Personally, the GF1 /EP cameras have reached the minimum size I can live with.
Still one thing that I am surpised at, is that the alpha mount adapter does not AF. I would think the full compatibility between DSLR and EVIL to be a very strong selling point for companies that offer both...
I would imagine the mount adapter AF has to do with both screwdrive issues and power. Most Sony lenses require a screwdrive to operate, so that makes things very complicated. For those lenses that have the newer SSM/SAM system, I notice quite a bit of battery drain compared to my screwdrive lenses. I'm wondering if the small NEX battery could even handle the extra load of driving big lenses with internal motors?
douglasf13 wrote:
I would imagine the mount adapter AF has to do with both screwdrive issues and power. Most Sony lenses require a screwdrive to operate, so that makes things very complicated. For those lenses that have the newer SSM/SAM system, I notice quite a bit of battery drain compared to my screwdrive lenses. I'm wondering if the small NEX battery could even handle the extra load of driving big lenses with internal motors?
not only that but there seems to be some difference in the way lens motors are optimized for contrast detect versus phase detect autofocus. panasonic cameras can't even autofocus 4/3 lenses that were not designed for contrast detect autofocus. olympus µ4/3 cameras can autofocus those older lenses but it is super slow and not worth the trouble from what i've heard. i suspect sony decided they couldn't make it work well so they just shouldn't include it at all.
Ah, good point! I forgot all about the different protocols for CDAF and PDAF and how the AF might perform. Regardless, to me, mounting huge Alpha lenses on such a tiny camera would rarely happen. If I did, it would probably be on a tripod, and I wouldn't need AF.
Come to think of it, using my Alpha 20mm 2.8 on the NEX-5 might be a cool little landscape setup, and focusing would be a breeze with the NEX's manual focusing options.
douglasf13 wrote:
Ah, good point! I forgot all about the different protocols for CDAF and PDAF and how the AF might perform. Regardless, to me, mounting huge Alpha lenses on such a tiny camera would rarely happen. If I did, it would probably be on a tripod, and I wouldn't need AF.
Come to think of it, using my Alpha 20mm 2.8 on the NEX-5 might be a cool little landscape setup, and focusing would be a breeze with the NEX's manual focusing options.
Also, they are putting IS in the new E-mount lenses and not in the body so that will be another reason not to use ZA lenses on it.
if the NEX 7 has an EVF and IBIS and zeiss puts out a compact WA for these cameras (something in the ~15-18mm range...perhaps a compact version of the ZA 18-80) then I'd be very interested.... id obviously love to see some fast zeiss primes too but something compact and versatile with zeiss IQ would be the ticket for me.
The OVF looks cool. I really think it's a promising start.
That's just a bare bones viewfinder right? I'll take mine with electronics signaled through the hot shoe, with projected focus arrows and confirmation like on a D700/D3. (Joking... but seriously.)
It's an interesting development for sure i think it's still anyones guess what - if anything - canon/nikon might do.
I'm not interested myself having a gf1 i will just wait a few years.
At the rate digital technology is advancing i honestly think we'll see a full frame reasonably priced "micro camera" in 3-5 years.
One has to wonder what digital cameras will look like in 10 years?
I wonder how leica would be impacted if a full frame M mount digital camera came out in 5 years with comparable quality to a leica.
Also nobody is going to buy a prime lens that sucks - I don't know numbers but i don't think many mom and pops buy prime lenses anymore. It's all about what has the biggest zoom. I hope that 16mm turns out better than it looks.
DPreview has a set of sample images up. The 16mm lens looks like all distortion with a small center of possible clarity. The other lens looks no better than anything already on the market.
An optical (not EVF) finder that has a proprietary attachment to the camera seems kind of dumb.
Sony must just love everyone discussing how much they are looking forward to using Sony cameras without Sony lenses even before the cameras are publicly available, especially since (like inkjet printers are made to sell ink cartridges) interchangeable lens camera bodies are made to sell lenses.
