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Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 on A7Rii in S35 mode??


AlexTardif
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Hi guys - long time lurker, first time poster... It just occurred to me that the Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 might be a terrific choice for the S35 4K mode on A7Rii.  I can't find anyone else talking about it anywhere and definitely haven't seen any footage of this combination so I'm wondering - what's the deal?  My initial thought is that other than the size/weight and adapter requirement this seems like it might be an absolutely winning combination:

  • Great FL range (about 27-52 in S35)
  • Internal zooming
  • FAST 1.8!
  • Actual physical manual focus (unlike all native FE glass that use fly-by-wire only)

I have the FE 28-135 F4 cine zoom, but it's not wide enough sometimes in S35 and not that great for run-n-gun due to the size/weight (I have it rigged in a custom setup anyway).  Obviously questions next would be... does it cover the S35 area well without vignetting, how's the AF and which adapter would be ideal (get it in Canon mount maybe vs. Sony-A with the Sony adapter)?

Thanks guys!

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You could also get a speed booster.

I'm new to adapters like such, so do you meant this: Sony A-mount to Sony NEX Speed Booster ULTRA?

Looks like it claims to boost the speed by 1 stop (I need to research more, this sounds tgtbt, but of course welcome) but also make things wider by .71.  Though if I'm shooting 4K in S35 the focal view would be back to roughly original FF equivalent.  That is for the Sigma 18-35 it would be back to roughtly 19-37.  Did I get that right?

I wonder If the speed booster would be a good option for my 2.8 zooms (16-35 and 24-70), hm...

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I'm new to adapters like such, so do you meant this: Sony A-mount to Sony NEX Speed Booster ULTRA?

Looks like it claims to boost the speed by 1 stop (I need to research more, this sounds tgtbt, but of course welcome) but also make things wider by .71.  Though if I'm shooting 4K in S35 the focal view would be back to roughly original FF equivalent.  That is for the Sigma 18-35 it would be back to roughtly 19-37.  Did I get that right?

I wonder If the speed booster would be a good option for my 2.8 zooms (16-35 and 24-70), hm...

You got it right, but keep in mind two things.

The lens has to be or has to cover FF. An aps-c lens (like the sigma) put on a speed booster would vignette.

The flange distance of the original mount has to be long. This means you can use lenses for nikon f, sony a, canon ef,etc... mounts, but you can't use the original E mount lenses because they have a short distance.

If the 16-35 and 24-70 are for example canon lenses than I think it would be a nice option as they would be "f2 lenses", or just about the same looking as if you were using them on FullFrame.

I wonder if it's worth the hassle, is the asp-c mode that great? I thought the rollingshutter was too bad.

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*cough cough*

PS: Sigma 18-35mm f1.8 (non-speedboosted Metabones adapter, though)

Just a stupid question, but I though (maybe incorrectly) that you needed an adapter to mount the Sigma 18-35 on the A7RII??? Am I wrong?

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There are regular adapters without the glass to boost the image circle.

Oh! I get it! 

No which one is better here? The Booster one of the non booster one? I am thinking on Getting a 18-35 and the XL Booster for my GH4 but wonder if I should not move up to the A7RII...

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Oh! I get it! 
No which one is better here? The Booster one of the non booster one? I am thinking on Getting a 18-35 and the XL Booster for my GH4 but wonder if I should not move up to the A7RII...

Depends. The boosted adapter uses optics that concentrate the image circle and project it onto a smaller surface. This will allow more of the image circle to be seen by the sensor, in turn creating a wider field of view (as well as creating a bit shallower depth of field because of it). Since the light is concentrated it's brighter as well, allowing for a slightly lower ISO to be used for example. So, if you find it hard to get wide shots and have trouble dealing with lowlight, because of the sensor's crop, then the boosted adapter might be your thing.

If you, however, are perfectly fine with the focal range as it is and don't need to go wider or have a need for gathering a bit more light, you should be fine enough with a cheaper adapter without glass. And neither of these have to be from Metabones. There are some focal reducers/lens turbos (with optics) by the likes of Zhongyi and R.J. for example. If you're looking for simpler adapters without optics, you might want to check out Commlite, Novoflex , Kipon, Fotodiox, Fotasy and Fotga to name a few. They won't break the bank either.

There's something to be said for Nikon adapters with Nikon mount lenses. Since the aperture is controlled mechanically, it allows for very basic adapters with a mechanical interlink to the lens in order to open or close the aperture. The thing with some Canon mount lenses is that there are a lot out there that only have electronic control (no aperture ring, no mechanical link)... and there's not really a simple and cheap solution for that, except perhaps for keeping a Canon body around that you have to use for switching lenses only to allow to change the aperture on the lens for use with a third party camera like a Panasonic or Sony through an adapter. There's electronic adapters surely, but they'll cost you. Benefit though is, that with electronic control you might now take advantage of the autofocus and lens stabilization features. So that choice depends on your needs too.

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Depends. The boosted adapter uses optics that concentrate the image circle and project it onto a smaller surface. This will allow more of the image circle to be seen by the sensor, in turn creating a wider field of view (as well as creating a bit shallower depth of field because of it). Since the light is concentrated it's brighter as well, allowing for a slightly lower ISO to be used for example. So, if you find it hard to get wide shots and have trouble dealing with lowlight, because of the sensor's crop, then the boosted adapter might be your thing.

If you, however, are perfectly fine with the focal range as it is and don't need to go wider or have a need for gathering a bit more light, you should be fine enough with a cheaper adapter without glass. And neither of these have to be from Metabones. There are some focal reducers/lens turbos (with optics) by the likes of Zhongyi and R.J. for example. If you're looking for simpler adapters without optics, you might want to check out Commlite, Novoflex , Kipon, Fotodiox, Fotasy and Fotga to name a few. They won't break the bank either.

There's something to be said for Nikon adapters with Nikon mount lenses. Since the aperture is controlled mechanically, it allows for very basic adapters with a mechanical interlink to the lens in order to open or close the aperture. The thing with some Canon mount lenses is that there are a lot out there that only have electronic control (no aperture ring, no mechanical link)... and there's not really a simple and cheap solution for that, except perhaps for keeping a Canon body around that you have to use for switching lenses only to allow to change the aperture on the lens for use with a third party camera like a Panasonic or Sony through an adapter. There's electronic adapters surely, but they'll cost you. Benefit though is, that with electronic control you might now take advantage of the autofocus and lens stabilization features. So that choice depends on your needs too.

Thank you! After reading your post I will go for the booster on the GH4 (Low light is a problem for me with this camera) and will opt for most probably for a none booster like for the A7RII when I can afford it!

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