A K5 for half the price?

[detritus]

Coming from a K5 user, I can tell you that the C3/PK mount combo works extremely well with the "peaking focus" and its an excellent choice for a 2nd small body for a K5 user. It's clearly not the best combo if you don't have an investment in K mount lenses.

I understand the negative comments though. Here's a shot with the DA40 & NEX C3 Took a split second to focus using "peaking focus" and I could see the exact depth of field...

i can see that it works well for you. nice pictures and all. but i do not share your view that this setup is "an excellent choice for a 2nd small body" for someone with an investment in k-mount lenses.

if pple wanna use it in as a "by the way" sort of thing, sure, why not. we love to buy new toys, the body and lenses are paid for and the adapter is cheap. i get it.

but to deliberately get a nex as 2nd body just to use K-mount lenses? nay...

let me clarify: its not that i don't like your idea. its more like i don't think the E system makes sense at all - small body, big lens? hmmm

i already find the setup unwieldy with E-mount lenses (except for the 16mm pancake but who wants to shoot at 16mm all the time?) adapting it with k-mount lenses merely increases the chunkiness due to the longer registration distance of k-mount lenses - AND reduces functionality.

yes, there are work-arounds, such as using the focus-peaking function you speak so highly about. and using the pentax pancakes, the form factor is still ok - cupcake size like i said... not very small.

so what are we left with? a setup smaller than a K5, but ultimately still not very compact, that allows us to transform pancakes into cupcakes and use them in a rather restricted way... hmmm...

 

[tsammyc]

i can see that it works well for you. nice pictures and all. but i do not share your view that this setup is "an excellent choice for a 2nd small body" for someone with an investment in k-mount lenses.

yes, there are work-arounds, such as using the focus-peaking function you speak so highly about. and using the pentax pancakes, the form factor is still ok - cupcake size like i said... not very small.

so what are we left with? a setup smaller than a K5, but ultimately still not very compact, that allows us to transform pancakes into cupcakes and use them in a rather restricted way... hmmm...

I urge you to try it in the field before making such impassioned comments. It works very well in the field and is very very compact. The E-mount lenses have exactly the same registration distance as the Pentax lenses because its an APS C sensor. Pentax lenses are just slightly fatter. With a little bit more effort (and skill) you can get similar photos to the K5, in situations where you don't want to carry the K5. The picture below shows my Sony case which contains the NEX C3 and 2 primes, the DA 40 and FA77 (ignore my toes ) Compare it to what I carry the K5 around in. This is a big difference...

I have invested about $6K in Pentax lenses, so a $600-700 NEX-C3 body is a good buy to me. When Pentax comes out with an EVIL camera that uses K-mount lenses, I will get it. Until they do, the NEX-C3 and the future NEX-7 (rumoured 24MP sensor & EVF) will keep me happy as 2nd bodies.

 

[tsammyc]

Just for fun I connected my simple macro setup to the C3. Its a Tamron 90 (which has an aperture ring) and a Sunblitz Macro Light. The manual focus assist on the C3 (which zooms in at the press of a button) was very helpful in precise macro manual focussing. The peaking wasn't too useful as its not precise enough.

Some shots. Try to get some insects this weekend, but none would fly into my room tonight

 

[detritus]

I urge you to try it in the field before making such impassioned comments. It works very well in the field and is very very compact. The E-mount lenses have exactly the same registration distance as the Pentax lenses because its an APS C sensor. Pentax lenses are just slightly fatter. With a little bit more effort (and skill) you can get similar photos to the K5, in situations where you don't want to carry the K5. The picture below shows my Sony case which contains the NEX C3 and 2 primes, the DA 40 and FA77 (ignore my toes ) Compare it to what I carry the K5 around in. This is a big difference...

E-mount registration distance is 18mm. K-mount registration distance is 45.46mm.

your adapter needs to add the difference between your sensor and your rear lens element in order for the lens to focus to infinity.

passion has nothing to do with this. i get it that the setup works for you. it is you who do not see that it might not work for everyone.

thats really all i have to say about the matter. have fun with your setup.

 

[tsammyc]

You're right. I got confused with focal length. But the point is that the E-mount lenses can't be that compact because they have to deal with a APS-C sensor and there is a minimum focal length due to lens design.

Actually, all I am saying is that you try a system like this in the field before writing it off.

 

[tsammyc]

Nice pic. I suppose if people are prepared to accept the limitations that come with the adaptor on a PK mount lens (like yourself) then they will view it as a smaller body alternative to a K5. Main thing is that YOU are comfortable using it that matter's most.

As you mentioned before, the big issue with a foreign lens is manual focus. However the C3 has a nifty peaking focus, which works like focus confirmation on the K5. When objects are in focus on the C3, they are highlighted in the viewfinder. It makes is a snap to focus manually, particularly when shooting people. This has removed the main obstacle for me to manual focus. I can even focus now without my glasses on!

 

[CorneliusK]

It has been mentioned many times before but it does not make sense for a mirrorless camera to use any of the regular DSLR mounts, as it would mean that there needs to be a certain distance between the mount and the sensor, which will limit the minimum thickness of the camera. Why would Sony design a completely new mount and new lenses for its NEX series when it has so many A mount lenses? It is so that you can either go for compactness by using E mount lenses or versatility by using A mount (or virtually any other type of lens) via the use of adaptors.

This is likely to be the care for Pentax as well.

 

[GSiGuy]

As you mentioned before, the big issue with a foreign lens is manual focus. However the C3 has a nifty peaking focus, which works like focus confirmation on the K5. When objects are in focus on the C3, they are highlighted in the viewfinder. It makes is a snap to focus manually, particularly when shooting people. This has removed the main obstacle for me to manual focus. I can even focus now without my glasses on!

i won't disagree with you about this. i haven't tried it "on the field" so i won't knock it. i think you've put forth fairly convincing arguments for it's usage and supplement of a K5. now it's just really people's choices hereon to decide if its for them or not innit?

 

[fengwei]

As you mentioned before, the big issue with a foreign lens is manual focus. However the C3 has a nifty peaking focus, which works like focus confirmation on the K5. When objects are in focus on the C3, they are highlighted in the viewfinder. It makes is a snap to focus manually, particularly when shooting people. This has removed the main obstacle for me to manual focus. I can even focus now without my glasses on!

That sounds nice. Wish my GF1 had that feature too

Nice set up btw. I also think these small mirrorless cameras are better options to try all kinds of lenses, not limited to Pentax though I got a PK adapter and a Leica M adapter for my GF1, but so far only used the Panny 20mm pancake lens...

 

[tsammyc]

That sounds nice. Wish my GF1 had that feature too

Nice set up btw. I also think these small mirrorless cameras are better options to try all kinds of lenses, not limited to Pentax though I got a PK adapter and a Leica M adapter for my GF1, but so far only used the Panny 20mm pancake lens...

Bar patents, I think peaking focus will eventually be implemented on all cameras including DSLRs just like other features. In fact the K5's focus confirmation is similar except that it doesn't use contrast to calculate focus.

BTW, the G3 is on display in Raffles Place and it is very nice. The pictures make it look like a SLR, but in the flesh, its like a GF2 with EVF, except that this EVF is 1.44MP rather than 230K.

In real life, I'm not going to put the macro lens or long telephoto lens on the C3. It will be the DA40 or FA77. If I want to do macro or sports photography, I'll use the K5.

 

[tsammyc]

It has been mentioned many times before but it does not make sense for a mirrorless camera to use any of the regular DSLR mounts, as it would mean that there needs to be a certain distance between the mount and the sensor, which will limit the minimum thickness of the camera. Why would Sony design a completely new mount and new lenses for its NEX series when it has so many A mount lenses? It is so that you can either go for compactness by using E mount lenses or versatility by using A mount (or virtually any other type of lens) via the use of adaptors.

This is likely to be the care for Pentax as well.

I'd be happy if Pentax did a APS-C EVIL camera and an adapter, which fully implemented autofocus on all K-mount lenses. This may involve extending its screw focus forward so that lenses like my FA77/DA40 continue to work and control over the aperture in camera.

Sony has failed in regard of producing E mount lenses that are compact and sharp. The DA40 with adapter isn't much bigger than Sony's only prime, the 16mm and its far sharper. It's also about the same price, probably because it doesn't use all that fancy magnesium alloy. Sony has an adapter that works with A mount lenses and autofocuses, but its so agonizingly slow (like the KX contrast detection autofocus) that most people manual focus. There is talk that they might be able to put their translucent mirror technology in the adapter to speed the focus. It will be one expensive adapter though.

As Fengwei said, the C3 is a fun platform for trying other lenses and I think I've shown that it works well with the K mount lenses. In fact, I'm working hard to save for a Leica Summilux. I've played with a M9 and its not for me. However I would love to use Leica glass on a state of the art sensor as many others have done.

 

[fengwei]

Bar patents, I think peaking focus will eventually be implemented on all cameras including DSLRs just like other features. In fact the K5's focus confirmation is similar except that it doesn't use contrast to calculate focus.

BTW, the G3 is on display in Raffles Place and it is very nice. The pictures make it look like a SLR, but in the flesh, its like a GF2 with EVF, except that this EVF is 1.44MP rather than 230K.

In real life, I'm not going to put the macro lens or long telephoto lens on the C3. It will be the DA40 or FA77. If I want to do macro or sports photography, I'll use the K5.

I have yet tried using MF on my GF1, don't know how it works yet. If it's half as good as the K5 in liveview, I'd be happy

I've got a nice VL 50/1.1 in Leica M mount, quite excited about it. Just wait for my adapter to come, hopefully before the weekend. GF1 is far better than GF2/3 as far as manual control/setting is concerned, and IQ is the least concern to me, that's why I went for it instead of the newer cams. In general I just don't like Sony's cameras, they just don't look appealing to me. Just my personal feeling though.

Some use cameras to take photos, some also like to play them like toys To each and everyone's preferences.

 

[CorneliusK]

The Sony Alpha to E mount translucent mirror adaptor is another really interesting item, with just one body you can have the compactness of a mirrorless, or the fast focusing of an SLT. It may very well turn out to be more of a novelty but kudos to Sony for the willingness to introduce something different.

I also totally agree that everyone has their own preferences and this means there is no one perfect camera for everyone.

 

[tsammyc]

I've got a nice VL 50/1.1 in Leica M mount, quite excited about it. Just wait for my adapter to come, hopefully before the weekend. GF1 is far better than GF2/3 as far as manual control/setting is concerned, and IQ is the least concern to me, that's why I went for it instead of the newer cams. In general I just don't like Sony's cameras, they just don't look appealing to me. Just my personal feeling though.

The G3 has a new sensor, which is apparently improved significantly. However, the IQ will be at most KX level in my prediction (which is already incredible for M43).

I have to admit that Sony wasn't an immediate choice when I read the reviews over the controls and the look. However, I got it because it used the K5 sensor and my lens investment. I have yet to take a shot using the Sony lenses :bsmilie: (Kind of like my expensive Oppo Blu Ray player, which I use for SACD and Netflix. Have yet to play a Blu Ray on it) However, after two weeks with it, I think the controls are fine and I've gotten used to the look.

 

[Anthony Lee]

From the rumoured specs of the Nex 7, with EVF, this may be more than just a back-up but an alternative to K5, especially for me as I tend to use more mf lenses than af.

NEX-7
24.3 Exmor HD sensor
100-16.000 ISO
1200 zone metering
1920×1080 60p/60i/24p AVCHD 2.0 (28Mbit/s) video recording
3 million dot XGA OLED viewfinder
3inch 921k TruBlack LCD display (touchscreen)
10 fps
20ms startup time
Built-in flash
New universal hot shoe
Battery life for over 400 shots
Magnesium alloy body

 

[gohaj]

From the rumoured specs of the Nex 7, with EVF, this may be more than just a back-up but an alternative to K5, especially for me as I tend to use more mf lenses than af.

NEX-7
24.3 Exmor HD sensor
100-16.000 ISO
1200 zone metering
1920×1080 60p/60i/24p AVCHD 2.0 (28Mbit/s) video recording
3 million dot XGA OLED viewfinder
3inch 921k TruBlack LCD display (touchscreen)
10 fps
20ms startup time
Built-in flash
New universal hot shoe
Battery life for over 400 shots
Magnesium alloy body

Have anyone wonder why up to 16.000 ISO? Weird to me?!?

 

[tsammyc]

Yeah. Can't wait for October to get it assuming it's not too big. Will sell the C3 then. The new 24MP Exmor sensor cameras seem to have that limitation. Micro 4/3 also seems to be getting attractive given the new Leica Summilux lens for USD600. It's like 10% the price of Leica M lenses. Might be worth getting a G3 and Summilux just for the Leica look (assuming its a classic Leica design)

 

[tsammyc]

Well, I couldn't wait and got myself a NEX 5N with EVF while I wait for the 7. Here is this morning at the zoo with the Pentax DA* 60-250. All of the shots were wide open at F4. The NEX saves A LOT of weight compared to my K5 when carrying a 1kg Pentax zoom plus monopod. The EVF is very useful for MF in a long heavy zoom. I must say I wished I had my K5 with me when it started raining....

 

[Anthony Lee]

I have used legacy SLR lenses on the best FF DSLR equiped with the best focusing screen and a 1.35x VF magnifier, and yet, manual focusing on the NEX 5N is so much better and accurate that it makes the use of manual focusing lenses on DSLR a joke. I have the NEX 5N for 5 days and nailing focus with it using my Nikkor 50f1.2 wide open is just simply magic.

 

[ayuready]

hi anthony,

time to update your signature =p