p.197 #1 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
TooManyShots wrote:
The haze issue has much to do with the lens internal design. When the focus is at the max distance (closest), there is a big gap between the last of the rear lens elements to the ones at the center. This gap is exposed to the internal chamber of the lens barrel. If oil or grease begins to gas off due to the extreme heat or the environments, moisture can get to the rear lens elements. Is an easy fix once you open the rear lens elements. BTW, how smooth is your focusing ring on your Tamron? After oiling and lubing mine, it has gotten smoother but not silky smooth. I mainly used this lens for my DSLR scanning my medium format film negatives. I did some initial testing on my D7000 at wide open. Is sharp even at wide open, on a 16mp body no less. ...Show more →
Mine is smooth, just about right, for smaller/slower changes in focus. It takes more force to make a large/fast change in focus, but it's still smooth. Part of the issue is being a macro lens, the lens has a very long focus throw.
p.197 #2 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
TooManyShots wrote:
The haze issue has much to do with the lens internal design. When the focus is at the max distance (closest), there is a big gap between the last of the rear lens elements to the ones at the center. This gap is exposed to the internal chamber of the lens barrel. If oil or grease begins to gas off due to the extreme heat or the environments, moisture can get to the rear lens elements. Is an easy fix once you open the rear lens elements. BTW, how smooth is your focusing ring on your Tamron? After oiling and lubing mine, it has gotten smoother but not silky smooth. I mainly used this lens for my DSLR scanning my medium format film negatives. I did some initial testing on my D7000 at wide open. Is sharp even at wide open, on a 16mp body no less. ...Show more →
Mine is smooth, just about right, for smaller/slower changes in focus. It takes more force to make a large/fast change in focus, but it's still smooth. Part of the issue is being a macro lens, the lens has a very long focus throw.
p.197 #3 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
Vern Dewit wrote:
Couldn't resist a great deal on a full set of brand new, in box Contax G (Carl Zeiss) lenses - all in the rare black color to match my Sony A7S.
These are in such pristine condition I hardly want to use them... The fact that they're tiny and AF (with the Techart adapter) makes me much less inclined to leave them in their boxes though. Much testing to be done.
Early tests indicate that they do AF very well up to f/4 on the A7S in dim light and the 28, 45 and 90 are all biteingly sharp even wide open. The 21mm is going to require more testing. It's better than expected but dang - the rear of that lens must be 1mm from the sensor! ...Show more →
Sweet, Vern. Congrats! Out of curiosity, are you seeing and color issues with the 28?
p.197 #4 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
Minolta Rokkor 85/2,at last.What a great lens!Konica Hexanon AR 135/2.5 - nice,solid and sharp!Back up copy of the OM Zuiko 24/2.8.Shall this be good this time?We'll see
p.197 #5 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
I need to be barred from going to camera shows. Despite my resolve to buy only a macro lens, I ended up with a Super Takumar 200mm f4 today at a local show for $35. Not sure what I'll use it for, but the price was too good to pass up.
p.197 #6 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
Peire wrote:
Minolta Rokkor 85/2,at last.What a great lens!Konica Hexanon AR 135/2.5 - nice,solid and sharp!Back up copy of the OM Zuiko 24/2.8.Shall this be good this time?We'll see
i have the 85 1.7 and like it a lot. i think minoltas are great for portraits, good bokeh and good rendering
p.197 #8 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
Vern Dewit wrote:
Yes, and the 16mm . But aside from the 35/2 (which is on my radar), the other two don't AF with the adapter. Now obviously I don't care that much about AF since I have so much MF alt glass (OM and Leica) but the AF is a bonus that could come in handy for certain situations. At f/2, the 35mm would be the fastest solution that autofocuses at that focal length on the A7S. I can already tell that the 28/2.8 will be a favorite walk-around lens on it and I'm certain it's smaller than the FE 28/2 that's rumored to be coming soon. And cheaper.
I have the 35-70 zoom and the older version 2 of the AF adapter. The AF works for me with the zoom. I also have a similar set to you the 21, 28, 45, and 90. My 45 doesn't AF due to contact problems according to mx camera when I asked them why. To use the 21 you need to cut the feet off but on the A7S it still smears and has color casts in the corners. That's the only contax g lens I have issues on with the A7S.
p.197 #9 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
Slingers wrote:
I have the 35-70 zoom and the older version 2 of the AF adapter. The AF works for me with the zoom. I also have a similar set to you the 21, 28, 45, and 90. My 45 doesn't AF due to contact problems according to mx camera when I asked them why. To use the 21 you need to cut the feet off but on the A7S it still smears and has color casts in the corners. That's the only contax g lens I have issues on with the A7S.
Yes - the 21 smears a bit in the corners, but I didn't have to cut anything off to use it with the Golden Eagle adapter on my A7S
After trying the AF adapter while hiking this past weekend, I realized that the Contax G system doesn't work for me. Although the lenses are awesome and the AF usually works (!!), when I'm out climbing and hiking the idea of using the tiny focusing wheel with gloves or while I'm in a hurry, with no option to use full MF (like on my OM's) it simply isn't a workable or fun solution. If only they had the ability to do full MF I would keep them. As it is, they're all on fleabay now. You live and learn!
p.197 #10 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
Vern Dewit wrote:
Yes - the 21 smears a bit in the corners, but I didn't have to cut anything off to use it with the Golden Eagle adapter on my A7S
After trying the AF adapter while hiking this past weekend, I realized that the Contax G system doesn't work for me. Although the lenses are awesome and the AF usually works (!!), when I'm out climbing and hiking the idea of using the tiny focusing wheel with gloves or while I'm in a hurry, with no option to use full MF (like on my OM's) it simply isn't a workable or fun solution. If only they had the ability to do full MF I would keep them. As it is, they're all on fleabay now. You live and learn!
Before selling the Contax G lenses you might send a PM to Derek (sebboh). He might have a suggestion about MF for the lenses, but I am not sure of the cost and if it would be worth the effort.
p.197 #11 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
naturephoto1 wrote:
Vern,
Before selling the Contax G lenses you might send a PM to Derek (sebboh). He might have a suggestion about MF for the lenses, but I am not sure of the cost and if it would be worth the effort.
Rich
Thanks Rich. I got these for a good price and was always considering selling them if I didn't love them. Since I have WATE coming and am picking up a local MATE today, I'm thinking I can use the $$$ elsewhere... I love MF on the A7S - I don't like if it's 'fiddly' though - it has to be smooth and fast.
The G lenses are great color and size-wise, but honestly nothing special about either the 21 or the 28 compared to my OM's and hopefully the WATE / MATE are (much) better.
p.197 #12 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
Vern Dewit wrote:
Thanks Rich. I got these for a good price and was always considering selling them if I didn't love them. Since I have WATE coming and am picking up a local MATE today, I'm thinking I can use the $$$ elsewhere... I love MF on the A7S - I don't like if it's 'fiddly' though - it has to be smooth and fast.
The G lenses are great color and size-wise, but honestly nothing special about either the 21 or the 28 compared to my OM's and hopefully the WATE / MATE are (much) better.
Vern,
OK. I am not sure how the MATE is supposed to perform on the A7s. As I recall, it was not a good match for either the A7r or the A7.
p.197 #13 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
naturephoto1 wrote:
Vern,
OK. I am not sure how the MATE is supposed to perform on the A7s. As I recall, it was not a good match for either the A7r or the A7.
Rich
Hmmm. I can't find any reviews of the MATE on Sony A7 series? That's not encouraging though... Since I'm probably getting an "M" next year, I'm trying to double up on lenses that will work on both the Sony and the M. Can you PM me reviews of the MATE on an A7/R? (I've found positive stuff like http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/53218488 - but nothing negative yet?)
p.197 #14 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
Vern Dewit wrote:
Hmmm. I can't find any reviews of the MATE on Sony A7 series? That's not encouraging though... Since I'm probably getting an "M" next year, I'm trying to double up on lenses that will work on both the Sony and the M. Can you PM me reviews of the MATE on an A7/R? (I've found positive stuff like http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/53218488 - but nothing negative yet?)
Vern,
I know that at least originally on lcamera forum there were some users that made comment about M lenses on the A7 and A7r and they were not going to get one and they mentioned they had tried the cameras with several WA M lenses including the MATE and the WATE.
I could have sworn that I saw some comments someplace though beyond that and I am now having problems finding anything about the MATE with the A7 series cameras. I could very well be mistaken since I am struggling to find anything on line.
You may turn out to be a guinea pig.
Be aware that the MATE must be used at the assigned 28mm, 35mm, and 50mm focal lengths unlike the newer designed WATE which can be adjusted at focal lengths between the assigned click stops of 16mm, 18mm, and 21mm. The WATE is actually then able to "zoom" to the in between focal lengths like a normal zoom lens though it has actual click stops for the focal lengths.
p.197 #15 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
Vern Dewit wrote:
Thanks Rich. I got these for a good price and was always considering selling them if I didn't love them. Since I have WATE coming and am picking up a local MATE today, I'm thinking I can use the $$$ elsewhere... I love MF on the A7S - I don't like if it's 'fiddly' though - it has to be smooth and fast.
The G lenses are great color and size-wise, but honestly nothing special about either the 21 or the 28 compared to my OM's and hopefully the WATE / MATE are (much) better.
i agree the manual focus on the g series isn't worth the trouble, that's why i transferred mine into real helicoids with nice old school metal focus rings that work great with gloves. i don't agree about the g21 and g28 being nothing special compared to the OMs, on film the g wides were unmatched. both lenses have serious smearing issues on the a7 series though (even the s from what i've seen).
since you have the rarer black versions i would definitely sell them, but if you want a version of one of the lenses with real manual focus you can always pick up a silver version and i can send you the schematics to have a cnc shop make you the parts for a manual focus conversion. so far i only have the g45 and g28 (might be compatible with the g35 as well must check), am working on the g90 and will hopefully get a g21 some point to convert.
p.197 #16 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
naturephoto1 wrote:
You may turn out to be a guinea pig.
Be aware that the MATE must be used at the assigned 28mm, 35mm, and 50mm focal lengths unlike the newer designed WATE which can be adjusted at focal lengths between the assigned click stops of 16mm, 18mm, and 21mm. The WATE is actually then able to "zoom" to the in between focal lengths like a normal zoom lens though it has actual click stops for the focal lengths.
Rich
Yes - I'll report my findings! And yes, I knew that the WATE was a true zoom, whereas the MATE is not. Thanks for your feedback!
p.197 #17 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
sebboh wrote:
i agree the manual focus on the g series isn't worth the trouble, that's why i transferred mine into real helicoids with nice old school metal focus rings that work great with gloves. i don't agree about the g21 and g28 being nothing special compared to the OMs, on film the g wides were unmatched. both lenses have serious smearing issues on the a7 series though (even the s from what i've seen).
since you have the rarer black versions i would definitely sell them, but if you want a version of one of the lenses with real manual focus you can always pick up a silver version and i can send you the schematics to have a cnc shop make you the parts for a manual focus conversion. so far i only have the g45 and g28 (might be compatible with the g35 as well must check), am working on the g90 and will hopefully get a g21 some point to convert. ...Show more →
Thanks! I meant the G's weren't special compared to the OM's for me, on my A7S... They are probably better lenses on film cameras, but that's neither here nor there for me.
The G28 actually doesn't have a 'serious' smearing issue - only minor as far as I could tell. The G21 is slightly worse - much worse than my OM18 for sure. I'll wait (pun intended) to see how my two Leica Tri-Elmar's operate before sinking anymore money or time into alt lenses for now.
p.197 #18 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
Vern Dewit wrote:
Hmmm. I can't find any reviews of the MATE on Sony A7 series? That's not encouraging though... Since I'm probably getting an "M" next year, I'm trying to double up on lenses that will work on both the Sony and the M. Can you PM me reviews of the MATE on an A7/R? (I've found positive stuff like http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/53218488 - but nothing negative yet?)
One of our members bought one recently and tested it thoroughly with an A7, found it not suitable for this camera, and sold it again right away. It was not really sharp into the corners until f11 or so, and even then with severe fringing. Not in the same class as the WATE. I am not sure if there was any copy variation in play.
. But aside from the 35/2 (which is on my radar), the other two don't AF with the adapter. Now obviously I don't care that much about AF since I have so much MF alt glass (OM and Leica) but the AF is a bonus that could come in handy for certain situations. At f/2, the 35mm would be the fastest solution that autofocuses at that focal length on the A7S. I can already tell that the 28/2.8 will be a favorite walk-around lens on it and I'm certain it's smaller than the FE 28/2
