Your opinion... lens kit for Sony A6000

Old-N-Feeble · Sep 2, 2018

I purchased a used Sony A6000 and am now looking for lenses. I already have a very nice Micro Nikkor 55mm/2.8 for macro and am considering purchase of a Kipon tilt adapter to aid in macro imaging. I've ordered a K&F Nikon to NEX adapter but may sell it if I buy the Kipon.

I can't spend a ton of money on lenses and digital isn't going to be my primary setup. All I want for the digital kit is 'good' quality at 'affordable' prices. I'm not concerned about low light performance. I don't need auto focus and aperture priority auto exposure is fine. The following list is my proposed lens kit.

Sigma 10-20mm/4.0
Nikkor 18-55/3.5 VR II
Nikkor 55-200/4.0 VR I (one)
Nikkor Micro 55/2.8

Caveats/suggestions?

4season · Sep 2, 2018

Sony SELP1650 16-50mm pancake zoom: At wider and closer settings, it's got barrel distortion and chromatic aberration galore. It's also super-useful, tiny and cheap, like $100 at KEH.

Does that 55/2.8 focus down to 1:1 or better? If so, that could make a very good film digitizer setup.

Old-N-Feeble · Sep 2, 2018

Thank you, 4season. I looked at the Sony 16-50mm kit lens and opted for the Nikkor 18-55mm instead, since I'll have the Nikon adapter for use with the 55mm Micro Nikkor. I'm okay without auto focus and only aperture priority auto exposure.

The 55mm Micro focuses to half life size but does 1:1 with the PK-13 extension tube. I'll be getting one of those soon.

Old-N-Feeble · Sep 4, 2018

After seemingly endless research, I've opted for the following group of lenses. I'm hoping they'll provide reasonably good performance. I'm spending more than I expected/wanted but that's nothing new. My head hurts and my wallet feels violated.

Nikkor 10-20mm AF-P DX VR
Nikkor 18-55mm G ED IF DX AF-S VR II
Nikkor 55-200mm G ED IF DX AF-S VR
Nikkor 55mm/2.8 Micro AIS

Old-N-Feeble · Sep 4, 2018

Awe crap. It appears I can't focus the Nikkor 10-20mm on a mechanical adapter. Is that correct?

Old-N-Feeble · Sep 6, 2018

1. I opted to cancel the Nikkor 10-20 and ordered a Sigma 8-16 so I can focus manually.
2. I didn't realize VR/IS requires power to function and no affordable adapters (if any) supply that. So I'll probably sell the Sony A6000 and buy a Nikon body.

jgoody · Sep 6, 2018

If you are ok with manual focus (focus peaking) get an adapter and use lenses from whatever 35mm rig you have. I have adapters for my Olympus and LTM lenses and use both in my Sony E. Most of the lenses perform very well. In addition I do have the Zeiss FE 35mm f 2.8 which is an excellent lens.

Old-N-Feeble · Sep 6, 2018

jgoody said:
If you are ok with manual focus (focus peaking) get an adapter and use lenses from whatever 35mm rig you have. I have adapters for my Olympus and LTM lenses and use both in my Sony E. Most of the lenses perform very well. In addition I do have the Zeiss FE 35mm f 2.8 which is an excellent lens.

Thank you but one function I do want is image stabilization... on normal to long lenses at least. The Nikkor 18-55 and 55-200 have it but the adapter doesn't supply power for it.

jgoody · Sep 6, 2018

Got it! Good luck with your choices.

Old-N-Feeble · Sep 11, 2018

The JinTu and Viltrox adapters on eBay for US$139 delivered are reported to support VR/IS. Are they worth messing with?

I realize the autofocus doesn't work well with these adapters on an A6000 but I don't care much about that. I just want the adapter to support VR, be well built, the correct size/length, and reliable.

I won't spend $350-400 on an adapter. I'd rather just replace some of the equipment.

Old-N-Feeble · Sep 11, 2018

After more research, I'm finding several cheap smart adapters which work reasonably well with most fairly new lenses. Who here has tried the cheap smart adapters in the $130-180 price range on Sony mirrorless bodies?

Old-N-Feeble · Sep 13, 2018

I ordered the Viltrox adapter for use with the Nikon lenses. I hope it works well enough.

After some informal testing of the two Nikkor 'kit' lenses I've discovered they're not quite as good as I expected. They're certainly not the quality many tout them to be. Overall, they're 'reasonably' sharp with the apertures closed about two or three stops. The Micro Nikkor is sharp, as expected with some degradation at the corners at infinity. I've yet to test the Sigma 8-16 because the adapter isn't here yet (it's Sony A-mount).

RE the Sigma 8-16mm: Darn it!!... I didn't know it has no aperture adjustment ring. So, I just spent another $130 on a Sony LA-EA1 adapter.

This is getting too darned expensive. I've been away from digital imaging for so long that everything has radically changed. I feel like a shaved tail Louie!!

Paul Howell · Sep 13, 2018

I use both Miranda and Pentax M42 on my old A3000, have not missed IS or VR, the Sony sensor seems to do a good job with this older glass, not much color fringing. Kit zooms are kit zooms, most are sharp at F8 or so, but not as good a prime. But as you have noticed once you start with specialized adaptors for different brands of lens the price jumps up. There are number of very good Sigma lens, the older version of the 50 1.4, the 28 to 80 APO is a very good lens, the 17 to 70 2.8 to F4 is another sleeper as is the red ring 70 to 300 VR, Not very fast but good performers at 5.6 to F8 or so, most he distortion don't show on a cropped sensor.

Old-N-Feeble · Sep 23, 2018

As expected, the Viltrox adapter doesn't auto focus properly... not even close. That's okay with me but the Nikon lens built in stabilization doesn't work either and that is a no-go for me.

I'll either have to replace the lenses with Sony brand or upgrade the body to A6300 or A6500. Or, I'll have to sell everything and start from scratch.

I was too anxious and impatient to replace my cheap point-and-shoot digital camera and failed to fully research the latest offerings. The result is analogous with jumping into a swimming pool before checking the level and bouncing off my head. For this experience it's both good and bad that I'm so thick-headed.

Old-N-Feeble · Oct 4, 2018

I decided to replace the A6000 with an A6300. This should power stabilization in the lenses and maybe offer usable auto focus, though I'm not likely to use the latter much.

The Sigma 8-16mm HSM was faulty. I could never get it sharp on the left side of the image. Its replacement seems pretty good considering it's an extremely wide zoom.

Your opinion... lens kit for Sony A6000

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency