Two A 7 questions for a Sony Expert: My Daughter in Law bought a Sony A 7 and loves it. Haven't tried it, but very compact and takes good photos for her. First question

Quixdraw Loc: x

My Daughter in Law bought a Sony A 7 and loves it. Haven't tried it, but very compact and takes good photos for her. First question - she got the basic short zoom with the camera, if I recall, 18-40. What would be the best next Sony lens for general photography? Second question. I have quite a lot of Nikon lenses and have lent her several. Can't recall which adapter she bought, but all the Nikon lenses I have lent her have only been usable manually. What adapter will let her use recent AF S / G lenses with full function. Thanks in advance, as I know nothing about Sony and research without knowing what to ask is challenging!

UTMike Loc: South Jordan, UT

The 24 - 105 Sony lens is a great all around lens, QD.

Quixdraw Loc: x

UTMike wrote:

The 24 - 105 Sony lens is a great all around lens, QD.

Thanks!

wmurnahan Loc: Bloomington IN

quixdraw wrote:

My Daughter in Law bought a Sony A 7 and loves it.... (show quote)

Depends on what she shoots. I love my 70-300, it almost lives on my a7. It is a G series and tack sharp plus close (not macro) focus, so great on hikes because I can go from a near normal 70 or zoom into 300 with one lens. It is the close focus I appreciate most.

Quixdraw Loc: x

wmurnahan wrote:

Depends on what she shoots. I love my 70-300, it almost lives on my a7. It is a G series and tack sharp plus close (not macro) focus, so great on hikes because I can go from a near normal 70 or zoom into 300 with one lens. It is the close focus I appreciate most.

Thank you!

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

quixdraw wrote:

- she got the basic short zoom with the camera, if I recall, 18-40. What would be the best next Sony lens for general photography?

I try not to over lap focal lengths when possible. I suggest the Tamron 70-180 f2.8 and then the Zeiss 55 f1.8. Both focus quickly and are very sharp.

Total coverage 18mm to 270mm when including the 1.5X crop mode. That should cover about 90% of most people's photograph requirements.

Using adapted Nikon lenses on a Sony is an exercise in futility.

Quixdraw Loc: x

joer wrote:

I try not to over lap focal lengths when possible. I suggest the Tamron 70-180 f2.8 and then the Zeiss 55 f1.8. Both focus quickly and are very sharp.

Total coverage 18mm to 270mm when including the 1.5X crop mode. That should cover about 90% of most people's photograph requirements.

The question was, "What would be the best next Sony lens for general photography?" I don't buy or use anything but lenses from the maker of the camera, certainly wouldn't suggest a different plan for my children. Been a highly successful methodology since the late'60's. Appreciate your good intent.

cahale Loc: San Angelo, TX

quixdraw wrote:

My Daughter in Law bought a Sony A 7 and loves it.... (show quote)

I use the FE 4/24-105 G OSS more than any other lens on my R iii. Does a great job and is compact and relatively light. And Sony is all I have/use.

Quixdraw Loc: x

cahale wrote:

I use the FE 4/24-105 G OSS more than any other lens on my R iii. Does a great job and is compact and relatively light. And Sony is all I have/use.

Thanks!

Wingpilot Loc: Wasilla. Ak

A good one, although spendy at $1300.00 is the Sony 24-105 G, f/4 is a very good one. However, if money is an issue, then the kit 28-70 is also a good lens for just general photography.

Quixdraw Loc: x

Wingpilot wrote:

A good one, although spendy at $1300.00 is the Sony 24-105 G, f/4 is a very good one. However, if money is an issue, then the kit 28-70 is also a good lens for just general photography.

Thanks! Best I could find on a clean / used 24-105 was just under $1k. Will check out the 28-70. I use my Nikon 24-85 a great deal of the time.

Wingpilot Loc: Wasilla. Ak

quixdraw wrote:

Thanks! Best I could find on a clean / used 24-105 was just under $1k. Will check out the 28-70. I use my Nikon 24-85 a great deal of the time.

I always figured that I needed the longest telephoto or zoom lens possible, especially up here. The truth is, I rarely need anything over 200mm, and most of what I do would be well served with a lens in the classic “24-70” category. I like a little zoom to help isolate a scene without needing to crop in PP. Either of these two lenses would be good lenses, and even though it’s a Sony kit lens that they supply with the A7xx series, the 28-70 f/3.5-5.6 isn’t a bad lens, and I haven’t heard anyone complaining about it.

MDI Mainer

quixdraw wrote:

The question was, "What would be the best next Sony lens for general photography?" I don't buy or use anything but lenses from the maker of the camera, certainly wouldn't suggest a different plan for my children. Been a highly successful methodology since the late'60's. Appreciate your good intent.

Sorry but the 1960's are over, and the quality of the best third party lenses now rivals OEM glass. Look at what's been rated "outstanding" for the A7 series:

https://sonyalpha.blog/2019/11/10/which-lenses-to-maximise-the-potential-of-the-sony-a7riv/

But the Sony 28-70 kit lens is good, the fast model is outstanding.

Quixdraw Loc: x

MDI Mainer wrote:

Sorry but the 1960's are over, and the quality of the best third party lenses now rivals OEM glass. Look at what's been rated "outstanding" for the A7 series:

https://sonyalpha.blog/2019/11/10/which-lenses-to-maximise-the-potential-of-the-sony-a7riv/

But the Sony 28-70 kit lens is good, the fast model is outstanding.

Thanks for your input. No interest in lenses that don't come from the camera manufacturer. The tiny number I have tried over the decades have come and gone quickly, as soon as I could afford the real thing. Don't say that some aren't good, just don't care to own one!

User ID

Wingpilot wrote:

I always figured that I needed the longest telepho... (show quote)

That 28-70 is very affordable. It was the kit lens but a very good one, altho 5.6 is pretty slow for a rather mild long end (70mm). Mine came with one of my Sony bodies and was already redundant for me cuz I have the 24-70/4.0, so I was gonna sell it.

The three reasons that I kept it may also be your good reasons for buying one:
1. Affordable. It’s so low $$ that it seemed not worth the bother to sell it.
2. Image quality. Surprisingly good, really punches way above its weight dollar wise.
3. Light weight. If the conditions are suitable for its spec’s, I choose it over my 24-70. It’s as if it’s made of helium.

FWIW someone should have questioned your recalling an 18-40 kit lens. Any 18-XXX lens will be an APSC lens and that camera is FF format. It’s possible it’s really the same 28-70 kit lens that I’ve recommended above.