Sony Claims Adapted Canon Lenses AF Nearly as Fast as on a Canon DSLR.

[JohnDizzo15]

This was EXACTLY what I've been waiting for. I'm selling my 6D and 7D and making the move. I'm tired of Canon and their total lack of innovation. The fact I can use my existing glass makes this so much easier.

+1,000

Not making any assumptions about any of the members here that have already proclaimed that they are officially selling and making the switch. But I did want to note that if any of you have not yet had the opportunity to extensively operate a mirrorless rig, give it a try first before selling all of your stuff. There is lots to find out/growing pains any time you try out a new system. But this jump would be two-fold in that you are also moving to mirrorless. I'd make sure I was able to get along with the new system before completely cutting ties with the old.

 

[East Wind Photography]

I find this rumor amusing since Canon themselves are having a tough time convincing people to use full sized lenses with their own mirrorless camera.


Mirrorless is definately a niche market and you really need to rent one first and see how you like using your full sized lenses with a small mirrorless.


I'm sure canon will love this as it might mean more canon lens sales where their own mirrorless is having a tough time being accepted in the market.


I've tried the previous Sony a7r and didn't see it replacing my dslrs. I opted to get the M and now the M3 to use it for what it was designed for..a general purpose camera to document family travels.

 

[Larsskv]

I do understand why somebody here are interested in the A7RII. The IBIS is a great feature, and the sensor is probably very good.

But what I can´t understand is this. It focuses better than before, with Canon glass, but not as good. I further suspect that the "as good as Canon" performance, is limited to wide angle+small aperture lenses, when the lens is almost in focus. I expect that the more blurry (out of focus/large aperture/long lens) the lens is when you start focus, the worse are the AF-performance.

Further, With Canon glass on it, with an adapter, the system will be a "frankenstein". It will look a little ridiculous, and it will be front heavy. The poorer ergonomics, compared to a Canon DSLR, will make the downsides even bigger.

And what about the native lenses? As far as I can see, the native lenses are quite large, compared to Canon counterparts. The newly released Batis 85 f/1.8 is bigger and heavier than Canons version. If the A7-series don´t hold a considerable weight and size advantage, has poorer ergonomics and handling, focuses worse than a DSLR, why the h**l would you want it over a DSLR? Last point, although subjective, I can´t understand why anybody would like an EVF over an OVF. I find EVF´s disturbing, and that takes away my joy in taking pictures.

 

[JohnDizzo15]

This is interesting. Let's wait and see if and how Canon reacts to this development.

Hope they do. Pretty sure they won't. My gut tells me the 5d4 will still be the 5d4 and the 1dx2 will still be the 1dx2 as Canon plans them regardless of the eight bodies Sony puts out in the next year.

 

[expatinasia]

This was always going to happen at some stage, which camera it starts with is really immaterial but Sony has realised there is a massive market for cameras that work very well with lenses from other manufacturers. They have an incentive to make it work, Canon and Nikon don't.

Would not surprise me to see Sony buy a company which makes adapters or even make different models of their cameras targeting different lenses.

Personally I do not want to have to remember, pack and carry some other "adapter" just so my lenses work.

I am not leaving Canon any time soon, but these developments are a bonus for us all.

Great thing about Sony is you know that if you do not pull out your wallet straight away, they will have an even better version out in roughly 365 days.....

 

[bmwzimmer]

I almost bought an A7ii... And now I will wait to see how the A7Rii performs. The downside is the weight is 625g which is a bit over 100g less than my current 6D and adding a battery grip with the extra battery adds 300g to its weight. The Sony Zeiss 35mm f/1.4 lens is longer and heavier than the 35L and is barely lighter but still much longer than the 35mm Sigma Art lens. According to DXO mark for sharpness, it is not nearly as good as the Sigma Art. I hate to have to settle for f/1.8 lenses it it appears to be the best compromise for size/weight.
I also like the versatility of a good 24-70 f/2.8 lens and not too fond of using a metabones adaptor which adds weight and a frankenstein bulk to it. If Sony had a 24-70 that is about the same size, smaller, and just as good optically, I would switch n a heartbeat. In the meantime, none of this equipment is going to make a difference in my photography since I'm not making any large posters.

What will be interesting is the next iteration of the 6D that might be smaller and lighter than the current version

 

[Tugela]

I find this rumor amusing since Canon themselves are having a tough time convincing people to use full sized lenses with their own mirrorless camera.


Mirrorless is definately a niche market and you really need to rent one first and see how you like using your full sized lenses with a small mirrorless.


I'm sure canon will love this as it might mean more canon lens sales where their own mirrorless is having a tough time being accepted in the market.


I've tried the previous Sony a7r and didn't see it replacing my dslrs. I opted to get the M and now the M3 to use it for what it was designed for..a general purpose camera to document family travels.

You do realize that current MILC designs are about the same size as old pre-digital FF SLRs right? People had no trouble putting big lenses on SLRs, so why would it be an issue for a MILC?

 

[LonelyBoy]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: I've heard lots of promises from marketing (and Sony marketing specifically). Let's see how this behaves in the real world, for real users.

 

[Silvertt7]

This is really good news for us. As a 5D Mark III user this is another alternative. Basically, if Canon does not close the gap between their top bodies and the competition, people on the fence WILL move as we are losing patience. Canon bodies, although great, are lagging behind the other makers. This is a fact.

 

[msm]

I do understand why somebody here are interested in the A7RII. The IBIS is a great feature, and the sensor is probably very good.

But what I can´t understand is this. It focuses better than before, with Canon glass, but not as good. I further suspect that the "as good as Canon" performance, is limited to wide angle+small aperture lenses, when the lens is almost in focus. I expect that the more blurry (out of focus/large aperture/long lens) the lens is when you start focus, the worse are the AF-performance.

Further, With Canon glass on it, with an adapter, the system will be a "frankenstein". It will look a little ridiculous, and it will be front heavy. The poorer ergonomics, compared to a Canon DSLR, will make the downsides even bigger.

And what about the native lenses? As far as I can see, the native lenses are quite large, compared to Canon counterparts. The newly released Batis 85 f/1.8 is bigger and heavier than Canons version. If the A7-series don´t hold a considerable weight and size advantage, has poorer ergonomics and handling, focuses worse than a DSLR, why the h**l would you want it over a DSLR? Last point, although subjective, I can´t understand why anybody would like an EVF over an OVF. I find EVF´s disturbing, and that takes away my joy in taking pictures.

As someone who has used both systems last 1.5years I can try give you a balanced reply.

If you need autofocus on Canon lenses you should probably stick with a Canon DSLR. Maybe the A7R 2 can AF comparable to the 5DIII with native lenses but I am doubtful on these af claims with adapter. From what I read not even Sigma lenses on Canon bodies have very reliable AF.

When it comes to manual focus, the A7 cameras are miles ahead of Canon however. Peaking and more importantly focus loupe nails focus perfectly every time as long as you hold the camera still enough. Much more precise than Canons AF. But obviously not usable for fast moving subjects.

As for ergonomics, here the 1DX is the best camera I have every used. Comfortable to hold even with a 300/2.8. The buttons on the a7s are small and the wheel on the back also serves as a multi controller which means it is really easy to do the wrong thing when using it. But cameras have excellent configuration abilities but the pro Canons are a bit ahead.

As for the native lenses, I haven't heard much good about the FE24-70, the FE16-35 seems to be considered about equal to the EF16-35 F4 IS. As for primes the story is different though. The FE primes are maybe bigger than equivalent Canon lenses, but the performance is in a completely different league. Canon's large aperture primes are no match for the sharpness and constrast that the Zony or Zeiss primes deliver wide open. I haven't seen any tests of the Batis lenses yet, but go check the MTF charts of the 85/1.8 on the Zeiss site and compare it to the 85 Otus and you'll probably get the idea how this will perform.

If I am not shooting something which require af tracking, then the files from my a7r beats the files from my Canons every time even with adapted Canon lenses. Despite all the bullshit you read on these forums about lossy compressed raws and shutter shock from ppl who probably never even touched a a7 camera. So much that my 1Dx has turned into a sport/wildlife/pet niche camera. I care more about the end results than how pleasant it is to hold or how it "looks".

As for EVF vs OVF, I see advantages and disadvantages of both. The EVF gives me all the information I need before I take the shot, makes it much easier to manual focus while with the OVF I always end up taking test shots then chimp to see if the exposure is right or if focus was nailed etc. However the EVF has low resolution, is somewhat laggy and may have a longer blackout when shooting. Also the EVF is easier to see in low light, but I prefer OVF in bright light.

 

[NancyP]

I am waiting for some serious evaluation of retail Sony A7r II cameras, and for further evaluation of the Canon 5Ds/r before I make any decision. I was thinking about the A7r until I saw widespread reports of issues with shutter shock at landscape/ macro shooting speeds, and people's workarounds mostly involving attaching a large weight to the camera. On paper it looked like a great camera. Certainly the A7r II sounds like a great camera, but...

I am a Missourian - SHOW ME!

 

[LetTheRightLensIn]

"Super slow motion at full 1920x1080HD at 240FPS"

Wow, even better than expected.

4k at 24fps/30fps
and HD at 240fps

It does seem a bit odd since you'd think it could do 4k at 60fps then.
But even if they meant to say 720p for 240fps, that would still give it 120fps for HD.

 

[LetTheRightLensIn]

I smell lawsuit coming and a tasty fight between Sony and Canon over Ef mount and Af related patents.

I don't. First it doesn't use the same AF system at all. It's not the Canon AF system.
Second, it's not illegal to translate electronic mount signals.

 

[gobucks]

This is super interesting, and I hope that it means Sony is putting some real effort into tapping into the market of the EF-invested. I have a 6D, and it is a wonderful camera for travel (my primary purpose), but I can't help but get a little envious when I see Sony's slim, retro-looking all metal bodies around. Sure, Nikon's D610 and D750 are slightly and significantly better than the 6D, respectively, but I don't quite feel the pull to that system.

From Sony, I'd really love to see a commitment to better, faster adapters, either with Metabones or on their own, or, as one commentator suggested, maybe even some camera bodies with a native EF mount (although im not sure this would be worth it - I suspect the adapter is the size it is because that's how far the lens needs to be from the sensor). In any case, I think Sony's current adapter rebate promotion is super smart, and in the long term, they need to try to get good adapters available in the $100-200 range.

From Canon, I hope that the Sony threat to their ecosystem really wakes them up in the way that Nikon hasn't. Nikon has had the best FF bodies for several years now, and it hasn't really hurt Canon's sales (although plenty of outside factors have), because so many people are locked into the respective ecosystems. Sony could do for camera bodies what Sigma and Tamron have done for lenses - forced Canon and Nikon to put out much more competitive products. Obvious things Canon could take from the A7 series include better sensor performance, higher ISO, and substantial improvements to live view/manual focusing/focus peaking features. In camera IS could be nice, although they seem to be adding IS to primes instead (which I love btw). Maybe the biggest thing they could do is go for a slimmed down, retro styling. One of the biggest draws to the A7 is that it's angular, retro, metallic, sexy. Some versions aren't that much smaller than a 6D, but look way sleeker. Even with a mirror box, Canon still has some room to make a much more head-turning design (see Nikon's DF).

 

[that1guyy]

http://sigma-rumors.com/2015/06/sigma-full-frame-fe-mount-lenses/

This makes me happy and hopefully it comes true sooner than later.

 

[LetTheRightLensIn]

My bet is that it will be better for manual focusing and certain cases where it's important to get a better VF verification of whether the focus is nailing it or not and fine for landscapes and much general usage but won't cut it for sports/serious action/must hit focus quickly a very high percentage of the time critical work/macro with AF.

 

[ritholtz]

Sony seems to be so disperate to sell their sensors to Canon. Making so much fuss about compatibility with Canon lens than their own lens performance.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

I smell lawsuit coming and a tasty fight between Sony and Canon over Ef mount and Af related patents.

Why?? Patents on the EF system expired after 14 years. Why would a company sue someone over a expired patent?

Sony bought Minolta many years ago. They inherited the Minolta AF system which was compatible with Canon and had been in use for many years. If Canon was going to sue, they would not only have to sue Sony, but Sigma and Tamron, and they would lose.

Canon should be happy that their lenses are compatible with Sony / Minolta. They can keep on selling better lenses for less money to not only Canon users, but Sony / Minolta users.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

I see no reason to worry about AF accuracy. The Sony AF system has always been compatible with Canon, clear back to when it was used on Minolta cameras.

However, it is always smart to wait and see what bugs crop up. B&H and Adorama have a 30 day return policy, so if there are some nasty surprises, the camera can be returned.

 

[Stone]

I'll wait for a few real world reviews before I ultimately make a decision but I'm nearly sold on the A7R II. I no longer shoot any sports or wildlife, so these days the 5DIII stays home and I go out with my X100T which has made me a big fan of EVF. I'll keep most of my Canon glass until there are smaller, suitable equivalents, but the 5DIII was probably my last DSLR.