Thinking about switching from a D750 to a Sony A7r III. What's the best adapter to use the Nikon 105 1.4E on the Sony? anyone have any experience on how well it does or doesn't work with this combo?
Premier vendor is Commlite but the track record so far is less than stellar, and way behind Metabones for Canon EF lenses. Another F/FE adapter is B&H house brand Vello which has little feedback and is just as expensive. I have refrained from adapting any of my F lenses to avoid the hassle. We'll soon see if Z mount is the answer to our MILC dreams.
agelessphotog wrote:
Thinking about switching from a D750 to a Sony A7r III. What's the best adapter to use the Nikon 105 1.4E on the Sony? anyone have any experience on how well it does or doesn't work with this combo?
The 105E is a superb lens but adapting may suit for slower and static subjects but I would move to a GM 85 with A7rIII. Some can tolerate adapters but after several years of mediocre performance I now keep with native lenses
agelessphotog wrote:
Thinking about switching from a D750 to a Sony A7r III. What's the best adapter to use the Nikon 105 1.4E on the Sony? anyone have any experience on how well it does or doesn't work with this combo?
I use the commlite adapter CM-ENF-E1 with V06 firmware on A9 with latest fw, it works, you can use both AF-S and AF-C and some of the the different AF-settings, support eyeAF in both AF-S and AF-C, however...
As other have mentioned, it's far away from native mount and it's also far away from adapted EF-mount, both regarding speed and fw stability. I quite often need to restart the camera by taking out the battery, simple power off/on is not enough.
But when it works, it's really good and it's a fantastic piece of glass.
When I moved from D700/D4s to Sony A9 I kept my 105 and bought an adapter, I then later bought the 85GM , which also a fantastic piece of glass, but I tend to like the 105 better (actually selling the GM as we speak).
I'm just a trigger happy grandpa though, shooting for family and fun, so stability and occasional hunting is not that critical for my usadge, but nevertheless I'll be following the Z6 and if the AF with adapted F when released is good enough, I might add one of those just to get an better experience with the 105.
Unfortunately the read out speed on the A9 is addictive, so it will be hard to go back to mechanical shutter to avoid e-shutter problems.
So I think you have to decide how important the 105 is for you ? if that's your mostly used lens and you really can't see any other that can replace it, either:
- Keep the 750 together with a new RIII and adapter
or
- Choose an Z7 instead and start to build a native lens collection, while using your current F-glass adapted.
I probably would have done the later if it would have been available early 2017.
Don't forget that Sigma also got a 105/1.4 nowadays, I'm still to be convinced that it's as good or better than my Nikon, but at least it's available with either EF-mount or E-mount it seems to work just fine on Sony A7/9 (also cheaper).
agelessphotog wrote:
Thinking about switching from a D750 to a Sony A7r III. What's the best adapter to use the Nikon 105 1.4E on the Sony? anyone have any experience on how well it does or doesn't work with this combo?
Thanks for the article Jtra, I have made the same switch as you, and I had similar experience. The eye focus changed the way I take pictures, and I now use the AF-C in a camera for the first time thanks to it. I also use Adapted lenses and it works ok in good lighting conditions for Nikon lenses, and very well with Canon lenses. But sure, Zeiss 55 and Sony 85 1.8 work a lot better...
The real game changer is : no more AF fine tuning. Focus is now spot on.
The new portrait mode on phones has gotten really good, every time I see someone post a picture on facebook I cringe a little given how good the images look and how little effort was needed to get them. I can still tell, it's not there yet, but man it's getting close. Then I drag out my gear for even the briefest of photos and I remember why it's all worth it. D850+105f1.4e is just straight magic.
On of my son yesterday as we went to take some batting practice.
D850, 105 f1.4e @ f1.4, 1/500s, iso64
and it's a fantastic piece of glass.
. Would not trade it for love nor money.
