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Having Trouble Choosing Lenses


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Hello Everyone, 

 

Now that I have some cash on me, i want to change my camera. Im shooting with a nikon D5000 (which kinda sucks) with an 18-55mm that comes with it and 50mm f1.8 and a nikkor 70-300mm.

 

Decided to buy a Sony A7II, and thats all i could decide. Other than that, i think the whole lens world that is compatible with the Sony is both too complicated and too expensive.

 

My budget is about $2,500 minus $1,700 (for the camera body) leaves us with $800 (for lenses).

 

So, full frame or APS-c, E mount or A mount, expensive or extremely expensive, is just way to confusing for me.

 

I'm looking for a wide lens for Star Photography, a prime lens with large aperture for portraits and bokeh's, and a zoom lens for the fun of zooming in and shooting good pictures.

 

I would also love to shoot with a Zeiss lens as i respect them just too much. But with these price tags im starting to disrespect them  :angry:

 

Your help is much appreciated.

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The Samyang 14mm f/2.8 is a good and affordable choice for star photography. ~320$

The Samyang 85mm f/1.4 is a nice portrait lens. ~ 270$

Both are manual focus lenses, so for autofocus and zooming you can go with the kit-zoom. It isn't that bad and you easily get it used and in good condition for less than ~250$.

 

The best lens you can get, is the Sony Zeiss 55mm f1.8. It is my favorite lens and a must have for every Sony E-Mount owner. ~900$

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Im starting to think i cant afford the A7II.. Even though i got so excited that the camera body is just not expensive.

 

 

do you need AF?

 

if not there are trillion of good old manual glass for small money

 

i would recommend Minolta MD

 

and adapt your 50 1.8 nikon glass

 

the kitlens FE 28-70 is a good performer for zoom with oss!

 

I think i would prefer an auto focus too, im not sure what the Minolta MD is.. is it some sort of adapter that can fit my nikon lenses? if so would they work as full frame?

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The system is fabulous!  Be patient, you don't have to have it all immediately.  To start I would get the 28mm 2.0 which is a wonderful value.  It is a perfect everyday lens.  Once you see the images you can capture with the Sony you will never regret making the switch.

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The system is fabulous!  Be patient, you don't have to have it all immediately.  To start I would get the 28mm 2.0 which is a wonderful value.  It is a perfect everyday lens.  Once you see the images you can capture with the Sony you will never regret making the switch.

 

Isn't that one suitable for an APS-C sensor? I dont see the point in buying an expensive full frame camera and come up with cropped images.

 

Or am i not getting the point right?

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Why not take a look at the 24-240 Sony zoom. It gives you everything you want, more or less, and fits your budget. Good place to start.

 

I thought about it.. but it only opens up to f3.5 - f6.3 ... that doesnt give me much depth of field ..

 

I could get the 24-240mm actually, together with another one that is fills the gaps

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..........with an 18-55mm that comes with it and 50mm f1.8 and a nikkor 70-300mm.

 

My budget is about $2,500 minus $1,700 (for the camera body) leaves us with $800 (for lenses).

 

So, full frame or APS-c, E mount or A mount, expensive or extremely expensive, is just way to confusing for me.....

 

Nikkor 50/1.8 is a good lens, and if you're willing to deal with manual focus (meaning non-action shots), then get an adapter and use the focus peaking/magnification feature on a7ii.  You will be able to use Nikkors without issues.

 

This way, you can use all 3 lenses while you figure out what to buy that supports AF.

 

Btw, Commlite is supposed to come out with AF adapter for F-mount to E-mount soon (I am personally waiting for that...).

 

As for 24-240, its about the same quality as your 70-300 but more suitable all round lens.  

 

Sony is supposed to announce new lenses and perhaps there will be a suitable match for you in the announcement as well as look for a used lens in a good condition.

 

Good luck.

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I thought about it.. but it only opens up to f3.5 - f6.3 ... that doesnt give me much depth of field ..

 

I could get the 24-240mm actually, together with another one that is fills the gaps

 

Yes, thats right. You can start with the 24-240 and then save some more for a nice prime, the 55 Sony or 50 Loxia are both around 8-900 .... or the other way around, start with a prime and then worry about a long zoom later.

 

But in any case, with your budget, its not a hard choice ...

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....................

 

....................

 

 

As for 24-240, its about the same quality as your

70-300 but more suitable all round lens.  

 

....................

No one seems to appreciate the special value of

these various long range zooms. A 24-70 3.5-5.6

is MUUUCH slower than a 24-240 3.5-6.3. Acoarst

you don't worry about the reviews or MTF numbers

etc etc concerning the long end of the super zoom

cuz you really don't use it. The very existence of

the long end is just a bi-product of the design.

 

IOW, if you have 24-70 you really hafta use the

70mm end rather often, even tho it's a slow f/5.6

wide open. BUT ! Wouldn't it be better to have a

lens that is f/4 or f/4.5 at 70mm ? And wouldn't it

be great if that lens didn't end at 70mm f/4.5, but

zoomed further to 105mm f/5 ? Or better still if it

went to 135mm f/5.6 ?

 

Well that 24-135mm f/3.5-5.6 lens is lurking inside

the so-called 24-240mm f/3.5-6.3. By adding a little

extra length to the machinery inside that 24-135mm

f/3.5-5.6, it extends to 200mm while slowing down

to f/6.3 [cuz only the machinery got a bit longer, but

the glass diameters did not get bigger].

 

So just ignore the less sharp and rather slow [f/6.3]

far-far longest end, and be a happy camper using the

best 3/4 of the advertised zoom range. You're really

not "throwing away" something you paid for. Thaz cuz

[repeating here] the long end, slower than reasonable,

is a design bi-product, not a true product enhancement.

 

 

 

`

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the FE 28 f2 is a wonderful lens

 

but for me it would to to wide as a 1 lens solution...i need at lest 35mm or better 40mm with the  FF Sensor

 

it depends on your shooting style

 

i would go for the kit lens

 

by the way....

 

i use only manual focus lenses and they are fast in aperture and fast in shooting IMO

 

if you found the right focus point.... what is not difficult IMO...you have not to refocus like AF lenses

 

you press the shutter button and klick

 

no bsss bsss bsss klick.... just klick.... immediately

 

and you can get a awesome lens for 30 bucks like Minolta MD  50mm 1.4, or Canon FD 50mm 1.8 (i got mine for 18€), plus 10 for the adapter

 

you can get a very fast lenses for no money that come close to a zeiss Lens for 1000  .....but only close....at 1.4 they have a lot of color fringing but at 1.8 or 2 they

 

become very good and from 5,6 there are no great differences .....depends on the lens

 

and you learn how to make good pictures

 

it is not the software in the camera that decides the focus point and the aperture

 

it is you

 

and you have a real aperture ring so you see directly the effect of the aperture to the picture

 

and it is fun

 

 

i would try a  good manual lens 

 

the nikkon 50mm 1.8 is a very good lens so use it for a while as manual focus lens with adapter before buying a very expensive AF Lens

 

take care of G.A.S.

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and you can get a awesome lens for 30 bucks like Minolta MD  50mm 1.4, or Canon FD 50mm 1.8 (i got mine for 18€), plus 10 for the adapter

 

the nikkon 50mm 1.8 is a very good lens so use it for a while as manual focus lens with adapter before buying a very expensive AF Lens

 

I love how that sounds! I could get used to manual focus.. thats easy.. but will i get cropped pictures? or will i use the whole full frame sensor?

 

Mine are [nikkor 50mm 1.8G] and [nikkor 70-300mm f/4-5.6 VR] 

 

Plus, Which adapter exactly are you talking about ? $10? really?

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sorry i had the FF Nikkor 50mm 1.8 in mind

 

o.k. i looked for your lens

 

and yes it is for crop sensors.... so it could be not sufficient for FF sensor

 

better to go with a FF Lens like:

 

Minolta MD 50mm 1.4

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Minolta-MD-50mm-F-1-4-Lens-Excellent-Condition-/201447747702?hash=item2ee738b076 

 

starts at 44$  buy it now 60$

 

adapter look at ebay.... you will find for example this one:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Minolta-MC-MD-Mount-Lens-to-Sony-NEX-5-7-3-F5-5R-C3-E-mount-MD-NEX-Adapter-Ring-/221910317165?hash=item33aae2b86d

 

comes from china ...take´s some time..it is 8$ incl. shipping for Minolta MD to E mount

 

 

 

or cheaper but not 1.4 but 1.8 is a great lens too and it is a little bit sharper but it has a plastic body so it is very light but not as solid as the minolta

 

Canon FD 50mm 1.8 for 23$

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Canon-FD-50mm-F-1-8-prime-lens-for-manual-SLR-SN-6380670-/361407931699?hash=item5425976533

 

adaptor for fd glass to emount 9,25$ incl. shiping:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ZJ-Canon-FD-Lens-to-Sony-E-Mount-NEX-NEX-3-NEX-5-NEX-7-NEX-VG10-Adapter-Ring-/350510614157?hash=item519c0f868d

 

 

i would go for the FD ......it is with adapter 34$, and try to get familiar with manual lenses

 

it is a really good performer

 

afterwards you know if you need 1.4 or 1.8 is o.k

if you need AF or not 

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Minolta MD 50mm 1.4

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Minolta-MD-50mm-F-1-4-Lens-Excellent-Condition-/201447747702?hash=item2ee738b076 

 

starts at 44$  buy it now 60$

 

adapter look at ebay.... you will find for example this one:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Minolta-MC-MD-Mount-Lens-to-Sony-NEX-5-7-3-F5-5R-C3-E-mount-MD-NEX-Adapter-Ring-/221910317165?hash=item33aae2b86d

 

comes from china ...take´s some time..it is 8$ incl. shipping for Minolta MD to E mount

 

 

Minolta sounds like an amazing option... CHEAP!

 

any other options like that one for a zoom lens?! probably using the same adapter?

 

Some math below:

Sony a7ii (Body Only)= $1700

FE 28 f2= $450

Minolta 50mm f1.4= $60

Adapter= $8

 

 

Sorry for the extreme detail .. im just thinking/typing out loud... 

 

This means i got about $300 for a zoom lens equivalent to the 70-300mm. 

 

Do you think its a good idea to buy a third party zoom lens? which will not have any form of image stabilization?

 

or save up some more and buy the FE 24-240? She is just one expensive ass piece of optics  :(

 

would be amazing to buy an adapter for my 70-300 lens and get fullframes :)  .. is this possible? or is she for cropped frames too?

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o.k. your zoomlens covers FF sensor...very good and has OIS!

 

but you need a spezial adapter so OS (VR) can work and aperture control is possible

 

Commlite Nikon to e mount with AF:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Commlite-AF-Adapter-for-Canon-EOS-EF-EF-S-lens-to-Sony-NEX-E-mount-Camera-Black-/291495249136?hash=item43de7884f0

 

it is 78$ but AF speed is slow

 

i would adapt your zoom and buy the kitlens FE 28-70 OSS for fast AF...if needed (arond 200$ used) so you have your 300 $ invested

 

if you want use MD adapter go for the MD 35-70mm constant F 3.5 macro lens 

 

like this...comes from Japan maybe not so good (shipping and TAX!)

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VG-MINOLTA-MD-35-70mm-f-3-5-MACRO-78025-A246-/331680723342?hash=item4d39b6318e

 

it is 40$ but the FE kitlens is a little better, more contrast more sharpness!

 

take care if you use manual lenses you have to switch the camera internal to "release without lens"

 

you find it in the camera menu

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I think i will be going with the Kit Lens as a starter... what do you guys think of that? good idea? bad idea?

 

Also, what do you guys think of refurbished lenses.. do they perform as new ones? would you buy one or not?

 

im looking at a Samyang 35mm f1.4 refurbished .. any ideas ?

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My budget is $800 (for lenses).

 

I'm looking for a wide lens for Star Photography, a prime lens with large aperture for portraits and bokeh's, and a zoom lens for the fun of zooming in and shooting good pictures.

 

Interesting! I think you should keep in mind that the A7ii has image stabilization (ISIS) built in, which is especially good for prime lenses. For non-Sony zoom lenses, it is a pain in the neck to keep adjusting the ISIS for the chosen focus length. 

 

Therefore, I would recommend a legacy wide prime, a legacy portrait prime, and a simple electronic Sony zoom. When using the primes, you set the ISIS to the appropriate focus length, and then you have all the advantages of a stabilized prime, allowing you to shoot at lower ISO then without ISIS.

 

For the sony zoom, as it is talking to your A7ii, it would automatically update the ISIS when zooming. And as you already have the primes for the shorter focus lengths, it is not really a big loss if the zoom is a bit slower. It is also not too bad when you use an APS-C size for the zoom, because this still leaves you with more than 10MPs, which with most zoom lenses you would have trouble to outresolve anyway. 

 

So, here is where I would start:

  • Minolta Rokkor MD 28mm F/2.8 (star lens, used around $40)
  • Minolta Rokkor MD 85mm F/2.0 (portrait lens, used around $350)
  • Sony SEL 18200 (zoom lens, used around $250)

This would allow you to remain within budget, and still create really the most wonderful images with the 28mm and 85mm, which really take advantage of the large sensor.

 

Alternatively, instead of the Minolta Rokkors, you could take Canon Fd, Olympus, Nikon, Pentax, but I like the Minolta's best for starting out.

Oh, and when moving up in budget and after getting experience with the Rokkors, save up for a Zeiss full automatic or for some great old Leica Summilux / Summicron. With the right adapters, you will find yourself drawn to how each individual lens renders the light to your taste. 

 

I started with the Minolta Rokkors myself. I tried the Sony-Zeiss automatics, which are extremely sharp, but a bit... clinical. Then I completely fell for the old Leica's. It doesn't need to be that expensive; I got my Summilux-R 50 for CHF 600 (around the same in $) But that really is a matter of taste.

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