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FE lens suggestions for A7R II (from a Canon guy)?


MickDK
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Edit: Added the EF 100mm F2.8 to the list of lenses that I own.

 

Hi folks :)

 

I need some FE lens recommendations from anyone using (or having used) both Sony and Canon gear.

 

After some a lot of consideration I finally decided to add the A7R II to my bag. Should be here in a few days. I currently have a Canon 5D3 and a bunch of L lenses - so I also ordered the MB IV adapter.

 

According to the adapter reviews I've read most of my current lenses should do AF just nicely with the A7R II. But I want to add some native FE lenses in order to get the most out of my A7R II which will be used mostly for landscape, portrait and street photos.

 

The question is what FE lenses to consider?

 

This is my current Canon (EF mount) lens line up:

 

- EF 8-15mm F4L (superb fisheye zoom).

- EF 24-70mm F2.8L II.

- EF 70-200mm F2.8L II.

- EF 85mm F1.2L II.

- EF 100mm F2.8L

- EF 135L F2L (*).

- Sigma 35mm F1.4 "Art".

- Tamron 150-600mm (EF mount).

 

*doesn't do AF well using the MB but I was planning to sell it anyway (maybe replacing it with the 135mm STF :rolleyes:).

 

What type of FE lenses I am looking for:

 

- Wide angle for landscape photos?

- General zoom (24-70 class)?

- Closest FE lens to the EF 85mm F1.2L II that can use eye-AF?

- Wide aperture lenses with little/no coma for astrophotos?

 

I prefer AF lenses but most important for me is lens sharpness (love big prints, don't shoot much for web!). The next most important thing for me is bokeh quality for wide aperture lenses (price is also important but not if sharpness and bokeh quality is compromised).

 

Oh yes...a suggestion for a small fill flash?

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8 new FE lenses being announced. Who knows when they will actually be released    :lol:

 

Looking at your lenses I would say you have just about everything covered already. The only thing you are missing would be a couple of decent primes in the 35-50mm range, but if you really like the images produced by your 24-70mm then thats not necessary either. I also don't see a Macro lens so adding the FE 90mm 2.8 G would be nice, and if you like sharpness look no further. The closest thing to the 85mm f1.2 would be the Batis 85mm f1.8 which is sharp and has excellent bokeh....you arent going to find a native FE lens at f1.2 yet unfortunately. Wide angle for landscape would be the Batis 25mm f2 or the just announced today Zeiss Loxia 21mm f2.8. The batis is autofocus, the loxia is manual. Believe it or not, the best lens for astrophotography is the Rokinon 24mm f1.4 manual focus lens. It controls astigmatism/coma better than lenses that cost three times as much.

 

Hope that helps some, you have a great lens lineup already!

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Thanks guys! Must appreciated! Going to wait until I see what Sony has in store :)

 

Actually I have the EF 100mm F2.8L (was missing, now added to the list).

But the Sony 90mm is now also on my "to be considered"-list (people seem to rave about its sharpness).

 

I've heard good things about some of Rokinon/Samyang/Bower/Walimex lenses (especially their 135mm F2), going to read up on the 24mm F1.4 now.

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I too moved from Canon (70D) to Sony A (A7 II) in May.  My original plan was to use Canon L glass with Metabones IV adapter and not get the native Sony lenses.  Autofocus worked but a little slow which frustrated me.  I really loved the Canon 24-70 f2.8 L II with my Canon 70D as well as the A7 II.  However, I have a new grand baby and found it difficult to capture sharp focus images since he was moving so much.  You must have native Sony lenses to use features like AF-C and face recognition.  Those features are really great and guarantee really sharp images.  So I bought the Sony 55 f1.8 used on Ebay.  I saved some money and LOVE THAT LENS.  I have ordered the 85mm Batis, but so far the 55mm f1.8 is my favorite of all I use on the A7 II.

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You must have native Sony lenses to use features like AF-C and face recognition.

With the A7R II AF-C also works with Canon lenses and the MB IV adapter :)  - not eye-AF though, for that you do need FE lenses.

 

See Brian Smiths adapters tests here (excellent work btw):

 

http://briansmith.com/sony-a7rii-canon-ef-smart-adapter-tests/

 

For example the EF 85mm F1.2L II (and many others) allows AF-C with the A7R II:

 

"Fast and accurate PDAF AF-C and AF-S with Wide, Center and Flexible Spot"

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OP, i recently switched from Canon too. I ended up keeping just three lenses - 85L-II, 24-105L and 40/2.8 STM.

 

I much prefer the Bokeh off the 85L-II as compared to the Batis 85, hence kept it. It autofocuses fast via the Metabones IV T adapter (PDAF). See Brian Smith's notes on which AF parameters work / don't work. Yes, it's much heavier than the Batis, but so worth it if you appreciate Bokeh. It's about the same size as the Batis (a bit longer with the adapter).

 

I like shooting with the 40/2.8 STM, as it's my favourite focal length and it's a pretty cheap lens, which won't fetch much in the used market anyways (I can also obtain this FOV via crop mode using the FE 28/2 lens).

 

I'm keeping the 24-105L for now, as I like the extra reach it has over my FE 24-70. I might sell it, not sure.

 

Sent using my Samsung Galaxy Note 4

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My Canon gear list looks a lot like yours, and I, too, planned to keep everything and shoot with the Metabones. After a lot of thought, I bought the 55 1.8, reasoning it would be good for street photography, portraits, and low light scenarios. I went out with the Sony and Canon 16-35 the other day. I quickly became frustrated with the focus hunt, hunt, hunt, so switched to manual focus and focus peaking. What a difference!! So much faster and easier, with great results. While that worked great for landscapes, I could never go that route for a wedding shoot. I would just suggest that you decide what is most important to you. I absolutely LOVE the 55, and it's versatile enough to serve you well in a variety of situations.

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Wide angle lens for landscape: this week has been good for us landscape shooters, with 4 new releases not counting the Zeiss Otus 28. Depending on what focal length you like, the Zeiss Loxia 21mm f:2.8. MTF curves are very impressive, and the physical package is small relative to the specs. 15mm Voigtländer. Until now it existed in version III, optimized for Sony A7, but not for e-mount, thus requiring an adapter. Now you get the same fine optics, at a reasonble price, in reasonable size, and no adapter. Presumably, you wil get EXIF as well. Wider than that, you can go 12mm and 10mm with 2 new e-mount Voigtlânder. No info yet, but, if the future is any indication, they should be interesting.

Closest to the EF 85 f:1.2L has to to be the Zeiss Batis f:1.8. Though, if you are sold on shooting your canon wide open, I'd use it with the Metabones, because, while it is a very good lens indeed, and one well worth buying, the Batis is just not f:1.2.

General-purpose zoom: wait for next week's annnoucement. My guess is (I have no info) that Sony will announce something in that direction.

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Edit: Added the EF 100mm F2.8 to the list of lenses that I own.

 

- Wide angle for landscape photos?

 

Nobody has mentioned the FE 16-35 f/4, but I believe it's well reviewed and quite sharp. The Loxia 21 f/2.8 seems like the clear winner in this category, though. Just be sure to pre-order now because it may take a while to arrive.

 

Also, don't overlook the A-mount options. The Sony LA-EA4 adaptor works very well, and unlocks some fantastic optics. The Zeiss 135 f/1.8 ZA is one of the best lenses I've ever used.

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