Medium format lenses on full frame (Sony A7 etc.)

[Pontus]

I have seen some stunning images shown on this forum taken with a Mamiya 200/2.8 APO medium format lens on a Nikon D800 camera. Surprisingly this lens is not much larger than equivalent full frame lenses.

Since this lens works so well on the D800 it makes me hopeful that there are other medium format lenses that would perform equally well on the Sony A7 etc. without being too large in size. It seems like good deals still could be had, but I guess not for long. Any suggestions?

[rbelyell]

biometar 80/2.8 for Pentacon 6 is very manageable size.

[Attila]

Any Hasselblad lens from Zeiss ? I guess all good , but have to select carefully , may several has built in shutter. Biometar 80, VEGA 80,90mm , Kaleinar 150, Biometar 120, Pentax 645 lenses I think all nice, probably all less than 35mm top lenses, due genuine camera large film size.

[buerokratiehasser]

Biometar P6 manageable size? Well it is not too big, but compared to vanilla M42? Not to talk of really small ones like 55/1.8, three to four times the weight?

I would advise against this in general. You can try and the experiment will be fun, but 6x6 lenses tend to be more expensive, and worse, than 35mm lenses. Why would you bother with a Biometar at all when you can buy Sigma 50 macro in MAF mount for next to nothing, which does more lp/mm than you will ever need, and autofocuses (without any adaptor, too).

I don't doubt the 200/2.8 6x6 results were stunning, but that's probably because this lens is exceptional and the Nikon couldn't hold a candle to its resolution.

[buerokratiehasser]

Um.. The Sigma will probably have the "Sigma problem" on SLTs, and not fit to a7 at all - I forgot, sorry, still thinking in Sony/Minolta AF SLR terms.

Still there are in general lots of 35mm lenses for any 35mm system.

[duckrider]

[Oldhand]

Other Mamiya 645 lenses are worth looking at as they aren't too bulky and do produce good IQ.
For a long time the best value medium format lenses with good IQ were the Pentax 6X7 lenses, but these have started to become popular (more expensive as well). There was a time when these were cheaper than their 35mm Takumar equivalents, but that time may have passed.
Bear in mind with the Pentax 6X7 lenses that an adapter that works with the lens lengths up to 200mm will not work with focal lengths longer than that. A different mount and adapter are needed and these are much more expensive. Of course the Pentax 6X7 lenses may be too bulky for you anyway.
Then - as suggested - there are the Pentacon 6 mount lenses - the Biometars etc, but you might well just look at good quality 35mm MF lenses.

Here is an image (100% crop) from a pentax 6X7 105mm on D7000 and a link to other images:
http://forum.mflenses.com/pentax-67-105mm-f2-4-on-nikon-d7000-t61151,highlight,%2Bpentax+%2B67.html
Cheers
OH

[rbelyell]

[Attila]

[lensfan1]

Seen the Mamiya Apo shots too. This is an amazing lens.

I have tried some Hasslblads on EOS and they where rather dissapointing. Even S Planar was only ok.

Mamiya RB lenses are even bad. Dont have enough resolution.

Biometar would be my next step.

[duckrider]

[stevemark]

[stevemark]

[papasito]

I used for a short time a mamiya 150/2,8 lens and it is a very good one.

[e6filmuser]

Maybe not what you expected! X-Pan 30mm, 45mm and 90mm on A7r 1. This was my first time out with these lenses so my technique was not refined. I think I used f8 for them all. All hand-held. The crop (second image) is to X-Pan format.

30mm



45mm





90mm f8

[stevemark]