High quality lenses for the FF sony?

[Nordentro]

I consider to buy 1-2 or a few super high quality lenses to pair up with my new A7R.
What is considered to be among the best "high end" MF lenses?

Is the Zeiss planars as good as the rumors?

Compact is good, but not necessary.

[Pontus]

Oh, you're opening that can of worms

Some less than obvious choices:
- CV 35/1.2 v2
- OM 35-80/2.8 ED
- Leica M 75/2 APO
- FD 85/1.2 SSC Asph
- Zeiss 100/2 Macro-Planar
- CV 125/2.5 Macro APO-Lanthar
- Zeiss 135/2 Apo-Sonnar
- Minolta/Sony 135 STF
- Nikkor AI-S 200/2
- Rokkor RF 250/5.6
- Leica R 280/4 APO
- Nikkor AI-S 600/5.6

I'm also very interested in hearing which of the shorter Zeisses (that are available new today) are considered best.

[barryreid]

I plan to use the Canon TS-E 17mm & 24mm lenses on the A7r.

[Dogtag]

[calvin83]

There is three brands you will consider if you want to buy new lens: Lecia, Voigtländer or Zeiss.

[Aanything]

Distagon 35 1.4, for me. If I were able to afford that together with an a7r I would probably be happy with just that setup.

[Gurin]

Nordentro

I will follow you on this topic since my shooting habits seems to mirror yours. The C/Y Planars 50 1.4 and 85 1.4 gives beautiful pictures on my Olympus Epl5.

I will probably buy an A7r come spring. It is to dark here in northern Sweden to do any exiting shooting at this time of the year.

[bernhardas]

Edited

[listera]

I think most of these were more than obvious )

------------------------------------------
Some less than obvious choices:
- CV 35/1.2 v2
- OM 35-80/2.8 ED
- Leica M 75/2 APO
- FD 85/1.2 SSC Asph
- Zeiss 100/2 Macro-Planar
- CV 125/2.5 Macro APO-Lanthar
- Zeiss 135/2 Apo-Sonnar
- Minolta/Sony 135 STF
- Nikkor AI-S 200/2
- Rokkor RF 250/5.6
- Leica R 280/4 APO
- Nikkor AI-S 600/5.6

[sceptic]

[rbelyell]

hi n

what a happy topic to think about, huh?

imo, two things are important, youre preferred focal lengths and balance.

for me that means 35 and something in the portrait area of 75-90mm. for balance, i tend to look for rf lenses or smaller, more manageable slr lenses. for example, size notwothstanding, the contax distagon 35/1.4 and planar 85/1.4 would be top choices. but frankly, again imo, they are way too big to feel good on a compact mirrorless. if youre a 50mm guy, you are much more likely to find a good, fast compact slr lens.

however, if youre in the 35-90mm i would seriously consider rf lenses. any of the zm's or summicrons will be decently priced, will perform fabulously, and will be very well balanced. if you provide your preferred fl's itd be easier to provide recommendations.
tony

[hoanpham]

slr lenses:
Rokkor RF 250/5.6
Konica AR 28/1.8 UC
Canon FD/FL lenses
Topcor RE lenses

slr lenses mirror issue on canon FF:
Distagon 15/3.5 c/y
Distagon 28/2 c/y

slr lenses with adapter issue on canon FF:
Pentax 28/3.5 shift
Pentax 15/3.5

I would love to use slr lenses with a tilt adapter on this new sony ff.

[rbelyell]

hoan i would love to see anyone try to use a tilt adapter with that monster hollywood distagon on any compact mirrorless. there are reasons beyond sensor size that slr's are large. there are real issues about balance and handling of large lenses and how those issues relate not only to comfort (which is important enough) but to imprecise focusing and motion blur. i think these critical concerns are constantly overlooked in these discussions and decisions, leading later to great disappointment. horses for courses man. the next person to explain why a mirrorless compact is preferrable in shooting large slr lenses to say a 6d or a950 will be the first one to do so.

[poilu]

[rbelyell]

true. my point was the 6d and a950 are already pretty small FF dslr's. if the goal is to use big heavy slr glass on FF i do not understand the attraction of a compact mirrorless when these arguably more appropriate and more effective alternatives are available. i fully understand, and have personally gone the way of, the leica mantra of 'small camera, big pictures'. but i do not understand 'small camera, big lenses'. imo, it is self defeating and not 'purpose' or 'goal' directed. it is like the modern, and imo kind of mindless, obsession with always shooting at wide open apertures. it strikes me as not thoughtful or purposeful.

[Aanything]

[kuuan]

the A7/r are of about the same size as common SLRs used to be in the 70s, they are a bit shorter and lighter and have a much better grip.
besides using big teles for which at least a mononpod is recommended anyway I don't see any issue with fit of manual SLR lenses on A7/r.

[hoanpham]

Pentax 28/3.5 shift with tilt adapter on sony ff
Will be far cheaper than ts lenses from canikon.

The distagon or pentax 15mm on canon FF are also difficult lenses.
Not only the use, but also weight. May be a grip on a7 ?

[ForenSeil]

I have the A7 since monday and now felt in love with combination with Canada Summicron-M 50/2 (optically latest).
Awesome crispyness, micro-contrast and perfect colors even wide open. On FF you can see why this lens has such a good reputation!
I will sell the Zeiss T* ZM 50/1.5 now - I clearly prefer the look of the Summicron-M.

Samyang 85/1.4 makes the A7 to be an awesome ultra-thin-DOF machine, feels almost medium format like.

Samyang 14/2.8 get's reeaally wide on FF - if you're an ultra wide angle shooter this one might be very interesting for you.

Heavy lenses like Samyang 85/1.4 are absolutely no problem on A7/r! It absolutely not like with NEX etc. - you have a really large and robust grip.

[Nordentro]

Thx guys, I have a lot to look at now

Is your 14mm Samyang with E-mount Forenseil?

Distagon 35mm f/1.4 seems interesting for a walk around lens or the Voigtlander Ultron 28mm f/2.0?

[ForenSeil]

[barryreid]

A little heads up if anyone in the UK wants a bargain on an A7; Amazingly there is one in the s/h cabinets at LCE in London, for £1099. Someone hasn't given it much chance!

[Nordentro]

[ManualFocus-G]

[ManualFocus-G]

Some of my Samyang 14mm examples on my 5D from a couple of years ago:


Statue of Liberty by <<BackToTheFuture>>, on Flickr


Strolling through NYC at night by <<BackToTheFuture>>, on Flickr


Vegas at night (6) by <<BackToTheFuture>>, on Flickr


Crown Victoria sweeps past by <<BackToTheFuture>>, on Flickr


Ground zero by <<BackToTheFuture>>, on Flickr


Monorail entrance by <<BackToTheFuture>>, on Flickr


A wider view of Manhatten by <<BackToTheFuture>>, on Flickr