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15mm lens on NEX-7 body
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 24, 2012 6:34 pm    Post subject: 15mm lens on NEX-7 body Reply with quote
Hello fellow enthusiasts.

I have recently decided to take on the challenge of using a NEX-7 body with an array of MF lens. Hope it will bring me joy...
Has anyone on this forum tried a 15mm full-frame fish-eye on this body? I appreciate that some might have tried such lens on a NEX-3 or a NEX-5 but due to the particular nature of the NEX-7 sensor I'm interested in reports using exclusively this camera body.

Looking at what's on the market (except the Leica & Zeiss lens which are shamelessly expensive) I was thinking at getting a Canon FD 15mm f1:2.8 but seeing it's not exactly cheap either I would very much welcome some feedback if any of you nice ppl on this forum might have tried this body/lens combination. Thank you in advance.



Cheers,

Last edited by Virco on Tue Jul 24, 2012 6:46 pm; edited 2 times in total


PostPosted: Tue Jul 24, 2012 6:35 pm    Post subject: Re: Canon FD 15mm/f:2.8 on NEX7 Reply with quote
Virco wrote:
Hello fellow enthusiasts.

I have recently decided to take on the challenge of using a NEX-7 body with an array of MF lens. Hope it will bring me joy...
Has anyone on this forum tried a 15mm full-frame fish-eye on this body? I appreciate that some might have tried such lens on a NEX-3 or a NEX-5 but due to the particular nature of the NEX-7 sensor I'm interested in reports using exclusively this camera body.

Looking at what's on the market (except the Leica & Zeiss lens which are shamelessly expensive) I was thinking at getting a Canon FD 15mm f1:2.8 but seeing it's not exactly cheap either I would very much welcome some feedback if any of you nice ppl on this forum might have tried this body/lens combination. Thank you in advance.



Cheers,


PostPosted: Tue Jul 24, 2012 6:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Welcome ! Nice to see you here ! I heard only super wide angle RF lenses has trouble on NEX-7 , SLR lenses just fine.
I have Konica 15mm f2.8 finish looks similar than this Canon lens and it makes awesome results on NEX-3.
http://forum.mflenses.com/konica-hexanon-uc-15mm-fisheye-sony-nex-3-t44951,highlight,%2Bkonica+%2B15mm.html

on film

http://forum.mflenses.com/konica-15mm-uc-hexanon-konica-autoreflex-t-fomapan-100-t49694,highlight,%2Bkonica+%2B15mm.html


PostPosted: Tue Jul 24, 2012 6:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thank you for your reply Attila.
I almost purchased the Konica 15mm lens after seeing your pictures online but the price went a bit high for me on eBay so I lost it.
On NEX-3, NEX-5 most MF lens give good results but my concern is about how they work with the very pixel-crammed sensor of the NEX-7


PostPosted: Tue Jul 24, 2012 6:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
welcome Virco
check also the samyang fish eye


PostPosted: Tue Jul 24, 2012 6:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I don't think Canon FD (or any other) legacy fisheye makes sense on APS-C unless you can get it at about 1/3 of market price. Samyang just announced 8mm APS-C fisheye and if anywhere close to m4/3 version, it will be superb. Alternatively, look into adapting the m4/3 Samyang fisheye, I've seen reports of people doing that by shaving a bit of a hood, so the coverage must be decent.


PostPosted: Tue Jul 24, 2012 7:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
fermy wrote:
I don't think Canon FD (or any other) legacy fisheye makes sense on APS-C unless you can get it at about 1/3 of market price


Thank you for your reply Fermi. Can you please explain why you say this.

fermy wrote:
Samyang just announced 8mm APS-C fisheye and if anywhere close to m4/3 version, it will be superb


What would the difference between the two lens (APS-C / 4/3) be when the difference in sensor size is so small?


PostPosted: Tue Jul 24, 2012 7:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
1) Because 15mm full frame fisheye on APS-C wouldn't be really fisheye as the image is cropped. You'll end up with field of view of 22mm on FF and massively distorted image. IMHO 16mm Sony pancake is a better option in this FL and it will be cheaper.
2) m4/3 sensor is smaller, so m4/3 lenses have smaller image circles. If you try to use m4/3 fisheye on APS-C you might get dark borders. You'll have to research this, I think knallberto on dpreview adapted his m4/3 fisheye to NEX.


PostPosted: Tue Jul 24, 2012 7:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
16mm Sony pancake is awful, not comparable to a good MF lens like the Konica or Canon 15s.


PostPosted: Tue Jul 24, 2012 7:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
16mm Sony pancake is awful, not comparable to a good MF lens like the Konica or Canon 15s.


Own experiences ?

Wink


PostPosted: Tue Jul 24, 2012 7:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Rolf wrote:
iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
16mm Sony pancake is awful, not comparable to a good MF lens like the Konica or Canon 15s.


Own experiences ?

Wink


I had the Sony 16mm and sold it, only suitable for family snapshots, in the centre sharpness was acceptable but the edges were smeary and mushy with CA and it had quite a bit of distortion too. I don't have a 15mm but I have a Tokina 17mm and a Lomo 18mm and there is no comparison on quality to the Sony.


PostPosted: Tue Jul 24, 2012 7:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thanks because I tought to buy such a lens

Wink


PostPosted: Tue Jul 24, 2012 8:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
A couple of samples, I forget aperture settings now.

If stopped down to f8 it was okay and it is a nice small lens that makes the NEX fit in a jacket pocket, but it's not a lens for landscapes, buildings etc, and at f2.8 and f4, the edges are poor. Maybe okay for casual street shooting, AF was fairly fast.

#1

#2


PostPosted: Tue Jul 24, 2012 8:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
fyi but a tad OT, i used and loved the not expensive zenitar 16mm contax mount on my ep2. no distortion, very sharp, not a very big lens. now thats 2x crop vs 1.5 on nex7...

also, couldnt you buy the really great cv 15mm RF lens but shoot it at 16mp? i bet it would perform great and its small as a thimble.
tony


PostPosted: Tue Jul 24, 2012 8:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Well, I don't know what this is all about. 15 mm fisheye simply don't work on APS-C as intended, so 16mm pancake is miles better, no contest.

One can argue about rectilinear lenses such as 17mm Tokina v that pancake till the cows come home. Yes the corners on 16mm pancake are not any good, center is good. Obviously such lens works well for certain type of pictures, does not work for some other types of pictures. Agree that it's not great for landscapes. Overall, I don't think Tokina is any better to be honest. The assessment depends on price paid.


PostPosted: Tue Jul 24, 2012 8:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Er, there is no Zenitar in Contax mount, it's a fisheye SLR lens. It had quite a lot of distortion, it's a fisheye after all.

The Tokina 3.5/17 is a hell of a lot better than the Sony pancake, the two are not comparable at all.


PostPosted: Tue Jul 24, 2012 8:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Rolf wrote:
Thanks because I tought to buy such a lens

Wink


I have one too makes NEX to compact camera (image IQ too) good for vudeo to record your cute dog to play, due AF better than MF lens quality is excellent. Unusable for serious photography, but okay for family snapshots.

discussion thread before I trade mine
http://forum.mflenses.com/sony-nex-16mm-af-lens-t36548,highlight,%2Bsony+%2Baf.html

video at low light

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mflenses/5475414482/

http://forum.mflenses.com/buda-castle-sony-16mm-af-sony-nex-3-t37122,highlight,%2Bsony+%2Baf.html
http://forum.mflenses.com/sony-16mm-af-sony-nex-3-t43341,highlight,%2Bsony+%2Baf.html
http://forum.mflenses.com/tourist-trip-aroung-gellert-hill-sony-af-16mm-f2-8-sony-nex-t38692,highlight,%2Bsony+%2Baf.html


PostPosted: Tue Jul 24, 2012 8:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thank you guys for your input. Unfortunately nobody (yet) to have actually tried the combo I am talking about. Patience...

Regarding the 16mm pancake lens, I'm not even considering it as most of the reviews that I trust indicated it as a crap lens (well, curtesy requires words as "average" or "mediocre" at worst, but we all know what that means).

I know full well that a 15mm will not give me 180 degrees diagonal coverage (that's in simple words the definition of a full-frame fish-eye) but I was hoping for good to very good quality as a 22.5mm equivalent, even at full aperture (just like the splendid 17mm f:4 - equiv. 25.5mm - is giving me)


PostPosted: Tue Jul 24, 2012 8:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
Er, there is no Zenitar in Contax mount, it's a fisheye SLR lens. It had quite a lot of distortion, it's a fisheye after all.

The Tokina 3.5/17 is a hell of a lot better than the Sony pancake, the two are not comparable at all.


He means Zenitar for Contax SLR mount, which does exist.

As for the Sony 16/2.8, I agree, it's pretty crap. But then, a hulking great 17mm manual focus lens on a Nex isn't exactly portable, whereas the Sony lens is. Horses for courses.


PostPosted: Tue Jul 24, 2012 9:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
ManualFocus-G wrote:
iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
Er, there is no Zenitar in Contax mount, it's a fisheye SLR lens. It had quite a lot of distortion, it's a fisheye after all.

The Tokina 3.5/17 is a hell of a lot better than the Sony pancake, the two are not comparable at all.


He means Zenitar for Contax SLR mount, which does exist.

As for the Sony 16/2.8, I agree, it's pretty crap. But then, a hulking great 17mm manual focus lens on a Nex isn't exactly portable, whereas the Sony lens is. Horses for courses.


Sure, they do the Zenitar in most mounts, I thought he was getting mixed up with something else, the Zenitar 16 definitely has distortion.

I agree on your assessment on the Sony pancake, it has it's uses for sure. My Tokina 17 is one of my most used lenses on my NEX, but as you say, it's hardly compact. Smile

I'd recommend it to the OP though, I doubt you can find a better lens in that range without paying a fair bit more.


PostPosted: Tue Jul 24, 2012 9:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
some people dont know how to read or understand the queens english. what i said is true in all respects, contrary information is simply wrong. the zenitar 16mm DOES exist in contax mount. it showed NO distortion on my ep2. period.

you may not want to use it, and as i said previously, it may behave differently on apsc 1.5 crop vs my experience on m4/3 2x crop, but you can rely on the information i provided.
tony


PostPosted: Tue Jul 24, 2012 9:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I'm sorry, no desire to denigrate in any way but the information you are putting out about the Zenitar is completely wrong.

It is an SLR lens, has never been produced in Contax RF mount, but it has been available in the mount for the Contax/Yashica SLRs.

Distortion, it is a fisheye lens so it has a good deal of distortion, please stop claiming otherwise, it is misleading to people.

Rockwell hated it, he obviously had a crappy copy though:

http://www.kenrockwell.com/zenit/zenitar-16mm.htm

Here is a distortion test of the Zenitar 16 on a Canon 1.6x crop camera:



Here is the zenitar on a full frame Canon:



http://masochismtango.com/2010/08/14/zenitar-16mm-fisheye-on-full-frame-5dmk2-distortion-examples/

That should end this silly debate, it is a fisheye, it has distortion, period.


PostPosted: Tue Jul 24, 2012 9:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Chill pill guys, Tony never mentioned that the lens was in Contax RF mount, he meant SLR mount.

Agree with Ian on the fishiness, the 1.6x crop factor must show it more than on a m43 body, but obviously it's not as pronounced as on full frame.


PostPosted: Tue Jul 24, 2012 9:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I'm chill, really don't want an argument, just want to be clear that the Zenitar is a fisheye, many people who don't know better lurk and read this site so it's important imho to try to be accurate on info.


PostPosted: Tue Jul 24, 2012 11:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I think Samyang 14/2.8 if you are not put off by the size is an awesome lens. It's only flaw is strange moustache distortion that is sometimes visible but mostly correctable. Otherwise it is sharp as sharp can be (insanely so) and extremely good with CA. A surprisingly good lens.

Old Pentax 15/3.5 supposedly designed by Zeiss and optically identical to them, is a good lens. Not for pixel peepers wide open but good with distortion and colours. Nice rendering.

Another option which is very nice but expensive is the Zeiss 18/4 ZM. Works very well on NEX-5n with very very occasional slight colour cast, not sure about NEX-7 though.

I once did a comparison of 8 ultra-wides in Pentax K mount:



http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/146188-comparison-8-ultrawide-lenses.html
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