Upgraded from LAEA1 to LAEA4 - always this good?

[Ryan Douthit]

Ever since I bought the FS100 I've been mainly using it with the LAEA1 adaptor. Today, in preparation for adding the full-frame A7S to my kit and the lenses I'll be getting for it, I picked up the newer LAEA4 for the FS100.

Had I known that the LAEA4 would make switching apertures this quiet and smooth I would have bought it the moment it came out just for this. (I always focus manually... though I can see some use for the occasional AF.)

So, I was curious, were the LAEA2 and 3 models as smooth with aperture changes? The LAEA1 had a loud clank as it switched, seemingly "crashing" the aperture wide open with each move... it's quite obnoxious, though I do understand that is how it was designed to operate.

[Michael Bradshaw]

Hi Ryan, I read this with some interest. I intend to get an A7s when they are available so I can use my full frame sony lenses.

I currently have an fs100 using the ea2. It clicks when you change the iris, not too loud but can certainly be distracting and will be picked up with on board sound.

Am I correct in assuming the ea4 is happy on the fs100?

M.

[Ryan Douthit]

I just came back from a mini-shoot with the FS100 and the LAEA4 and it worked flawlessly. I tried it both with auto-focus on and off. On, the AF snaps focus very fast - which isn't very appealing on video, but if you have your lens AF on and FS100 AF off you do get a focus confirmation square when shooting items with enough contrast (having never used the EA2, I'm not sure if yours already does this.) Even when shooting manually that extra confirmation is nice to have. Aperture is quick and smooth. In fact, I can hardly hear the iris change. Today I used it with my DT 16-50mm lens. So yeah, if you're moving to an A7S, this will work with both flawlessly.

The only issue I encountered was mounting it on my tripod - since the EA4 hangs lower than the body. I had to remove the lens, mount body, re-mount lens. I have an alternate head I can use (didn't bring with me at the time) that allows me to snap in, as opposed to slide-on, so the fix is easy. Just be aware you might have an issue with a Manfrotto 501 or 504 head.

[Michael Bradshaw]

Cool, thanks for that. I might go ahead and change one of my ea2's for a 4 now then.

Yeah the tripod thing is the same with my version. Not to annoying but always get concerned at weddings exposing the sensor when I can to pack stuff into the car while it's raining.

M.

[Ryan Douthit]

FYI for anyone looking for an alternative to the $3000 Sony 70-200 2.8 lens:

I just bought the $1500 Tamron 2.8 70-200 SP USD lens and it works great with the LAEA4. Both autofocus and aperture work just as well as with my Sony 16-50 2.8 lens.

(Note: the older, cheaper Tamron 2.8 70-200 only worked with aperture control, auto-focus doesn't work on the LAEA4 with it.)

[Joe Holt]

Originally Posted by Ryan Douthit

FYI for anyone looking for an alternative to the $3000 Sony 70-200 2.8 lens:

I just bought the $1500 Tamron 2.8 70-200 SP USD lens and it works great with the LAEA4. Both autofocus and aperture work just as well as with my Sony 16-50 2.8 lens.

(Note: the older, cheaper Tamron 2.8 70-200 only worked with aperture control, auto-focus doesn't work on the LAEA4 with it.)

Ryan,

I just ordered the LA EA4. Can't wait to get it. Quick question. Is the older Tamron lens you are referring to an older Minolta Maxxum lens? (Pre Sony) I was hoping the older Maxxum lenses would be fully functional with the LA EA4 but I had seen in a few places that the auto focus does not work with the original Maxxum lenses. I also bought a Konica Minolta 28-100 Maxxum lens off ebay for like $40 to test this. I guess I'll know soon enough. It will be a real coup if any of the older maxxum lenses were fully functional with the LA EA4 as they are 1/10 the price of the modern glass Joe.

[Joe Holt]

Just got my LA EA4 this evening. I am happy to report that the auto focus works great with my vintage Minolta Maxxum lens, Focus is faster and more accurate than the kit lens on the FS100 and I was testing in my edit suite which is quite dark. The adapter works equally well with my NEX7 as the FS100. Very happy camper here.

[Ryan Douthit]

Great to hear it's working well for you, Joe!

The Tamron lens I'm referring to is just a couple years old. It sold for $700 retail and - though the image was nice - had a really funky manual focus feel and shoddy AF. It lasted only a few events before dirt got into the unsealed components.

[Dave Allen]

The phase detection that the adapter use is superior to the focus method of the e mount system.

Keep in mind, unless they have a made a change in the new LEA4, the maximum aperture will default to a maximum 3.5, even if you lens is faster unless you switch out of auto mode. I sure would like to be wrong on this though!

[Joe Holt]

Originally Posted by Dave Allen

The phase detection that the adapter use is superior to the focus method of the e mount system.

Keep in mind, unless they have a made a change in the new LEA4, the maximum aperture will default to a maximum 3.5, even if you lens is faster unless you switch out of auto mode. I sure would like to be wrong on this though!

I have no way to test this since I only have the one Maxxum lens as of now and it is 3.5 - 5.6 zoom. I will eventually get some faster primes but I'm sure it will be confirmed if the max of 3.5 is still true with the LA EA4 long before then.

[Tom Van den Berghe]

old thread to bump up.

Before I saw this about the LAEA4 i read about the LAEA2 not working good on the FS100. The iris was stuck at F3.5?

So with the LAEA4 this problem is gone?

I'm interested in a second hand SAL70-400G1 mm (there are 2 versions I saw) lens with this adapter for shooting stage shows.

The powerzoom lens 18-200mm is great but the zoom range is a bit too limited.

or the full frame sel70300g and that's emount.

and a stupid question now: is the sal70-400mm twice the focal length of my stocklens 200mm?
both are crop lenses.