K7 to A7 unexpected upgrade

<p>I have no clue why I place the order. It is coming this Friday along with the Zeiss FE 35mm f/2.8, kit zoom and LAEA-4 adapter. I thought long and hard between three choices</p>

<ul>

<li>K3 </li>

<li>K5 II with 18-135mm black Friday deal for $799</li>

<li>Sony nex 7 one day deal the expired yesterday for body + 20mm f/2.8 pancake + kit $1098</li>

</ul>

<p>I am pretty much aps-c hobbyist. I am not basing my decision on others but I just hit the buy button with the thought -- what the heck. I will keep Pentax K-5 and all limited lenses with 15, 31, 35, 43, 77 and my best loved Pentax zoom with DA* 50-135 and 10-17 fisheye. And yes, I have 31 ordered coming about the same time as my A7. Who knows, by next year if Ricoh has the Pentax FF with a twist, I am all ready. As of now, I will head into the FF unknown world with Sony FE mount along with my collection of weird lenses that nobody talks about such as this Kodak Retina 45mm f/2.8 in DKL mount</p>

<p><img src="http://i.ebayimg.com/t/Kodak-Retina-Schneider-Kreuznach-XENAR-45mm-f-2-8-Lens-DKL-/00/s/MTIwMFgxNjAw/z/FdUAAOxytD5SUFKd/$(KGrHqJHJEUFI-P5sB!NBSUFKdBcww~~60_57.JPG" alt="" width="1600" height="1200" /></p>

<p>I have ordered a DKL to M42 mount and I have no idea how this $40 lens pans out in a full frame body or if it actually works. But it sure looks cute as a pancake. It will go well with my other weird lens collection.</p>

<p><a title="Industar 50-2, Fujian 35mm by Hin Man, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5537/10857153433_d06f35faa9_h.jpg" alt="Industar 50-2, Fujian 35mm" width="1600" height="1041" /></a><br>

Left: Industar 50-2 50mm f/3.5 converted to Konica AR mount and sits on top of a AR to NEX adapter<br>

Right: The $27.00 Fujian 35mm f/1.7 cctv lens <br>

<br />I am a lens junkie at heart and the Sony E and Sone FE mounts fit my quest to explore gear without boundaries.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Get ready for your subjects to be slightly out of focus sometimes because of the thinner DoF of FF :-)</p>

<p>That Kodak lens is damn cute!</p>

<p>I ordered the A7 and then changed my mind and cancelled the order. The force is strong with this one, but not that strong :) In other news, I just received my E-M1.</p>

<p>congratulations! i hope you will enjoy your a7. i am happy with my k-5 but i am eying for an ff dslr a year from now. i hope pentax would give me an option. otherwise, nikon df looks good to me. i just don't want to purchase another set of lenses and adapter is not my preference. <br>

--osamu</p>

<p>I think it was Will Rogers who said "Hin never met a lens he didn't like."</p>

<p>Miserere, it is too late for me but I can still think about returning it if I happen not to like it. I don't have high expectation on A7 but I just want to try something different. It ain't cheap. My logical and preferred upgrade is from nex 5n to nex 6 and keep my K-5 as main body. I really heart my 5n and I know many ridicule the size of its zoom or lenses. And it is unfair that one has not tried NEX in person and give a objective assessment on size. The Fuji is great, so is the Panasonic and Olympus. There is no right or wrong choices in one's choosing. If money is not a concern, I will have a Pentax K-3, A7r, nex 6, and a potential splurge for one cheapest, smallest and $300 ish olympus EPL-2/3 or panasonic GF2 or similar for a pocket p&s like's m43 camera 24/7 in the daily bag or car storage. The Fuji will be a great camera for street shooting in your hands and I will looking forward to your story with Fuji. You may not know -- I am a great fan of Fuji from my time with Fuji F30 and I recently get Fuji H50 bridge camera to replace my use with DA 55-300 as I will trade in my DA 55-300 zoom soon to get some funding. But my plan to shoot birds with a bridge camera has not been too great yet as I need more practice.<br>

<br /> <br>

@Lurentiu, congratulation on the EM1. One of this day, you have to help me to find a smallish and great Olympus or Panasonic M43 that cost < $300 to replace a p&s. As I have so many adaptable lenses, it makes sense to go M43 for close up, street shooting and tele with a small camera. I love what I see with EM5 and EM1. The lenses collection is just mind blowing in Olympus, Panasonic and Fuji. I don't see gaps easily and hence there is no doubt that it is a fun journey to go into M43. I love the little Panasonic GX7 and the Ricoh GXR.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>@Osamu, patience is a great virtue that I lack. I hope the new development of Ricoh along with a better roadmap in lenses and FF story will come to fruition in 2014. If all that comes through, I am ready more than anything -- I love Pentax and I stay Pentaxian for life. It is not a promise but it is my current thinking and love with loyalty on my Pentax K-5 and its brothers. However, I hate Pentax for many wrong doings and absurdity in the past and I don't want to be one of the bashers. I still believe in Pentax as it has great products.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>"I think it was Will Rogers who said "Hin never met a lens he didn't like."<br>

</p>

</blockquote>

<p>@Wayne, I want to prove you wrong. But how can I. I love all sorts of lenses. Not just the K and M42 mount. I can't afford many famously branded lens. And I dislike the hype over a $1000 lens that does little but blurry picture in crazy fast aperture as in f/1.2. I especially dislike the fan boys licking their lens as if they would make you breakfast and dinners. I have a grudge on those fancy big lenses that one can't hand-hold. I have a bias toward simple and small lens design and hence the loyalty on Pentax limited and all sorts of pancake like lens.<br>

<br>

My recent love is on cctv lenses with c-mount. My latest find is with Fujinon 75mm f/1.8 cctv in c-mount. It is small but not too small. I should have a picture of it next to my favorite 77mm limited<br>

<br>

<a title="Fujinon 75mm f/1.8 cctv by hin_man, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2833/11230266216_50650a7a7c_b.jpg" alt="Fujinon 75mm f/1.8 cctv" width="1024" height="680" /></a><br>

Fujinon 75mm f/1.8 cctv lens in middle<br>

Left is Sony SEL 50mm f/1.8 OSS <br>

Right is Fujian 35mm f/1.7 tv lens for $27.00<br>

</p>

<p>Here is a random shot from Fujinon 75mm f/1.8 shot at f/5.6 and crop 1/8th of the original picture. That c-mount has some adjustment to get used to due to the focusing ring placed awkwardly close to body.</p>

<p><a title="Orange Leaves by Hin Man, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5488/11213665715_a97e0da140_b.jpg" alt="Orange Leaves" width="1024" height="1024" /></a><br>

Fujinon 75mm f/1.8 c-mount @ f/5.6, cropped about 1/8th of original</p>

<p>The brown truck never made it as promised and a next day delivery turned out to be a wait of 4 day delivery till next week. The above was taken with my traveling and everyday camera with nex 5n.</p>

<p>Here is another random shot that I took with the cctv lens shot at f/5.6. This is not a crazy crop, it is more like a bit less than 1/2 crop of the upper halve of the original portrait shotting<br /><br /><br /> <a title="Fall Ending by Hin Man, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5480/11247492985_b1c8d26a41_b.jpg" alt="Fall Ending" width="1024" height="1024" /></a><br /> Fujinon 75mm f/1.8, shot with f/5.6 and nex 5n<br /><br /><br /> Curiosity is my best friend and my worse LBA nightmare. I paid $179 for this charming f/1.8. Every c-mount has the normal vignette on corners and I can't see it easily on this lens. I don't know how to see the vignette with some formal testing. But if I shoot random shot and I get results that I like, the lens is a charm and I don't want to compare it to others like my 77mm limited. Every lens has a sweet spot to turn on. The c-mount great fast aperture is something refreshing and it has the color and sharpness in center that I have not yet encountered for a < $200 lens. Dare I say that I hate pixel peeping and I love to be blindfold in picking my favorite picture to upload and share with others -- everything that I don't see is better not to be seen -- no pixel peeping.</p>

<p><strong>Night Scene with cctv lens</strong></p>

<p><a title="Evening Bus Stop by Hin Man, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7290/11247759214_c50faa0e0c_b.jpg" alt="Evening Bus Stop" width="1024" height="576" /></a><br>

f/1.8, off focus on purpose, Fujinon 75mm f/1.8, nex 5n</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Hin Man wrote:<br>

Miserere, it is too late for me but I can still think about returning it if I happen not to like it. I don't have high expectation on A7 but I just want to try something different. It ain't cheap.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Actually, I think a such a small FF camera (with two control wheels) for $1,700 is a great deal. I know $1,700 is a lot of money for us cheapskate Pentaxians, but it's still an awesome price for what you get. I wonder how much money Sony are losing on the A7...</p>

<blockquote>

<p>The Fuji will be a great camera for street shooting in your hands and I will looking forward to your story with Fuji.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I hope so, but it'll be used more for baby pics as my son (my first) was born a few weeks ago. I don't have much time for street photography these days! :D</p>

<blockquote>

<p>You may not know -- I am a great fan of Fuji from my time with Fuji F30 and I recently get Fuji H50 bridge camera to replace my use with DA 55-300 as I will trade in my DA 55-300 zoom soon to get some funding. But my plan to shoot birds with a bridge camera has not been too great yet as I need more practice.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I do remember your Fuji F30 days! And I've seen some of your recent H50 posts; I'm not sure it's the camera for what you want, but I have some people use it successfully for birding (as long as you don't pixel peep or print large).</p>

<p>@Miserere, congratulation on the baby boy. The first few months will be the toughest time of all time. I still remember one very special b&w picture of your wife's shoulder and I am sure you will have some similar for your baby boy. There will be moments that we can wake up from the long winding nights of frequent wake-up. Difficult but joyful times are those to be cherished in memory and the a photo will make it more memorable but that is only if you are in the mood and with the right level of energy.<br /> <br /><br /><br /> Now I have a difficult time to have a picture of my older boy who usually puts up a protesting face for a picture. The limited lenses with 43 and 77 make it special for my family. The first shot was one of those photos where my older boy gave a non-protesting face. The blinking of my younger boy ware not intended. Oh well, I suck quite often in family photos no matter how much I practice on other subjects.</p>

<p><a title="IMGP7726 by Hin Man, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2846/11269381056_3d09964259_b.jpg" alt="IMGP7726" width="1024" height="678" /></a><br /> 1/8 sec, 77mm, f/1.8, iso 800, 0 Ev, K-5, no flash<br /> <br /><br /><a title="IMGP7749 by Hin Man, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5492/11269334236_7128c983b7_b.jpg" alt="IMGP7749" width="1024" height="678" /></a><br /> 1/125 sec, 77mm, f/3.2, iso 3200, -0.7 Ev, built-in flash<br /> <br /><br /></p>

<p>Yeah, sleepless nights...I'm having lots of those, pretty much every single one so far! :-\</p>

<p>Your kids have grown so much! Wow, I didn't think it was so long since I'd seen a picture of them. Your eldest probably thinks his old man is just so not cool carrying a camera all the time and bothering him by taking pictures :-D But one day he'll appreciate it, so hang in there.</p>

<p><br /><a title="DSC06865 by Hin Man, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5532/11317080563_b450ab4443_b.jpg" alt="DSC06865" width="1024" height="681" /></a><br>

Sony A7 with Sony FE 35mm f/2.8 ZA<br /><br /><br>

The viewfinder in this camera is outstanding. It is shame that I never purchase the add-on viewfinder on nex 5n. The latest evf in A7 is unbelievable clear. In playback mode, I feel like watching a movie through a tunnel. I have extremely poor eye-sight due to aging and this EVF with 11+ times magnification for MF assist is a great aid to manual focusing. This is a powerhouse for MF lenses. With a funky term called DMF, native E mount lenses can use AF with a twist, a slight turn on AF ring will magnify view on EVF or LCD and let one override the AF point with fine tune adjustment on the focusing ring. One can get the best of hybrid use of AF and MF with superb aid in the process. </p>

<p><a title="DSC06866 by Hin Man, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7442/11317035254_0af4c1970f_b.jpg" alt="DSC06866" width="680" height="1024" /></a></p>

<p>I run into few quirks and there are few things that I have to work to get used to. The placement of the shutter button is the 1st thing that I dislike but I will get used to it. But overall, I am well pleased with the design. I much prefer the non-retro styling in nex 7 or nex 5. But this one will work </p>

<p>A surprise that I can shoot in wider apertures in FF mode with one of my favorite APS-C lens with Sigma 30. I have to remove the rear baffle. </p>

<p><a title="DSC06862 by Hin Man, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3674/11317080393_d4a131c1ca_b.jpg" alt="DSC06862" width="1024" height="680" /></a></p>

<p><a title="DSC01580 by Hin Man, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5511/11316997696_783827772d_b.jpg" alt="DSC01580" width="1024" height="683" /></a><br>

with Sony FE 35mm f/2.8 ZA (Zeiss) at f/2.8 jpeg ooc, no editing</p>

<p><a title="DSC01585 by Hin Man, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5518/11317079523_5a90fd4914_b.jpg" alt="DSC01585" width="1024" height="683" /></a><br>

with Sigma 30mm f/2.8 at f/2.8, jpeg ooc, no editing, some vignette</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Imaging-Resource</p>

<p><a href="http://www.imaging-resource.com/news/2013/12/11/13-best-cameras-for-2013-ir-cameras-and-lenses-of-the-year">http://www.imaging-resource.com/news/2013/12/11/13-best-cameras-for-2013-ir-cameras-and-lenses-of-the-year</a></p>

<p>Sony A7 and Pentax K-3 are both mentioned. </p>

<p>Nice color and framing, especially the top image. I have used a pair of Fujinon binoculars with EBC lenses for birding for more than 25 years. Great optics for sure. </p>