Donny out of Element here wrote:FastJimmy wrote:PictureEditor wrote:Hello,I'm a P/T pro (I work in photo technology) who predominately shoots Canon 5D3 / 6D. I've been trying to push on form-factor, video, sensor detail and light sensitivity and picked up an A7R II and A7S II to convert my kit. I've got the 28mm and the 90mm Sony lenses, but I'm still struggling to find a good everyday lens. I do a wide range of travel, documentary, and people photography.Recommendations? I could use a Metabones adapter.The 24-70 and 28-70 lenses don't seem to get ringing endorsements, nor does the 24-240.Thoughts or recommendations?I would go for quality over form factor, and both over price. Happy to adapt if I have to.Thanks!!!A relative newbie to the A7Rii world but a long time user of Nikon and Canon.....If you want a walkaround lens (one lens)and are concerned with , as you say, "quality " then there are a few choices based upon your favorite focal length. My recommendations based on absolute quality would be the Batis 25/2, Sony/Zeiss 35/1.4, or the 55/1.8. You may need to try more than 1 35mm because of sample variation but any of those 3 will "fit the bill."All are contrasty and sharp, the 55 seemingly the sharpest. You can't go wrong with any.JimI think you missed the point of everyday lens. OP wants zoom. Mid-range zoom 24-70 range (give or take).The OP asked for an everyday lens.  Some consider that a zoom but for me, my walkaround lens, though a little larger than I would like, is the 35mm 1.4. My copy is as sharp as a tack, has beautiful bokeh when it is needed.  I am not a fan of the 28-70 or 24-70.  Tried them out but the IQ of he primes are greater at this time but that is just my taste.  When Sony/Zeiss produces a 24-70 with the quality of, let's say, the Canon 24-70 version 2 then I may make a change.Luckily the Sony kit is light compared to my Canikon so Sony is presently spoiling me.Jim

MarsObserver wrote:bceye wrote:Rumor has it that Sony is going to announce 8ish more FE lenses within a week or two, one of which is (again rumored to be) 24-70 (f/2.8 ?):http://www.sonyalpharumors.com/sr5-sony-officially-registered-a-new-24-70mm-fe-gm-lens-f2-8/So I'd hold for next two weeks before bitingThat would be soooo sweet!!!And will cost 2k.

I'm still looking for the Batis lenses. If Sony's availability is anything like those I'll be old and grey before I can find their new lenses. Oh, wait, I'm already old and grey...

I have recently purchased the 50mm Zeiss Loxia... all I can say is WOW.... this lens is tremendous in quality, and function.. the manual focus feature of the Loxia/A7rii has so much of a fun factor it is hard to ignore. There is a learning curve of about 30 seconds... and manual focus seems like auto focus.. it's a brilliant match!..  the 50mm never comes off the camera... the quality, tactile feel, buttery smooth focus ring, the crazy fun manual aperture  with those precise 1/3 clicks.. the brilliant manual zoom and focus peaking.. gotta have a Loxia 50 imho... its a no brainer

PictureEditor wrote:Hi guys,Thanks for all of the thoughtful replies. I think the 55mm 1.8 is probably the right option. I like the versatility of a zoom, but with the 28mm and the 90mm, I'll have a pretty good range covered at the expense of more lens switching. I'll just have to adjust my shooting style a bit.I'll keep an eye out for other replies, but thanks for all of the input.Good choice.  If you have an extra pocket you may want to slip that 28 in there for the wide end.Jim

I've read good things about the Loxia and seen delicious samples. But with my eyesight and shaky hands I think I'm better off with the Batis. I've never been much of a manual shooter although I try with my 25mm Voigtlander on EM5II. I never attempt to shoot moving subjects with it. I prefer to shoot close ups with continuous AF as I tend to sway back and forth a bit. I rarely use a tripod except when shooting with my DP2 Merrill. That camera is useless over ISO 200 and I often don't have the shutter speed with it to get a blur free handheld shot. The one subject I'm forced to shoot manual is the blood moon on a partially cloudy night like the most recent lunar eclipse. Everything was so dark the AF wouldn't acquire even with my D800.I do want to say that I'm amazed by the 55mm IQ and would be hard pressed to buy anything else at that focal length. I would be tempted by a Batis at 35mm even though I already have the very cute and portable 35mm f2.8.

PictureEditor wrote:Hello,I'm a P/T pro (I work in photo technology) who predominately shoots Canon 5D3 / 6D. I've been trying to push on form-factor, video, sensor detail and light sensitivity and picked up an A7R II and A7S II to convert my kit. I've got the 28mm and the 90mm Sony lenses, but I'm still struggling to find a good everyday lens. I do a wide range of travel, documentary, and people photography.Recommendations? I could use a Metabones adapter.The 24-70 and 28-70 lenses don't seem to get ringing endorsements, nor does the 24-240.Thoughts or recommendations?I would go for quality over form factor, and both over price. Happy to adapt if I have to.Thanks!!!I'll started my A7-series journey with the kit lens. After I bought the 55/1.8 I had it on my camera for about a year without any need to switch or buy anything else.

The best image quality I have gotten from my a7r are from:1. Nikon 14-24mm F2.8.2. Canon 24-70 F2.8 L ii.3. Canon 70-200 F4 L.5. Zeiss FE 55 1.8.The 35 F2.8 is also very good and small and light.I believe the Loxias are excellent as are the Batis 25 and 28, the Sony Macro 90 gets nothing but praise as does the 16-35.Greg.

PictureEditor wrote:I'll just have toadjust my shooting stylea bit.The ultra high resolution 42 mpx of the a7Rii does call for "adjust my shooting style" ... maybe more than a bit. Other than on sunny days with PLENTY of light, it really helps to DPR has called "medium format technique" ... high shutter speed and/or tripod, aperture sweet spot, EFCS and/or timer and/or remote, higher quality primes, maybe focus stacking, etc.Michael Everett wrote:I'm still looking for a really good FE standard zoom. I had the 28-70, sold it for the 24-70, then sold that to go back to the 28-70. The 24-70 was marginally better overall, but the 28-70 was better in the center. Neither is great in the corners. I took the monetary difference and bought some good primes. I suggest the 28-70,and when it matters pull out a prime.The 35/2.8 is tiny and easy to carry around, and has IMO excellent IQ.Not every capture matter that much, but when it does matter, my observation is that the a7Rii is so demanding of lens IQ that higher quality primes are appropriate.

As a few of the others already says, the 24-70 is not as bad as its reputation... I think maybe the Zeiss tag is adding too high expectations, in the world of standard f/4 zooms only barrel distortion is worse than most competitors (in my opinion).For me a good everyday lens is a small one, and one that can cover a range of tasks. But I find that I often like dragging something smaller than the 24-70 around.So what I use mostly is:35mm 2.8 Zeiss, its deadly sharp for its class and price. its quite fast focusing and I feel like it could even be faster with next generation Alphas.. Though I would have went with the Loxia 2.0 if it had been out when I got it since I quite like manual focus.Then I use two Olympus lenses with adapter, they are 24mm 2.0 and 50mm 1.4. Even with the adapter they are pretty small.Out side work, I rarely use Nikkor glass on the Sony cameras, they tent to be too big for my liking of a walk-around lens.For me 35mm is my sweet-spot if I only bring one lens.Here is my recommendation list:24-70 f/4 + OS is really great in video mode - size - focus hunting (least on the first gen A7's)35mm f/2.8 + The lightest and smallest option there is. + Fast focus - Manual focus is a pain with this lens.The Loxias + Size + Image- and build quality +/- No AF (a no problem for me though) Olympus OM manual focus lenses. + Deadly cheap +/- Never gonna win any Image quality contest, but the ones I have, have quite likable rendition.. and lots of flare issues.. good and bad. - Bigger than the Loxias

Hi,the FE 24-70 is not as bad as many forum user say - i find it quite decent actually (using it on a A7RII). But my main walk around lenses are the Loxia 35/2 and the FE 55/1.8 - both have a pretty nice picture quality. Andy