The Amazing Sony A1/A7/A9/APS-C & Anything else welcome Mega Thread!

Stuff about Batty lenses...

http://www.sonyalpharumors.com/zeis...-japan-unlimited-oled-lifetime/#disqus_thread

"1) Yes, the Batis 1.8/85 has optical image stabilization
2) The displays are not limited in their lifetime. After many years of intensive use, they will become darker. If sometime they might be difficult to read, they can be easily exchanged by our ZEISS service.
3) Batis lenses use different components than Sony or Sony/ZEISS lenses.
4) Our Batis lenses are primarily made of high-quality plastics, aluminum and optical glass.
5) ZEISS Batis lenses are made in Japan.
6) MTF charts will be available in June."

Nice to see that they're saying that the displays have a long life.
 
The 25mm? Personally I think I'd go for the 28mm as it'll be cheaper, probably. Any reason you'd prefer the 25mm?
 
Yes, I have two old film era 24's but I find that I don't use them much and when I do it's for a deliberate shot so manual focus is ok for me. I keep looking at the AF 28mm f2 though :D
 
Thanks folks, I do tend to take note of what folk here think of various kit over some of the various blogs as its hard to tell who's receiving some sort of consideration to review things as "good" these days.
I used to be very much be a prime person but since picking up a 24-70 for my D800 over a year ago I've hardly used anything else so any accompanying compact system is going to need to offer a similar lens, hmmm Sony 24-70 of the Fuji 16-55....
 
woof woof said:
Someone posted a link to this review some time ago...

http://tashley1.zenfolio.com/blog/2...ario-tessar-t-fe-24-70mm-f4-za-oss-hallelujah

He seems to like it...

"It's not perfect but I think it is the single most useful lens in the world right now. I really do. And it is a whole barrel load of fun."
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I just hope Sony release a similar zoom in the G line as the Zeiss isn't worth the extra over the kit. The bokeh is awful. Don't get me wrong, it isn't a bad lens but onions anyone?
 
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In terms of value for money. The zies lens are not great it seems. They seem to price there lenses nearly the same as the superior canon L equivalent yet the sigma equivalent is much cheaper (comparing the primes here)
 
Totally, I want to see Sony following Canikons release model with a number of cheap top quality primes similar to Nikons 35, 50 and 85 1.8s at well under £300. They missed the boat by a mile with the recent 28 f2 by over pricing it at £400. Should have been £250 at the most to do the system some serious justice.
 
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Mmmm giving it more thought, the Sony Zeiss 55mm f1.8 is such a amazing little lens, do I actually need the Zeiss Batis 85mm f1.8.
I might be better off going for a dual-function lens like the Sony 90mm f2.8 Macro instead. :)
GAS has well and truly kicked in.
 
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Rizvan said:
Mmmm giving it more thought, the Sony Zeiss 55mm f1.8 is such a amazing little lens, do I actually need the Zeiss Batis 85mm f1.8.
I might be better off going for a dual-function lens like the Sony 90mm f2.8 Macro instead. :)
GAS has well and truly kicked in.
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I cant believe you even considered a £1k 85mm 1.8. Its not even specialist.
 
twist said:
I cant believe you even considered a £1k 85mm 1.8. Its not even specialist.
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I know, I am just very a very bad suffer of GAS, but it is slowly dissipating with the notion I will be a dad come July :D
 
Rizvan said:
The Sony 90mm f2.8 G Macro is even more @ £989 :(
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This is the problem with the Sony system, unless youre into overpaying for your lenses or using MF lenses theres no choice (at the moment). Fair enough, they are introducing lenses at a good rate but they are lenses that are incredibly expensive. Whats the point if you can pick up an A7 for a few hundred quid but then need to spend a few thousand on 3 basic primes, because theres nothing alternative thats native or with AF.

35mm 1.4 - £1450
55mm 1.8 - £850
85mm 1.8 - £900
-----------------------
OUCH - £3200!
 
twist said:
This is the problem with the Sony system, unless youre into overpaying for your lenses or using MF lenses theres no choice (at the moment). Fair enough, they are introducing lenses at a good rate but they are lenses that are incredibly expensive. Whats the point if you can pick up an A7 for a few hundred quid but then need to spend a few thousand on 3 basic primes, because theres nothing alternative thats native or with AF.

35mm 1.4 - £1450
55mm 1.8 - £850
85mm 1.8 - £900
-----------------------
OUCH - £3200!
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It's a joke tbh.

They are ripping people off. Glad I got the 55mm when it was only 550 and even then that's a bit pricey.

Won't invest in any other ones
 
twist said:
This is the problem with the Sony system, unless youre into overpaying for your lenses or using MF lenses theres no choice (at the moment). Fair enough, they are introducing lenses at a good rate but they are lenses that are incredibly expensive. Whats the point if you can pick up an A7 for a few hundred quid but then need to spend a few thousand on 3 basic primes, because theres nothing alternative thats native or with AF.

35mm 1.4 - £1450
55mm 1.8 - £850
85mm 1.8 - £900
-----------------------
OUCH - £3200!
Click to expand...

Agreed, for me, the initial outlay buying into the Sony system was covered by trading in my Nikon gear, most of which I never used.
I didn't lose too much on the Nikon gear either so made the move easy to mentally accept :D
I don't need more lenses in all fairness, the Macro would complete my line-up.
 
Interesting and also quite depressing comments really.

I've been banging on about wanting less good and cheaper lenses but I don't think we'll see them for some time and I think that the system is going to have to really take off before we do. I suppose a lot depends on how the manufacturers define really takes off too. I've read that sales of the bodies have exceeded Sony's most optimistic forecasts but I've no idea how that translates into money and profit or how much investment is needed and what sales would need to be to make the design and production of good cheap lenses like the Nikon primes that have been mentioned more than once a likelihood. As I've said before, something of the optical quality and at the price point of the old Sigma 50mm f1.4 would suit me, ditto the Sigma 85mm f1.4 which is possibly the best AF lens I've ever used.

Maybe it's a chicken and egg thing. Maybe they should have gone for a range of good cheaper primes first.

I haven't decided what to do yet. My most used focal length on any system is something around 50mm equivalent and I like primes so I'm reasonably happy with the 55mm f1.8 which does seem to be a very good lens. It could be f1.4 but TBH that's mostly bragging rights and it could be cheaper... and these things might come in time.

I like using old manual lenses but the new lenses will be vastly better when it comes to vignetting, fringing and sharpness away from the centre of the frame and of course they'll have AF and possibly IS too. When I'm alone MF is mostly ok but when I'm not alone and want to be quicker AF is a big advantage.

28, 55 and 85mm + a macro would suit me and at least they're available now if at higher prices than we'd have hoped.

Just on the 24-70mm f4. I still haven't used my 28-70mm other than to test it out but it does seem to be a good standard zoom and if I was into zooms I don't think I'd be too tempted by the much more expensive f4. If it was f2.8, maybe, but maybe f4 doesn't offer too great an advantage of f3.5-5.6? It is 4mm wider though.
 
twist said:
35mm 1.4 - £1450
55mm 1.8 - £850
85mm 1.8 - £900
-----------------------
OUCH - £3200!
Click to expand...

Yup. Sigma 35 and 50 Art + 85mm = Just over £2k.
Drop the 50mm Art and go for the non art and it's down to just over £1,500.
 
woof woof said:
Just on the 24-70mm f4. I still haven't used my 28-70mm other than to test it out but it does seem to be a good standard zoom and if I was into zooms I don't think I'd be too tempted by the much more expensive f4. If it was f2.8, maybe, but maybe f4 doesn't offer too great an advantage of f3.5-5.6? It is 4mm wider though.
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Theres a lot of folk saying exactly that online actually, that the 24-70 really isn't sufficiently better than the 28-70 (which can be had used for about £225), when I briefly tried an A7 I found the 28-70 was actually a cracking lens performance wise, especially stopped down but I don't think I could work with 28mm being the wide end of my main zoom, that 4mm back to 24mm makes a huge difference.
 
Yes, at the wide end 4mm is huge :D

Another thing is how much optical performance matters. The kit lens is f3.5-5.6 but you need to stop down a bit for optimum performance and then before you know it you're at ISO stratospheric or a ridiculously slow shutter speed and these things will be alleviated at least to some extent by the f4 lens if you are the sort who needs optimum performance and will stop the lens down.

The f3.5-5.6 thing is one thing that's stopped me loving kit lenses of any system I've ever had as unless the light is great you're probably going to be fighting a rising ISO and a falling shutter speed. Even f4 is a help here.
 
woof woof said:
Yup. Sigma 35 and 50 Art + 85mm = Just over £2k.
Drop the 50mm Art and go for the non art and it's down to just over £1,500.
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Agreed, and they are bloody fantastic lenses (nice to have f1.4 across the range). I have the original 50 and Im not entirely sure I want the ART after looking at comparisons, sure its a fraction sharper but the older lens is a better size and the bokeh is lovely, helps its also loads cheaper. I recently got another 35 ART and remember why I loved it so much and why everyone rates it so highly. Have also had the 85 but am without at the moment, best 85 Ive used, again a bargain performer.
 
I took some of my favourite pictures with the Siggy 50 and 85mm f1.4's and I do miss them but on balance the DSLR setup just had to go and for me there's no going back. I'm just not interested in toting and pointing a 5D and any lens at anyone these days.

But... even though these Siggy's are f1.4 most of my shots weren't and were mostly stopped down unless shooting in very low light. These days the 55mm f1.8 + the better higher ISO performance over my DSLR's really negates the need for f1.8 and for me wider then f1.8 these days really isn't a priority. IMVHO it's mostly just kudos and bragging rights.

That still leaves the Sony prices though.
 
maybe the plan is a cheap gateway body, but they continue to have the a mount 70 200 at £lol, so most people buy a tammy or sigma, so they probably want to be expensive. Even the crop lens are pricey
 
Just wish the 3rd party manufacturers would be quicker to get in on the action. If they were to release a few fast cheap primes of substantial quality it would encourage Sony to do something similar. Currently theres no competition at the budget end which is hurting the system. Sonys idea that £400 is acceptable for a not particularly fast budget prime is bonkers.
 
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I think Sony see this as a high end system. Things may change but at the mo I think that Sony is still aiming high.

I've no idea what the numbers would have to be to get Sigma interested but personally I'd only be interested in new designs, not just a modified mount existing lens, lovely though the 50 and 85mm f1.4's are.
 
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woof woof said:
I think Sony see this as a high end system. Things may change but at the mo I think that Sony is still aiming high.

I've no idea what the numbers would have to be to get Sigma interested but personally I'd only be interested in new designs, not just a modified mount existing lens, lovely though the 50 and 85mm f1.4's are.
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Sony need to realise they havent made a Leica. At the rate they churn cameras out its the furthest thing from high end.
 
woof woof said:
I think Sony see this as a high end system. Things may change but at the mo I think that Sony is still aiming high.
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I don't think thats Sonys plan, why bundle it with a budget kit lens if it's target audience is high end? To be honest I don't think Sony really have a plan.
 
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twist said:
Sony need to realise they havent made a Leica. At the rate they churn cameras out its the furthest thing from high end.
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I think they know they're not Leica as they're not charging Leica prices.

I mean high end as in aiming at people who'd buy a FF DSLR and quality lenses territory and not aiming at someone who'd buy a 500D (or whatever the entry level is) and 18-50mm f3.5-5.6 kit lens territory.

Maybe they are charging too much, maybe they are making large margins on the lenses? Who knows? Brands aiming to be high end brands tend to be expensive and I assume that the Zeiss relationship is as much about credibility and the badge as anything more tangible. I'm sure that Sony are capable of buying in the expertise (pick up phone, phone Sigma) to design truly great lenses without the help of Zeiss but they chose to enter into this partnership and charge lots of dosh.

I think we're stuck with this for now. I hope it changes and we get some nice compact and good enough lenses at more reasonable prices but until that happens we are where we are.
 
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