Got my NEX-7: Send me your M-mount lens experience stories!
Hurray! I got my NEX-7! As you see I got the body only and I am still figuring out what kind of lens I should use on it. And I have a request to you readers. I want to spend my money on lenses I can use on different systems. That’s why I am looking to get M-mount lenses that can fit via adapter on any current ASP-C NEX or future full frame NEX (or hybrid mount) camera. I usually don’t spend a lot of money on digital cameras, but I am willing to invest in good lenses because a good lens lasts forever!
But it’s not an easy task as you might think. Some lenses do have rear nodal points that do not match perfectly on cameras. If that happens then you get huge vignetting and what’s worse color shifting on the corners. Most M-mount lenses have been designed for film cameras like the Leica M7 or Zeiss Ikon. That’s why I would like to collect your stories with those lenses to see which one fits better on NEX cameras. There are many Leica M-mount lens which are very beautiful but far to expensive for me. As I often shot for work in “dangerous” situation I am not willing to risk to get robbed of a $6.000 lens! Here is the list of M-mount lenses I am looking for:
Zeiss ZM
Distagon T* 2,8/15 ZM (Click here to see price on eBay).
Distagon T* 4/18 ZM (Click here to see price on eBay).
Biogon T* 2,8/21 ZM (Click here to see price on eBay).
C Biogon T* 4,5/21 ZM (Click here to see price on eBay).
Biogon T* 2,8/25 ZM (Click here to see price on eBay).
Biogon T* 2,8/28 ZM (Click here to see price on eBay).
Biogon T* 2/35 ZM (Click here to see price on eBay).
C Biogon T* 2,8/35 ZM (Click here to see price on eBay).
C Sonnar T* 1,5/50 ZM (Click here to see price on eBay).
Planar T* 2/50 ZM (Click here to see price on eBay).
Sonnar T* 2/85 ZM (Click here to see price on eBay).
Tele-Tessar T* 4/85 ZM (Click here to see price on eBay).
Minolta
28mm f/2.8 M-Rokkor (Click here to see price on eBay).
40mm f/2 M-Rokkor (Click here to see price on eBay).
90mm f/4 M-Rokkor (Click here to see price on eBay).
Konica
21mm f/3.4 Hexanon (Click here to see price on eBay).
28mm f/2.8 Hexanon (Click here to see price on eBay).
35mm f/2.0 Hexanon (Click here to see price on eBay).
50mm f/2.0 Hexanon (Click here to see price on eBay).
50mm f/1.2 Hexanon (Click here to see price on eBay).
90mm f/2.8 Hexanon (Click here to see price on eBay).
Voigtländer
12mm f/5.6 Ultra Wide Heliar Aspherical II (Click here to see price on eBay)
15mm f/4.5 Super Wide Heliar II (Click here to see price on eBay)
21mm f/4 Color-Skopar P type (Click here to see price on eBay)
25mm f/4 Color-Skopar P type (Click here to see price on eBay)
28mm f/2.0 Ultron (Click here to see price on eBay)
35mm f/1.2 Aspherical Nokton (Click here to see price on eBay)
35mm f/1.4 Nokton classic (Click here to see price on eBay)
35mm f/2.5 Color-Skopar P type II (Click here to see price on eBay)
40mm f/1.4 Nokton classic (Click here to see price on eBay)
50mm f/2.0 collapsible Heliar (Click here to see price on eBay)
50mm f/1.1 Nokton (Click here to see price on eBay)
75mm f/1.8 Heliar (Click here to see price on eBay)
Send me your stories at sonyalpharumors@gmail.com and I will post them! Thanks!
A note for all current “classic” Alpha camera user. I am not going to buy the A77 for one simple reason, because I want the A99 
Jiri
2 years ago |Congratulations Andrea! I am still waiting for my set. I decided for a different strategy that is to start with selected Sony E-mount lenses, preferably those with OSS. I might be an idealist but I believe that Sony will gradually bring decent glass for the NEX.
JonasM
2 years ago |I’m taking another route too: selling my E-mount lenses to get A-Mount Zeiss and G lenses instead. Spent the weekend shooting with the LA-EA2 and the 2470ZA. Feels great in your hand but there are several shortcomings also: No DMF? No peeking? A need to bump ISO which isn’t fun on the NEX-5 but supposedly better on the 5N. I’m obviously banking on a FF NEX or the A99…
z
2 years ago |You mean peaking? I heard the latest firmware for NEX-5 has included peaking.
DMF is a lens thing for an SLR glass. Though most modern mirrorless lenses uses by-wire focusing ring, so you can activate DMF if you like.
Jiri
2 years ago |Hello JonasM: what advantage do you see in the combination of a tiny and light weight body like NEX-5 (5n) with relatively bulky and heavy A-Mount lenses plus the LA-EA2? Wouldn´t it then be better to use a SLR or SLT body?
Hello World
2 years ago |+1
z
2 years ago |He’s waiting for an FF camera so he only buys FF lenses I guess. And for now he only have NEX-5.
Michel
2 years ago |It is still much smaller than even SLT. And with lenses like 24/2.8 or 50/1.4 it fits my pockets perfectly
JonasM
2 years ago |The NEX-5 does have DMF and Peaking. What I am saying is that these features are deactivated when the LA-EA2 adapter is attached. In typical NEX UI fashion, you activate one feature and another is lost. I really use these features a lot so it’s a dissapointment.
Why not use a DSLR since I buy huge lenses? Because the ILC with a large lens is still much smaller than a DSLR with the same lens.
Michel
2 years ago |I checked the LA-EA2 today with my (almost sold) NEX-3 and the DMF and peaking functions are active – peaking only when DMF or MF is selected.
BUT: I tried it with a in-body driven lenses (MAF 2.8/24mm and 1.4/50mm), so perhaps the SSM is causing the problem? That’s the only explanation I see for now… Currently I don’t have any SSM nor SAM lenses, so I cannot check it, but perhaps you have any non-SSM lens to mount on LA-EA2 with NEX-5?
Michel
2 years ago |Hmm… The DMF and peaking functions are present in 5N. Are you sumę the are absent in 5?
Hello World
2 years ago |The DMF and peaking functions are present in the NEX5 as well.
Michel
2 years ago |“sure”, not “sumę”
JonasM
2 years ago |Thanks Michel for checking this.
I rechecked myself and ‘Peaking’ is disabled with the LA-EA2 and the 2470ZA. Manual focus assist or DMF is not disabled in the UI but does not function as it does with SEL lenses. I currently have only this A-mount lens at hand.
Michel
2 years ago |The DMF functions as in Alpha bodies, just lets you manually change the focus after AF, but it doesn’t automatically enlarge the picture as with E-Mount lenses.
But peaking should work fine, at least this is the case with my NEX-3. Perhaps your problem occurs because of SSM, which lets you use DMF regardless which option is chosen in UI, but I’m only guessing now.
SonyA77
2 years ago |Congratulations on the NEX-7, I finally just got the A77 and 16-50mm
Amit Zinman
2 years ago |I guess all these lenses are manually focused. While manual is more “pro” in a sense, I keep finding myself in artistic projects for which automatic focus is a must.
SonyA77
2 years ago |Why do you need auto-focus?
matgay
2 years ago |using m-mount lenses with the nex5n, and using the zoom in-out alot to fine focus. but the weird placement of the zoom button is soooo annoying. it should be customizable. the zoom should be better accessible, because it is a must have for manual focus lenses.
Bill
2 years ago |There are certainly zoom manual focus lenses but most of the ones people are talking about getting are non-zoom prime lenses so the zoom ring does not exist. I have found that most lenses designed for manual focus have much more accessible and usable focus rings than auto-focus lenses which may have only a vestigial focus ring.
Auto focus certainly has its place and modern cameras are designed around it, but the new cameras with focus peaking and focus zoom work better and faster in manual focus mode than the old split ring prism focus systems on the old manual SLRs.
matgay
2 years ago |you totally misread it. zoom “button”
Bill
2 years ago |Yes, misread. Do not have the NEX 5N, but on the A77 the focus assist zoom button is different than the replay image zoom button which is also confusing. I can not hit the focus assist zoom button by touch yet, but if I am shooting at a non-leasurely pace I just use focus peaking anyway. If I am taking my time I have time to find the stupid button.
Vivek
2 years ago |What an odd statement!
Bill
2 years ago |On the Zeiss lenses the Biogon are the ones that are going to give you issues in the corners due to the short rear element to sensor distance. Distagons should be fine as they are retro-focus designs like most modern wide angle lenses.
See http://blogs.zeiss.com/photo/en/?p=1044
for discussion of Zeiss lenses. Some of the older blog posts by Nasse cover a lot of the other Zeiss lens types.
Congrats on getting the NEX 7 in.
Futile
2 years ago |I’m hoping to get the 35mm or 40mm Voigtlander Classic F1.4 but am waiting to see how they function on the NEX7 (concerned about soft corners and more concerned about color-shifted corners).
We’ll see.
Vivek
2 years ago |I am for non M mount lenses on the NEX. There are many Robot lenses, for example.
D.Ortego
2 years ago |As a former M-shooter I can attest to the superior quality of Leica glass and in my view nobody makes anything better in terms of build for a consumer camera. Luminous Landscapes did a review on their website using a $6k+ Summilux lens and it was said to exceed the M9. Using an adapter such as Novoflex ($269.00) and perhaps the Leica – Normal 50mm f/2.0 Summicron M Manual Focus ($1,995.00 new) would be the more practical arrangement. If you find a lens for less, then all the best. Of course the trade off is that you’ll be shooting in manual mode and this is why I moved on to a more conventional system.
I would love to have the set-up, but in my opinion it’s like putting a Porsche engine into a 79′ Ford Pinto. *No disrespect to the wonderful NEX7 intended ~
Hello World
2 years ago |I think you’re contradicting yourself in your comment.
SonyA77
2 years ago |Diminishing returns applies. If somebody wants to spend thousands on a lens for a tiny amount of improvement over a hugely cheaper 50mm, then fine. They are the same people who buy 1,000 USD speaker cable because “it sounds better”…yes…of course it does sir…
Alexey Ozerov
2 years ago |Wow – real miracle happens – glad for You Andrea – its not so often happens in this world.
Sahaja
2 years ago |Congratulations
Why don’t you try some old manual focus Nikon F-mount lenses – or some Pentax and Olympus manual focus SLR lenses? These can be had much cheaper than Leica or Zeiss M-mount lenses and the wide-angle lenses are retro-focus designs so they shouldn’t have the same problems as wide angle lenses designed for rangefinder cameras. Some Olympus SLR lenses were pretty small and they made some fantastic glass. If you want Leica – then R-mount lenses maybe cheaper than decent M-mount lenses.
Hello World
2 years ago |I have both M-Mount and Nikon-Mount adapters for my NEX5N. I think what ADMIN looking for is a small factor. The Nikon-Mount combination is bulkier than the M-Mount.
Jiri
2 years ago |Andrea, it would be interesting to have your personal comparison of the NEX-5n and NEX-7 as you now have them both (after a while of shooting with them).
stoplis
2 years ago |Just got an email saying mine is now in stock at Warehouse Express. Delivered tomorrow! I don’t have much money at the moment to invest in lenses, so I may invest in some adapters and borrow some lenses from my friends to use with my E-mount lens for now.
jan123
2 years ago |Moin moin Andrea!
I use the Minolta MC Rokkor 58mm f1,2 on my Nex 7. Its about 250 – 300 € on Ebay and has a great performance wide open! Its also known for its beautiful bokeh.
I considered to replace it due the Nokton 1.1, and read a lot reviews, but this lens is not significant better wide open to justify the price. Bokeh is okay, but the Rokkor is imho better, but its a question of taste.
If you consider to buy it, watch out for a serialnumber 25xxxx and above to get a model without problems about lenses getting yellow.
Daemonius
2 years ago |Get Contax G lens, check FM forums for samples. Im quite positive you would like them..
Vivek
2 years ago |Those in the Netherlands, http://www.cameratools.nl/ has the NEX-7.
Just bought one.
Carl
2 years ago |There are plenty of excellent M, G and LTM mount lenses. It’d be easier to pick the focal lengths you want first, and then work from there.
Nick
2 years ago |On my NEX-5N I’ve been happily using my Leica Summicron-M 35mm f/2 ASPH ( http://www.kenrockwell.com/leica/35mm-f2-asph.htm ) which I bought long ago for use on my M6. Its a great lens, albeit pricey (about $3k new). But I am tempted to buy the Voigtlander Nokton Aspherical 35mm f/1.2 Lens II ( http://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2011/12/02/voigtlander-nokton-35-1-2-aspherical-ii-lens-review-on-the-leica-m9/ ), which is relatively “reasonable” at $1,400 new.
T.j.
2 years ago |I use the Contax G 45mm f2 lens. it is extremely clear/crisp. It has no vignette or color shift. Its one of my favorite lenses and isn’t very expensive.
Carlos Echenique
2 years ago |My NEX-7 “First Impressions” article is chock full of images taken with the CV Nokton Classic 35mm f/1.4, Zuiko OM 50mm f/1.4 and the Zuiko OM 135mm f/2.8. All mounted via Fotodiox adapters. I highly recommend the Fotodiox adapters which are all reasonably priced and have an infinity focus guarantee. Plus, they come with a 2-year warranty from Fotodiox.
Vlad
2 years ago |You should link to your article, I liked it a lot.
Former Minoltan
2 years ago |Why not consider the Minolta 24mm f/2.8 MD W.Rokkor-X? Unless, of course, you already own it.
My opinion is basically the same as this website. The sharpness is extraordinary. I actually found this lens in excellent, almost mint, condition for $25 used at a camera store in Seattle.
http://www.rokkorfiles.com/24mm.html
Hello World
2 years ago |Because this is a wide lens, it’s not good for NEX7.
Former Minoltan
2 years ago |Ah, I completely understand.
That’s why Andrea is soliciting opinions on Zeiss 15mm, 18mm, 21mm, 25mm; on a Konica 21mm; and on Voigtlander 12mm, 15mm, 21mm, 25mm.
Makes perfect sense to me.
Jiri
2 years ago |I am another person interested in this range. The LL test using the Voigtlander 12mm is relatively optimistic but it relies on the use of the Cornerfix to correct the corner vignetting and magenta shading.
Vlad
2 years ago |Lol, really? Why?
Bill
2 years ago |Wide symmetric design lenses might be bad on a NEX 7, anything wide designed for a SLR is not symmetric and will be a retro-focus design and should be fine. The advantage of the symmetric designs is that they are very short. The problem is the short rear lens element to image sensor distance results in large angles of incidence of the light rays in the outer portion of the image. Unless the sensor is designed with this in mind it can cause problems.
andy
2 years ago |I use the CV 28mm f1.9 ultron & 35mm f1.4 (on nex 5n)
Dont need anything else.
Also use Canon fd 24mm f2.8 which is nice to use
Hello World
2 years ago |Because this is a wide lens, it’s not good for NEX7.
Jiri
2 years ago |sorry
Jiri
2 years ago |sorry
Tulio
2 years ago |Hi Anyone using Contax G glass? specially the 21mm.?
Clyde
2 years ago |Samples I’ve seen are super sharp in the center but edges start to smear. Perhaps better with NEX-5 sensor.
A better choice might be the Zuiko 20mm f3.5, designed for 1/2 frame SLR instead of short throw rangefinder.
One on eBay right now. Super small and adapters are very short too.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Olympus-Pen-F-Zuiko-Auto-W-20mm-f3-5-lens-front-and-rear-caps-and-hard-case-/300642138634?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item45ffaafa0a#ht_1206wt_1058
Here’s a large NEX-3 sample with the Zuiko 20mm f3.5 on Flickr.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zrahen/5885509483/
Another sample on NEX-5N with the Zuiko 20mm f3.5
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kuuan/6422043675/
zstan
2 years ago |I think for wide angle lens the 24mm Zeiss and the 16mm should be suffice..?
Vivek
2 years ago |The Sony 16mm is crap even on a 5.
Vlad
2 years ago |Stop it down, works great for its size and price.
Joe
2 years ago |I know they are not in the same price bracket, but the ZA 24 and ZF 21 is way better than the 16 at all apertures. I spent a couple of months shooting with the 16mm. To be honest, I don’t see how I could get any satisfactory result with it (in term of detail and contrast). Of course, whether the picture is worthy of anything is another matter.
Vlad
2 years ago |Well, my point is that excluding the price and size of the equation is a strange idea. If I tell you your car is too slow, because there is some amazing Ferrari on the market, how much sense does that make?
Clyde
2 years ago |Too bad you limit your search to m39 rangefinder lenses, or bulky SLR lenses with huge adapters.
You could have gotten super high quality and compact size with Olympus PEN-FT lenses. Very small and the adapters are the same size as the m39 adapters. See Flickr for the beautiful quality of the 1/2 Frame SLR Zuiko Pen lens line. They even have the smallest pancake lens available and it still uses the super small adapters.
http://www.taunusreiter.de/Cameras/Olympus_PenF_Lenses.html
Vlad
2 years ago |Very nice list, thanks!
Hello World
2 years ago |Clyde,
Sounds interesting. Have you tested this with NEX cameras? Would the sensor size be an issue? Thanks for the info.
Clyde
2 years ago |Sorry, no. I’m waiting on my NEX7 to arrive. Been building the Zuiko lens collection for NEX until that day. The samples I’ve seen are fabulous. The best bang for the buck comes from the 38mm f1.8, available all day long on eBay for around $150 – $250 depending on condition. Super small little lens and look at the sharpness and colors on this Flickr stream.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/41626753@N06/5171520295/in/photostream/
View at Original size and check out the incredible corner sharpness of the 38mm f1.8.
I’ve posted Flickr samples of the 20mm above.
Here’s a great library of the Zuiko 42mm f1.2.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/28476552@N04/4926698468/in/photostream/
You can find old lens tests of the half frame Zuikos on this page:
http://www.skipwilliams.com/olympus/pen-lit.htm
Apparently, they were designed to be ultra sharp because they needed to be in order to compete with the full frame market at the time.
Hello World
2 years ago |Thanks Clyde
Vivek
2 years ago |I have almost all of them barring the 20/3.5, 400mm and the 800mm. Most do well on the Nex-5. Tomorrow I will be able to check on the NEX-7.
Clyde
2 years ago |Here’s a size comparison between the Zuiko 42mm f1.2, Canon 50mm f1.2, and the Voigt 50mm f1.0
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6005/5921187534_dc9989d9c3_z.jpg
Michel
2 years ago |Andrea, think about CV 75/2.5 instead of 75/1.8. It is smaller and it’s said to be sharper wide open than 1.8@2.8. I use one on my 5N and it’s a perfect combination
Hiroyasu Hosoya
2 years ago |I tried with my Leica 50 summicron and 28 Elmarit and does not feel as good as I though and I am thinking to sell it.
The feeling is nice.. but it cannot compare with Leica M8.. so honestly I am not happy with this purchase.
So someone who wanna buy NEX-7 body…. and M-Mount adaptor..
sabunyuma
2 years ago |The first lens I will get is the Sony 50mm 1.8 E mount. From what I’ve seen, it’s the most bang for the buck in the E-mount world. (I will be using it with my 5N, I’m not lucky enough to own a 7… YET!)
extra|ordinary
2 years ago |Just received my NEX-7 today from B&H. I hope to have more thorough review to share in a few days, but from what I can tell so far, the Voigtlander 28/2 Ultron looks like it may be a winner. I won’t know for sure until I really examine the files up close, but viewing the photos on the camera, the Ultron doesn’t appear to have any corner issues (smudging or magenta cast).
quobetah
2 years ago |I cant believe you did not include the most amazing Leica lens ever in there, the Noctilux 50mm F0.95?!
hey you
2 years ago |If you want to go leica rout there is allways the R lenses. Not so many out there and huge adapter. but lenses are really compact. you can find many for $300-500 the problem will be going wide. the 19mm 2.8 is huge and expensive. The elmarit 28 35 90 can be found cheap and the 50 summicron as well. It’s more like a full frame set thou.
Vivek
2 years ago |The Pen F 40/1.4 does better than the Minolta Rokkor 40/2 on the NEX-7.
Clyde
2 years ago |Why does that not surprise me…
quobetah
2 years ago |The world’s fastest lens was used with a Sony Nex 5N. Shot at f0.95. For our upcoming video project we used Leica’s most amazing lens on Sony’s most amazing little camera. The Leica Noctilux 50mm F0.95 is one of Leica’s most expensive, most sought after and rarest lens..having the freedom to use it at one of Sony’s new super cameras is such an inspiring experience. Watch out for the full video project on January 2012. You might be interested.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlqG_rcfoFY
Titoun
2 years ago |Congrat on the nex-7!
I’m waiting to buy one when i will have the money. For the moment i’m using a nex-3 with a voigtlander Ultron 28mm 2.0, and i’m really happy with it! Focus with peaking make it really easy, good colour and no distorsion. I’m thinking to buy the 35mm 1.4 nokton to get a really compact duo, don’t know yet. As soon as i get my nex-7, i will use the nex-3 with the sony 16mm in party, and “dangerous environment….;)”
Björn Utpott
2 years ago |I should be getting my NEX-7 on January 3rd and then I’ll do a side by side comparison of how my Zeiss Biogon 35mm F2.0 performs on both the NEX-5N and NEX-7. I expect corner performance at larger apertures to be worse on the NEX-7, but I’ll need to find out by how much and whether this will be objectionable in every day shooting. I’m willing to accept a modest loss of corner performance with the Zeiss 35/2.0 in order to benefit from the NEX-7′s more extensive controls and better ergonomics. The Biogon also isn’t the only lens I use: the other half of my photos are made with the excellent E-mount 24mm F1.8 – and that should perform very well on the NEX-7.
Cameta
2 years ago |I find it so funny that people would spend money on a modern AF camera to use manual focus Leica lenses designed for film. That must mean that the m 9 isn’t very good at all or that they shoot subjects that don’t move at all like walls. Photographers back half a century ago inlcuding Bresson would use newer [Leica] cameras because of the advancements but there are some modern photographers want to go back to the stone age. Granted, using a manual slr or rangefinder has it’s place but the modern mirrorless cameras are neither. Locate subject,focus manually, stop down aperture, press the shutter, open up aperture for next picture. A 1400 dollar camera so you can do that? I guess money can’t buy common sense after all.
Jim Stewart
9 months ago |I have the following on my Nex-7
Voigtlander 15mm- Small, slow, sharp but with magenta shift that needs cornerfix to correct. It is very noticeable
Voigtlander 35mm f1.4 sc- small, sharp, edges are soft until after f4 but centre is sharp from the start. I was happy to trade size for the lens imperfections. Bokeh can be a bit noisy
Zeiss sonnar 50mm f1.5. Lovely lens, sharp from edge to edge, beautifully made and has a nice look to the images
voigtlander 50mm f1.1- because I love fast lenses and it came up cheap! still getting to know this one well. Its heft goes against what I want the Nex for!
zeiss sonnar 90mm f2.8 (contax mount)- this one is actually on a con tax-µ43 mount and a µ43-nex mount! Focussing is a bit of a pain but the lens is light and very sharp. one day I would like to change this to something with a proper focus control but I find that I am always pulled between the fast lenses (but whos size starts to go against the small range finder principle (I have a nikon D3 as a main camera so the Nex is meant to be a small, portable system!)) and the small slower lenses
Jason B
9 months ago |Congratulations!!You need to buy a 50mm Minolta Rokkor lens or any Rokkor lens for that matter. These are vintage manual lenses from the 60′s through to the 80′s supplied as kit lenses.But unlike the consumer kit lenses supplied with today’s cameras these Minolta are much much superior akin to a pro lens.This photo is a great example of a Rokkor lens on a Sony A77 http://www.flickr.com/photos/46724410@N07/7895378988/sizes/l/in/photostream/ Just Google Nex/Rokkor, Nex people crave them!