[08amczb]

Hi!

Similar to my other threads: How Nikon line up compares to pentax? - PentaxForums.com and How Canon lineup compares to Pentax? - PentaxForums.com I am courious how sony lens lineup compares to Pentax (including thirdparty).
I have the FA* 24, FA 31, FA 43, DA* 55, FA 77, DFA 100 macro, DA*200 officially full frame compatible lenses. While the body is smaller, the lenses doesen't seems so small for me, but I didn't checked every option.
-The similar priced lenses has a similar IQ?
-What are the lenses which has a similar IQ?
-Is there any small lenses like the FA limiteds?

I know the AF coverage is much bigger, but does it works well in low light even on the edges? The EVF is usable in dark places, like in a forest at full moon?

I don't want to change system, but I would like to know a little more about the other systems. I would like to hear opinions from (ex)pentax users.

[GeneV]

There is no Sony equivalent to the DA* 200 or 300. The Sony lenses performing functions similar to the three amigos (FA 31/43/77) are quite different. That is one reason why I have been posting on other threads for a restart of the K01 program.

I own 4 Sony E-mount bodies and a half dozen lenses. I have about 40 Pentax mount lenses and a dozen bodies. I can’t think of any Sony lens that isn’t more expensive than its Pentax counterpart.

However, the crop sensor bodies (my A6000 and 6500) are amazingly compact and high quality. The AF on all of my bodies except the A7R is superior in my experience to all of my Pentax bodies. The original A7R is an AF dog, but it is better with my old manual Pentax FF lenses than a Pentax DSLR. The low light performance and autofocus on The A7III are great.

The other issue is that third party manufacturers are supporting Sony and not Pentax. This includes a number of new lenses, but mostly flash. The Godox system will let Sony, Nikon, Canon, Olympus, and Fuji use the same off camera flash with TTL and HSS. Pentax is not included.

That is a quick take. I still use both Pentax and Sony, as well as a Nikon body. The Nikon I bought because the Sigma 150-600 does not come in a Pentax or Sony mount, and neither does any other zoom in that FL range.

[ramseybuckeye]

I bought a used Sony a6000 about a year ago because of the fast auto focus and very small size. With it I bought a used 18-55 lens and shortly thereafter a new 20mm/2.8 lens. Later I bought used 55-210 and 16mm/2.8. And I bought a new 30mm macro. This was all in the first year. I sold the 16mm and the 55-210. The 16 and 20 lenses are very small, the 20 is very good, my most used lens on the system by far. I hardly used the 16 because, well I have the DA 15 ltd which absolutely blows it away, yes it's higher priced, but worth it. I did not care for the 55-210, though it was not really too bad. The 30 is a nice lens, and the 18-55 is ok. The a6000 and 20 is a really nice combo to carry around, I have a wrist strap on it, and the whole kit can easily fit into a jacket pocket or even pants pocket. The camera's image quality is very good, I would not complain about that. The tilt screen is wonderful, but I now have the KP with that feature too. Other lens I may get will be the Sony 85/1.8 and Sigma 60. And if Sony ever comes out with a 300mm or longer lens that is affordable I will get that maybe. Sigma does not appear to be doing that since they have created an adapter for Sigma mount or Canon mount Sigma lenses, and user reviews are mixed, the people that like it aren't concerned with slow auto focus with the adapter. So there is the Sony shortcoming for me. They have a consumer grade 70-300 for the price of a DA*300.

Sony is coming out with a lot of high grade lenses, and Sigma has just introduced a lot of e mount lenses. Having used none of those I have nothing to compare.

I mentioned the lenses I may get, but I may not get any of them, what I have now is a decent travel kit, unless I am going somewhere that I need longer, then the KP is going along with the 55-300 PLM, or the DA*300 if I have room. If I am going to walk around a city the Sony and 20 may go, unless it's nighttime, then maybe the KP is going. I need a small 20 2.8 for the KP and a 300/4 with fast AF for the Sony. LOL,

[08amczb]

Pentax has the DA21 F3.2 ltd and the FA20 F2.8. Both is small and high quality, but I don't have eighter.

Another question: how liquid is the sony used market? Is there many high quality lens offers? How much the price of used sony lenses? In general I see in production Pentax lenses for ~60% of the MSPR at Hungary on the used market.

[Sliver-Surfer]

There is no Sony equivalent to the DA* 200 or 300

Unless you factor in the A-mount Sony Lenses.

[surfar]

The Nikon I bought because the Sigma 150-600 does not come in a Pentax or Sony mount,

Well you just have to wait till 2019 and sell the Nikon when the $$$ony 200-600mm becomes available.

[ramseybuckeye]

The Nikon I bought because the Sigma 150-600 does not come in a Pentax or Sony mount, and neither does any other zoom in that FL range.

I've thought about that same thing, I don't really want to buy into another mount though, I'm trying to resist LBA.

Pentax has the DA21 F3.2 ltd and the FA20 F2.8. Both is small and high quality, but I don't have eighter.

Another question: how liquid is the sony used market? Is there many high quality lens offers? How much the price of used sony lenses? In general I see in production Pentax lenses for ~60% of the MSPR at Hungary on the used market.

Sony does have the 20/2.8, may favorite of what I have. There are tons of used Sony lenses on the market, tons of kit lenses and 16mm primes, but you don't see some at all,

Unless you factor in the A-mount Sony Lenses.

I've read that the adapters for the A mount lenses are not very good for auto focus. I've noticed that the A mount lenses seem to go very cheap on the used market.

[Sliver-Surfer]

I've read that the adapters for the A mount lenses are not very good for auto focus. I've noticed that the A mount lenses seem to go very cheap on the used market.

With the a7iii and A9 they are not as fast as FE lenses but still good.

[Fogel70]

Unless you factor in the A-mount Sony Lenses.

And you can also adapt Canon EF lenses with full electronic communication for AF, aperture and image stabilisation. On latest generation adapters, AF on Canon glass seems to be close to native glass.

The same type of adapters have also started to come for Nikon, but they do not have the same performance, yet.

[clackers]

The earlier Sony lenses are so-so, such as the standard FF kit zoom 28-70. I have for APS-C the 20mm and 16-50mm pancakes, the 55-210mm, and the surprising 10-18 zoom. I also have the small Sigma 19mm, 30mm and 60mm f2.8 primes, which are nice and sharp, but generally Sigma and Tamron do not make lenses for Sony E mount because they were designed to be driven by genuine PDAF autofocus, not CDAF or a hybrid PDAF/CDAF system.

The mirrorless design means the E mount registration distance is too short for very wide angle lenses. They had to put little microlenses over the sensor (the so-called thick filter stack) to try to redirect the edge light rays, and as was most obvious to people trying rangefinder lenses, there was loss of sharpness and even discoloration in the corners.

Some have criticized Sony's approach at not coming up with a full frame E mount, they just modified the existing APS-C one. Generally, some wide angle lenses can be smaller than their DSLR equivalents, but there is no saving at normal lengths or longer - good lenses will be just as large, heavy and expensive.

And good lenses are no longer scarce. Tamron make many of the 'Sony' branded ones, and Cosina make the 'Sony Zeiss' labelled ones. The most expensive ones are the new G lenses, and they are just as good as or better than their Canon, Nikon or Pentax equivalents, just be prepared for a real hit to your credit card.

I have an FE mount adaptor for my A7, so I autofocus several Canon lenses I own. The performance is not great, but still faster than manual focus with my K-mount lenses with my Novaflex K to E adapter. I paid a lot of money for that one so that I could also control aperture of my DA lenses. Fenwoodian has one for sale at the moment if anyone's interested.

[D1N0]

You can adapt almost any lens to E-mount. There is even a A-mount screw drive AF adapter: https://kenrockwell.com/sony/la-ea4/D3S_0408-1200.jpg No reason why you couldn't make the same for F-mount and K-mount. In theory the Sony lens line up is only limited by the amount of lenses out there.

[08amczb]

I've seen videos about AF adapters for Nikon lenses. I don't consider the performance even on pair with Pentax AF. The Canon lenses are ok.
Although nor Canon, nor Nikon has the small high quality lenses like the Pentax FA limiteds, so I hoped some compactness from the mirorrless system.

[Rondec]

Unless you factor in the A-mount Sony Lenses.

If you are doing that, you could also include Canon lenses, since there is an adapter for those too.

I think the overall point remains that while Sony has filled out their lens line up quite nicely, there are still a few holes and the lenses are quite expensive compared to competitors lenses. This doesn't say they aren't high quality (which many are) or that they aren't worth it. It's just looking at a lens like the G Master 70-200 f2.8 for 2600 dollars makes you feel like the Pentax DFA *70-200 for 1500 is an amazing deal.

[Sliver-Surfer]

I've seen videos about AF adapters for Nikon lenses. I don't consider the performance even on pair with Pentax AF. The Canon lenses are ok.
Although nor Canon, nor Nikon has the small high quality lenses like the Pentax FA limiteds, so I hoped some compactness from the mirorrless system.

The whole compactness argument is null given the sheer size of any FF dslr compared to Sony FF mirrorless cameras. Canon Af on the new Sony cameras is pretty much native speed you can't really say it is just ok. Nikon adapters..yeah I wouldn't put one on my camera.

You can use the Pentax limiteds very effectively on a Sony with full and fast AF using Fotodiox Pronto or Techart Pro Af adapters.

[Rondec]

The whole compactness argument is null given the sheer size of any FF dslr compared to Sony FF mirrorless cameras. Canon Af on the new Sony cameras is pretty much native speed you can't really say it is just ok. Nikon adapters..yeah I wouldn't put one on my camera.

You can use the Pentax limiteds very effectively on a Sony with full and fast AF using Fotodiox Pronto or Techart Pro Af adapters.

Why do you say full and fast AF? My understanding is that these function very much like the Pentax 1.7x AF adapter which can auto focus even manual focus lenses, but the lenses often have to be tweaked manually prior to using the adapter and it isn't terribly speedy. In addition, is the aperture controllable from the body, or does it require you to shift something on the adapter?

Obviously you can use most lenses made (except Fuji and the new Nikon mirrorless mount) lenses on E mount cameras, but some require more tweaking than others to make them work.