simple explanation of sony a7 lens mount

[monstercameron]

I just can't quite understand the lens system.
E-mount or A-mount, full frame version or apsc version?

 

[blastingcap]

It's like Nikon's F mount.

Nikon F mount cameras can use both FX lenses as well as DX lenses. In Nikonland, FX means full frame, DX means APS-C.

Sony E mount cameras can use both FE lenses and E lenses. In Sonyland FE means full frame lenses, E means APS-C lenses. Sony started off with APS-C only and added full frame lenses later. They wanted to call full frame lenses something other than E mount, to distinguish them as full frame, and so they wound up calling full frame lenses FE lenses.

Canon is like the opposite of Sony; they had the EF (full frame) mount first, and then later made EF-S lenses (APS-C only). So in Canonland EF means full frame, and EF-S means APS-C.

A-mount is the Minolta mount and built very rugged with six screws--a better mount than Canon or Nikon's DSLR mounts. Sony bought KonicaMinolta so Sony has ownership of the A-mount now. A-mount lenses may be used on E-mount (mirrorless) cameras via adapters. All of the old A-mount lenses are full frame. Some newer A-mount lenses are APS-C only and are labeled "DT." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Sony_A-mount_lenses

 

[EOM]

http://www.imaging-resource.com/news/2014/01/21/mounting-confusion-de-mystifying-sony-lens-mounts

Does that help? The table makes it more clear I think... I shoot nikon though...

 

[monstercameron]

^thanks for the responses!
any cheap lens solutions out there?
I have a cheapo canon fd 50 f1.4 and 35-105 that I was using on my epl1, i'll get an adapter but is there a cheap fast zoom [f2.8?] that can autofocus on my a7?

 

[Spoooon]

Get a used LA-EA4 and a Tamron 28-75 2.8. Not a bad combo and would focus faster than any other currently available option that I'm aware of.

 

[monstercameron]

Get a used LA-EA4 and a Tamron 28-75 2.8. Not a bad combo and would focus faster than any other currently available option that I'm aware of.

not a bad lens at all but dam, that a-mount adapter bumps up the combo to ~$900, I might have to retreat back to the m4/3 hole that i came from...sigh.


has anyone tried the canon ef adapter?

 

[Spoooon]

not a bad lens at all but dam, that a-mount adapter bumps up the combo to ~$900, I might have to retreat back to the m4/3 hole that i came from...sigh.


has anyone tried the canon ef adapter?

Go used. You can pick up the adapter for as little as $250, the lens for around the same price if you're lucky. Though, depending on how spendy you are going to be, you may consider the FE 24-70 instead.

The Canon EF adapters currently available are so slow (from what I've read) that you're better off manually focusing.

 

[monstercameron]

Go used. You can pick up the adapter for as little as $250, the lens for around the same price if you're lucky. Though, depending on how spendy you are going to be, you may consider the FE 24-70 instead.

The Canon EF adapters currently available are so slow (from what I've read) that you're better off manually focusing.

Do you think I should just downgrade to a panny g7 or gh3 instead, I'm thrifty and those brighter fe lenses are just too expensive new or used.
I can get a nice oly 45mm f1.8 for ~$250 or a really nice panny leica 25mm f1.4 for ~$400.

Or should I just suck it up and save for the fe lenses and keep the a7?

 

[blastingcap]

not a bad lens at all but dam, that a-mount adapter bumps up the combo to ~$900, I might have to retreat back to the m4/3 hole that i came from...sigh.


has anyone tried the canon ef adapter?

The kit lens 28-70 on the A7 is actually pretty good for the price, believe it or not. Maybe use that for when you need AF and use manual focus adapted lenses when you don't need speed? Canon EF to Sony adapters go for $50-100 (includes slow AF, aperture control IS for many modern Canon lenses and a few Sigmas). I had the Commlite one and sold it. It worked ok but slow.

Do you think I should just downgrade to a panny g7 or gh3 instead, I'm thrifty and those brighter fe lenses are just too expensive new or used.
I can get a nice oly 45mm f1.8 for ~$250 or a really nice panny leica 25mm f1.4 for ~$400.

Or should I just suck it up and save for the fe lenses and keep the a7?

You need to decide what you want. It's a full 2 stop jump from MFT to full-frame, both in terms of light and depth of field control. (E.g., a f/2 lens on MFT is like an f/4 lens on full frame. Even worse than that if it's larger aperture than f/2.. see http://www.dxomark.com/Reviews/F-stop-blues for more info). The full frame will also be significantly larger and heavier, though both systems are essentially non pocketable unless you have huge pockets, so you'd need bags for either.

 

[monstercameron]

Good points, I got the a7 scratch and dent for ~$800 which is the same price as new g7 or gh3. Even with the kit lens I do notice nice background separation and it looks really nice. I might just stick with the a7 but I have another week to decide.

What Lens do you shoot with your a7?

 

[jtvang125]

I have an a7 bought used a few months before the a7II. I went with the adapter and legacy lens route. If craigslist is an option you should definitely try that. I got my la-ea4 in prestine condition for $230 off there. I also got a handful of Minolta AF from there and some more MF too. Now I have more lenses than I can use.

At the moment there aren't any native fast AF zooms, just constant f4 (16-35, 24-70 and 70-200). They may be coming but don't expect them to be cheap since the current zoom lenses are already fetching ~$1000 or more.

 

[Spoooon]

FE 35/2.8, 55/1.8
LA-EA4, 28-75/2.8, 70-200/2.8, various other A mount
Lots of manual focus stuff