Asher Kelman
OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
An extra advantage of the Sony A7/A7R cameras is the ability to use almost any other brand of lens. This opens up the use of exotic special purpose lenses such as the Canon tilt shift lenses a lot of Canon users have acquired and other lenses that offer focal lengths either that Sony has not delivered as yet.
I'd highly recommend readers also look at Brian Smith's rich review of adapters for the FE camera mount here.
There are so many lenses to choose from, but the link is the adapter!
Minimum Requirements for an adapter: At the very least, it has to:
For Manual focusing: a button to open up the aperture blades for focusing is helpful
For AF and vibration stabilized lenses:: matching electronics are obviously needed, with transmission of distance and lens aperture information an added bonus.
My own experience is quite limited, so I'm hoping everyone else will share their own choices and opinions. Here's what I have to report this far:
1. The Novoflex adapted Canon 20mm FD is one of the very best extra lenses to carry around. This combination is so well executed one can rely on it working even under pressure of a professional shoot.
2. The Metabones adapter for my Contax Zeiss lens collection, however, is so disappointing! It could be that there's another version I need to discover!
I hope this report us useful to others. I have delayed getting an adapter for my Canon Eos lens collection, but am looking favorably at the Metabones smart Adapter version IV. It would be appreciated if you would add your own experience with your favorite lenses and available adapters.
Asher
I'd highly recommend readers also look at Brian Smith's rich review of adapters for the FE camera mount here.
There are so many lenses to choose from, but the link is the adapter!
Minimum Requirements for an adapter: At the very least, it has to:
- Fit well, free of wobble
- Lock safely on the camera and lens
- Maintain optical alignment
- Deal with reflections
For Manual focusing: a button to open up the aperture blades for focusing is helpful
For AF and vibration stabilized lenses:: matching electronics are obviously needed, with transmission of distance and lens aperture information an added bonus.
My own experience is quite limited, so I'm hoping everyone else will share their own choices and opinions. Here's what I have to report this far:
1. The Novoflex adapted Canon 20mm FD is one of the very best extra lenses to carry around. This combination is so well executed one can rely on it working even under pressure of a professional shoot.
2. The Metabones adapter for my Contax Zeiss lens collection, however, is so disappointing! It could be that there's another version I need to discover!
- 18 mm f4.0 Distagon wobbles but works.
- 28mm f2.0 Distagon fits beautifully, but the wonderful images are totally vignetted to black at the corners. Still very usable.
- 28-85 mm f4.0 Contax MM Vario Sonnar doesn't lock in place and has to be held there with one's pinky, LOL! The latter lens, however, works beautifully. I will try it out with some gaffers tape to keep on on the camera while I look for a better fitting mount.
I hope this report us useful to others. I have delayed getting an adapter for my Canon Eos lens collection, but am looking favorably at the Metabones smart Adapter version IV. It would be appreciated if you would add your own experience with your favorite lenses and available adapters.
Asher
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