hi. I have just bought this macro lens , but when I have auto focus on and are very close to the subject it makes a lot of noise like tak tak tak, is that normal? hope you can help with this . merry Christmas
+John Sison I'd love to hear your review of the DT 35mm 1.8 as well. I'm debating between the 30 and 35 for street photography, and can't seem to make up my mind.
It is so easy to feel double about a lens like this. I mean 30mm F2.8 that is cheap. That is good for many photographers that is more then enough. But a lack of focus range limiter and its quite to close to the subject focussing makes it harder for me to like. I am used to 90mm Macro. Decent range and even though I don't use it daily it means you can have a bit of distance between you and the subject. Also does that lens lack a focus range limiter. Mmm troubled :! Really trouble with a macro lens. A macro lens really should have a focus limiter.
The difference between 30, 50 and 100mm (I'm use to) in 1:1 is much in distance. It's like 10cm. What you should consider is how the different lengths effect your telephoto compression. I purchased a 50mm because I often find that 100mm is to compressed.
Phiniox Glade I don't like 50mm much. A 90 or 100mm yes feels more compressed but it to me gives what I seek. And I find it useful as walk around telephoto. you know birds and the likes. I own a 50mm [non macro] 35mm [non macro] 24mm [non macro] also.
I shoot APS-C for the obvious reasons. Money! Full Frame is quite expensive after all. And shooting film? Well with how long it takes these days to get film processed. But yes a 30mm becomes a 45mm effective. Which is not a bad one. Macro wise it really does limits it to flowers and it does makes it harder to deal with the light coming in. There is a reason why Macro Lenses tend to be 90, 85, 105 or 150mm.
Yes if you do intend to use it for macro photography and want a wider lens which can also be used for street photography and portraits at a wider focal length.
If you want really sharp macro a mount I can recommend the Minolta Af 100mm F2.8 1:1 Macro RS or the current Sony version. It's very sharp from f2.8 to f13. Colour rendering is much nicer than any of my Sony Zeiss lenses (16-35f4, 35f2.8, 55f1.8, 85mmf1.4, 24-70f2.8). As a portrait lens it beautiful, as a macro its crisp and vibrant. Second hand it goes for around 300-400AUD on EBay. The Sony version which reportedly is optical the same is about 1000AUD new. If to much the Minolta AF 50mm f2.8 is much cheaper and is equality as sharp and only slightly less colourful. Oh the 100mm is my favourite, most used lens
It will instantly crop and act as if you were using the lens on a crop sensor camera like an a77. However, you could turn that option off and make it act like a full frame but because the lens is made for crop, you will get significant vignetting on the edges and the corners.
Useless for shooting small livings (ants, etc.) Resaonable good for jewelry, but 30 mm - very close, there is no room between lens and object for good multisource light system. Why 30 mm for macro ?! It seems that good superzoom with small 1/2.3 sensor and +3..+8 macro lens works better than this lens in macro.
Still waiting for the 135 STF review you promised me :)... By the way please PLLEEEEASSSE stop calling the A77-II "Mark Two". "Mark" is only in Canons (and some other manufacturers) world. In Sony it is just "A seventyseven two". :)
Just for you in my next video, I'm going to say the "Sony a77 M 2" :P I have heard some Sony reps saying "Mark 2" though and Iron man uses it too! lol As for the 135mm STF, I need time to save up to buy that lens but it'll come.
Good to see an A-mount lens review, for those of us who love our A-mount cameras (like my A77II, which is what you have).
Need to show some love for the A-mount users. I've got a couple of 135mm lenses to do soon too.
John Sison Cool! Keep up the good work!
Finally a useful and review for this lens. Thank you.
Great review as always John!
Thanks for the review. Was curious about this lens.
Mine arrived today. Like it.
thanks you for testing all the sone e-mount lenses!
You forgot to mention that is works reasonably well on the A7 with the LA-EA4 (at macro lengths)!
Your affiliate link in the description is dead -- might want to refresh it! Oh and great review, thanks!
Thank you for finding that!
Appreciate it and updated :)
Glad to hear it!
I've been using this lens for about 4 months, it may well be the best macro in its price range.
If you can get a good used copy off eBay the Minolta AF 50mm f2.8 is very very good. Particularly in colour.
I got mine for 75AUD about a month ago
Hi John Sison.
If I want a good macro to a good price, this is the one or do you recommend another one?
Best regards Sasha
Excellent macro lens, casual photo images, and general use, not recommended.. ...leave in auto focus mode......
hope you can get the 90mm F2.8 macro - I hope it will turn out as a option for a good portrait lens - it has IS :) -
igetsmart Its looking like its going to be great for portraits and macro! Can't wait till its out.
hi. I have just bought this macro lens , but when I have auto focus on and are very close to the subject it makes a lot of noise like tak tak tak, is that normal? hope you can help with this . merry Christmas
+Rikke Jensen Yeah thats normal with the lens. Hope you had a Merry Christmas! :D
hi can you review sony's other easy choice lenses such as the dt 35mm 1.8?
+Ryan Tyler Yeah sure. I'll see what I can do.
+John Sison I'd love to hear your review of the DT 35mm 1.8 as well. I'm debating between the 30 and 35 for street photography, and can't seem to make up my mind.
Hi john, will this lens work fine with the a99mk ii
Yes it will :)
It is so easy to feel double about a lens like this.
I mean 30mm F2.8 that is cheap. That is good for many photographers that is more then enough.
But a lack of focus range limiter and its quite to close to the subject focussing makes it harder for me to like.
I am used to 90mm Macro. Decent range and even though I don't use it daily it means you can have a bit of distance between you and the subject.
Also does that lens lack a focus range limiter. Mmm troubled :! Really trouble with a macro lens. A macro lens really should have a focus limiter.
The difference between 30, 50 and 100mm (I'm use to) in 1:1 is much in distance. It's like 10cm.
What you should consider is how the different lengths effect your telephoto compression.
I purchased a 50mm because I often find that 100mm is to compressed.
Phiniox Glade
I don't like 50mm much. A 90 or 100mm yes feels more compressed but it to me gives what I seek. And I find it useful as walk around telephoto. you know birds and the likes. I own a 50mm [non macro] 35mm [non macro] 24mm [non macro] also.
Are you shooting full frame or APS-C?
The way I feel about a 35 and 50 greatly differ what sensor size I'm using.
I shoot APS-C for the obvious reasons. Money! Full Frame is quite expensive after all.
And shooting film? Well with how long it takes these days to get film processed.
But yes a 30mm becomes a 45mm effective. Which is not a bad one.
Macro wise it really does limits it to flowers and it does makes it harder to deal with the light coming in. There is a reason why Macro Lenses tend to be 90, 85, 105 or 150mm.
Will this lens work on the Sony a5000? I'm very interested in getting a macro lens and want the best for the buck :)
It won't. The lens that you should get is the 30mm F3.5 lens (SEL30M35). That lens is made for your camera.
+John Sison thank you so much!
Should i buy this lens if i already have sony SAL50F18?
Yes if you do intend to use it for macro photography and want a wider lens which can also be used for street photography and portraits at a wider focal length.
In case you're using a camera with APS-C sensor a 30-mm-lens is a must! And the macro option is a convenient plus.
Hi John, is this a good enough lens for eye photography ?
any specific choice of lens you would suggest ?
If you want really sharp macro a mount I can recommend the Minolta Af 100mm F2.8 1:1 Macro RS or the current Sony version.
It's very sharp from f2.8 to f13. Colour rendering is much nicer than any of my Sony Zeiss lenses (16-35f4, 35f2.8, 55f1.8, 85mmf1.4, 24-70f2.8).
As a portrait lens it beautiful, as a macro its crisp and vibrant.
Second hand it goes for around 300-400AUD on EBay. The Sony version which reportedly is optical the same is about 1000AUD new.
If to much the Minolta AF 50mm f2.8 is much cheaper and is equality as sharp and only slightly less colourful.
Oh the 100mm is my favourite, most used lens
what happens when attached to a full frame a99 a99mII
It will instantly crop and act as if you were using the lens on a crop sensor camera like an a77. However, you could turn that option off and make it act like a full frame but because the lens is made for crop, you will get significant vignetting on the edges and the corners.
Will this lens work on the Sony a 350?
It will definitely work on the a350.
Thanks man... :D
hmm interesting
Useless for shooting small livings (ants, etc.)
Resaonable good for jewelry, but 30 mm - very close, there is no room between lens and object for good multisource light system.
Why 30 mm for macro ?!
It seems that good superzoom with small 1/2.3 sensor and +3..+8 macro lens works better than this lens in macro.
Still waiting for the 135 STF review you promised me :)...
By the way please PLLEEEEASSSE stop calling the A77-II "Mark Two". "Mark" is only in Canons (and some other manufacturers) world. In Sony it is just "A seventyseven two". :)
Just for you in my next video, I'm going to say the "Sony a77 M 2" :P I have heard some Sony reps saying "Mark 2" though and Iron man uses it too! lol
As for the 135mm STF, I need time to save up to buy that lens but it'll come.
:)