Sony Nex 7

<p>I bought a Sony Nex7 for a specific job and have been amazed at how bad the kit lens (18mm-55mm) is. I had read every review I could find about the camera and really couldn't find many negative reviews (that is, where the review was negative throughout - obviously small negatives in any extensive review). Everything about the lens says there is distortion at the wide end (and there really is!) and they talk about how sharp or not sharp the lens is, but I have never come across any comments on how dead flat the lens is for contrast. I have never seen any lens produce such a flat image. (My primary cameras are Nikons) With an unbelievable amount of work I can get the image to come out okay, but I am really talking about a lot of work per image. I do the same with photos shot with my other cameras, but the difference in work is tremendous.<br>

My questions are these:<br>

1) Is it possible to just have a bad copy of the lens and that is why I don't see negative reviews? Seems unlikely to me, but I don't know that much about it.<br>

2) I can probably get by with the 50mm lens in terms of length (I need to shoot quietly in a military classroom setting without flash - at least more quietly than my Nikon) and I am wondering if anyone has experience with this lens, ie- is it as flat as the other?<br>

3) It seems like many people put other lenses on it using converters for the mount - is that the way to go?</p>

<p>Any advice, insights or help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much -<br>

Markham Starr</p>

<p>Hello Mark,<br>

I think the guys at Photozone share your frustration: http://www.photozone.de/sony_nex/724-sony1855f3556oss?start=1.<br>

I don't have the NEX-7, I bought the NEX-5N instead, which has less of a problem with the kit lens. Still, I now mostly shoot with the excellent Sigma 30 mm f/2.8, which I think might also do wonders for the NEX-7.<br>

Christoph</p>

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<p><br /> 1) Is it possible to just have a bad copy of the lens and that is why I don't see negative reviews?</p>

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<p>Weird, I read no good review for this kit lens. Only negative to adequate...</p>

<p>It is hard to answer your questions, not knowing how you configured your NEX-7.</p>

<p>You could get flat picture by using unporcessed RAW, so RAW files always need processing.</p>

<p>Apparently it does not match your expectations, or the Nikon DSLR quality. After all it is more of a pocket size camera, even though the lens is too big for the quality it represents, and kind of negates pocket size of the set.</p>

<p>The photozone missed on the built quality. Actually, the lens inner barrel or tube is made of plastic, and not any metal, magnesium or not. Extend the lens to max zoom, and you will see metalic aluminum color paint on the plastic tube paint (or black if it is in black). If this lens is mishandled, it could affect sharpness, contrast, at least.<br>

For the quality it represeints, it is too expensive. For general type replacemet of a point&shoot camera, the lens is more than adequate. For professional results, it all depends on your picture quality threshold.</p>

<p>Try your lens outside in a good lighting, use some JPG, and color and contrast will come up. Perhaps you used a too high ISO ? The NEX-5N is reportedly working better at high ISO and this lens.<br>

If you use it in subdued or dark classroom, then you will need a better lens, like the 24mm SEL Zeiss/Sony, for 3x the price, for professional results.</p>

<p>I think you were expecting the toy lens and camera to do more like of a professional camera.<br>

Try various settings, and it could replace any point&shoot camera, but not a DSLR with a good Nikkor.</p>

 

<p>I have an NEX-7 and the two Sigma lenses (19 and 30), both of which are fine. But my favorite lens on NEX-7 in my Nikkor 50mm f/1.4. Since you must have some Nikon lenses, why not buy a cheap adapter and try them out? The 50/1.4 at f/8 is sharper than either of the Sigmas.</p>

<p>To all above,<br>

Thank-you for your help and responses. I have noticed that most of the people who love the camera are not using the sony lenes, so I guess you are right. I will try the converter and some nikor lenses with it- thanks for that tip too. I really appreciate all of you taking the time to help me with this. I am sure it will eventually work the way I need it to! Thanks again and have a great weekend -<br>

Sincerely,<br>

Markham Starr</p>

 

<p>I have some Minolta MF lenses: 45mm f/2, 50mm f/1.4 and 85mm f/1.7, can I use these on a Sony NEX series digital? What kind of adapter would you recommend and which NEX body. Thanks.</p>

<p>I too have an NEX-7 and I use it primarily with the Tamron e-mount 18-200mm lens. I have none of the problems that you are mentioning. I'm waiting for some new additions to the e-mount line from Sony in the future, but for now, the Tamron is a superb lens IMO.</p>

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<p>couldn't find many negative reviews</p>

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<p>That is normal for every new item that has just come out. Usually you find negative reviews when manufacturers plan to replace it by an upgrade newer version</p>

 

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<p>put other lenses on it using converters for the mount - is that the way to go?</p>

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<p>That is what I suggested, To make the mirrorless simpler and with a lower price, and much more versatile, just use some kind of "adaptall" design with mechanical (only) coupling with almost any lens that has an aperture ring. There is no need of AF and P and S exposure modes. Instead the mirrorless camera should have an "electronic" rangefinder to assist manual focusing.Why spend time and money to build those low quality (kit) lenses</p>

<p>John-- I am pretty sure you can adapt any of those lenses. Go to ebay and search for an adapter. The good old lenses take on new life on the nex-7 sensor. My Nikon 75-150 zoom is just killer on the nex.</p>

<p>Roberto-- I meant the camera would be much simpler and cheaper if we strip down not only the mirror but also many other things like Auto focusing, Electronic coupling mount, no P and S mode (meter is not needed either especially you already has histogram). There is no need to design any lenses for the mirrorless</p>

<p>Also this topic may have got more attention if it is posted in the mirrorless forum, not this SLR forum</p>

<p>To be fair, when the first NEX models came out the reviewers quite naturally focused much more on the cameras than on the 18-55 kit lens packed along by Sony, even though all the ones I've read did comment at least in passing that the lens was an underwhelming performer.</p>

<p>At the time of initial launching of the NEX 3 and 5 it was obvious that Sony hadn't put much thought in the wishes of savvy potential buyers who already owned an SLR + SLR quality lenses and who would expect similar performance from NEX optics. Or Sony just prioritized relative compactness - or both of the above. Otherwise they could have tried adapting the proven formula of their SAM 18-55 kit lens for alpha mount, which btw has significantly fewer elements (compare diagrams <a href="http://kurtmunger.com/nex_18_55mm_f_3_5_5_6id193.html">here </a>and <a href="http://kurtmunger.com/sony_dt_18_55mm_f_3_5_5_6_samid140.html">here </a>in Kurt Munger's website) ... but then that would have required a much longer barrel to account for the difference in mount register distances.</p>

<p>It now seems that Sony hopes unhappy owners of the 18-55 will fork out cash for their new and better received NEX 18-200 (although from very scant reports on the web Tamron's equivalent appears to be a good match for it plus slightly smaller + less expensive).</p>

<p>Thanks again for all the comments and advice. I didn't notice the mirrorless forum when I posted this question, but knowing the moderators don't like repeated questions I won't put it in there, and it seems like the answer lies in the lens, not the camera, so I will pursue that route. Thanks to everyone for the help with this - I really appreciate it -<br>

Markham Starr</p>

<p>I use the sigma 19mm and sony 55-210mm with the nex-7 which I bought after reading forums about them and have to say that both lenses are excellent. Also use my EF and EF-s lenses with a metabones adapter and again great and again no problems. The absence of AF is not a problem with this adapter, in fact I prefer it this way as the 7 is great with MF using peaking and 5x or 11x instant enlargement when using the focus ring manually. Thought this might help.</p>