Recommend a lens for a Sony A7 S2

Bebop

Bebop

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I'm posting on behalf of my daughter who has just purchased the Sony A7 S2. We are both Canon users and are not familiar with the possible line up of lenses for this camera.

Her subject matter is mainly people, so I think a 24-70 range is probably the best bet. She does have a metabones Canon adapter, but I suspect it's probably better to go native, and we think a zoom lens will probably suit her needs best.

I'm not sure of her budget, but would be interested in all options within reason, as she may decide to save for something special.

Can anyone recommend a lens please?
 
Have a look at what's available and at what price...

http://www.wexphotographic.com/search/default.aspx?q=sony+fe&showall=1

28-70mm f3.5 - 5.6 - £395.
24-70mm f4 - £837.
24-70 f2.8 GM - £1,900.

I'm more of a prime guy myself and for me the 35mm f2.8 (£630) and 55mm f1.8 (£713) are both outstanding. I wouldn't put the kit lens in the same class but I do think it's the best variable aperture standard range lens I've used and if she can live with the pedestrian aperture range it may be worth a look.
 
I have the Zeiss 24-70 f4 and it's very, very good on the a7r.
 
Thank you both. I will pass this information on.
woof woof said:
Have a look at what's available and at what price...

http://www.wexphotographic.com/search/default.aspx?q=sony+fe&showall=1

28-70mm f3.5 - 5.6 - £395.
24-70mm f4 - £837.
24-70 f2.8 GM - £1,900.

I'm more of a prime guy myself and for me the 35mm f2.8 (£630) and 55mm f1.8 (£713) are both outstanding. I wouldn't put the kit lens in the same class but I do think it's the best variable aperture standard range lens I've used and if she can live with the pedestrian aperture range it may be worth a look.
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Many thanks Alan. Gosh those G Master lenses are expensive aren't they? I think low light capability probably is important for her, so maybe the F4 24-70 would be the best compromise.

Michael Batten said:
I have the Zeiss 24-70 f4 and it's very, very good on the a7r.
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That is good to hear. She had looked at this one, but there is quite a negative review on Digital rev which is really why I thought I'd ask here. Wex don't seem to have any reviews. This looks like the best bet to me.
 
Hi @Bebop

Having owned the original FE 24-70mm f4 and probably the very best Sony/Zeiss lenses for the A7 system I would give the FE 24-70mm f4 a miss unless you can get one around the £350-400 mark as anything more isn't worth it in my opinion as the reviews you have read on the internet are not far from my thoughts on this lens.
You can't beat the FE 47-70mm f2.8 G Master for low light, build and quality really so this would be my recommendation but its not cheap system, just like the A7S II.
 
Fuguru said:
Hi @Bebop

Having owned the original FE 24-70mm f4 and probably the very best Sony/Zeiss lenses for the A7 system I would give the FE 24-70mm f4 a miss unless you can get one around the £350-400 mark as anything more isn't worth it in my opinion as the reviews you have read on the internet are not far from my thoughts on this lens.
You can't beat the FE 47-70mm f2.8 G Master for low light, build and quality really so this would be my recommendation but its not cheap system, just like the A7S II.
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Hmm that is interesting. That was my worry. Perhaps there are good and bad copies. It is a lot of money if it is sub standard. She has a prime she can use for now, so perhaps it's worth her saving. I'll pass the info on, thank you.
 
Bebop said:
Hmm that is interesting. That was my worry. Perhaps there are good and bad copies. It is a lot of money if it is sub standard. She has a prime she can use for now, so perhaps it's worth her saving. I'll pass the info on, thank you.
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Hi,

I would definitely save up for the 24-70mm f2.8 GM, its a awesome piece of glass and also has a Focus Hold button on the side, this can then be re-programmed for things like Eye-AF etc.
There has definitely been QC problem with Sony lenses as your right, some lenses are better than others.
 
Equally, is the GM £1,100 better? And if so, will your daughter notice? It's a VERY high-end lens, heavily future proofed, whereas the F/4 is a good lens. I think it's fair to say Riz (Fuguru) tends to the upper end of price and quality on these matters.

Reviews I read are that it's good, but not as good as the "Zeiss" part of the name would imply.
 
Durbs said:
Equally, is the GM £1,100 better? And if so, will your daughter notice? It's a VERY high-end lens, heavily future proofed, whereas the F/4 is a good lens. I think it's fair to say Riz (Fuguru) tends to the upper end of price and quality on these matters.

Reviews I read are that it's good, but not as good as the "Zeiss" part of the name would imply.
Click to expand...

Perhaps get a secondhand FE 24-70mm f4 and see how she gets on. Its not a bad lens, just not worth the RRP price.
 
How about getting a 24-70 f2.8 lens with a Sony A-Mount, then buy the Sony A-Mount to E-Mount adaptor? There are more lenses available for Sony A-Mount including Tamron and Sigma's current 24-70 f2.8 models and the A-mount versions of the Sony Carl Zeiss 24-70 f2.8, some of which will be cheaper that E-mount options. For example you can get a Sony Carl Zeiss 24-70mm f2.8 (a-mount) for less than £800, or the Tamron 24-70 2.8 VC for £600, then get the Sony LAEA3 a-mount to e-mount adaptor for £130.
Using a Sony A-mount lens via a Sony adaptor on the A7 will work better than a Canon lens on a Metabones adaptor.

Check out Jason Lanier if you want to see a pro who frequently uses non-Sony lenses on his Sony cameras. His gear list is here: http://www.jasonlanier.com/jasonlaniergear/
 
SsSsSsSsSnake said:
Does the a to e adaptor allow full Af etc?
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I think that the LA-EA3 allows AF with some lenses with inbuilt focusing motors where as the LA-EA4 should provide AF with all lenses.
 
SsSsSsSsSnake said:
Does the a to e adaptor allow full Af etc?
Click to expand...

Michael Batten said:
I think that the LA-EA3 allows AF with some lenses with inbuilt focusing motors where as the LA-EA4 should provide AF with all lenses.
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^ What he said.
Basically some older A-mount lenses don't have AF motors in them, so the LA-EA4 adaptor has a motor in-it, so that the lens can still function with AF. For the newer A-mount lenses that do have AF motors, you can use the LE-EA3 adaptor, which doesn't have an AF motor.

Have a look at Jason Lanier's page, which lists his adaptors and what lenses he uses them for: http://www.jasonlanier.com/adaptedlenses

There are lots of older A-mount lenses around (some real bargains to be had), because Minolta used the mount before selling their business to Sony, if you want to know what older A-mount (and E-mount) lenses have been made (and reviews), you can find all of them on the Dyxum lens guide.

Here's a good example: Minolta AF 70-200mm f2.8 APO G D SSM, produced in 2003, basically ended up being sold with a Sony badge in 2006. But it has the modern SSM focus motor: http://www.dyxum.com/lenses/Minolta-AF-70-200mm-F2.8-APO-G-D-SSM_lens47.html

Some of the older lenses won't hold up on a modern A7 sensor, but there are some really good bits of glass about.
 
ABTog said:
How about getting a 24-70 f2.8 lens with a Sony A-Mount, then buy the Sony A-Mount to E-Mount adaptor? There are more lenses available for Sony A-Mount including Tamron and Sigma's current 24-70 f2.8 models and the A-mount versions of the Sony Carl Zeiss 24-70 f2.8, some of which will be cheaper that E-mount options. For example you can get a Sony Carl Zeiss 24-70mm f2.8 (a-mount) for less than £800, or the Tamron 24-70 2.8 VC for £600, then get the Sony LAEA3 a-mount to e-mount adaptor for £130.
Using a Sony A-mount lens via a Sony adaptor on the A7 will work better than a Canon lens on a Metabones adaptor.

Check out Jason Lanier if you want to see a pro who frequently uses non-Sony lenses on his Sony cameras. His gear list is here: http://www.jasonlanier.com/jasonlaniergear/
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Thank you, yes lot's of useful info here. I did check out Jason Lanier's site, and then haven't had time to come back here. That might be a good solution for her. I'll pass it on :)
 
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