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Guide to Sony a7 a7R a7S a7II a7RII a7SII Lens Adapters – Part 2

posted by Brian Smith / 139 comments

Legacy Lens Mount Adapters for Sony E-Mount

Sony a7, a7R, a7S, a7II, a7RII, a7SII mirrorless cameras are the only cameras that allow you to use virtually every make of 35mm lenses with the full angle of view for which those lenses were designed. The best lens bargains can be found among legacy lenses discontinued lens mounts or camera systems. These include many great lenses from Leica R, Contax/Yashica, Contax G, Minolta MD, Canon FD and Hasselblad V. Here’s a round-up of the best lens mount adapters for Sony E-Mount cameras. For an explanation of how to use Focus Peaking and Manual Focus Assist with manual focus lenses – See Part 1 of this review.

Canon FD Lens Mount Adapters to Sony E-Mount

Legacy Canon FD lenses are a bargain and in some cases these lenses outperform their autofocus EOS counterpart for a fraction of the price. Fotodiox Pro Canon FD/FL to Sony E-Mount Lens Adapter ($60 at Amazon | B&H) & Metabones Canon FD Mount Lens to Sony E-Mount Adapter ($99 at Amazon | B&H) are good choices for using Canon FD lenses on E-mount bodies.

Fotodiox Pro Canon FD/FL to Sony E-Mount Lens Adapter

Contax G Lens Mount Adapters to Sony E-Mount

Contax G lenses are an ideal size for Sony a7-series cameras. While there are a number of Contax G to Sony E adapters on the market, currently the only choice for AF is the Techart Contax G to Sony E Fullframe AF Adapter III ($300 at Amazon | eBay). The latest Mark III version of this adapter has been updated for improved AF focusing speed and includes build-in Bluetooth 4.0 for wireless firmware upgrade. This adapter works best when focusing wide open and results vary depending on the lens used. According to the manufacturer, the Contax G 21mm f/2.8 and 35mm f/2 focus fastest followed by the 28mm f/2.8 and 45mm f/2 with the 90mm f/2.8 the slowest. The 16mm f/8 Hologon is manual focus only and 35-70mm f/3.5-5.6 is not compatible with this adapter.

Techart Contax G to Sony E Fullframe AF Adapter III

If you can live with manual focus, save yourself a few dollars with the Metabones Contax G Mount Lens to Sony E-Mount Adapter ($130 at Amazon | B&H) or the FotodioX Contax G to Sony E-Mount Adapter ($90 at Amazon | B&H)

Contax/Yashica to E-Mount Lens Adapters

If youâ€™re searching for bargains on Carl Zeiss glass, Contax/Yashica Zeiss lenses are available on ebay and from used camera dealers at a great price. They can be mounted on Sony A7-series cameras using Metabones Contax Yashica Mount Lens to Sony E-Mount Adapter ($99 at B&H) or Novoflex Adapter for Contax/Yashica Lens to Sony E-Mount ($212 at Amazon | B&H)

Metabones Contax Yashica Mount Lens to Sony E-Mount Adapter

Contax N to Sony E-Mount Lens Adapters

While a bit pricier, the newer Contax N lenses are exceptional and can be mounted on a7 Series cameras using FotodioX Contax N to Sony E-Mount Adapters ($90 at Amazon | B&H).

Hasselblad V Lens Mount Adapters to Sony E-Mount

The a7 Series cameras wonâ€™t be able to take advantage of the full 6x6cm lens coverage Hasselblad lenses are designed for, but then again, medium format digital backs canâ€™t cover that either.

If you happen to have a few favorite Hasselblad V series lenses that you canâ€™t bring yourself to part with, but no digital back to go with them, the FotodioX Hasselblad V to Sony E-Mount Adapter ($80 at Amazon | B&H) might be just the adapter for you. I could never bring myself to part with my Hasselblad Carl Zeiss 110mm f/2 Planar, which was easily among the sharpest lenses ever made for Hasselblad.

Sony-A7R-Hasselblad-018
Sony A7R in with FotidioX Hasselblad V to Sony E Adapter and Hasselblad CZ 110mm f/2 Planar focuses close enough to fill the frame with a tight face.

The fit and finish of the FotodioX Hasselblad V to Sony E-Mount Adapter is really top quality just as you’d expect for a high-end product. It has a stainless steel lens mount that wonâ€™t expand or contract like brass.

Sony-A7R-Hasselblad-2

Leica R to Sony E-Mount Lens Adapters

If youâ€™re looking for great glass at a great price, Leica R lenses represent the ultimate legacy lens mount bargain. Leica R lenses like the 60mm f/2.8 Macro-Elmarit-R are available for bargain prices compared to their Leica M counterparts. They can be mounted on Sony A7/A7R/A7S using adapters like the Metabones Leica R to Sony E-Mount Adapter ($99 at Amazon | B&H) or Novoflex Adapter for Leica R Lens to Sony E-Mount ($212 at Amazon | B&H)

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Metabones Leica R to Sony E-Mount Adapter and Leica 60mm f/2.8 Macro-Elmarit-R lens

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Sony A7R with Metabones Leica R to Sony E-Mount Adapter and Leica 60mm f/2.8 Macro-Elmarit-R lens

Sony A7R with Leica 60mm f/2.8 Macro-Elmarit-R lens
Macro shot using Leica 60mm f/2.8 Macro-Elmarit-R lens on Sony A7R with Metabones Leica R to Sony E-Mount Adapter

Mamiya 645/Phase One Lens Mount Adapters to Sony E-Mount

While you wonâ€™t be able to take advantage of the full 6 x 4.5cm lens coverage Mamiya 645 or Phase One lenses are designed for, you can mount them on A7/A7R using the FotodioX Adapter for Mamiya 645 to Sony E-Mount lens adapter ($70 at Amazon | B&H)

Fotodiox-M645
FotodioX Adapter for Mamiya 645 to Sony E-Mount lens adapter

Minolta MD Lens Mount Adapters to Sony E-Mount

You can trace Sony’s roots directly back to Minolta Maxxum. But going back from there will take you back to some excellent Minolta MD Rokkor glass. The FotodioX Adapter for Minolta MD/MC to Sony E-Mount ($60 at Amazon | B&H) is a good choice for these lenses.

Sony A7R in with FotidioX Minolta MD to Sony E Adapter and Minolta MD 58mm f1.2

Olympus OM Lens Mount Adapters to Sony E-Mount

Due to their compact size, Olympus OM Lenses are ideally suited for Sony a7-Series cameras.Â FotodioX Adapter for Olympus OM to Sony E-Mount ($60 at Amazon | B&H),Â Metabones Olympus OM to Sony E-Mount Adapter ($99 at B&H) andÂ Novoflex Adapter for Olympus OM Lens to Sony E-Mount ($212 at Amazon | B&H) are all good choices for these lenses.

FotodioX Adapter for Olympus OM to Sony E-Mount

PL Lens Mount Adapters to Sony E-Mount

For you’re looking to mount PL mount cinema lenses on Sony a7 Series cameras, you’ve got quite a few options. The most reasonably priced is FotodioX Pro Lens Mount Adapter Arri PL to Sony E-Mount ($120 at Amazon | B&H). Pricier options include 16×9 Inc. Cine Lens Mount PL to Sony E Mount ($500 at Amazon | B&H) and MTF Services Ltd PL to Sony E Mount Adapter ($460 at B&H)

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FotodioX Pro Lens Mount Adapter Arri PL to Sony E-Mount

CLICK HERE TO FIND THE LENS ADAPTER YOU NEED

LINKS FOR SONY E-MOUNT LENS ADAPTERS

Sony A-Mount to E-Mount Lens Adapters

â€¢ Sony LA-EA3 Lens Mount Adapter (Amazon | B&H)
â€¢ Sony LA-EA4 Lens Mount Adapter (Amazon | B&H)

Metabones Lens Adapters for Sony E-Mount

Novoflex Lens Adapters for Sony E-Mount

FotodioX Lens Adapters for Sony E-Mount

Vello Lens Adapters for Sony E-Mount

â€¢ Vello Canon EF/EF-S Lens to Sony E Camera Adapter (B&H)
â€¢ Vello Leica M Mount Lens to Sony E-Mount Adapter (B&H)
â€¢ Vello Nikon F Mount Lens to Sony E-Mount Adapter (Amazon | B&H)
â€¢ Vello Nikon G Lens to Sony E-Mount Adapter (B&H)
â€¢ Vello T Mount Lens to Sony E-Mount Adapter (B&H)

Voigtlander Lens Adapters for Sony E-Mount

â€¢ Voigtlander VM-E Close Focus M Mount to Sony E-Mount Adapter (Amazon | B&H)
â€¢ Voigtlander M Mount to Sony E Mount Adapter (Black) (B&H)
â€¢ Voigtlander M Mount to Sony E Mount Adapter (Silver) (B&H)
â€¢ Voigtlander Nikon F to Sony E Lens Mount Adapter (B&H)
â€¢ Voigtlander Pentax K to Sony E Lens Mount Adapter (B&H)

BACK TO: SONY A7/A7R/A7S LENS MOUNT ADAPTERS â€“ PART 1

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Read: Photography Gear Guide: Lens Adapters
Read: Guide to Sony a7 a7R a7S a7II a7RII a7SII Lens Mount Adapters – Part 1
Read: Guide to Sony a7 a7R a7S a7II a7RII a7SII Camera Accessories
Read: Field Test: Sony a7R
Read: Field Test: Sony a7S