Wide prime lens for A7II

[leobatta]

Hi to everyone!

 

I'm new to Sony A7 world and I'm looking for some information about wide lens...

In particular I'm interested into a prime lens, 20 or 21 mm to use on A7II and trying

to spend a reasonable fee, I'm not interested into AF and its use should be for

landscape photography.

 

I am currently considering these:

 

• Nikkor 20mm f3.5 Ai

• Voigtlander Color Skopar 20mm f3.5 (M-mount) - (It has already a rather high price)

• Voigtlander Color Skopar 21mm f4 (but it seams to too much vignetting)

 

Other suggestions?

Thank you

[ACG]

Zeiss loxia 21 will tick all the boxes and you won't be disappointed

[leobatta]

Yes, Loxia 21 is an amazing lens and I love it! But for the moment I'm looking for something not so expensive...

[herring]

I have been using a Nikon 20 2.8D with a Metabones adapter and the results are surprisingly good - very sharp and pretty easy to focus, and it wasn't expensive.

[Ike582]

I recently tried the Voigtlander Color Skopar 21mm f4 on my A7ii and had to send it back.  i absolutely loved the sharpness and ease of use, but unfortunately the purple fringing was way too much.  

 

I'm in a similar search for something in the 20mm range.  I tried the 21mm Loxia owned by a friend and it was superb, just a bit expensive for me. I'm also considering the new Voigtlander 15mm e-mount which should be available later this month.

[Golem]

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

 

I am currently considering these:

 

• Nikkor 20mm f3.5 Ai

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

 

Other suggestions?

I'm using the Nikkor 20/4.0 AI.

 

Very compact, but less compact since

I a 52-62mm step up on it. The glass

really crowds the 52mm threads so I

stepped it up. There was no problem

with a 52mm Nikon filter cuz Nikon

filters have thin rims. But I could not

add a lens shade to the 52mm Nikon

filter cuz that defeated the thin rim

advantage. Without a lens shade you

have a very compact lens with only a

filter on there, and no problems.

 

I love this little lens. Despite being

fairly small, it's a retrofocus formula

which is a significant advantage, vs

the M-mount wide lenses, for digital.

 

IIRC the 20/3.5 uses huge filters.

 

Here's a shot wide open [f/4]. Hadda

shoot wide open cuz it's at about 8pm.

Despite the bright looking sky [it was

late summer] it's rather dark on that

narrow street. The sinking sun is on

the back side of the buildings at the

left side of the image [iOW shooting

northward, half hour before sundown].

The effective f-stop is f/2.8 here cuz

it's on a Nex-6 with a focal reducer.

 

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[Gilgenberg]

Zeiss Distagon 21mm 2.8

Minolta MC 21mm 2.8

[kona]

just sold a Nikkor 20 3.5 ais. great little lens, super flare resistant, better on close focus subjects than landscapes. not sure if it was my copy or what, but i was never really satisfied with the images it rendered. now i'm saving for the 16-35 FE

[leobatta]

I have been using a Nikon 20 2.8D with a Metabones adapter and the results are surprisingly good - very sharp and pretty easy to focus, and it wasn't expensive.

 

From my Nikon equipment I have a 20 D and I liked it so much! ...but (I don't remember where...) I read it has some vignetting problems with A7II and adapeter... Are you saying it has no problem? 

 

 

I recently tried the Voigtlander Color Skopar 21mm f4 on my A7ii and had to send it back.  i absolutely loved the sharpness and ease of use, but unfortunately the purple fringing was way too much.  

 

I'm in a similar search for something in the 20mm range.  I tried the 21mm Loxia owned by a friend and it was superb, just a bit expensive for me. I'm also considering the new Voigtlander 15mm e-mount which should be available later this month.

 

Thank you for let me know this...

 

@Golem: Thank you very much for your suggest, at this point if my 20 f2.8 D works I solved!

 

@other replies: Distagon 21 / SonyZeiss 16-35 are amazing solutions but too much expensive for the moment

 

Thank you all!

[addicted2light]

If something wider might fit the bill then take into consideration the Contax 18mm f/4 (from 350€ to 500€ depending on luck and conditions of the lens).

 

You can check my previous post about it here on the forum:

 

http://www.sonyalphaforum.com/topic/3613-contax-18mm-f4-distagon-and-a7r/

 

You can always crop a bit to get a 20mm field of view, and in the process you'll get better borders and corners that probably with any other "real" 20mm lens.

[leobatta]

If something wider might fit the bill then take into consideration the Contax 18mm f/4 (from 350€ to 500€ depending on luck and conditions of the lens).

 

You can check my previous post about it here on the forum:

 

http://www.sonyalphaforum.com/topic/3613-contax-18mm-f4-distagon-and-a7r/

 

You can always crop a bit to get a 20mm field of view, and in the process you'll get better borders and corners that probably with any other "real" 20mm lens.

 

 

@Addicted2light

Thank you very much for your suggestions and the examples, Unfortunately

I think Contax 18 has a little too much vignetting for my taste... 

 

 

@herring

Please, can you post few example with Nikkor 20 f2.8 D and A7x?

I would be grateful 

[runnerpsu]

I'm new to  Sony cameras.  I purchased an A7ii and a Zeiss 55 1.8.  My plan was to add something wide (21 or  28) and a zoom (70-200).

 

I love the results the Loxia 21 produces but, for now, my budget says no!  Therefore, I'm focusing on the Sony 28.

 

I'm anxious to see what you purchase.

[leobatta]

For the moment I'm curious to try my Nikkor 20 f2.8 D...

but I need an adaptor and I'm trying to decide witch should I buy

[CZ-Fotominator]

Hi to everyone!

 

I'm new to Sony A7 world and I'm looking for some information about wide lens...

In particular I'm interested into a prime lens, 20 or 21 mm to use on A7II and trying

to spend a reasonable fee, I'm not interested into AF and its use should be for

landscape photography.

 

I am currently considering these:

 

• Nikkor 20mm f3.5 Ai

• Voigtlander Color Skopar 20mm f3.5 (M-mount) - (It has already a rather high price)

• Voigtlander Color Skopar 21mm f4 (but it seams to too much vignetting)

 

Other suggestions?

Thank you

 

Hi, luckilyI have had the opportunity to shoot the Loxia 21 mm for a couple off days. The IQ is amazing in alle matters, the buildquality as well, just the mounting and demounting is a bit friggeiing. The glass ist a real CZ and it is compared to other 21mm lenses tiny.  But I´m still waiting for the Batis 18mm, hopefully a 2.0 F-Stop to complete my Batis line which is announced to ship in April. But anyway, the Loxia would be an excellent choice.

[JimmyD]

+1 for the Loxia 21mm.  Nothing (including the Zeiss 16-35mm) comes close in terms of IQ.  I have the Nikkor 20mm f/2.8 AI-s (you can still purchase new) and it is good stopped down to f/8 or f/11.  But by the time you figure in the price of a high quality adapter, the Loxia is not too much more...

[KlausH]

+1 for the Loxia 21mm.  Nothing (including the Zeiss 16-35mm) comes close in terms of IQ.  ...

 

+1 for the Loxia 21mm. IQ is outstanding even wide open. The form factor is perfect for A7 cameras.

[leobatta]

I'm sure Loxia 21 is an amazing lens and I already love it!

...but (as already mentioned) for now is too much expensive

for me (1000/1500). 

 

I already own the Nikkor 20 f2.8 D, I don't buy it.

I'm not interested in AF or EXIF transmission, so

a good adapter could be between 50 and 100.

 

Vello

LA-NEX-NF

€ 50

 

Metabones

NF-E-BT2

€ 99

 

 

 

My question now is: there is someone who can show me some example made with A7x and Nikkor 20 f2.8 D?

If the Nikkor doesn't work well then I consider other lens/brands... 

[ACG]

The pentax m 20 f4 works very well on the a7 series. See reviews in the lens data base on the pentax forum website.

 

It is very compact. Excellent sharpness apart from the extreme corners. Lovely deep vibrant colours that are characteristic of legacy pentax glass.

 

Too much distortion for architecture.

 

Remember, for the older lenses you won't find lens profiles for lightroom or photoshop.

 

I have an excellent copy of the lens and rate it highly.

[thomas81]

Hello all,

 

I've found a good compromise for my A7II  with the Samyang NC 12mm f2, it's an APSC lens but offers you an F2 18mm equivalent in 16 MP for 1/5 of the price of a Loxia. If you're tight on budget that could be very coherent.

 

Lurk on the web and you'll find very good reviews.

 

Cost/performance it's unbeatable.

 

The non AF is not an issue with such wide angle.

 

Best regards,

 

Thomlas

 

[CZ-Fotominator]

Hi to everyone!

 

I'm new to Sony A7 world and I'm looking for some information about wide lens...

In particular I'm interested into a prime lens, 20 or 21 mm to use on A7II and trying

to spend a reasonable fee, I'm not interested into AF and its use should be for

landscape photography.

 

I am currently considering these:

 

• Nikkor 20mm f3.5 Ai

• Voigtlander Color Skopar 20mm f3.5 (M-mount) - (It has already a rather high price)

• Voigtlander Color Skopar 21mm f4 (but it seams to too much vignetting)

 

Other suggestions?

Thank you

Hi, unfortunately my recommendation isn´t a cheap one, but it would the best at the time being: Zeiss Loxia 2,8/21 mm. It is truly a great lens, I own it since 3 weeks and I am happy with this glass. I have had the CZ Classic 21 mm with my D810, and so I can compare this combo with my new one (A7Rii) and the Loxia.  Smaller, less weight and more IQ. Good luck for you. 

[markphoto4u]

just sold a Nikkor 20 3.5 ais. great little lens, super flare resistant, better on close focus subjects than landscapes. not sure if it was my copy or what, but i was never really satisfied with the images it rendered. now i'm saving for the 16-35 FE

I'm a pro landscape photographer (markwilhelmphotos.com) and I shot with the 16-35 for over a year. Got wonderful shots with one exception. It was too soft at 35mm. I essentially use it as a 16-28 with excellent results, but I did not like changing lenses to get a decent 35mm focal length. I eventually sold it and went back to the Canon 17-40 f/4 L with the new Fotodiox Pro Auto adapter -- $106 new. 17-40 is a great zoom for the money since the 16-35 has come out. I am quite pleased with the 17-40. My 12x18s look very nice to my eyes. Note: the 16-35 is a bit sharper and faster to focus.. The 17-40 takes about 3 seconds. See photo below taken with the 17-40 mounted on a Canon 6D at the time.

[markphoto4u]

I'm a pro landscape photographer (markwilhelmphotos.com) and I shot with the 16-35 for over a year. Got wonderful shots with one exception. It was too soft at 35mm. I essentially use it as a 16-28 with excellent results, but I did not like changing lenses to get a decent 35mm focal length. I eventually sold it and went back to the Canon 17-40 f/4 L with the new Fotodiox Pro Auto adapter -- $106 new. 17-40 is a great zoom for the money since the 16-35 has come out. I am quite pleased with the 17-40. My 12x18s look very nice to my eyes. Note: the 16-35 is a bit sharper and faster to focus.. The 17-40 takes about 3 seconds. See photo below taken with the 17-40 mounted on a Canon 6D at the time.

[xcm]

Hi guys, does anybody have experience with voigtlander ultron 21mm f1.8 ? I just watched many review about color scopar version (f4) but it has some problems with A7 (corner sharp, color etc) I was also intersted in voigt 20mm f3.5 but this lens awfull at corners. 

Wich lens do you suggest for landscape  photography around 500-900 USD?

Thanks for opinions.

[martys]

At this time, there are enough native E mount lenses where I would avoid an adapted lens unless its exceptionally spectacular.  Consider the Zeiss Loxia 21, there are several new Voitlanders, you could even look at the Sony 10-18 E mount for APS cameras. http://briansmith.com/sony-a7r-10-18-e-mount-lens/  I have a Batis 18mm that is amazing.  Lots of choices these days, you just need to be prepared to pay the Sony tax that goes with these cameras.

[duncanfoxphoto]

I have a Sony 28mm with the 21mm ultra wide angle adapter (16mm is also available, but I don't like the fisheye effect), and it's not perfect wide open (f/2.0, f/2.8 w/ adapter), but stopped down to f/5.6 or f/8 it's incredibly good even on an a7r ii. If you have the scratch and don't mind manual focusing, I would definitely go for the Loxia. You also need to consider that the a7ii still has the AA filter on, while R variations (a7r, a7r ii) do not.