Any lens news?
 

Its a new year and I want to buy a new lens or 2. I like the idea of getting a cheap used lens and using a adapter BUT it would be nice to keep all my NEX features. Are there any new lenses coming out the the NEX by Sony or other?

Re: Any lens news?
 

Hi Randy

The only one I have heard of so far is the 18-105 F4 and it's also quite pricey!!

My next might be the new Sigma - 18-35 and a constant F1.8!! Around $900 here but would be a killer at dark receptions. You might have to be very careful with the shallow DOF!!

What functions do you need that you lose with a manual lens??? Peaking works and Zebras too. The only thing I do miss is being able to use the LCD touch focus but with peaking set right it's really easy to focus anyway!! If you leave the camera in auto with a manual lens fitted it will still adjust ISO and shutter for you depending on what aperture is set manually so that's real easy and all you need to worry about is focussing which is so easy with peaking on ..I use yellow peaking and the middle setting.

Chris

Re: Any lens news?
 

Beware of that Sony 18-105 if it's for an FS700. It's a shocker for distortion on the 700 as it has no correction firmware for it. Works fine on the EA50 though. What I also did not like about it was the very unconnected feel of the manual the fly-by-wire focus ring.

Chris Young
CYV Productions
Sydney

Re: Any lens news?
 

Thanks Chris

Randy has an EA-50 ..I still cannot see any huge advantage in the 18-105 ..Sure you get F4 but I seldom zoom that much so at worst on my 18-200 I'm stopped to a max of F4.5 so there is no big gain for me!!

Because I work close more than far my next will definitely be the Sigma 18035 F1.8 ...Good for dim and dark weddings!!

Chris

Re: Any lens news?
 

i just got the sigma 18-35 f1.8 (for photography), i tested only once but already love it.

will test with dumb adapter on ea50 to see how perform

Re: Any lens news?
 

Doesnt it suck that we pay so much for features we cant use? One of the reasons its so much is because of auto focus etc. which we cant use with our nex:)

Re: Any lens news?
 

Not really Randy.. if you want to use the camera features then you need to be satisfied with the stock Sony lenses which are perfectly adequate for weddings and the 18-200 is about what you should expect on a $3K to $4K camera.

If you want really good lenses then like all pro cameras the lens will be a manual one anyway and you have to expect to pay MORE for the lens than you paid for the camera ..in fact MUCH more!!

If you want all the entry level features then you have to stick with entry level lenses and I would very much doubt that Sony would try and market a $8,000 pro lens to use on a $3,000 camera so get used to E-Mount lenses that are priced according to what it's going to be used on OR buy top grade glass and stick to manual operation!

Chris

Re: Any lens news?
 

Even with my cameras that had auto focus I really didn't use it. Auto focus uses contrast to work and can be fooled. Now that I've said that, I have nothing against it but honestly once you get used to manual focus it can be pretty fast to get it. Watch NASCAR sometime. I've shot it for TV and it's not always possible to use the DoF and zone focus. Sometimes you just gotta twist the handle. (I did remote control cameras and used a throttle style focus control hence the terminology).
I know a whole lotta guys that use AF and if done right it's fine. It's just hard for me to break old habits.

Re: Any lens news?
 

Me too Don

However at fast moving weddings I do trust AF now and again but never for the ceremony and speeches. I think Randy is concerned about losing functions that rely on a E-Mount lens to work ..like stabilised lens, also on screen touch focus and auto iris but the EA-50 can actually expose the image perfectly just using ISO and shutter sort of aperture priority ? You don't need any anti shake stuff on with a tripod and even handheld my shots are pretty much OK with OIS off thanks to my eng rig!! Focus peaking also works with manual lenses so all you really lose is AF (easy to manually do if peaking is on) and OIS (a rig and steady hand sorts that out too) so there isn't any drastic problems using a manual lens

Chris

Re: Any lens news?
 

tested today the 18-35 on a wedding for the first time. WENT GREAT!

i used on the party only, when a fast lens was needed, using a dumb adapter.

after a few minutes to adapt myself, was easy to focus using peak and expand, even zooming, cause the zoom ring on this lens is very very smooth, and the focus looks like does not change on zooming

i used the led light i made pointing up (on the white fabric in the ceiling) and using ISO 3200/2500, i got a great even light, smooth and bright, with almost no ambient light.

i feel like i already can't live without "her" ;P

OBS: i clean the high ISO's files with neatvideo, very good results

Re: Any lens news?
 

Thanks Marlon

That is definitely next on my "to buy" list. I'm booking a bride for November who wants absolute minimum LED lighting from the camera so the 18-35 will be a wizard for the reception. I'll get the Nikon mount one so I can use it on my DSLR bodies and get some neat shallow DOF when I use it.

I tried a Sony E-mount 50mm prime on the camera last year but it's simply too long for wedding receptions! The 18-35 will be an ideal range!! I'm assuming the lens is constant F1.8 so even at 35mm you still have F1.8?? They are pricey here, nearly AUS$900 but from what you say it's worth it.

The update is appreciated!

Chris

Re: Any lens news?
 

the sigma is a truly outstanding lens. first, is the only f1.8 with zoom ever (yes, constant f1.8). and the even more amazing part, it is VERY SHARP at 1.8. most primes (1.4, 1.8) have a sharp center and blurry edges (you need to stop down to f2.8 generally for entire sharp image), BUT NOT THIS ONE!

i got it for photography, but now i got 2 good uses ;)

was thinking on getting the metabones for iris control, but i think will be irrelevant, as i will use f1.8 all the time with manual focus... so the dumb adapter is enough.

the peaking and focus expand that make all work great.

after photo shooting various weddings, i realize 80% of my pictures where below 40mm, so the sigma would have good range for most pics. would be nice if sigma did a 35-135mm f/1.8 also ;P (i will likely get the sigma 50-150mm f2.8 OS for the long range)

Re: Any lens news?
 

Just a thought BUT if you already had a 17-50 @2.8 couldnt you get the Metabones speed booster and get pretty much the same thing?

Re: Any lens news?
 

I agree with Chris here. No big gain between the stocklens and the new powerzoom lens.
For filming events I need 20x zoom or more. In that case I now use my little panasonic HC-X920 with the IA 25x zoom. It's still decent picture quality. All my client wants DVD.

But a 20x powerzoom lens with a F4 all the way would be great. But this will be a large and bulky lens I'm affraid.