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Archive 2016 · Lenses you own, and how you feel about them

  
 
danslides
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Lenses you own, and how you feel about them


As Ive been on a little spending spree building my new kit, my opinions have changed on certain things. Some gear stays home, some stay in the bag, and some stay on the camera. It's a little surprising to me honestly.

I'm sure we're all going through this, and it's probably always rotating. I thought it would be an interesting to hear everyone's story - Your take on your own kit. I'll go first.

Body: A7RII- I am absolutely head over heels with this camera. Best body I've ever owned... I love it so much, I sold off all of my m43, APSC bodies/glass and my A7S to fund the switch. That's saying a lot for me! Images are amazing, and video is amazing. My only complaint is rolling shutter in silent mode. Give me this setup in an a6300 body, with two dials, and I'll be in heaven

Glass:note all native (I sold almost all of my legacy glass too!)

28/2: This one surprised me. I was never a 28mm guy, but for some reason this thing has been stuck on my camera. It's small enough, good for tight spaces, and gets out of the way. I wish it was 1.4 and rendered like zeiss, but I guess you can say that about any lens!

35/2.8: Stays at home. I thought it would use it more when I wanted to keep the kit small, but nope. I like the rendering, but it's only 2.8. I think that's also part of the reason I don't use it much. Yes, I'm a fast glass whore. I'll probably be selling this one unless I can figure out a reason to keep it.

35/1.4: The beast. Due to the size it stays at home most of the time. If I intentionally want a fast 35, it's coming out for sure. My favorite rendering, and my favorite lens for that matter, for FE mount... And I'm normally a 50 guy,

55/1.8: Comes with me everywhere, this becomes glued to my camera as my general walk around, when I don't need the 28. It's amazing, but you already knew that. This is my second copy. I will say, after using 50s for a couple years, that extra 5mm makes a difference. I didn't notice it until I got this copy. I wish the min focal distance was just a little be closer.

85/1.8: Still new to me, so I haven't really put it through it's paces yet. I love the rendering so far though. This seems like another specialized lens that will stay home with the 35/1.4, until I need the extra reach. Wish it focused faster/more consistent when the lights get dim. The screen on the lens is interesting, but honestly who cares. I would have preferred a lower cost than the digital screen.

10-18/4: bought for cropped video. Does what it's suppose to do, no complaints. It's not amazing, it's not terrible, and gets the job done so far. Wish it was faster, but for wide video, doesn't really matter. I don't like it in FF mode.

28-70 kit lens: Blah, waste of money. I thought it would be good for video work, but I don't like it. Will be selling this.


Want list:
UWA converter for the 28, but then again I want the:
Batis 25 to replace the 28/2
Loxia 35 or, or some other small (legacy?) 35/2 or faster, when I want to experience manual shooting
Macro: I think I'm going to try tubes on the 85, if I dont like that then a legacy 90/100.
Video stuff: gimball, and some kind of automated motion control, maybe edlekrone or syrp

Want to try list:
New 50 and 70-300. I won't really use either one of these, maybe I'll rent em.


What's in your kit?



Apr 09, 2016 at 09:41 AM
TheEmrys
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Lenses you own, and how you feel about them


I have paired down my lens kit to a very modest setup. I do plan on doing a re-buy or two, but here is what I use:

28/2 - Amazingly good for the price and size. Love it. Added the 21mm converter because I so rarely want to shoot wide.
Summicron-R 50/2 - Just lovely color and rendering.
55/1.8 - owned it, and want to re-buy it. A 50 with AF is almost a must for me.
Minolta 100/2 - My shallow DOF portrait lens. Wow. Renders most like a pre-Asph Summicron 90. Bitingly sharp at f/2.2. Lacks the micro-contrast of Zeiss's, which I prefer for portraits of non-perfect people.
Minolta 28-135/4-4.5 - My walkaround lens. Renders just like the Minolta 100/2. Can have some CA. But for the price I paid, it is nearly perfect. If it only had an SSM motor for video.... and a MFD less than 1.5 meters.
Minolta 80-200/2.8 APO HS G - Just about a perfect lens. Only has a long MFD and no SSM motor. AF is loud and torquey.
Minolta 100-300 APO D - For the rare times when I want a smaller lens than the HS G, and just a bit more reach. Tiny lens. Sharp wide open at 300mm.

Another re-buy will be the Minolta AF500 mirror lens. It was my wildlife lens for elk and deer in Rocky Mountain National Park. It is just so bright in Colorado, that I rarely missed the light from the 70-400 G. I did miss that sharpness, though..



Apr 09, 2016 at 10:06 AM
traveler
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Lenses you own, and how you feel about them


This question should result in hundreds of comments and variations on them as EVERYONE has different needs for their shooting styles. I feel I'm about where I need to be for what I do. For one thing I am NOT an ultrawide shooter so that leaves a ton of possibilities out of the picture and it seems there are a majority of wide lovers on this forum so I am no doubt a minority. With that said here's my lineup so far.

35mm f2.8 Zeiss Sonnar:
This was one of the lenses I got on purchase day of the A7RII. I see many like to deride it or move onto more exotic and expensive brands and models. Frankly considering my copy is sharp wide open across the frame I'm NOT letting it go. While I don't use it much there will no doubt be times I will want to walk around and capture things in a manner where not only the camera is light and small but does not compromise the overall images. I know it full inspires arguments galore but if you do the research over the last 70 years 35mm was most often considered the "ideal" focal length for general shooting on the street as well as walking around. Unlike others here I agree

55mm f1.8 Zeiss:
Although at large it is a well accepted lens I would go a step further. I have not yet to date witnessed a lens that is SHARPER than this lens. I feel the bokeh it is capable of is equally superb. It is small, light and well built. I doubt I'll ever give this one up either. Once again wide open my copy is sharp nearly completely across the entire frame if subject distance is appropriate. One of the exceptional lenses they've brought forth.

70-200G f4:
Yet another lens that so many seem to criticize let alone reviewers that obviously got less then perfect copies to test out. Guess once again I got lucky as my copy is super sharp wide open at f4, and If I want the entire frame of a distant shot sharp, stopping it down to f5.6 does the trick. The contrast is also top drawer on my copy of this lens. Focus is immediate and the build is like what I'd expect from the Nikon and Canon equivalents having owned those in the past. I'm not thinking I will likely give this one up either since 98% of the times I'll ever use it will be outdoors and with that much light not having an f2.8 won't bother me.

24-70 f2.8 G Master:
I fully admit I ordered and got one of these on faith alone, that Sony would deliver the goods. Since 1999 having owned top Nikon and Canon bodies and lenses when I used to get paid for my photographic activities (product, portrait and wedding photography) I had always had a 24-70 in my bag needless to say. Even today I'm finding the lions share of my shooting is in that range. So far in my testing of it the color, contrast and of course sharpness are another league beyond zooms I've had in this range. It will likely sit on my A7RII at least 80% of the time so worth every penny.

I am considering the possibility of adding one of those 70-300G f4/5-5.6 lenses IF and I do mean IF it is capable of truly sharp result @300mm or I simply wouldn't bother. I won't likely part with my 70-200G f4 due to the fact it's so sharp out to 200mm even wide open. I'm not one for compromise so we'll have to wait and see what the reviewers show us in it's results. I have a sneaky suspicion it won't be quite that amazing. We shall see........otherwise that's where I believe I will stay for my use and needs.



Apr 09, 2016 at 10:49 AM
GMPhotography
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Lenses you own, and how you feel about them


So many changes I have done over the last 2 years when it comes to glass but I love what I have now.

VC 15 version III. In all honesty if you don't have one you should. It's a really sweet lens. Love mine enough to cut the bloody hood off and it still loves me. Lol

Loxia 21bottom line if your serious about IQ this is the best wide to date.

24-70 GM you seen my tests , my comments and I never seen a zoom render so well. Worth every penny. Yea I know it's a lot of pennies but it truly covers some of the best primes.

85GM another gem in the line , really renders so nice as a 1.4 lens. Even though I have a issue with mine it's going in for a exchange

Loxia 50 I love this lens but it seems to be given up 3 times now for money to buy other gear. I'm buying it back. It's wonderful

70-300 new one. I may add this as soon as I recoup from the 2 GM lenses

28mm F2 I'm a little Luke warm on although I could use it between 21 and 85. Love to find a outstanding copy of it given the praise it gets as I'm not sure the 2 I had where great or not the results where good but I want corners at 5.6 and it took to F8 and that bummed me out.



Apr 09, 2016 at 11:03 AM
Emerrow
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Lenses you own, and how you feel about them


I'm looking forward to reading all of the entries that will be coming into this thread!

Bodies (both MKi versions):
A7S - I'm mainly a video guy. I started with a panasonic gh line and then I sold all my m4/3 gear to switch to the sony alpha. I love this body, the video quality is superb and the stills it produces are top notch as well. This is always my #1.

A7R - This is my newest body addition and I'm really enjoying the resolution and image quality I'm getting from the camera. I've got a few gripes with the shutter but nothing that has stopped me from completely enjoying the camera.

Lenses
Canon FD 50/1.4 - This is the first lens I bought to adapt to any of my cameras. I agree with all the reviews you'll read about it, it's a great lens. I use it in darker conditions for video and stills, and when I want to travel a bit lighter.

Canon FD 28/2.8 - I bought this lens on a whim when I saw it in a camera store one day. I grew to really enjoy using it. This is my only wide angle lens and I'm getting some stunning results with it. It's also really light and works well for staying compact.

Canon FD 35-105/3.5 - This lens has been my go-to lens for any video work I do. It's not optically the best lens, but I really enjoy the focal length it gives me.

Canon FD 70-210/4 - This was my first tele lens. I love the size of it and the quality it produces. It's also got a really cool macro function at 70mm. I used it quite a bit before I got my 70-200 sony.

Canon FD 300/5.6 & 135/3.5 - I've used both a couple times and liked the results, but my bag is only so big and the 300mm is a pretty sizable lens. With that being the case, I haven't used it too much. The 135 was purchased right before I got my 70-210 and since the 70-210 covers that focal length, this lens hasn't been used much either.

Sony 70-200/f - This is my only native sony lens at the moment. I've been nothing but happy with this guy. I've found it to be super sharp with both my bodies. I really love the image stabilization (especially for the a7r).

I'm hoping to expand my native lenses to include the 16-35 very soon and eventually will want to upgrade to the MKii bodies for 4k video, log video, IBIS, and the nicer shutter in the Rmkii. For now, this is my kit and I feel it's giving me some great flexibility and stellar IQ!






Apr 09, 2016 at 11:20 AM
garyrn
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Lenses you own, and how you feel about them


after probably 30 years of having canons, a medium format film and M4/3, a full panasonic gh3 plus 7 lenses for travel, i sold almost all of that to go sony, for size, sensor capability, and associated health issues with arthritis in my back. i wasn't enjoying photography hikes anymore, or long long days at disney world with photo friends
a7rii, what can i say that hasn't already been said, i have fallen head over heels with this camera, it's that good to me, i have taken more photos, keepers, in the last 9 months, than maybe the last 3 years, i find it such a pleasure to hike/bike/walk around with
55 1.8, first lens that i ordered with the camera, this may be the sharpest lens i have ever owned, and i had the canon holy trinity on a 5d3 at one time.
35 2.8, i like mine, a lot, i bought for a street car photo charter in philadelphia, because the 55 would have been a little too tight for that. i have no complaints, it just does not see a lot of use this winter as i have a couple of others that i use a little more. and because of that, no 1.4 for me, too large and expensive to justify for me
28 f2, love this one also, i guess i got a really good copy, i really feel sony has tightened up quality control, this is my current dark ride lens at disney world.
16-35 f4, i'm happy with this one, it's not seeing as much use as i thought it would, but it makes the trip on all the steam photo charters i go on, and it does get used somewhere on the trip.
24-240 sony, this one is adequately sharp for my web usage, which frankly is where most of my photos end up, i may print 1-2 a year, makes a great travel lens on my a6000, especially on trips to major league stadiums, the lighting these days is so good, that even though it's not fast, the sensor on the a6000 allows me to capture the action acceptable for my little side project of documenting my trips towards seeing a game in every mlb stadium.
24-70 f4, a lens that i think is moving past it's previous bad reputation, i hesitated a very long time but kept tracking posts, both here and flickr, and user reviews on b&h and other retailers, i definitely within the last 9 months saw a major increase in happy users and quality photos on display, so in late january i bought one, checked it out, my copy seemed fine, and took it to the cumbers and toltec charter, and i have no complaint about the results, over on the fe photo thread, page 1502, dawn at the trestle, taken handheld, with this lens at 33mm, f6.3, on the a7rii body, my first photo ever posted on this site, and i think i can hold my head up on that one.
i have also gotten back into some manual focus stuff. i bought the metabones canon FD to E mount adapter, and have been exploring the pleasures of the canon 17mm f4, 50mm f3.5 macro, 100mm f2 macro. to the point where as soon as i have the funding, i'll be getting that loxia 21mm, and if i like it as much as so many posters on here do, i might end up selling the 16-35, simply because of low usage.
i will be checking out that 70-300 recently announced, i was all set to get the 70-200 f4 as my next move but the canon 70-300 L was a lens that along with the 24-105, accounted for 80% of my photos. i wish sony would do a 24-105 f4, i'll probably have to make a trip into b&h to assess the physical size on the body, to make up my mind about it, i really like the longer reach at disney world, especially at animal kingdom and for stage shows
for me, and my interests, the great results from the a7rii have me questioning more and more about ever needing or wanting any 2.8 zooms again, i'm finding f4 zooms, along with the 28 and 55 primes cover my needs with a fairly light kit.



Apr 09, 2016 at 11:25 AM
gatorine
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Lenses you own, and how you feel about them


A7R: I was very happy with it, until I got my A6300 and I updated the firmware on my Metabones adapter. It works well with almost all of my Canon lenses (a bit slow with the 100-400 II, but then I did have the 1.4x TC mounted). I still prefer my A7R for still photos due to the full frame sensor.

A6300: Very happy with the video, need to get a 4K monitor and/or 4K TV (and ultra HD player and HDCP 2.2/HDMI 2 receiver.... feel like I'm on a treadmill with the never ending consumer electronics upgrades). I have to admit I had skipped the A6000 (though I had heard good things about the autofocus). My APS-C mount body was the NEX-7. I miss the third dial a little, but I'm starting to shoot more in aperture or shutter priority mode with the A6300 to good effect.

10-18 F4: This lens (originally paired with the NEX-7) was what brought me into the mirrorless fold. It was really the only lens I ever mounted on my NEX-7 and it has covered my wide angle needs for the past three years.

24-70 F4: I like this lens. It's my everyday walk-around lens on my A7R. It's not as good as my Contax N 24-85, but it is certainly better than my copy of the Canon 24-105 was. My only complaint is that one of the locking tabs on the hood broke. It still works, it just isn't quite as secure. Sony wouldn't replace it under warranty when I sent the lens in for service. The lack of weather sealing is the main shortcoming to this lens in my mind.

70-200 F4: I never owned the Canon equivalent, but I had a Contax N 70-200. I think the Sony comes close to matching the Contax in image quality (never did a back to back comparison to be honest). The Sony handles better and is more versatile due to the tripod collar and built in stabilization. I've mapped the focus lock button to eye-AF when mounted on the A6300. This is a great combo for recording my daughters' school events. The hood is a little bulky, but I was spoiled by those lovely metal Contax N (and G!) hoods. It's the only (Sony) lens that I don't keep the hood mounted on religously. I also skip the hood or use a smaller petal shaped hood on my Canon 135 f2.

Speaking of the 135 f2, it's a little long on the A6300, but it's nice when I need a small(ish) lens with some reach. I'm looking forward to using it on a full frame Sony with on chip PDAF (likely not an A7ii/A7Rii though).

I'm still waiting for my TechArt adapter to arrive so I can't comment on recent experience with the Contax G lenses. I owned the 45 and 90 before. This time around I splurged for the black versions... Looking forward to using these on the A6300 especially the 90.





Apr 09, 2016 at 11:41 AM
ISO1600
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Lenses you own, and how you feel about them


A7. Really great bargain these days.
I thought I would miss the A7S I had last year, but I prefer the extra MP. Really thought 12 was enough for me, I guess not. This camera gives me "good enough" on just about every front.

Samyang 12/2. Until there is a small and affordable native ~18mm prime, this will work for me.

Canon nFD 35/2. I really love this lens. Very sharp wide open, great character, kinda low contrast in harsh light, gets really good stopped down. Perfect balance and feel. Cheap too. Took me a while for me to find one for what I wanted to pay, should have just spent more a long time ago. Not having a proper 35/2 is why I left the A7 the last two times... Lol

Canon nFD 50/1.4... This lens really impressed me with how good it is, for the $50 I spent on it. Handles the same as the above, so very well. I'm still looking for a "perfect 50"…

Other lenses are goofy in between things that don't really count lol



Apr 09, 2016 at 09:18 PM
darrellc
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Lenses you own, and how you feel about them


A7RII

FE 16-35. Surprisingly good, weaker at 35mm but improves much stopped down. I am often surprised at the image quality, I expect worse from a zoom. Nice sun stars. I prefer a zoom in wide angle, so very happy with this lens. Great for travel. Occasionally misfocuses, haven't figured it out.

FE 70-200. Don't shoot much tele, prefer a zoom in tele as well. Excellent copy (I guess), good stopped down at long end, great up thru mid range. I really like the color and general rendering.

Batis 25. Sold FE 28 after shooting both for a while. FE 28 was very good but I prefer the Batis in all respects. Very light lens, though fat.

FE 35/2.8. Travel lens and minimalist kit. Excellent results, but occasionally lacks wow - no idea why. But often enough I have to check if I used the FE 35/1.4 in EXIF, so capable of great results for me within some envelope I need to better understand.

Loxia 35. Because I want an MF option at 35mm and I love the color and contrast from this lens. Yuck at f/2 which is a bummer but wonderful stopped down even just a bit.

FE 35/1.4. Love it, just big and heavy. Don't really enjoy that aspect. All forgiven when looking at images. Wish there was a 35/2 with similar performance, just as everyone else wishes.

ZM Sonnar 50/1.5. Great character lens, love it, great complement to FE 55.

FE 55/1.8. Great, actually preferred Loxia 50 IQ but decided to go with FE55/Sonnar combo as a pair. Might buy back though...

Olympus OM 50/2 and 50/3.5 Macro. Will do shootout and decide which to keep for occasional macro use. Leaning to 50/2 as can be used as general purpose 50, but the 3.5 is amazingly good and much cheaper. A steal of a lens.

Summarit 90/2.5. I really like it. But may sell and go with Batis or GM 85 for AF. I like AF in this focal range. I'd prefer something at 90-105mm though.

SOLD:

FE 24-70. Meh and I am happy with a 35 or 50 in this range. I don't miss a midrange zoom, especially this one. I'd rather carry two bodies with, say, a 28 and 55 which is about equivalent for me.

FE 28. Excellent, but Batis better.

Loxia 50. Great, just decided to go with FE and Sonnar 50/1.5 pair.

Honorable mention: Ricoh GRII. Am using this often instead of the A7RII with the 25 or one of the 35s. I really enjoy using it and output fantastic when extra resolution not needed. SOOC b&w's are great, no post processing required which I love.




Apr 09, 2016 at 10:27 PM
Alexluu627
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Lenses you own, and how you feel about them


Sony A7r ii

Loxia 21mm f2.8 My favorite Zeiss lens currently. Amazing IQ and the build quality of 5 stars
Contax 35-70mm f3.4 Just bought this lens last week and haven't had much time to use it since the rain. But from my close macro food images i am very pleased.
Zeiss Otus 55mm f1.4 Used 100% of the time for my paid portrait and fashion shoots. Great lens, but not worth the price tag.
Zeiss Batis 85mm f1.8 Bought this lens just to have. I rarely use this lens. Still miss my Canon 85mm f1.2ii. I prefer rendering over sharpness.
Zeiss 135mm f2 Apo I use this lens for closer headshots and beauty. Pretty much a backup to my Otus 55mm if i feel like it doesn't get the shot i want.

Future purchases

Loxia 50mm f2 Been hearing nothing, but good things about this lens. I love the 50mm length and would love a walk around 50.
Still looking for a good 35mm though. Sold the Sony Fe 35mm f1.4 & 35mm f2.8 just would wasn't working out for me. One was to big and the other was just not hitting off right for me on colors. Feel like the Loxia is overpriced, but might buy. At this point i might do what Fred is doing and have a Sony RX1R.






Apr 10, 2016 at 01:58 AM
tzhang4284
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Lenses you own, and how you feel about them


I'll add my 2 cents coming from an enthusiast who has spent way too much money and time on this hobby:

Sony A7R II: Switched from Nikon D7000 to Sony A7 II to A7R II. Really the best camera and given my narrow set of needs, I'm curious what Sony will come out with to convince me to buy a mk iii or mk iv version.

Current:
Loxia 35: Much maligned especially by folks who complain about price relative to value but I think it's the best 35mm lens available on the Sony FE system when you consider: image quality, aperture, size, build quality and 3d pop. Pictures are sharp (except for the extreme corners as noted), the lens renders with a strong 3d quality, no distortion, great contrast and excellent colors. Drawbacks are the coma at f2 and edge sharpness performance. Don't want to spend the cash on the RX1R II but that would certainly be the best option at 35mm.

Loxia 50: This was my "downgrade" as I got mine for $600 used and sold my Sony Zeiss 55mm for $700. Great lens in its own right. The colors and contrast are great but I think the 55mm is sharper but I don't miss it.

Contax G 90mm: Have a love/hate relationship with this lens. It feels like on the Sony A7R II, sometimes, its just not sharp enough particularly on the corners - there is noticeable weakness even at f5.6 or f8. The colors and contrast doesn't seem to pop as much as the Loxia lenses either. However, the size relative to the image quality has made it hard for me to justify selling it and buying a Batis 85. I would like to replace it with a longer telephoto lens eventually but for now it stays.

Sony Zeiss 24-70mm f4: Bought a new copy for $800 US model. Much maligned but it's a strong lens at 35mm and 50mm with no issues. Weaker at 24 and 70. Colors and contrast are good and serves as my one AF zoom lens. Can't complain really.

Loxia 21: (On order). I had this for 18 hours before I returned it because B&H crushed the box it was shipped in. My two images looked good but nothing remarkable to test it on however will likely add this into my kit before my next trip.





Apr 10, 2016 at 02:56 AM
Viramati
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Lenses you own, and how you feel about them


Here are all my current lenses mostly bought for the Sony A7 series but some left over from my Leica days

A7rII. Main camera not really because of the pixel count but because it is the most versatile
A7II. Second body usually used with Loxia 50 or FE90
A7s. Low light king, small and light and I just love the files it creates. Had it since release and won't let it go.


CV 15 MkIII: A diminutive gem and a must at the price. FE version about to be released but I will probably stick with this one at it is so good.
Loxia 21: Superb lens with stunning IQ and rendering with close subjects. Accurate focussing takes a little practice due to the short focus throw at the infinity end.
FE28: fantastic lens for it's price. Bought it before I purchased the Leica Q and it hasn't been used since except for now as my Q has a problem and is being repaired.
CV35/1.2 nokton v.II: A big and heavy lens but has bokeh to die for wide open. Doesn't get a lot of use but enjoy it when I do, mostly used on A7s in low light.
FE16-35: For a zoom an excellent lens but doesn't quite equal the Loxia 21 and CV15 so it now only get used for documentary work when I like AF or if I really need a Zoom
FE55: Was my most used until I discovered it was slightly decentered and now only use it for people/documentary work where this isn't an issue
Loxia 50: Bought used and now most used lens for landscape and slower work along with the Loxia 21
FE24-70: I have a good copy and bought this lens when it was released. It really does nothing for me 'look' wise most of the time but I do find that it shines on the A7s and I use it for documentary work in this combination.
Canon 85/1.8 LTM (circa 1963): A very old lens which I occasionally use when I want a certain portrait look
FE90 macro: Again a superb all-round lens. If you really don't need 1.8 or 1.4 go for it as it is so versatile
Leica Apo-telyt 135/3.4: My only Leica lens that I have left. Fantastic IQ and so small compared to other offerings in this focal length. Keep it for occasional landscape work.
I really don't need any other lenses but would like to see more released with the same type of AF/MF system as the FE 90 (push-pull ring and proper MF with distance scale),if there was a 50 like this then I would go for it.
FE 24-70 GM would be nice but really it is just to big for me and goes against all the reasons I went into the A7series

Edited on Apr 11, 2016 at 04:59 PM · View previous versions



Apr 10, 2016 at 03:39 AM
garethwebber
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Lenses you own, and how you feel about them


I have been with Sony for a year having been a Pentax aps-c prime user.

I have the Batis 25, FE55, contax G90 and the Sony A70-300 in active use.

The Batis I haven't taken a bad photo with but wish it was a 35. I had and sold a FE35/2.8. It was perfectly sharp but I miss my Zeiss ZK35/2 from Pentax days so sold it when I got the Batis.

The 55 is similarly great but I preferred the rendering of my Nokton 58/1.4 from Pentax days.

I used to have the Pentax limited primes and loved the shots (when the auto focus worked). I get more keepers now (better AF) but slightly miss the colours and rendering I had.

The G90 I used a lot but now tend to use the zoom if I am capturing the kids outside. The Sony is surprisingly good (and cheap on the second hand market)

I have the CV15 on pre-order and will let you know.

In short Batis 25 brilliant but a bit wider than I am used to. 55 good sharpness. G90 - a good zoom is as good in this range.

Gareth



Apr 10, 2016 at 04:55 AM
Paul Mo
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Lenses you own, and how you feel about them


EF 15mm f2.8 - cheapish, extremely wide, compact, unique look if you chose to shoot it that way, sharp enough. Gets me into tight spaces - I can get the shot. Can be corrected using FishEye Hemi or Photoshop. Great travel lens, but the IRIX is looming...

FE 28mm - great value, haptics are non-existent, compact but getting less use due to owning an...

RX1 - 35 f2 Sonnar - extremely good value given total sensor, optics and camera package. 3D in full effect, sharp, gorgeous. What's not to love? A great companion to the 100mm Tokina on the A7 II.

100 Tokina AT-X Pro - sharp, fringy, noisy crap AF but compact. A great travel macro that will AF on the MB IV and A7 II. May see less use when/if an FE 85 f2 appears. But usually 85 MFD's are abysmal and getting close matters to me - frustrates the hell out of me when I want to get close but can't. Much smaller than the FE 90mm G, which matters for travel, and at 1/7th the cost.

EF 35mm f2 IS bought before the RX1, but will remain (perhaps) for when 5D Mark II prices totally tank.

EF 50mm F1.8 STM - a great lens with classic character. 1/8th the cost of an FE 55 bought because of the value and compact size. A convenient, useful EDC/travel prime.

EF 135 f2L - the legend. My go-to concert event lens that can be mated to a 1.4x II Tele to give a 190mm f2.8 for extra reach. AF's very well on the A7 II and MB IV - will never be replaced.

Random assorted zooms... including a Nikon to go on a DX Body when a junker (D90?) falls into my lap. For use in harsh conditions - camera abuse.




Apr 10, 2016 at 06:37 AM
MJKoski
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Lenses you own, and how you feel about them


I have only two at the moment.

Zony 16-35: Not very good in anything and not bright enough. Sucks due to abysmal edge performance. I got this as I got rid of the WA TS-E lenses due to bad performance with R2 & MB4. I plan on getting 17mm back as I cannot live without the movements.

SAL16-35 Zeiss wipes the floor with zony 16-35. I know this because I had one.

Canon 90mm TS-E. Supertelephoto performance with minimal cost. Offers possibilities far above standard lenses. I cannot understand how these do not get used more.



Apr 10, 2016 at 07:08 AM
rji2goleez
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Lenses you own, and how you feel about them


This is a fun thread. I love reading other's thoughts on what they're shooting.

Current:
A7rII - I love this thing and it feels like it's become an extension of me. I can do anything I want with this camera. The dynamic range, high ISO, all the mechanics just work for me. I've solved the battery issue by rigging a dummy battery to an external with a DC output. I can shoot timelapse all night long now.

A6300 - I bought this for wildlife shooting . . . not necessarily BIF but we have tons of loons on the lake. Good high ISO performance. I think I'll use this for street shooting as well since it's smaller, light and less noticeable than the A7rII. Love the 11FPS!

CV 15/4.5 III - As others have said, this lens is a gem. If you don't already have it, get it. I have the M-mount and it will be interesting to see what the E-Mount brings. I bought this lens to replace my Zeiss Distagon 15/2.8 EF and have not regretted it one bit. Wait till you see how small the Voigtlander is!

Loxia 21/2.8 - Simply a great lens. Love the color and rendering. It pops.

Batis 25/2 - Zeiss lens character with AF . . . what a combination. This lens continues to surprise me. Rendering is different than the Loxia 21 but all Zeiss at the same time. I love close focusing with this lens . . . gives great bokeh even at this wide FL.

Loxia 35/2 - I had this lens, sold it for the FE35/1.4 and decided it was too large for my purposes. Yes the f/1.4 had AF but I'm more an MF guy. I found the f/1.4 sitting on the house too often because of size alone. So, back to the Loxia. I like this lens a lot.

Voigtlander Ulton 35/1.7 - The rendering of this lens is definitely Voigtlander. Colors are a bit flatter but in a positive way. Sharp, sharp, sharp! I can't decide if I should let the Loxia go and keep this. It's really an outstanding lens. Wide open is OK and sharpens up by F/2.

Loxia 50 - Just simply wonderful! I only recently acquired it and I love what it produces.

FE55/1.8 - Probably the sharpest lens out there besides Otus. I still prefer the Loxia. The FE55 has a more clinical/sterile look to it. I'll probably keep it on the A6300 for street shooting.

Batis 85 - A lens I don't shoot as often but should. Every time I pop this lens on the camera I love the results. Very sharp in a subtle way that I can't describe. Excellent for portrait.

FE16-35/4 - This is a wonderful wide angle zoom. When I need to run and gun (street, party, gatherings), you can't beat it's performance. A very good lens.

Sony 70-400G2 - I had the FE70-200/4 and the Tammy 150-600. This beats them both. A-Mount adapted with the LE-EA3, AF is good and the images produced at 400 are way more than acceptable. Will use this mostly on the A6300 giving me 600mm equivalent reach.

Rokinon 14/2.8 - Recently acquired for one reason . . . Astrophotography. Don't be fooled by the low price of this lens, it's sharp and while it's totally manual, it's a pretty easy lens to use.

Minolta 35-70/3.5 Macro - A wonderfully sharp single lens solution. I'm constantly pleased with the images this lens puts out. At a cost of $130, it will never make sense to get rid of this lens.

Canon FD 24/2.8 - I don't use this a much anymore since getting the Batis 25 but this is a nice small lens that gives very good results.

Future

Sony 24-70GM - I'm trying to resist this lens as I really don't need it but there's an awful lot of good stuff with it already



Edited on Apr 11, 2016 at 08:49 PM · View previous versions



Apr 10, 2016 at 08:05 AM
trogdon
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Lenses you own, and how you feel about them


Sony a850: Great camera that I have a love/hate relationship with. At ISO 200, it's a great camera and fairly competitive by today's standards. Colors are great, but dynamic range isn't at the same levels of my a7r, but that only really matters for landscape. Above ISO 200 and it's not so good. Wish it was a bit lighter and smaller too. Great viewfinder, very accurate center AF point, 24mp that looks really good when shot right, access to a bunch of classic lenses natively, and most of the time you can't tell it from my a7r in actual viewing. My A mount lenses perform better on this camera than on my a7r + LA-EA 3 combo, because this has the exact correct flange distance, where that combo does not.

Sony a7r: Brilliant camera, the only issue I have is the shutter and trying to get blur free shots at 1/60th-1/200th can be a challenge. The 16-35mm OSS has alleviated that issue to a large degree. The other issue is the LA-EA 3 not lining up perfectly, which causes issues with floating element lenses (which all of my lenses are) I've tried shimming it but it's a little difficult given the internal layout.

RX100: A camera I love, but also am conflicted with. When it works, it works insanely well. The popup flash is the main reason I keep it around

Lenses:

Sony 16-35mm f4: Brilliant lens. Sold a Tokina 17mm, Canon FD 20mm f2.8, and Sony 28mm f2 to get it, and across the frame it is better than all of them at comparable apertures. Very much enjoy this lens

Samyang 24mm f1.4: Probably my favorite lens. A touch soft wide open, but I love the focal length/aperture combination. I wouldn't hesitate to replace with a Sigma 24mm f1.4 if one existed in A mount, thought about going with the Zeiss 24mm f2 as well for AF reasons but I would miss the 1.4. Manual focus is a bit sloppy, and performance on the a7r is not as good as the a850 due to the floating element, but still I love this lens.

Sony 24-70mm f2.8 Zeiss: Great lens, I don't use it that much because it is heavy. Bought as a nice standard zoom (I missed my 16-50mm f2.8 from my a77 days) because everything else I used disappointed me, but yeah it's very large and heavy, and the a7r kills the a850 for the landscape situations I commonly use these focal lengths in. Mostly it gets used at 24-35mm, which is a range the 16-35 isn't bad in.

Sigma 35mm f1.4: Fantastic lens, but I just don't use it a lot for some reason. I can't get 35mm to work as well for me as 24mm for the shots I like, not really sure why.

Contax 35mm f2: Nice and small on the a7r, but not great unless stopped down a ton. It's fine on the G1 which is why I keep it. Fun to use when going lightweight.

Canon FD 35-70mm f4: Stupidly sharp lens, at 35mm and 50mm it is as good as primes I've used. But it flares badly and is awkward to use (the internal elements don't always fall in line correctly, infinity focus sometimes lines on the mark, and sometimes is on the 5m mark). The range and aperture limits cause me to not bring it out much, but it is a fantastic lens.

Minolta AF 50mm f3.5 macro: Good macro, but I don't shoot macro other than product photos, which the 24-70mm does just as good but is more flexible. Trying to sell because it just doesn't fit my needs.

Canon FL 55mm f1.2: A lens I try and love, but just don't. I've gotten some incredible photos with it, but in most instances I just can't vibe with the low contrast and very harsh bokeh. I plan on replacing with the FE 55mm, but honestly I'm not sure how much I even like the focal length

Contax G 90mm f2.8: This lens is a stunner. Awkward to use, but when you nail a shot, it is immense. I use for landscapes mostly, I can't really seem to use it well for portraits. Would potentially replace with a Sony 85mm f2.8 because it would give me AF on the a850, but I'm worried the manual focus experience would be even worse on the a7r and I'd lose some Contax bite

Sigma 180mm f5.6: A rare gem, and that's why I own it. It's actually apochromatic which is impressive, and when AF locks on, the image quality is great. Bought for long landscapes, which it's okay at but not perfect.



Apr 10, 2016 at 01:59 PM
nandadevieast
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Lenses you own, and how you feel about them


A slightly different take on my possible ownership of FE system:

Sony A7rII: A camera i really wanted to buy, to gain entry into FE system. I thought about it so long and so hard that now its time for the successor. If i buy it now, i will almost certainly sell it to buy the newer model. That will be a loss and a waste of money. As to why I didn't buy it initially, i believed then that the camera isn't really a mature product. The moment it was launched, i knew we will have a winner next time round. So i am waiting for that.

55/1.8: What a lens! Gets universal praise, except finicky folks at photozone.de. If i had an A7xx, this could have been my first lens because no other native 50 would have been available then. It would have been small and sharp though a bit sterile. But you already know that. I would have sold this for a...

50/1.8: A lens that should have been there since day one. Alas, that was not to be and i would have to buy a 55/1.8.
I like small lenses. I do not like sharp corners. So a great lens for my A7r III overall.

35/2.8: I could not connect with this one at all, even if i never had it because i never had a camera to mount it on. I picked it up couple of times, looked at it from behind some glass, but in the end decided not to buy it. Should have been a F2 for me to spend exactly this kind of money on it. Note to Sony: You should launch RX1R lens for this system.

35/1.4: Too big and heavy for a workhorse focal length. Had i bought it, it would have been a big mistake. I would have tested it and tested it till the cows come home and my copy would have been almost certainly decentered.

I bought a Sigma 35/1.4 in the past for my Nikon D800E (again, a big mistake), and i disliked it immediately. Then i sold it off. I think it would have been the same with this lens. With the added in-convenience of the fact that finding a buyer would have been really difficult. (Who would buy a de-centered lens?). Sony resale prices are not too great either. A total loss.

Batis 25: I am sure i would never have bought this one. I love 24mm FL. But i do not know why they made a 25mm lens. At wide end, 1mm makes a huge difference and that 1mm would have haunted me till the time i'd have had this lens.

Jokes apart, this would have been a sharp lens, but too expensive for a guy who would rather buy a camera to mount it in the first place.

Batis 85: Cats eyes. Too slow for the asking price. Too fat. Light but looks big in the pictures. Treads the middle path. Sharpness in not everything, ask any portrait photographer.

Loxia 21: i would have been torn between this and 16-35. Would have posted questions like "can an ultra wide landscape prime be the only lens that you use?", "Loxia 21 vs FE 16-35: which one will you buy?", and answers to those wouldn't have been able to sort things out at all.

In my case, i would consider 16-35 for the reason that i would be getting 'more in less'. In the end, i would have bought 21 to satisfy the MF itch. Needless to say, a misplaced judgement like always. God knows i would have been better off with the zoom but no, I wouldn't buy it.

Fantastic lens, if i could get a good copy.

Loxia 50: A lens i would love to read about than actually have it. Its a great lens, especially stopped down. But would have needed AF at this focal length. So no.

FE 70-200 F4: Too big. Only goes to 200mm. If i had it, it would have made the camera look funny. Not for A7 series bodies.

FE24-70: Well, this is the maximum size a zoom should be allowed to grow. Even a GM. This particular one had everything going for it, till the reviews came out.

GM24-70: As a potential Sony fan, the only pleasure i get from this lens is that now Canon and Nikon fans have one less point to make.

Loxia 35: Have you noticed that Loxia and Batis lines are a little mixed up. This one should have been a Batis sans Batis looks. Even Loxia 50 should have been an AF lens. Personally, i do not like Batis looks..,i really love the way Loxia lenses look. A lens should look like a lens.

GM85: Its little foolish for me to buy it but i know i will. I am a sucker for the potential that this kind of lens has. I doubt that i would ever sell it. I will take care of it scared that the motor might break. It will still be almost new years from now.

28/2: I would buy it in a blink. But it wouldn't see any use, like all the 28s i have owned previously. Its a focal length i really want to use. But it will never happen. What i really want is a 35 or 40. At least thats what i think.

A6300: This is the dude thats gonna take my money one of these days, to mount my future 70-300. I will go and buy it the day i resolve "80D+100-400 vs 6300+70-300" in my head. With the first option i will get 640 and 900 with TC 1.4. If i buy A6300, this is what will keep playing in my head, till i sell it off. This is where the DSLRs are still better.

Amen.

Edited on Apr 10, 2016 at 03:31 PM · View previous versions



Apr 10, 2016 at 02:24 PM
Fred Miranda
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Lenses you own, and how you feel about them


Wow, this is a great thread! Lot's a great info for potential buyers.


Apr 10, 2016 at 02:27 PM
MJKoski
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Lenses you own, and how you feel about them


FE 35/2.8: I had one and sold it to fund 24mm TS-E mk2 which did not work with bog standard MB adapter. Likely buying it back for hiking trips to complement 21mm Loxia. It is very snappy landscape prime and takes stacked filters with ease.


Apr 10, 2016 at 03:13 PM
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