Sony Meanwhile Sony announces... big honkin' lenses!

I think that the other part of the reality of full frame mirrorless is that the rear element has to be pushed away from the sensor so that light hits the sensor as close to normal (perpendicular) as possible. My Pentax M 50mm F1.7 is tiny because besides being manual focus, the Pentax mirror box pushes the lens away from the sensor.

Leica's managed with micro mirrors and what not. I'm surprised that Sony has not done the same. Perhaps it's a cost issue.

I suspect that the longer than average flange distance is the reason why I have a brace of tiny Samsung NX prime lenses that perform better across the frame (sharpness, vignetting) than their Micro 4/3 counterparts despite needing to project onto a larger sensor. They chose 25.5mm as the flange distance compared to <20mm for all the other mirrorless mounts. It would however seem that they are in the same boat as everyone else when it comes to zooms.
 
I wonder how Sony 35mm 1.4 compares with the new Zeiss 35mm 1.4 distagon, which is similar size to CV 35mm 1.2 but 90g lighter:
Zeiss introduces Distagon T* 35mm F1.4 ZM lens

zeiss-distagon-t-14-35-zm.jpe


CV 35mm 1.2 works with A7R. All are so much bigger then near pancake CV 35mm 1.4...

More Sony news about 4D AF tracking:
Here's a Glimpse at How Sony's New '4D' Autofocus Technology Looks and Feels

I hope that's not an actual size image.
 
16-35/4 looks ok to be considering its a f4 and spans 16-35mm.
Most Canikon or even 3rd party options in this FL range are not small at all.

The rest of the lenses look real big and defeats the purpose of the system imo.

That said, there are RF options that are small and work.
The CV21/1.8 works w/o an issue on the A7 (I tried this on A7; no issues at all) (reported to work on A7r as well)
The Leica WATE works.
CV12 works to a point (a native lens can use software to compensate automatically)
There is even the new CV15 which is claimed to be redone to some the corner cast issue (but does it solve the smearing?)


I think future even higher res cameras and AF considerations limit the small size on native A7 lenses.
 
Manual focus and smaller apertures make for smaller lenses, but if you want fast glass, with auto focus in full frame, they will almost always be larger

Whoops sorry!
Read your post wrong (not enough coffee).....MF with large apertures are at times still quite small compared to their larger AF counterpart.

AF is the key (IMHO) to size.
 
+1... CV 12mm and 21mm works with A7R as 12mm needs color/vignetting correction... Oly 21mm 3.5 is very small lens also and works with A7R. I am also very impressed by small Contax g lenses... I haven't checked the 35mm corners, but 45mm and 90mm are very good on A7R. The new contax g af adapter is faster, similar to RX1 af speed, so I am using the g lenses more... However the adapter shut down the camera a few times... Sizewise also contax g+35mm/45mm are same size as RX1 w/ grip & evf... So there is options for small glass.

16-35/4 looks ok to be considering its a f4 and spans 16-35mm.
Most Canikon or even 3rd party options in this FL range are not small at all.

The rest of the lenses look real big and defeats the purpose of the system imo.

That said, there are RF options that are small and work.
The CV21/1.8 works w/o an issue on the A7 (I tried this on A7; no issues at all) (reported to work on A7r as well)
The Leica WATE works.
CV12 works to a point (a native lens can use software to compensate automatically)
There is even the new CV15 which is claimed to be redone to some the corner cast issue (but does it solve the smearing?)


I think future even higher res cameras and AF considerations limit the small size on native A7 lenses.
 
For the A7 I've got only two M39 and no M lenses. The size of these are very small, but the minimal focusing distance of most of them ist doubled (retrofocus).
If I see the range beginning at 0.7m for a 35mm than I would decide for a bigger lens. For a few sujets I like to move my camera to the closest distance possible
and a 35mm Flektogon with 0.2m or a 40mm Ultron with 0.38m are able to left less space around a target. Of course the adapter length has to be added to the total size.
 
Contax g 35mm and 45mm have 50cm and 90mm has 1m min focusing dist. They are a little better, but not too short mfd coming from some of those dslr lenses or m43:

Contax g 35mm
original.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)


Contax g 45mm
original.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)


Other option is using macro m adapters that closes the mfd. Here is using Summarit 90mm (1m mfd) w/ macro m adapter:
original.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)


& CV 35mm 1.2 II (50cm mfd)
original.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)



For the A7 I've got only two M39 and no M lenses. The size of these are very small, but the minimal focusing distance of most of them ist doubled (retrofocus).
If I see the range beginning at 0.7m for a 35mm than I would decide for a bigger lens. For a few sujets I like to move my camera to the closest distance possible
and a 35mm Flektogon with 0.2m or a 40mm Ultron with 0.38m are able to left less space around a target. Of course the adapter length has to be added to the total size.
 
The lenses that posess a length of mfd in cm = focal length (mm) are ok for me. A shorter distance is better, a longer not wanted.
 
Back
Top