Sony APS-C E lens for Super35 crop mode video on A7RII?

L

lowep

Well-known member
Gearing up for my first video project with A7RII, trying to nut out how to maximize the strengths and work around the weaknesses of this little beast, I have just bumped into the big differences in functionality and performance between my Sony 35mm FE lens and old Canon 24mm L lens that worked very fine with a Metabones smart adapter for stills photography but not nearly as smoothly for video as the 35mm FE lens does.

As you probably already know, the FE lens focuses quickly and silently whereas the Canon lens is very noisy, focus magnification seems to work differently and as far as I can see "Auto AF" that I like to use in a pinch for run and gun does not seem to be an option with the Canon lenses etc etc. Not so surprising considering FE lenses unlike Canon L lenses were most likely designed to be used for video as well as stills. However the FE lenses are not cheap. So how about older NEX "E" lenses?

Since I plan to do most of my shooting in Super35 crop mode, would legacy Sony APS-C "E" lenses cover the Super35mm frame size and work just as well as full frame "FE" lenses do on the A7RII for video, or are there other differences that I ought to take into consideration before starting to look more into the viability of using APS-C "E" lenses for Super35 crop mode video on my A7RII?

I would also like to know how well Sony Alpha lenses with LEA adapter work for video - perhaps better than Canon lenses with the Metabones adapter do?
 
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Maybe someone else more knowledgeable will chime in but here is what I have heard:

The crop mode of the A7RII works great in 1080P video (better than workaround with A7SII) so the Sony APS-C E mount lenses work fine and save money not having to go all full frame FE.
The LEA 3 adapter is the one you want if you are to use A-mount lenses (not 4) because the focus ability of the A7RII is better than the built-in ability of the LEA4 (which also loses light)

Hope that helps some
 
Neither LA-EA3 or 4 will AF in video. All other controls work.

And yes, crop mode was made to use crop lenses properly. Nikon has this, as well (not sure about Canon, but probably).
 
I strongly suggest you bite the bullet and buy e mount FF lenses. Having the possiblity to switch between FF and aps-c when filming is a huge plus, it allows to extend your range by removing the crop factor(by going FF).

That said to answer your original question - crop factor Emount lenses will work.
 
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