Thanks to the wide array of available Sony lens adapters, it’s possible to take lenses from just about any camera system and use them on a a7 series or a6000 (and/or NEX) camera. But not all adapters are equal, and not all lenses give sony shooters the full range of features and functionality.
In this video from Sony Ambassador Jason Lanier, the various Sony lens adapters are put through their paces. Shooting tests with the Sony a7II, a7, a7s and a6000 he mounts Sony a-mount glass and Canon FE glass to his cameras to see how they perform using Fotodiox, Metabones and the Sony LAEA-4 adapters.
Lanier makes a few points that photographers we talk to in forums often miss—the use of Sony lens adapters provides, at best, limited functionality. Yes, many adapters provide autofocus capabilities with Canon glass, but those capabilities are hampered by the utterly slow focus speeds.
“Would I use this for any professional purposes, any paid purposes, not in a million years,” says Lanier as he tries to focus on a subject in the bright Las Vegas desert.
Although frustrating to watch technology not live up to its hype, that’s not to say that adapters aren’t useful. They help unlock a wide range of lenses that would be off-limits to the Sony shooters. The Sony lens adapters provide the ability to use glass in manual focus shooting modes, and that’s more than enough for many of these lenses. It’s amazing to be able to couple thirty-plus year old glass to a modern sensor.
This image, for example, was captured on my a7II using a 1970’s-era 85mm f/1.4 Nikkor lens, one of my personal favorites and a piece of glass I haven’t been able to shoot with for years.
Seeing the limitations of the adapters also helps make better choices when picking out which adapter to use. If you’re only getting manual focus, it’s smart to pick the cheapest adapter for your lens types.
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My daily shooter is Sony A1 with a vertical grip and various Sony lenses attached like the FE 20mm F1.8. Find more gear recommendations in our shop. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.