My new NEX7 Setup

[lawlz_xd]

Here's my new setup...I moved to a NEX7 from a Canon/Canon 7D background:

Sony NEX7
Sony LA-EA2
18-55mm Kit Lense
Sony 50 f/1.8 SAM
Carl Zeiss 85 f/1.4
Strattos Phottix II Receiver/Transmitter
Sony HVL-42AM



Quick test picture (Wide-open with the Zeiss):

[jsrockit]

Like a little person with a large appendage.

[Disaster_Area]

How are you finding the setup so far? Anything you really miss from the Canon setup? I'm in much the same situation. I have a Canon kit for weddings/concerts/events/studio but my Leica/NEX 7 kit is my street shooting and everyday kit. I've been loving my NEX 7 so much the Canon is starting to get jealous, I still need it's AF and lens set for many things but the NEX is just so small and capable I'd love to use it for everything.

I was thinking of trading in my Canon DSLR kit for a Sony DSLR kit and buying the adapter for the NEX... at least that way I'm not splitting my money and duplicating focal lengths between two incompatible systems. But if I could get away with just the NEX 7 and adapter it would save me so cash on a Sony DSLR body.

[dexdog]

I recently got a Metabones adapter for Canon EF/EF-S to Sony e-mount, and it works great! (kinda like the Sony LA-EA2 adapter, except in Canon mount). The adapter has 6 or 8 electronic contact pins that match the back of the Canon lenses. The only thing that does not work on the Canon lenses mounted to the NEX is autofocus, although the camera recognizes this and brings up focus-peaking feature automatically through LCD or viewfinder. Image stabilization is lens-based for Canon, and works as well on the NEX 7 as on my 40D. P, A, M, aperture and shutter preferred all work well, and are controllable with the two top mounted knobs on the NEX 7. The adapter also allows customization of these two knobs for the Canon lenses, although the default settings work well, too. I was pleasantly surprised to see that I get no vignetting on my 17-55/f 2.8 and 10-22 EF-S lenses. Not a cheap adapter at $399, but cheaper than buying new e-mount lenses. BTW, I love the performance of the 17-55/f 2.8 lens, and while it is much bigger than the Sony kit lens, it outperforms it by a mile.

[Disaster_Area]

@dexdog I thought about going this route, but what I really need is decent autofocus with the NEX 7 if it's going to replace my Canon setup, that's why I thought of going the all-Sony route. Glad to hear the adapter works well though!

[ravid905]

My current setup is the Nex-7, the 24 E-Sonnar, the 50 1.8 OSS, and also the Metabones M-E adapter. I also have the kit lens, but am not too interested in using it.

While I am incredibly happy with the results from the E-mount lenses, I am still trying to get a handle on using my pre-asph 35 Summilux and pre-asph 90 Summicron with it. The images look detailed overall, but I am finding the focus peeking not too accurate when using the lenses below 2.8, in that what I intended to focus on, rarely is what is in focus. Maybe I am missing something, or my technique is poor. Since I am not wasting film, I can practice until I figure it out.

[Speedfreak]

I moved to a NEX7 from a Canon/Canon 7D background

Getting a semi-compact NEX 7 body to mount Sonys overweight 85/1.4 via an expensive adapter doesnt make any sense at all.

You could have just as well kept your Canon 7D. Canon has enough primes to chose from + full frame cameras if you ever decide to upgrade. With Sony, I am not so sure anymore... When was the a900 introduced? Is it still in production?

[lawlz_xd]

Originally Posted by Speedfreak

Getting a semi-compact NEX 7 body to mount Sonys overweight 85/1.4 via an expensive adapter doesnt make any sense at all.

You could have just as well kept your Canon 7D. Canon has enough primes to chose from + full frame cameras if you ever decide to upgrade. With Sony, I am not so sure anymore... When was the a900 introduced? Is it still in production?

Yes, I know, not very practical. Why would anyone want to buy a compact body just to mount a huge lense on it? One word, fun. I enjoy shooting with the Nex. I don't know what about the NEX is so addicting but it is. I am having a lot more fun with my NEX than the 7D, is that a crime?

Here are a couple of random snapshots I have taken thus far:

[vidgamer]

Originally Posted by Speedfreak

Getting a semi-compact NEX 7 body to mount Sonys overweight 85/1.4 via an expensive adapter doesnt make any sense at all.

You could have just as well kept your Canon 7D. Canon has enough primes to chose from + full frame cameras if you ever decide to upgrade. With Sony, I am not so sure anymore... When was the a900 introduced? Is it still in production?

Noone is twisting your arm and forcing you to put a large lens on a Nex camera. It's flexible enough to allow it as an option, though.

The kit lens is a good all-purpose lens. Not the best, but pretty good. I get good sharpness -- I have to pixel-peep to see the difference with primes, much of the time -- and the bokeh and color is great. It is convenient, though. It's weak at 18mm, wide open... If I have a need for it, I'll break out the 50/1.7. I've occasionally adapted other lenses, but since small size is the Nex's forte, I tend to want to use few, and smaller, lenses.

The A900? That's large, even for a DSLR. I wouldn't get the Nex if you didn't care about size and weight.

I bought an old MD mount 135mm/f2.8 lens, which is not too large for what it is. I would think to get much smaller, you would have to go with a camera with a smaller sensor. I'm trying to decide if I can come up with a good use for this lens. LOCA is a bit strong, and, of course, I have to manually focus. There may be situations where it would be helpful to use this. But most of the time, I'll carry smaller lenses.

[lawlz_xd]

[willie_901]

I think you should get a larger heavier lens so you can ave even more fun.

[lawlz_xd]

Originally Posted by willie_901

I think you should get a larger heavier lens so you can ave even more fun.

I'm thinking about a 70-200

[cosmonaut]

I have had the 50mm 1.8 on back order a couple of weeks. Nice set up. How does the LA-EA2 work? I have the LA-EA1 and is worthless for AF.

[cosmonaut]

Originally Posted by vidgamer

Noone is twisting your arm and forcing you to put a large lens on a Nex camera. It's flexible enough to allow it as an option, though.

The kit lens is a good all-purpose lens. Not the best, but pretty good. I get good sharpness -- I have to pixel-peep to see the difference with primes, much of the time -- and the bokeh and color is great. It is convenient, though. It's weak at 18mm, wide open... If I have a need for it, I'll break out the 50/1.7. I've occasionally adapted other lenses, but since small size is the Nex's forte, I tend to want to use few, and smaller, lenses.

The A900? That's large, even for a DSLR. I wouldn't get the Nex if you didn't care about size and weight.

I bought an old MD mount 135mm/f2.8 lens, which is not too large for what it is. I would think to get much smaller, you would have to go with a camera with a smaller sensor. I'm trying to decide if I can come up with a good use for this lens. LOCA is a bit strong, and, of course, I have to manually focus. There may be situations where it would be helpful to use this. But most of the time, I'll carry smaller lenses.

I have an a850 and NEX 7. I use the LA-EA1 every now and then and think it makes perfect since. Different crop factors. I shoot mostly landscapes and manual focus most of the time so AF really isn't a big issue for me.
Now if he had the NEX7 and A77 they have the same crop factor. I use the Sigma 8-16mm A mount on my NEX 7 thats = 12-24mm. The 8-16mm is half the price of the Olympus 7-14mm and wider if you figure in the Olympus x2 crop factor. Also you don't have the option for M lenses on the a77.

[lawlz_xd]

Originally Posted by cosmonaut

I have had the 50mm 1.8 on back order a couple of weeks. Nice set up. How does the LA-EA2 work? I have the LA-EA1 and is worthless for AF.

The LA-EA2 works like a dream. AF is as speedy as any DSLR I have used (I have used an XTi, 50D, 7D). With an SSM lense, it is ridiculously silent and quick.