Sony Alpha NEX Cameras and E Mount Lenses

Sony NEX-5 with Minolta 90mm Rokkor-M Lens Here is a quick lens test of the Minolta 90mm f/4 Rokkor-M on the Sony NEX-5. In 1981 Minolta announced the Minolta CLE, the most advance Leica-M camera until the release of the Leica M7 in 2001. Minolta updated the Leica 90mm Elmar-C to produce the 90mm Rokkor-M for the CLE. The 90mm Rokkor-M is very light and small for a telephoto lens which is perfect for the Sony NEX system. The lens is mounted to the NEX using a Leica M to E-mount lens adapter . The lens produces an equivalent field of view of 135mm when used with the NEX's APS-C sensor. This makes for a capable portrait lens. The samples below are JPGs straight from the camera with very minor tweaks and resized before posting. The Sony NEX-5 was placed on a table and a remote trigger was used to avoid shaking. The ISO was set at 200 and Aperture Priority mode was used. Image 1. Minolta 90mm Rokkor-M at f/4. Image 2. 100% Crop of Image 1 Lower Left. Image 3. 100% Crop of Imag

Here is a generic Leica M to Sony NEX E-mount lens adapter . The adapter allows for infinity focus but it occurs before the infinity mark. We wanted to get closer to the infinity mark so we took off the (4) screws that attach the silver part to the black part. We used a precision slotted screwdriver and made sure not to strip the very tiny screws. We used pieces of aluminum foil to add thickness to the adapter. This will get the Leica M lens farther away from the Sony NEX sensor and infinity focus should be closer to the infinity mark on the lens. If the foil is too thick, the lens will be too far away and infinity focus may not be achieved. Reassemble the adapter and test the lens for infinity focus.

Sony NEX-5 with a Chrome LEICA ELMAR-M 1:2.8/50 E39 50mm Here is a nice portrait of a Sony NEX-5 and a collapsible Leica 50mm Elmar-M f/2.8. The effective focal length for the NEX camera is 75mm which makes for a nice portrait lens. This lens series was made between 1994 and 2007. The lens was available in chrome or black. We will have samples soon from uintaangler. Black Leica 50mm Elmar-M on a black Leica M6 Thanks uintaangler!

Sony NEX-5 with a Leica 50mm f/1.4 Summilux-C Cine Lens Here is the newest Leica Summilux-C 50mm PL Mount for motion picture cameras mounted on the Sony NEX-5. The Leica Summilux-C line uses the Arriflex PL mount. PL to E-mount lens adapters have been around but this is the first we've seen the NEX using one. Check out FD Times for an excellent sample photo taken with the Summilux-C 50 and the NEX-5. Leica Summilux-C Cine Lenses Leica Summilux-C Prime lenses were introduced in April 2010 and will ship this year. The available focal lengths are 16mm, 18mm, 21mm, 25mm, 35mm, 40mm, 50mm, 65mm, 75mm, and 100mm. All with maximum apertures of f/1.4. Leica Summilux-C Cinematography lenses are available from BandPro . Initial pricing was around $180,000 for a set of 8 lenses.

Sony NEX-3, Leica Visoflex I, and a Leitz 280mm/f4.8 ver.2 Lens Here is NikonD200 's Sony NEX DSLR with the use of the Leica Visoflex I from 1956. The Visoflex is attached to the NEX-3 using a Leica M to E-mount lens adapter . Below shows how a Leica bellows can be used for macro shots using the NEX and the Visoflex. Sony NEX-3, Leica Visoflex I, Bellows I and a Leitz 280mm/f4.8 ver.2 Lens The focusing and composing is done through the Leica Visoflex viewfinder. A lever flips up the mirror and then hits the shutter release button. Leica Visoflex in Action So if you are looking for a viewfinder for your NEX, hunt down a Leica Visoflex. Pictures from NikonD200 and video from Lowcomotive. Thanks NikonD200!

NEX-5 with Voigtlander 12mm Ultrawide Heliar Lens by Nakagane M Let's go wide with the Sony NEX via the Voigtlander 12mm f/5.6 Ultrawide Heliar Lens in Leica M mount. This is the widest rectilinear prime lens for Leica M cameras and it does well on the NEX's APS-C sensor. The lens gives an equivalent focal length of 18mm on the NEX cameras for photos and 21.6mm for videos. Below are sample photos by Nakagane M and aelianus taken with the NEX and the CV 12mm f/5.6 Ultrawide Heliar. Photos by Nakagane M . Photos by aelianus CV 12mm f/5.6 Ultrawide Heliar

Here is another shootout comparing the Sony NEX-5 and the Leica M8. The lens used was the Zeiss 18mm f/4.0 ZM . The Sony 16mm Pancake was also used so we can compare the Zeiss against it. All shots are by Boris from Wild-Places.com . Sony NEX-5 with the 16mm Pancake at f/8.0 and Center Crop Sony NEX-5 with the Zeiss 18mm ZM at f/8.0 and Center Crop Leica M8 with the Zeiss 18mm ZM at f/8.0 and Center Crop Sony NEX-5 with the 16mm Pancake at f/8.0 and Crop Sony NEX-5 with the Zeiss 18mm ZM at f/8.0 and Crop Leica M8 with the Zeiss 18mm ZM at f/8.0 and Crop The Zeiss 18mm ZM Lens used in the shots above. The Leica M8 with the Zeiss 18mm ZM

Let's see how the Sony NEX-5 does against a couple of heavyweights, the Leica M8 and the Canon 5d Mark II. The test is not scientific since different lenses were used by two different photographers. Light, post processing, etc are also factors that has to be accounted for variations in the images. Let's see what a camera one quarter the cost of the other two can produce. Here is Neuschwanstein Castle from the perspective of the Sony NEX-5 and the Zeiss 35mm f/2.8 C Biogon . Here is what the Leica M8 produces with the same lens at f/8.0. Here is what the Canon EOS 5d Mark II and the Zeiss 50mm f/2.0 Makro Planar at f/8.0 sees. The Canon 5dII is used again but with a Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 Planar at f/8.0. Here are some pictures of Neuschwanstein Castle taken with the Sony NEX-5. NEX-5 with Zeiss 18mm f/4 ZM Distagon Three pictures from the NEX-5 with Zeiss 35mm C Biogon Thanks to Boris and Philippe for sharing their photos!