertical grip and use it. I bought it because of it’s sensor. I use it in low light and not having fast lenses defeats the purpose of this camera. Right now, I use it with adapters. If Sony had lenses I need, I’d buy them.
Not everyone buys these cameras because of their size. If Sony really wanted small lenses only, they already made a mistake, just look at the big zooms they already made.
I got the money ready, I’m waiting for my fast primes. Your move, Sony.
For fast lenses, they’ll put this sensor into A99-IIS, or whatever the 12MP A-Mount version will be called.
Why would Canon / Nikon be threatened by it?
They’re making DLSRs, not mirrorless. FE is not competing with DSLR.
What’s unfortunate is, they aren’t threatened by SLT either, which does compete with their DLSRs and has an amazing potential.
‘It’s like a toy or a fad and it’s not being taken seriously.’
do you mean people who think a camera is more important than the user or people that need to hide behind a big ‘pro’ camera because they are insecure or bad photographers? if you see a good photo you want to know the name of the photographer first not what camera it was taken with…
The whole “people who think a camera is more important” statement gets so overplayed. I never said that and most enthusiasts at this point know big doesn’t necessarily mean pro. That’s something only an e-mount fanboy would say. I could care less what the general public thinks- most of them are using cellphones for practically everything now anyway. I don’t know the last time I’ve met either a hobbiest or pro that has asked who the photographer was. That’s a random occurance anywhere these days. They want to know how to recreate that image themselves- composition, PP workflow and yes…even equipment. The person seems secondary unless they’re really high profile.
Lieca was first to market.
Well there is a reason not to use Fuji. Awful Xtrans.
Agreed about the lenses, I’m waiting for faster lenses too.
Can’t argue with that- I agree. But, lens wise they have it nailed down. I do Olympus for the small stuff anyway.
Sony already owns the FF mirrorless market by default. To say they don’t own it is to deny the obvious, to suit your own narrative. Show me another manufacturer making FF mirrorless that out-sells them.
I don’t see many people using Fuji. Many people talk about it but not buying it, why?
then buy a fuji camera and be happy!?
No, Sony has the better bodies, especially when it comes to video. Great cameras letdown by a horrible lens lineup. Do you own Sony? Have you seen the Fuji lens lineup? Do you seriously prefer the Sony lens lineup? I would think it’s in the interest of Sony users to demand a more serious lineup, instead of constantly trying to make excuses for Sony and the slow overpriced crap they keep delivering. Almost better off getting a high end compact like the lx8 than an apsc e mount camera.
How does an owner go about demanding a more serious lens line-up? I guess by not buying into the system in the first place.
You said yourself Sony has the better bodies (in your opinion, based on your criteria). If you buy a Sony camera for that reason, then you would had looked at the lens line-up and made your own choice as to whether it was right for you. If you had any sense anyway. Others may look and decide on Fujifilm, because the choice of lenses out-weighed other perceived advantages in the cameras. That’s the point, it’s your choice at the time of purchase.
Blaming Sony for your own personal choices. I love it. Sometimes you can’t have everything.
Even Samsung has a much better lens lineup. If you’re happy with the Sony lens lineup sing it’s praises if you want, it won’t bother me- but I say the lineup is garbage, pathetic. Free speech needs to be encouraged, not stifled by the rah rah Sony can do no wrong brigade.
I see you addressed none of points I made regarding personal responsibility whatsoever.
Please, quote the bit where I sing the praises of Sony’s lens line-up?
If you think the lens line-up is pathetic, based on your criteria, don’t buy a Sony camera. If you buy a Sony camera because you feel it superior to other manufacturers offerings, knowing you think the lens line-up is pathetic, then what does that make you?
I don’t know if you own a Sony CSC or not. If you do, it was your choice. If you don’t, it’s someone else’s choice.
Have a great day!
That’s too advanced for him.
What’s too advanced for me, the idea that people should feel free to criticize a company’s decisions on an open forum like this? The fact just because someone buys a product from said company does not then make that company immune from any future criticism?
It’s life that is too advanced for you,
Nope. First check what ‘critique’ actually means. Certainly not calling something ‘pathetic’ or that it ‘sucks’. Second, your facts were wrong. Third, whether the lineup is disappointing is entirely subjectif.
You realize what you’re saying don’t you? Essentially, if someone followed your advice it would mean they are never to criticize Sony. Is that what you want? Should people only sing the praises of Sony and never say an unkind word? Have you ever criticized Sony?
I’ll be happy to answer your questions, just as soon as you address any of the points or questions I’ve already raised. Not much point in debating someone who ignores every argument you make.
So, if we don’t criticize, it means we praise? You are bashing, not criticizing, that is what every reply to you says.
What has Sony’s lens lineup got to do with it? I use Sony, Nikon, Canon, CZJ, Komura, Fujinon and Sigma lenses with my Sony bodies.
Some people believe that Sony users have made a “mistake” in buying their cameras and are now “suffering” through the “horrible” treatment the manufacturer inflicts to them, without being able to do anything about it.
the new age of photographers also use their cameras for video, and Fuji cameras are terrible in video, I prefer a not so broad lens choice and good video for a really cheap price everyday anyday.
Ah, lame trolls. Sony did not have a 3 year headstart, it was less than 2 years. Sony ha more lenses than Fuji, simply some of them cater to a different audience. And many of the Sony lenses are easily as good as their Fuji counterparts.
Dear Zeiss: Please do not rebagage your ZM lenses. Offer speed and class leading IQ of which some of your ZM lenses are behind on. Also, please don’t price them in A-mount Zeiss land because that defeats the point.
Also, make sure you offer a 135mm F4 because we know Sony won’t do it.
Just judging by Zeiss’ history we can expect these manual lenses to be excellent performers. That being said, their wide open performance is what’s most important. Judging by the teaser photo (click to the website), unless the lenses are all telephoto or floating, they’re going to be rather large. This of course will be wasted on an e mount body if they don’t perform well at those fast apertures that you are paying for in size and price. It will be interesting which direction they take since it seems their first two lenses didn’t sell well, at least not until they were buy one get one free.
Zeiss tends to price their lenses higher than Sony despite lack of AF.
1. Sony won’t be the only one in ff mirrorless market forever. When Canikon release their FF mirrorless models, all the original Canikon owners with old lenses are going to have smooth transition to it throwing their stupid Metabone and Sony A7 combination.
2. Mirrorless is the future and we are looking at the beginning of it. The only reason why many PROs are hesitating is due to the lack of PRO qualities on the A7 family, which include native FF lenses(without adaptor, fast lenses like those holy trinity set of Canikon), larger grip, bigger battery that can fill up that larger grip and accessibility to third party extensions like strobes, radio triggers and etc.
Once Sony tackle down these issues by: a) releasing a all-wishes-come-true version of FF Alpha; b) bring all the PRO lenses to fit the E mount without compromising AF and OSS(size is no big deal! I don’t think anyone will joke about that small guy with the big gun); and c) licensing the MI hot shoe connectivity to third party manufacturers for greater extensions environment. Then, we will see a the biggest migration (dslr to mirrorless) since film-to-digital transition.
But Sony really need to act quickly to attract as many photographer to settle with their cameras and lenses before other brands react to the change of game rules. In the end, a great camera is about a great system with unlimited possibilities beyond mere full frame sensor size.
Responding to your first point “When Canikon release their FF mirrorless models, all the original Canikon owners with old lenses are going to have smooth transition.” Note: It’s difficult to completely decipher this statement, I’m guessing a translation issue. But I’ll give it a shot.
Other than design and build a complete new line of lenses, how is he transition going to be smooth? Are they going to use a (as you call it) stupid adapter like the E-mount, and if so how is it going to be any smoother a transition.
Responding to point 2; “Mirrorless is the future and we are looking at the beginning of it. The only reason why many PROs are hesitating is due to the lack of PRO qualities on the A7 family”
The fact of the matter, is that many Pros are already using the A7 system to complement their current camera system, and will likely migrate to a more compact system like the A7 as improvements are added. This is only the first generation of compact bodied full frame cameras, and the impact (unless you have been living under a rock) has been very significant considering the short period of time since the release of the A7.
The adapters are really stupid. On A6000, LA-EA3 uses only contrast-detection, and LA-EA4 uses it’s own PDAF; both fail to use the A6000’s superfast OSPDAF.
In short, DSLR lenses are bad with mirrorless, and if mirrorless ever replaces DSLR, all lenses will need replacment as well.
Read the question I was responding to.
Unless all new lenses are created, C and N will be in the same boat.
RE: “But Sony really need to act quickly to attract as many photographer to settle with their cameras and lenses before other brands react to the change of game rules. In the end, a great camera is about a great system with unlimited possibilities beyond mere full frame sensor size.”
This statement is dubious at best, shouldn’t you be saying that Canon and Nikon should be acting quickly? At this point they are far behind and it will only get worst when the second generation A7x’s are released.
@Gab Sony DID act quickly. It released the A7, A7R, and A7S for full frame. It released the A77 mk2 for A mount and A6000 and A5100 for E mount APS-C sized sensors. I have the a6000 now and I like it better than the Pentax K5IIs, Nikon D5300, D3300, Panasonic G6, and Pentax K50 I had before it. In low light, this blows the doors off any camera I have had before it. a6000 absolutely has better image quality than the D5300 and K5IIs, I had to see it to believe it.
Canon and Nikon have mediocre or downright bad mirrorless cameras….so they are in the market but there is better options from almost every other company out there. Before I knew better, I thought in order to take good pictures you needed a big DSLR with big, fancy lens to take extremely good pictures. I can bring this a6000 places I would not dare bring a DSLR. I can carry it all day without a sore neck, and the image quality has been surprising. Low light is where the D5300 and K5iis seemed to struggle, the Sony locks and shoots every single time!
Sony is innovating, Canon and Nikon are hard to beat but in my opinion, Sony is making both brands go back to the drawing board while they continue making models for every user type of user. They should be afraid because if Sony refines what they have, they already are coming out with amazing gear and the systems are getting better and better for Sony. I was going to get a Nikon D610, but now after the pleasure it is shooting with the a6000, I will stick with Sony full frames.
And here’s what I think; Nikon and Cannon are afraid to go head to head with Sony in this segment of the market, the fact that segment is so new and still developing gives Sony a significant advantage. Nikon and Cannon don’t want to be embarrassed by a half baked effort at developing a full frame mirror-less compact. And will wait it out until (in their opinion) all the cards are shown, but this is not a winning strategy. It’s mediocrity.
I think they don’t have the technology and they don’t want to compete with their own DSLR, just Kodak
Mirrorless is not a replacement for DSLR/SLT, but a different branch of camera development, designed for compactness.
In this light, Sony is doing everything right. Compact bodies, smaller narrow-aperture lenses.
With OVF out of the window, the whole point of DSLR/SLT’s existence is facilitating a dedicated PDAF module. Some people here believe that mirrorless AF will be able to catch up with PDAF; but little points in this direction (see A6000 vs A77-II), and in any case it hasn’t happened yet.
So, at least for now, it doesn’t make much sense to bring big lenses, flashes etc. to FF E-Mount.
You really believe in what you write here, don’t you? It’s always the same “E-Mount is only for compactness”-Sh!t.
AF of the A7 is already good and in many ways better than the fixed, badly-placed dots on DSLRs and SLTs. And its here to be improved.
No, it is almost never “MLC is for compactness” , it almost always “AF performance on MLC doesn’t [yet] rival that of the DSLR/SLT design.
But, so far Sony’s MLC’s have been about compactness,
No, I really fail to understand what’s up with all those people requesting fast lenses (eps. f/2.8 zooms) for E-Mount.
If your system isn’t going to be compact anyway, why cripple your camera in the first place by taking out the mirror? It’s there for a reason!
If you’re going to have a big camera with a big lens, why not just stick with A-Mount? What’s the reason for the whole mirrroless hype then? (Let’s say you’re new to photography and don’t have legacy lenses piled up.)
Thanks for your musings. I love reading other people’s pet theories on what large, multinational companies should do to stay in business. Your consultancy firm must be in demand.
Sound like a galaxy was formed within a day, interesting lol…
Smooth transition to what? Adapted lenses? Bigger and larger cameras? They already are!
You mean when Canon can finally release a decent EOS-M 3 or 4 or 5?
Just one question for you Mr. know it all: what do you shoot with that’s better?
OK. I am betting this is what’s going to happen:
1) FE MF lenses by Zeiss will be new designs. “Why?” I hear you ask. Because new designs for high density sensors today are the investment you need tomorrow. “Why?” I hear you ask again…
2) Because the two most dominant mounts today in APS-C are Sony E and Fuji X, both of which are very close in flange distance. “So?” I hear you babble again… So an FE lens design today is ready to be used on a Fuji X mount tomorrow by way of a new case that only has to give .3mm more depth than the E mount variant. Should Fuji jump on the FF wagon, Zeiss only needs to machine a new mount base. The comms and electronics are details…
Now, Fuji could always go totally indie and design a new mount spec that has a longer flange distance than 18mm and make the Zeiss FE lenses useless on that mount. Of course that can happen. I guess they would be pi$$ing on Zeiss’ fire then… unless Zeiss is crafty and they make lenses able to be natively adapted to flange distances greater than 18mm.
3) “But…” you still defecate through your keyboard “…what about m4/3 and other future mounts?” …. m4/3 can already use whatever they want since there are very few lenses with any issues worth mentioning for that format. Also, FF lenses are a bit too tele already on m4/3 so this new development doesn’t matter much for them.
So, my bet is on new designs and not based on the ZM lenses as many imagine.
OK, my comment is awaiting moderation and the last couple of times that happened they never got through, and I imagine its because of profanity so I will rephrase:
OK. I am betting this is what’s going to happen:
1) FE MF lenses by Zeiss will be new designs. “Why?” I hear you ask. Because new designs for high density sensors today are the investment you need tomorrow. “Why?” I hear you ask again…
2) Because the two most dominant mounts today in APS-C are Sony E and Fuji X, both of which are very close in flange distance. “So?” I hear you babble again… So an FE lens design today is ready to be used on a Fuji X mount tomorrow by way of a new case that only has to give .3mm more depth than the E mount variant. Should Fuji jump on the FF wagon, Zeiss only needs to machine a new mount base. The comms and electronics are details…
Now, Fuji could always go totally indie and design a new mount spec that has a longer flange distance than 18mm and make the Zeiss FE lenses useless on that mount. Of course that can happen. I guess they would be pi-$-$ing on Zeiss’ fire then… unless Zeiss is crafty and they make lenses able to be natively adapted to flange distances greater than 18mm.
3) “But…” you still de-f-ecate through your keyboard “…what about m4/3 and other future mounts?” …. m4/3 can already use whatever they want since there are very few lenses with any issues worth mentioning for that format. Also, FF lenses are a bit too tele already on m4/3 so this new development doesn’t matter much for them.
So, my bet is on new designs and not based on the ZM lenses as many imagine.
Looks like they’ve missed letter “U” in the hashtag #ZEISSphk14.
you mean NONE of the SAR message board experts have already solved the puzzle????
The wise people will solve the puzzle, the even wiser people will wait for other people to solve it. So maybe SAR are even wiser people.
Now Zeiss makes MF lenses for Sony, could it be that Zeiss contacted Canikon for their future mirrorless camera’s to adopt these same Zeiss lenses (as in Touit for Fuji/Sony)?? 😉
Hmmm…..
Why not AF lenses with mechanical MF clutch override? Manual lenses would probably be better suited for a camera body with IBIS, which doesnt exsist on any E-mount yet. And still no walk-around constant f/2.8 zoom lenses. That’s one of the lenses that I miss most from my Canon setup.
I got the 3rd part of the puzzle today and the new E-mounts look to be styled or built in the same fashion as the current CSC range and not of their ZM range… i.e. smooth and rubbery. I dearly hope I am wrong…
Congrats on getting the part, would you mind posting it?
sure.. just mocked this up
http://jkspepper.tumblr.com/zeiss
Thanks a lot! Personally I’m excited about the lenses (if they are indeed manual lenses), focus-by-wire just isn’t intuitive for me.
me too, I just want more native FE lenses but I’m not looking forward to ht price… something tells me they are going to be very $$$
Honestly, I don’t look at it that way. Most existing manual lenses are quite expensive, you still need an adapter (more expenses), you get no EXIF data, and even the high end legacy lenses underperform with current digital sensors. I much rather have a real modern, native quality option that is actually worth the investment.
They will be cheaper than Leica and Otus for sure… That’s not even a question. But don’t expect them to be as good as the Otus or as small and good as the Leica.
I now have the 4 th part of the teaser puzzle. Will be updating my link later this evening…
part 5 up!
Who cares… Where is the A99II?
Who cares?