NEX-7 + Summicron

[k-hawinkler]

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Jay,

 

Thanks.

I also have the NEX-5N and so far have not observed a red edge.

But I have not been systematically looking for it either.

 

So, I mostly prefer to use my M9.

Additionally, I prefer the NEX-5N for wide angle and available light,

and the NEX-7 for tele-lenses.

 

Sometimes, OOC JPGs help me to decide how far my processed RAW images strayed from what I saw with my eyes. I have a color passport now and will see whether that helps me.

[viramati]

Thanks for all the input. In the end I went for the GXR with A12 M module. I know it has less resolution that the NEX 5 and 7 but as much as liked the 7 I found it's focus peaking distracting and prefer the GXR peaking system to be better and the 7 performs badly with the wides. the 5 is currently unavailable here in the UK so I wasn't able to test it but at least with the GXR I know I have a sensor designed for M mount lenses and strangely I prefer the less contrasty clip on EVF. My main use for it will be longer lenses and I will try it out as a fairly compact 'street camera' with the WATE which should be great with zone focusing. Anyway we will see

[JeTexas]

So for those of you with the NEX-7, how do you like the video? If I switch from M8 to NEX-7, it's only for the video. I hoped I could grab the cheaper 5N for video, but only the 7 has an auxiliary mic plug.

 

I've been using a Canon HF100 for video work for the past three or four years. Unfortunately with a small sensor, you don't get the nice shallow depth of field that everybody wants right now. I hoped my Nikon D7000 would replace it. No luck. I can't even count on it to stay in focus, and the screen isn't good enough for me to tell if things are in focus. Not very impressed with the D7000 video at all.

 

Anyone tried shooting video with Leica lenses?

[k-hawinkler]

Yup, I have, but with the NEX-5N and Telyt-V 560/5.6 and a few APO-Telyt-R Extenders.

There are 2 videos showing atmospheric turbulence in mid and late afternoon, so a couple hours apart.

The top of the communication tower you see in the video is at a distance of almost a mile.

The bird in each video gives a sense of scale.

2012-02-10 DomePeak Turbulence - winklers' Photos

BTW, there was no discernible camera shake.

[algrove]

Thanks for all the input. In the end I went for the GXR with A12 M module. I know it has less resolution that the NEX 5 and 7 but as much as liked the 7 I found it's focus peaking distracting and prefer the GXR peaking system to be better and the 7 performs badly with the wides. the 5 is currently unavailable here in the UK so I wasn't able to test it but at least with the GXR I know I have a sensor designed for M mount lenses and strangely I prefer the less contrasty clip on EVF. My main use for it will be longer lenses and I will try it out as a fairly compact 'street camera' with the WATE which should be great with zone focusing. Anyway we will see

 

It is a lovely camera with the M Mount. I mostly use mine with an old 35mm Summicron-M and it renders beautifully.

[kdriceman]

If anyone is interested, I took some photos using the Nex 7 with a Zeiss 21mm f/2.8 Biogon today. Decidedly red edges and not as sharp in the corners as with the M9. Proving of course, that the Nex 7 does not have firmware to correct for wide M lenses like the M9 does. And, honestly, will not perform as well as the M9... but we knew that already. The images were shot with matrix metering and imported into LR4 and immediately exported without any cropping or editing (except for LR4 defaults) as jpegs to the Zenfolio site:

 

Zenfolio | Ken Rice Photos | Nex 7 Images

 

Clicking on 'Remove Chromatic Aberration' in LR does help, but does not eliminate the red edge. Additionally, applying the LR lens profile for the Super Elmar 21 (there is no LR profile for the Zeiss 21 f/2.8) will make minor correction in perspective/distortion.

[Photoskeptic]

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It's great to see I'm not alone with M lenses on the NEX-7. Most of the Leica lenses still stick out a bit much on this body with adapter so I bought a 50 Summarit to put on mine and now, if I'm wearing a coat, the camera is pocketable. Even when it isn't (pocketable) it's very discreet. I don't draw a second glance when I'm shooting on the street.

[BJDrew]

I've begun doing some field testing of a 50mm Summicron (the rigid v3 that no one seems to like) on the NEX-7. Boy, the quality of the adapter makes a huge difference! I had a wobbly one from LensRentals a number of weeks back that left me uninspired. With a new adapter, the world changed! Bottom line is that the Sony sensor is pretty darn good. You surely need to learn it just like a trusty lens, but with the M digital cameras, we've all gotten good at learning to work with imperfect sensors!

 

Here's a short first impression and decent size (~2500px) sample:

Sony NEX-7 with Leica Summicron 50mm f/2 Type 3 | Leica BOSS

 

And another somewhat backlit shot that the pretty nice Sony sensor was able to manage without a hitch:

 

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[brian]

I have the Leica Summicron asph the Summicron 50 mm latest and the Summicron 90 mm APO lens as well as an older 135 Tele. Elmar and. I really like the Nex 7 camera. I cannot afford an M9 so I thought of the Nex7. To be honest I shoot mainly people and I take landscapes occasionally.

 

I have read about the corner cast on the 35 mm Summicron Asph lens but to be honest I never shoot wide open so often on this lens with film. On my M6 and M2 my main lens is the 90 mm and with the crop factor of the Nex 7 I suppose I will use the 50 and 90 and the 35 asph for city scenes.

 

I would welcome some advice on the Nex 7 from members who own the Nex 7. I have all the info about the Nex5N and the GXR.

 

Regards Brian

[kdriceman]

I have the Leica Summicron asph the Summicron 50 mm latest and the Summicron 90 mm APO lens as well as an older 135 Tele. Elmar and. I really like the Nex 7 camera. I cannot afford an M9 so I thought of the Nex7. To be honest I shoot mainly people and I take landscapes occasionally.

 

I have read about the corner cast on the 35 mm Summicron Asph lens but to be honest I never shoot wide open so often on this lens with film. On my M6 and M2 my main lens is the 90 mm and with the crop factor of the Nex 7 I suppose I will use the 50 and 90 and the 35 asph for city scenes.

 

I would welcome some advice on the Nex 7 from members who own the Nex 7. I have all the info about the Nex5N and the GXR.

 

Regards Brian

 

I have the NEX7 and chose it over the GXR and NEX 5N. I used the GXR with an M mount for several days before making the decision. Although the GXR is a fantastic camera and it will perform better with Leica wide lenses, it was very important for me to have an EVF. You can get an EVF for the GXR, but it is an add on which makes it more expensive and less compact. The NEX 5n performs better at high ISO (apparently, but it is barely noticeable to me), but again requires an external attachable viewfinder. The NEX 7 has a tremendous internal viewfinder, the focus-peaking is outstanding (a bit better than the GXR in my opinion) and good high ISO performance. It is a joy to use with my 90mm tele-Elmarit especially. If you are planning to frequently use wide lenses with your compact camera, you may want to consider the GXR (by the way, using wides with the NEX 7 are not bad results, but not as good as with the GXR). I am not planning to use my wides much with it, so the additional pixels and internal viewfinder of the NEX7 won the day.

[brian]

Thanks for the info about your experience with Tele Elmarit and the Nex 7. I have the small compact Tele Elmarit from the late 1980s myself. A lovely compact lens. I use it as much the Summicron APO almost when I want to reduce weight

 

I have seen many pictures of the corner cast on the 35 mm Asph and to be honest it is only noticeable on landcapes and who really shoots landscapes with the lens wide open unless they have never heard or learned about the term depth of field. I will add there are occasions when it is necessary but they are rare.

 

I will probably buy the Sony Zeiss wide angle lens at a later time if I but the Nex 7.

[kdriceman]

Thanks for the info about your experience with Tele Elmarit and the Nex 7. I have the small compact Tele Elmarit from the late 1980s myself. A lovely compact lens. I use it as much the Summicron APO almost when I want to reduce weight

 

I have seen many pictures of the corner cast on the 35 mm Asph and to be honest it is only noticeable on landcapes and who really shoots landscapes with the lens wide open unless they have never heard or learned about the term depth of field. I will add there are occasions when it is necessary but they are rare.

 

I will probably buy the Sony Zeiss wide angle lens at a later time if I but the Nex 7.

 

Here are som photos I have taken with Nex7... Mostly with a 21mm Zeiss which show the magenta on the edges: http://www.kenrphotos.com/nex7 Also, I bought the 16 mm lens. It is just an ok lens, but it is very compact and makes the NEX a very nice point and shoot. A big issue with the NEX is the lack of quality lenses. I just got the Zeiss 24 and it is a very good lens, and I have my collection of Leica and Zeiss M mount lenses, so all is good. But outside of the Zeiss 24, the auto focus lens selection is not good IMO.

[brian]

Thanks Ken for the the pictures.

 

There is not much cast in the pictures taken at F.5.6 but I have heard the problem is when the lens is wide open but closing the lens down a couple of stops solves the problem. The picture of the flower with the Tele Elmarit is not bad for ISO 6400.

 

Should I buy the Nex 7 I will buy it with the standard F3.5 18-55 lens just to check it out and of course to try some of the features available with a auto focus lens but I will buy the Novo Flex adaptor at the same time for my Leica lenses.

 

I have read what you mentioned is that the weakness for somebody wanting to use Sony lenses are the lack of quality lenses apart from the Zeiss lenses.

 

I was playing with the Nex 7 in a local store this afternoon and I found the menu system not difficult. I managed to find my way around most of the menu in 20 minutes without a manual. The EVF is fantastic especially with the menu system being displayed so clearly in the finder. Focus peaking works fine if you experiment with the colours available . I have mainly chrome lenses so will have to get use to a chrome lens on a black body but it looks unusual because I have not tried it before.

 

 

Here are som photos I have taken with Nex7... Mostly with a 21mm Zeiss which show the magenta on the edges: Zenfolio | Ken Rice Photos | Nex 7 Images Also, I bought the 16 mm lens. It is just an ok lens, but it is very compact and makes the NEX a very nice point and shoot. A big issue with the NEX is the lack of quality lenses. I just got the Zeiss 24 and it is a very good lens, and I have my collection of Leica and Zeiss M mount lenses, so all is good. But outside of the Zeiss 24, the auto focus lens selection is not good IMO.

[mmradman]

Yup, I have, but with the NEX-5N and Telyt-V 560/5.6 and a few APO-Telyt-R Extenders.

There are 2 videos showing atmospheric turbulence in mid and late afternoon, so a couple hours apart.

The top of the communication tower you see in the video is at a distance of almost a mile.

The bird in each video gives a sense of scale.

2012-02-10 DomePeak Turbulence - winklers' Photos

BTW, there was no discernible camera shake.

 

Like your TC stacking, pretty smooth video clip considering FL involved, good advert for your tripod and your long lens technique.

 

It looks like two TC 2x units with 1.4 unit next to the lens. How far is the areal mast in that video clip.

[k-hawinkler]

Mladen,

 

Thank you for your kind comments.

The mast in the video is at almost a mile, between 0.9 and 1 mile line of sight.

The fire lookout watchtower in the first B&W image is at more than 10 miles.

 

The most I have tried is three 2x and one 1.4x APO-Extender-R on a Telyt-V 560/5.6 with the NEX-5N.

The resulting virtual equivalent focal length of an FF is almost 10 meters.

I have used it up to a distance of about 25 miles line of sight.

 

Here in the relatively dry climate of New Mexico one usually can see horizontally about 100 miles.

[Washington]

KH,

Here’s one of my rigs with the NEX-7 aboard. I love the bellows as I can adapt

quickly to the focusing needs of any body I have…. but using the fine bellows screw

for very accurate focusing is a blessing. The attached 90mm finder gets you on your

subject quickly.

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[kdriceman]

KH,

Here’s one of my rigs with the NEX-7 aboard. I love the bellows as I can adapt

quickly to the focusing needs of any body I have…. but using the fine bellows screw

for very accurate focusing is a blessing. The attached 90mm finder gets you on your

subject quickly.

 

That is a work of art, Rip.

[k-hawinkler]

+1

[algrove]

KH,

Here’s one of my rigs with the NEX-7 aboard. I love the bellows as I can adapt

quickly to the focusing needs of any body I have…. but using the fine bellows screw

for very accurate focusing is a blessing. The attached 90mm finder gets you on your

subject quickly.

 

That looks sniper ready if I may say so.

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Hallo,

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[Joe S]

A big issue with the NEX is the lack of quality lenses. I just got the Zeiss 24 and it is a very good lens, and I have my collection of Leica and Zeiss M mount lenses, so all is good. But outside of the Zeiss 24, the auto focus lens selection is not good IMO.

 

The Sigma 30mm is getting rave reviews on the Nex 7 and it only costs about the same as a Leica lens cap.

 

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