Lens question

[Randy Johnson]

I am thinking of this guy, http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/142491-REG/Tamron_A76100_28_105mm_f_2_8_LD_Aspherical.html
What do you think?

or maybe this one
http://www.amazon.com/Rokinon-CV85M-...xp_grid_pt_0_2

[Chris Harding]

Hi Randy

I still prefer zooms at weddings cos quite often I'm told to stay in one particular spot ..with primes you have to move yourself to frame the shot unlike zooms.

However the 85mm is lightning fast if you prefer primes... still a bit big for me!! I even found that my old Sigma 24-70 restricted me at the wide end and the Tamron 17-50 was far better ..then again my main cam stays up front and you tend to shoot from the back so the 28-105 might be a good buy especially at under $500.00

Chris

[Randy Johnson]

I was kinda counting on the digital zoom making the 85 85-170ish. Where did you get the 17-50? I only found it for for like $850. BTW Where can I get a adaptall mount to NEX? I think thats what I need for the Tamron lens.

[Chris Harding]

Hi Randy

I got my 17 -50 from eBay I think ..there are plenty out there but obviously not E-Mount so it depends on your adapter ...Mine are Nikon mount as I have two Nikon still cameras I use too!!

Yeah, I saw that but I confess I have never heard of an Adaptall Mount?? Sounds like it is supposed to fit any camera?

I must really do some tests with digital zoom and see if one can get away with it ...Noa did some a while back and he wasn't too happy with the results...I really have never compared shots..I must try it myself.

Chris

[Tim Lewis]

Tamron made the Adaptall / Adaptall 2 range in the eighties and maybe later. I was selling photographics as a weekend job while I was at uni during this time. The concept was good, but the extra mounting point was not well executed and there was a certain amount of play between the lens and the adapter and then also sometimes between the adapter and the body.

Cameras at this time, particularly consumer models were transitioning from the prevalence of M42 to bayonet mounts (Pentax Spotmatic etc.). This system gave M42 users the convenience of bayonet mount. It also locked them in to buying Tamron lenses for this convenience, which was good for the lens manufacturer.

I don't think the adaptall series has survived in to modern enough times to provide adapters for newer mounts like NEX.

[Chris Harding]

Thanks Tim

So it's basically old technology??

OK Randy, if you are looking at the 17-50 F2.8 make sure you don't pay the extra cost for the VC model lens ...You need the D16N model which doesn't have a stabilizer which I don't need on my adapters. I'm not sure if the fancy Metabones adapter supports the VC mode?? But here the D16N lens is $300 and the VC lens is $400 ..With my Novoflex adapters (which are dumb) it would be a waste to get the VC lens as the stabilization won't work anyway.

I think my model (brand new locally was $299.00), which is a cheap price for a really useful lens.

Chris

[Tim Lewis]

I have had a look at the link that Randy put up and B&H are selling Adaptall lenses, so maybe it has survived? But I don't think it was a very successful implementation, as no-one else is doing it. We know how much camera companies like to mimic successful technologies from competitors.

The main failing of this technology is, in my opinion the extra interface for play in the mounting system.

I used my father's Tamron Adaptall2 70-210mm f4.5-5.6 (I think) in the mid eighties and that extra mount always gave issues. It was a longer, heavier lens. Maybe shorter would be OK, but I would steer clear of this technology given the choice.