Will my lenses AF with the Sony A7?

My current full frame camera is the Sony A900 and I'd like to upgrade this body to the Sony A7 or the A7II. I have Nikon AF-D and AF-S lenses. I also have Canon EOS and Sony A mount lenses. I'm thinking about buying a used Sony A7 or A7II and I'd like to know if my lenses will auto focus will appropriate Sony adapter? Edited June 24, 2017 by mark_stephan|2

AFIK there are no adapters which will focus AF-D lenses, nor any lens with mechanical AF. At least two vendors make adapters which will focus AF-S lenses. That said, it is very easy to focus lenses manually, using peaking and/or focus magnification (which can be programmed to a convenient button).

 

The A7ii is an enormous improvement over the original A7. Most notably, model ii cameras have in-body image stabilization (IBIS) which will work with any lens. You dial in the focal length for best effect with non-native lenses. They also have a silent (electronic) shutter mode, and even the mechanical shutter is much quieter. The ergonomics is better too, including better placement of the shutter release.

 

While Nikon/Canon lenses are easily used, they are a stop-gap measure. Their optical performance seems designed around 12 MP sensors, and aren't nearly as good as native lenses, even at 24 MP of A7/A7ii cameras. My first Sony was the A7ii, which had features I couldn't resist. I began using Nikon and Leica lens from my existing kit, but gradually replaced them with Sony/Zeiss FE lenses. That was a conscious choice, not an absolute necessity.

Your Sony A-mount lenses will AF if you have an LA-EA3 or LA-EA4 adaptor. The LA-EA3 uses the camera's AF system and is not optimised for the older screw-drive lenses that you might have - the LA-EA4 comes with its own AF system using the same tech as in A-mount cameras but at the level of about the A65 (I think).

The LA-EA3 will focus the newer SSM/SAM lenses. Classic Minolta Maxxum/Dynax/A-mount lenses that rely on the screw-drive motor will NOT autofocus with the EA3. The LA-EA4 includes the screw-drive motor and a translucent mirror, so as Howard said above, it's like the A65/77 and the other SLT cameras at that point. You will lose between 1/3 and 1/2 of a stop in terms of light reaching the sensor with the EA4.

 

You're not going to have any image stabilization with the non-stabilized, A-mount lenses with this camera, so you might feel that light loss on the LA-EA4 a bit more.