Support NeoGAF

[BlueTsunami]

Just put in an order for a used A7

My trajectory is Canon 350D > Sony NEX5N > Sony A7

Gonna feel so good having a viewfinder again

 

[John Blade]

Kinda funny to be back here and kinda in the odd side but what is some good Sony APS-C E-Mount Lenses should I look into investing for the 1st timer with Sony. I just got myself a NEX-5R with the Sony E 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 OSS lens. I am interested in getting myself a Sony E 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 OSS based on impression from people saying it's great all around e-mount lens that can pretty much handle any photography situation.

Was wondering if they is other lens to look into right now and maybe use them for other Sony camera like the a6000 or if I have the money, the A7 series.

 

[theepicoftyler]

Kinda funny to be back here and kinda in the odd side but what is some good Sony APS-C E-Mount Lenses should I look into investing for the 1st timer with Sony. I just got myself a NEX-5R with the Sony E 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 OSS lens. I am interested in getting myself a Sony E 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 OSS based on impression from people saying it's great all around e-mount lens that can pretty much handle any photography situation.

Was wondering if they is other lens to look into right now and maybe use them for other Sony camera like the a6000 or if I have the money, the A7 series.

Look into vintage lenses. They're often pretty cheap, and they work great on E-Mount series cameras. You're stuck with manual controls, but it's fun.

Without knowing what kind of photography you want to do it's hard to go recommend a bunch of lenses though. I think the two you've mentioned are going to be good for most situations.

 

[Astral/H3X]

Kinda funny to be back here and kinda in the odd side but what is some good Sony APS-C E-Mount Lenses should I look into investing for the 1st timer with Sony. I just got myself a NEX-5R with the Sony E 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 OSS lens. I am interested in getting myself a Sony E 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 OSS based on impression from people saying it's great all around e-mount lens that can pretty much handle any photography situation.

Was wondering if they is other lens to look into right now and maybe use them for other Sony camera like the a6000 or if I have the money, the A7 series.

Look into vintage lenses. They're often pretty cheap, and they work great on E-Mount series cameras. You're stuck with manual controls, but it's fun.

Without knowing what kind of photography you want to do it's hard to go recommend a bunch of lenses though. I think the two you've mentioned are going to be good for most situations.

I didn't want to immediately recommend vintage lenses, but I will say that I use almost exclusively vintage lenses, despite having the modern native E Mount lenses in those ranges.

 

[John Blade]

Look into vintage lenses. They're often pretty cheap, and they work great on E-Mount series cameras. You're stuck with manual controls, but it's fun.

Without knowing what kind of photography you want to do it's hard to go recommend a bunch of lenses though. I think the two you've mentioned are going to be good for most situations.

For the type of photography, right now, I am more into street photography, landscape or nature photography, and some portrait shot once a while. I guess, I am more all round type right now but most of the shot I do for hobby is mostly on the side of landscape/street style photography. I am guessing I need a wide angle lens for those and just looking into what they have under Sony.

 

[theepicoftyler]

For the type of photography, right now, I am more into street photography, landscape or nature photography, and some portrait shot once a while. I guess, I am more all round type right now but most of the shot I do for hobby is mostly on the side of landscape/street style photography. I am guessing I need a wide angle lens for those and just looking into what they have under Sony.

18mm is pretty wide. Though if you want to go ultra-wide, last page we were talking about Samyang/Rokinon lenses and I'd recommend those. They're relatively cheap and very sharp manual lenses.

 

[FStop7]

28, 35 and 50 are the go-to street lenses on FF.

On APS-C I guess that's around 21, 28, and 35?

 

[Ty4on]

28, 35 and 50 are the go-to street lenses on FF.

On APS-C I guess that's around 21, 28, and 35?

18, 24 and 33.

That's why it's weird most APS-C zooms start at 18 and not 16 (EQ to 24mm).

 

[John Blade]

How about the Sony 16mm f/2.8 Wide-Angle lens with Sony VCL-ECU1 Wideangle adapter? Just saw one on sale for $216 USD? I guess I get few lens and then use them for taking picture for a while. Is been a long time since I took image for fun as my past work is more into video side.

 

[giga]

Contemplating biting on the x100t before the $200 discount expires. What gives me pause is that its successor should be out soon, which should mean it'll either stay the same price or drop further.

 

[TerryLee81]

Contemplating biting on the x100t before the $200 discount expires. What gives me pause is that its successor should be out soon, which should mean it'll either stay the same price or drop further.

If you aren't in a hurry, I would wait. After 3 iterations using the same lens, there's a chance they will update it this time. The lens is the weakest part of the camera imho, its performance at f/2 leaves a lot to be desired.

If the rumors are true there's also a X70 coming, with a fixed 28mm equivalent lens, but no viewfinder.

 

[BlueTsunami]

Perfect match

 

[JadedWriter]

Did a dog attack that lens?

 

[BlueTsunami]

Did a dog attack that lens?

I've dropped it one too many times haha. Still ticking though. All metal Contax/Yashica.

 

[JadedWriter]

I've dropped it one too many times haha. Still ticking though. All metal Contax/Yashica.

That sounds like a lens built to last then. I'm always worried about dropping my lenses since they're all made out of plastic. It's weird how none of them use metal construction anymore though I'm assuming the super expensive ones are metal build.

 

[Astral/H3X]

That sounds like a lens built to last then. I'm always worried about dropping my lenses since they're all made out of plastic. It's weird how none of them use metal construction anymore though I'm assuming the super expensive ones are metal build.

That is a dangerous assumption to be making.

 

[JadedWriter]

That is a dangerous assumption to be making.

Pffft, I guess not then sweet jesus.

 

[BlueTsunami]

That sounds like a lens built to last then. I'm always worried about dropping my lenses since they're all made out of plastic. It's weird how none of them use metal construction anymore though I'm assuming the super expensive ones are metal build.

It's the internals you'd have to worry about. For instance, there's a gear in Canon's 50/1.4 that's prone to warping or breaking. Had this exact issue with that lens. The lens you're seeing is purely manual focus though. Although if I drop it and it bends the helical thread I'd be screwed. I actually took it apart once and put it together. The craftsmanship is amazing.

 

[JadedWriter]

It's the internals you'd have to worry about. For instance, there's a gear in Canon's 50/1.4 that's prone to warping or breaking. Had this exact issue with that lens. The lens you're seeing is purely manual focus though. Although if I drop it and it bends the helical thread I'd be screwed. I actually took it apart once and put it together. The craftsmanship is amazing.

Holy fuck, I'll continue being careful then. This might be why I'm slightly hesitant to buy used lenses, but it's the only way I'll be able to afford a couple of them.

 

[RuGalz]

That sounds like a lens built to last then. I'm always worried about dropping my lenses since they're all made out of plastic. It's weird how none of them use metal construction anymore though I'm assuming the super expensive ones are metal build.

Modern day lenses are mostly plastic construction, except sometime the mount. It's much easier to produce and weight less. They are not really that much less durable than all metal lenses. Plastic could flex and be okay or crack, whereas metal could just dent and stop operating smoothly after they are dropped. Can't argue that all metal lenses feel nice in hand though, that's half of the reason that I love my Pentax Limited lenses.

 

[John Blade]

That sounds like a lens built to last then. I'm always worried about dropping my lenses since they're all made out of plastic. It's weird how none of them use metal construction anymore though I'm assuming the super expensive ones are metal build.

Unless, you're buying the special expensive lens the camera company only made in limited amount, most of the lens will be made with mostly plastic and some metal part. It's now the norm in the camera industry which unfortunately, we have to accept now.

Just something to wonder as I am not into Sony camera product but if I got myself an A7 Rii down the road and that is the full frame, will the aps-c lens work on them (or do I need an adapter). Another thing I wonder is should I look into the A-mount lens or stick with the e-mount lens. Kinda fell dirty of not knowing much here under Sony DSLR camera as I use to work with Sony Camcorder during the DV tape time.

 

[Prez]

How much should I spend on a decent tripod for street photography? Doesn't have to be anything special, just lightweight and stable.

 

[VisceralBowl]

How much should I spend on a decent tripod for street photography? Doesn't have to be anything special, just lightweight and stable.

~$30 on Amazon for an Amazon Basics or Ravelli aluminum one.

I use a Ravelli one and it gets the job done. You might want something to hang from the hook so it weighs a little more.

 

[Astral/H3X]

Unless, you're buying the special expensive lens the camera company only made in limited amount, most of the lens will be made with mostly plastic and some metal part. It's now the norm in the camera industry which unfortunately, we have to accept now.

Just something to wonder as I am not into Sony camera product but if I got myself an A7 Rii down the road and that is the full frame, will the aps-c lens work on them (or do I need an adapter). Another thing I wonder is should I look into the A-mount lens or stick with the e-mount lens. Kinda fell dirty of not knowing much here under Sony DSLR camera as I use to work with Sony Camcorder during the DV tape time.

APSC lenses will "work" on them, but won't cover the whole frame. They'll mostly be relagated to being used in Super Crop mode or whatever it is. Now, full frame E mount lenses will work on APSc cameras no problem.

You *could* get A mount lenses, but they aren't particularly suited for the mirrorless cameras, and the adapter is fairly costly.

 

[Übermatik]

Having some annoying autofocus issues with my Canon 50mm f/1.4. Every time I take a photo it seems to focus instead ahead of my target. It's frustrating. I've been trying to take some profile shots with One Shot AF and Spot Focusing at 1.4. I've just tried AI Servo and Evaluative for argument's sake (even though AI servo doesn't make much sense for still subjects?) and it seems a tad better... is there something wrong with my lens? I hear the 1.4 50mm is a bit notorious for AI issues, and all the videos online of people taking apart their lens to 'fix' the issue scare me. Any tips?

And secondly, lens cleaning... any particular products you use that you swear by? There's a ton of different products online and different techniques, just wondering if there's any you guys find particularly effective against dust in particular.

 

[Risible]

Having some annoying autofocus issues with my Canon 50mm f/1.4. Every time I take a photo it seems to focus instead ahead of my target. It's frustrating. I've been trying to take some profile shots with One Shot AF and Spot Focusing at 1.4. I've just tried AI Servo and Evaluative for argument's sake (even though AI servo doesn't make much sense for still subjects?) and it seems a tad better... is there something wrong with my lens? I hear the 1.4 50mm is a bit notorious for AI issues, and all the videos online of people taking apart their lens to 'fix' the issue scare me. Any tips?

And secondly, lens cleaning... any particular products you use that you swear by? There's a ton of different products online and different techniques, just wondering if there's any you guys find particularly effective against dust in particular.

For autofocus testing: http://regex.info/blog/photo-tech/focus-chart. I've had problems with my 50mm 1.4 as well.

 

[jongkookie]

Has anybody done a comparo between an Eye-fi card(or Toshiba's Flash Air) vs a Nikon wireless adapter?

I've been wanting to buy one so I can get a better look at my pics on location, but I'm not sure which one is better/faster to use.

 

[FStop7]

Got a Summicron 35 f2 ASPH. It's around 16 years old and in great condition. I traded 3 lenses for it. It was a slightly better deal for the other person, but the fact is that this lens is like the Fender Stratocaster of 35mm primes. It's worth about $1,400 now and probably always will be.

Test shots in the photo thread - http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=190601798&postcount=399

 

[RuGalz]

Has anybody done a comparo between an Eye-fi card(or Toshiba's Flash Air) vs a Nikon wireless adapter?

I've been wanting to buy one so I can get a better look at my pics on location, but I'm not sure which one is better/faster to use.

I've only used Eye-Fi Pro, most of the reviews I read said Flash Air was more flaky. It works okay if you want very basic function like send all or selected photos from your camera to mobile device. It doesn't work so well when you want to do more complicated stuff like, have it auto-send to mobile device when you are out and then switch to sending all photos to home NAS while at home, which is my desired behavior. It's wonky enough that I'd rather just plug the SD card into my tablet instead.

 

[Zyzyxxz]

Has anybody done a comparo between an Eye-fi card(or Toshiba's Flash Air) vs a Nikon wireless adapter?

I've been wanting to buy one so I can get a better look at my pics on location, but I'm not sure which one is better/faster to use.

I'm using EYE-FI on my Fuji X100 and when it syncs it works beautifully. Only problem is sometimes it takse a couple shots to upload and when it does upload it will upload all the photos which haven't been uploaded before so if you take 10 shots and only want 5 there's nothing you can do until they have already been trasnferred to your device. It's not that bad but you just gotta go back and remember to delete em.

 

[jongkookie]

I see.

What I really want to do with it is to check the pictures on a phone/tablet and you know make sure the focus looks good at the very least.

I know I can just zoom in on the pics on my camera's LCD screen and all that but I kinda wanna see it on a bigger screen lol. It's not really necessary though, just an option I wanna have so I might just pass on it for now. Hopefully my next camera will have built in wi-fi lol.

Edit: I hate myself.

Woot is currently doing a Woot-off and they had a 2 pack of the 8GB Eye-fi Mobi on sale for $20 so I bought it lol.

It doesn't do RAW transfers, but my D3200 can save pics in RAW and JPEG format so I can still use it for what I really want to do.

Here's the link for anybody interested: http://www.woot.com/offers/eyefi-mobi-8gb-wi-fi-sdhc-card-2-pack-9

 

[FStop7]

I was so sure I was going to get a Q, but... I just pulled the trigger on an M Monochrom Typ246 and the APO-Summicron 50 f2.

I need a drink. That was not an easy thing to hit the submit button on.

 

[golem]

I was so sure I was going to get a Q, but... I just pulled the trigger on an M Monochrom Typ246 and the APO-Summicron 50 f2.

I need a drink. That was not an easy thing to hit the submit button on.

Nice! I have a 240, great camera. Tempted by the 246

 

[Ty4on]

Who's making the new thread?

 

[TerryLee81]

I was so sure I was going to get a Q, but... I just pulled the trigger on an M Monochrom Typ246 and the APO-Summicron 50 f2.

I need a drink. That was not an easy thing to hit the submit button on.

Damn, that's a nice camera. Did you get it new or used?

I've been to the Leica store recently and wanted to try the Q. It's sold out and they have a waiting list. Seems to sell well. Or they produce very few.

 

[JadedWriter]

I was so sure I was going to get a Q, but... I just pulled the trigger on an M Monochrom Typ246 and the APO-Summicron 50 f2.

I need a drink. That was not an easy thing to hit the submit button on.

I googled this thing and almost choked on my muffin at that price.

 

[Ty4on]

You must be new to Leica. Their film bodies go for 4000-5000$ body only.

What fascinates me about Leica isn't just how even unpopular or cheap models like the M5 or M4-2 still go for close to 1000$ used. But that despite being so expensive and lacking in features I still want one.

 

[JadedWriter]

You must be new to Leica. Their film bodies go for 4000-5000$ body only.

What fascinates me about Leica isn't just how even unpopular or cheap models like the M5 or M4-2 still go for close to 1000$ used. But that despite being so expensive and lacking in features I still want one.

Yup, definitely new to Leica. I think even if I did make a good amount of money on my photography I'd still stick with Nikon unless I wanted to go mirrorless. Even then I'd probably try out either Sony, Fuji or Panasonic...maybe even Olympus.

 

[BlueTsunami]

My dream lens is the modern 28 Summicron. The focal length and lens character 😍

 

[FStop7]

Damn, that's a nice camera. Did you get it new or used?

I've been to the Leica store recently and wanted to try the Q. It's sold out and they have a waiting list. Seems to sell well. Or they produce very few.

Used, though it only has 200 clicks. It's virtually new. I bought the camera and the 50 APO from a guy who is switching to the SL because his eyesight is giving him issues w/ the rangefinder.

The Q is really awesome. I'd like to find a way to fit one in this year, but it would probably mean selling other stuff.

 

[captive]

Who's making the new thread?

MrOrange was going to, I pm'ed him last week with more ideas and stuff and haven't heard back.

 

[giga]

For lightroom users, do you guys store your originals on an external and keep smart previews locally? I have no space on my local SSD for the originals. Would a NAS be too slow?

 

[RuGalz]

For lightroom users, do you guys store your originals on an external and keep smart previews locally? I have no space on my local SSD for the originals. Would a NAS be too slow?

Depends on how you are connected to your NAS. LR doesn't use smartpreivew if it detects the original source is connected. I am always connected to my NAS so I keep WIP photos locally (with a backup on NAS). Once they are done, the original backup on NAS are replaced. Any further edits I just do it straight out of my NAS. It's slower but I'm also not editing much at that point.

 

[JadedWriter]

I inherited a Vello grip for my camera and got some flash diffuser caps. Should definitely help a lot. The grip just makes my camera too big for my bag now though. I'll have to take it off whenever I'm done with a shoot now. Will probably use it mostly for my portrait stuff now since that's starting to pick up, already have something scheduled for February.

 

[TrojanBlade]

Posted this on the photography thread but someone pointed me here as this is the appropriate thread.

I am looking at buying Sony a6000 camera. But not sure about the lens. These are my choices:

1. Get a6000 with the standard 16-50mm lens

a6000 16-50mm

Or

2. Get a6000 body only with either 50mm f/1.8 or 35mm f/1.8 lens

35mm f1.8

50mm f1.8

Problem is that I have a tight budget and have to choose 1 option.

What would you guys do? I need a camera to use for indoors and outdoors for portraits and nature. Which would be the optimal choice to handle most situations with best quality. Thanks for the help.

 

[JadedWriter]

Since you need something for indoor and outdoor I'd go with the 35mm 1.8 lens since I'd never do indoor photography with a 3.5 - 5.6f kit lens and 35mm seems like a versatile enough focal length. 50mm is too narrow for landscape work, but it's good for portrait work and I've never done portraits with a 35mm cause I heard you can get facial distortion cause of how close you have to be on the person to get a portrait shot, but it can be done. Granted I'm the noob photographer of the thread so it's better to wait for someone more experienced to chime in, but those are my two cents.

 

[TrojanBlade]

Since you need something for indoor and outdoor I'd go with the 35mm 1.8 lens since I'd never do indoor photography with a 3.5 - 5.6f kit lens and 35mm seems like a versatile enough focal length. 50mm is too narrow for landscape work, but it's good for portrait work and I've never done portraits with a 35mm cause I heard you can get facial distortion cause of how close you have to be on the person to get a portrait shot, but it can be done. Granted I'm the noob photographer of the thread so it's better to wait for someone more experienced to chime in, but those are my two cents.

Thank you for the input. Hopefully some experts will chime-in too.

 

[Won]

What would you guys do? I need a camera to use for indoors and outdoors for portraits and nature. Which would be the optimal choice to handle most situations with best quality. Thanks for the help.

Not an expert, but you will always have to make tradeoffs and your demands are a bit too all over the place.

If your new the basic recommendation would be to go with the kit lens and figure out what you do/like the most and once more money is availabe follow up with a prime. (Or a better zoom, if versatility ends up the most important aspect for you)

 

[Ty4on]

Thank you for the input. Hopefully some experts will chime-in too.

I'm no expert, but I'd go with the kitlens so you can learn what focal lengths you like.

You could also check used prices for older kitlenses.

 

[itwasTuesday]

apsc mirrorless, buy some larger full manual. You will learn fundamentals much faster in a wysiwyg presentation. 35 sounds good for me.