Adapters and Lenses

[Michael Liebergot]

I could use some help in regards to adapters and lens section on a couple of items.
I am looking to transition over to all Sony (EA50 and adding A7s and maybe A7Mark2).

I would like to only have to transport 3-5 lens max for my cameras. So while I love primes, zoom lenses are still my best friend here.

With that said there isn't a ton of fast E-Mount glass. But there is some nice Alpha mount lenses.
So with this said I was looking to go with Alpha mount lenses to take advantage of the LA-EA3 or LA-EA4 adapters. I would rather go with this adapter than the Metabones and EF mount, as I hear too many complaints about the Metabones and not too many about the Sony Alpha adapter. Also I want a smart adapter and not a dumb one, as I need IRIS control and AF (although I focus manually a lot, but do use push focus often) and IS is a must for a long lens.

I'm looking to add a couple of lenses one being the Sigma - 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art Lens.
As it is probably one of the fastest lenses out there in this focal length. I would use this as my general walk around shooting lens. It gives me the range of 3 primes, 28mm, 35mm, and 50mm, in one lens.

The other I was looking to add was a long 70-200mm zoom lens. My choices are Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG APO OS or Sony - FE 70-200mm f/4.0 G OSS Lenses. Now I realize that one is faster than the other but hear me out.

I need IS on a long lens so with that being said the LA-EA4 adapter transmits all electronic functions to camera (AF, IRIS, IS), but you do lose 1.3 stops because of the mirror. So my 70-200 2.8 Sigma functions at a f3.2. With this said is it best to forgo an adapter and go native Sony glass on these cameras. Or take the hit with the LA-EA4 to get AF, IRIS, and IS?

Since the Sigma 18-35 doesn't have IS so I would stick with the LA-EA3 and not lose any light.

What I like about the Sony 70-200 is that I could slap it on a A7s and shoot Full Frame or Crop and f4 for low light with this camera won't be an issue.

So basically should I go Sigma 70-200 f2.8 with LA-EA4 adapter and lose 1.3 stops (f3.2), or go with Sony 70-200 f4 native mount?

And if I go with Sigma 70-200 I would most likely have both LA-EA3 (for Sigma 18-35 f1.8) and LA-EA4 for Sigma 70-200 f2.8 as I want the IS for this lens.

[Chris Harding]

Hi Michael

I have yet to see anyone that uses a lens adapter that provides perfect auto function of iris, focus and IS

Have you looked at Metabones adapters?? Steve Digges seems to have no issues with them but I'm not sure exactly what he uses the adapter for and what he expects from it.

I have Nikon still cameras so it makes sense to me to have a Nikon-E-Mount adapter so I can share lenses. I could see the usefulness of getting A-Mount lenses if you have an A-Mount camera and then share with your EA-50 but I don't have that ... A-Mounts are pretty pricey too compared to generic lenses like the Sigma's and Tamrons

It however will be very interesting to see how well Sony LA adapters work on the EA-50 and how well they control all the functions with a A-Mount up front

Please keep us updated

Chris

[Michael Liebergot]

Chris I'm aware of the Metabones adapter and am even waiting on my free adpter from the Sony promotion.

The quandary I have is that I am looking at going with a Sony camera line-up, EA50, A6000 or A7 Mark2, and A7s.

So with that said I would prefer e mount lenses, but in some categories those lenses don't currently exist.
This is why I was looking to the Sigma 18-35mms 1.8 and Sigma 70-200mms 2.8. I can get these in Sony A mount or Canon EF but not e mount. Because of this I need an adapter, the question is which one.

I was leaning to a Sony A mount because I figure there is better comparability with using all Sony products camera, a mount, and LA-EA3 or LA-EA4 adapters.

While Metabones is widely used for obvious reasons I have seen and heard many complaints about the adapter malfunctioning on cameras. I am expecting lower response times in auto functions using an adapter compared to native glass.

This is also the reason why I was maybe looking at going with the Sony 70-200 f4 which is e mount. The thing with this is that it's f4 while the Sigma 70-200 is 2.8. But if I use the LA-EA4 to take advantage of the lenses IS then I lose 1.3 stops due to the mirror. So this lens becomes f3.2 which is approaching f4. Thus me leaning to the Sony 70-200 f4.

As for additional E mount lenses I eyeing a few lenses, mostly primes. But wanted these two lenses first to cover most of my focal lengths especially the Sigma 18-35.

BTW I currently don't have many lenses as I have older Canon t2i and Tamron 17-70 2.8, Canon 50 1.8, Sigma 18-250 3.5-5.6 lenses. So I was looking to sell these off to supply my desired Sony product line-up.

[Steven Digges]

Hi Michael,

Last week I made a few posts in the “M” and “U” comparison thread to give you information on your Metabones rebate. Maybe you did not see them?

I have written volumes of info about Metabones on this forum. So the short story is, yes I am now pleased with it. I have no AF on any of my lenses, I don’t care about that. It also does not work well in auto exposure modes that allow the aperture to be changed. Under certain lighting conditions it seems to get confused and rapidly changes back and forth between two F-stops. I don’t really care much about that either. I have two of the smart adaptors and three cameras that can use them. My next one will be a Speed Booster. Also, there are several posts from other guys that Metabones do not work as well on third party lenses as they do on Canon glass. Tamron seems to be particularly problematic but I cannot verify that.

I have always advocated good glass. I think lenses are an area where you absolutely get what you pay for. Buying the best you can “reasonably afford” is my thought on it. And going with the native manufacturer is a good idea too. But that is my old school opinion. I do not stay up on the progress of third party glass so it may be irrelevant…YMMV.

Steve

[Dmitri Zigany]

I'd say stick with native e-mounts.
I keep finding use for the functions you only get with them, auto-focus, face detection etc...

[David Banner]

I want to stick with e mounts also, but the problem is the lack of them. For instance, Sigma makes the 18-35 f/1.8 for just about everything EXCEPT e-mount. I've been waiting for two years for a fast e mount zoom. I keep thinking about buying adapters and going with other lenses (possibly A-mount) as Michael said, but hoping some e-mounts will come.
I'm pretty much in the same boat as he is. Trying to get a team of Sony cams that can interchange lenses...EA50, A7s, etc...
I've been watching this thread eagerly.

[Michael Liebergot]

David I received my Sigma 18-35mm 1.8 the other day along with a LE-EA3. And while the LA-EA3 did work with iris exposure, it didn't work with the auto focus. the LE-EA4 was out of stock everywhere so I tried this adapter first with the Sigma 18-35.

However B&H just received another shipment of the LA-EA4 today and I ordered it and should have it on Monday. My biggest concern with this adapter was what my exposure might be using it, as Sony writes that "Aperture setting for video capture is fixed at the maximum aperture of the lens or F3.5, whichever is lower (AF-C)." Supposedly this refers to shooting video in Auto Focus Continous mode on DSLR and does;t apply to the EA50 or FS100 etc.

So with that said I am looking forward to seeing if I get close to 1.8 exposure. Reports have said that here seems to be a 1.3 stop light loss due to the transluscent mirror. If that's true that's look with me, as my biggest concern was that the lens would be stopped to 3.5 max using this adapter, which did seem ridiculous.

I did pickup 2 E-mount primes though 50mm and 35mm. Just to have as full auto lenses if needed.
If this adapter works like I hope then I still most likely will go with Sony Alpha lenses and of course e-mount lenses as they arrive. While I don't shoot on Auto Focus, it's nice to have it available to use the Push AF feature when needed on lenses that support AF.

I still do have a Metabones adapter coming from Sony and a couple of EF lenses that I can use if needed as well.