In my opinion, this tells a lot about Sony limiting their products on purpose. that’s so stupid! The a6500 is all but certain to be upgraded in the future, and its successor will likely carry a price above $1,000, along with a stabilized image sensor. Just be aware that as with all adapted lenses, Eye AF is not as responsive with rotational stepping motors as it is with FE lenses that use Linear AF motors. if the phase detect of the laea4 works, why not the pd of a camera’s sensor? I also have the 135 ZA and find my la ea4 a bit slow, but thinking about investing on the long glass! Trying to do this off the imaging sensor is much more challenging. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Enthusiasts should set up My Menu—it'll save you time in the long run—and most casual family snapshooters can get pretty good results without fiddling with settings. 5 years late, limited support for screw driven lenses ( monster adapter proved it is possible to have older bodies like the A7II and III work with such lenses and use the sensor PDAF). The Sony a6400 is a camera that straddles the line between consumer and enthusiast, delivering automatic operation for family snapshots with the image quality and speed aficionados love. Minolta lenses will perform similar to Sony counter-parts of the same design. The a6400 offers a lot for videographers. There is no website, I bought mine on eBay. Shutterbugs will likely opt for Raw capture. Any idea whether this adapter will support legacy Minolta AF lenses on the A7Riv, or is it limited to the lens IDs of the Sony-branded lenses? Sony LA-EA5 A-mount Lens Adapter ($248 from B&H Photo | Amazon) allows Focal Plane Phase Detection AF, AF/AE Tracking up to 11 FPS with SSM & SAM A-mount lenses along with built-in screw-drive functionality for Sony A-mount lenses that when coupled with Sony a7R IV and a6600 cameras, allows still photography autofocus without the need for the SLT mirror. This is just what I needed. Pros may scoff at the small pop-up strobe, but it's definitely a step up from the flashes you'll find in consumer SLRs for a simple reason—it's mounted on a hinge. SSM/SAM LENSES: Focal Plane Phase Detection AF, AF/AE Tracking up to 11 FPS You’ve just listed the definition of a “hack”. Did adapter allow camera to Autofocus? Here’s a round-up of APS-C E-mount lenses for Sony a5000, a5100, a6000, a6100, a6300, a6400, a6500, a6600 & Sony NEX mirrorless cameras, along with Sony FS5 & FS7 Super35 XDCAM.. It saved me a ton of money over buying the Sony native 135mm. It can be set as low as ISO 100 and as high as ISO 32000 in its native mode, and offers expanded ISO up to 102400 for those times when the light is very dim. Raw images give you a lot more flexibility when it comes to adjusting exposure, pulling details from the shadows, or curbing too-bright highlights than any JPG. LA-EA5 and LA-EA3 both enable Eye AF and AF/AE tracking with SSM lenses on all E-mount bodies since the a9 but the max FPS rate varies depending on the camera. That is what I mean, hope somebody can confirm this. Instead, it relies on the on-sensor PDAF like any other native E-mount glass. One more feature of note, mainly because it's new to the a6000 family, is a built-in intervalometer. Screw drive lens performance depends on whether the lenses are 1st or 2nd generation. It's compact, measuring 2.8 by 4.8 by 2.0 inches (HWD) and tipping the scales at 14.3 ounces (both figures without a lens). Thanks Brian. It omits weather protection, but enthusiasts may prefer its more intriguing lens library, film simulation options, and dial-based control system. up to 10 fps* on a9 & a9 II It's a feature reserved for pricier mirrorless models. With the exception of camera launches where Sony tries to distribute cameras to all their retailers in each country by a certain date, most release dates for are estimates. I think its position makes sense if you're primarily a photographer who occasionally dabbles in video. The Sony LA-EA5 is two weeks overdue to ship. So good that I am not lusting after a possible 300mm G-Master. Sony claims the a6400 has the world's fastest focus acquisition, and our tests show that it can lock on to a subject in less than 0.05-second, which scans with Sony's 0.02-second claim. All of these are either artificial limitations or real technical ones but in light of what the other adapter can do, I would think Sony actually limited its adapter hardware to avoid offering some functionalty. Sony Alpha a6400 Mirrorless Camera: Compact APS-C Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera with Real-Time Eye Auto Focus, 4K Video, Flip Screen & 16-50mm Lens - E Mount Compatible Cameras - ILCE-6400L/B Fujifilm X-T20 Mirrorless Digital Camera, Black (Body Only) I kept only the Minolta 100mm soft focus and the 500mm f/8 reflex since there is no equivalent in the E-mount world. Tamron 16-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II PZD MACRO Lens for Sony is an APS-C lens, so I assume you’re asking in regard to a6600. Hi Bryan, Nice but there is no mention about any Minolta lenses. Both kit lenses include optical stabilization, a plus since the a6400 doesn't. The rear command dial is flat, but turns comfortably. The rep at Sony recommended buying FE lenses, but you are really buying a whole new system then, so it opens you up to other options (Nikon z and Canon R). Have you compared the AF performance to the la-ea3? The a6400 has a 3.5mm microphone input along with micro HDMI and micro USB 2.0 ports on its left side. I really hope in a fw update on the top body (but even on the older) to use that adapter at the best possibility (just to say there is no compatibility on 135 1.8), as I hope in a new animal af to reach actual Canon system. Sony claims the a6400 has the world's fastest focus acquisition, and our tests show that it can lock on to a subject in less than 0.05-second, which scans with Sony's 0.02-second claim. The la-ea4 will do for my old Minolta AF lenses fo now. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. In this case the Sony a6000 camera with the super sharp Sigma 30mm f/1.4 lens (50mm equiv. Family historians will appreciate its speed, size, autofocus system, and image quality. Some cameras achieve low noise scores via aggressive noise reduction—which washes away detail along with grain—but the a6400's JPG output competes with full-frame models when shot through ISO 6400. I order one at 5pm. The huge advantage over LA-EA4 is clear, but I am wondering if it is worth upgrading from LA-EA3 just for SSM lenses. The other rear controls run down the right side, in between the LCD and the body's edge. There is a modicum of weather protection. It's also not perfect. I think I will buy the LA-EA5 for them. No support for matched TC (older 200, 300 APO lenses). Teleconverters and Movie Recording are not Supported. That's not a bad thing for casual users, as they work pretty well. Cutaway drawing shows the Sony LA-EA5 lens adapter’s screw drive focus mechanism that is powered by the camera body. The lack of in-body stabilization is felt more on the video level than for stills. No reason why the Sony adapter would not support this, even if functionality was a bit degraded on cloudy days. SCREW DRIVE LENSES: Manual Focus Only. 99,000 with kit lens (SEL1650) Sony Alpha a6400. I hope that Sigma will come up with some sort of solution through a new firmware update. Just store the pellicle mirror in a safe place. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. It's a bit of a hack—there's no way to lock the flash in position to bounce—but if you find yourself using the feature frequently, some gaffer tape can keep it pointed up. Sony A-mount lenses use rotational stepping motors so the max speed for AF tracking on a9 II is 10 FPS. I always enjoy your site. Apparently one guy from youtube was able to make this work with some sort of firmware update from a Sigma dealer but I have not had any luck from US Sigma corp. I suspect that the performance is not so great, so they won’t allow it. I sold almost all of my (excellent) motorless A-mount lenses when I moved to E-mount mainly because of the limitations of LA-EA4. up to 2.5 fps* on a7 III, a7R III, a7S III, a6100 & a6400, *Continuous shooting speed may change depending on the attached lens the Nikon D7200). There's a lot under its hood. As for support of older (screw-driven) Minolta matched tele-converters: no reason why they would not work as intended when used with old-style Minolta HS 200 f2.8 APO Or 300 f2.8 APO. Same is true of adapted Nikon lenses. It's an OLED panel with 0.7x magnification and 2,365k dots squeezed into its small frame. SCREW DRIVE LENSES: Manual Focus Only, SSM/SAM LENSES: Focal Plane Phase Detection AF, AF/AE Tracking up to 2.5 FPS The device falls in the entry-level category in Sony’s camera lineup. Even if you buy a fancy 300MBps UHS-II memory card, the a6400 is only going to push files to the card at about a third of that rate. It can shoot in 4K at up to 24, 25, or 30fps, and also supports 1080p capture at up to 120fps. I have been waiting for years for this product but Sony disappoints again . Minolta lenses will perform similar to Sony counter-parts of the same design. Hello and thanks for giving us interesting informations. When you're shooting that quickly, the camera's buffer can fill up fast. I found that foreground subjects could throw the autofocus system off a bit. Case The Tracking mode uses some machine learning features to better identify and track subjects. Also could you please share the link where you ordered the circuit board. This is a camera where a spare battery is something you'll want to buy, especially when you're on a vacation or the like. It's not uncannily good, which is where I'd place a camera like Sony's top-end a9 (which is getting the new Tracking focus mode via a firmware update in the spring). If you could AF-S using touch during record, that would be icing on the cake. 4K quality is lovely—sharp, colorful, and with the pop you expect from high-resolution video. The SD card loads in the bottom, in the same compartment as the battery. This adapter is great news if you own 2nd Generation A-mount screw drive lenses like Sony 85mm F1.4 ZA or 135mm F 1.8 ZA. But it’s far from native performance. Sony's latest entry in its APS-C mirrorless line inherits some features from its pricier siblings. I contacted the authors and they sent me a link to an eBay auction. The a6400 is sold as a body only for photographers who already have an investment in compatible lenses. The advantage for screw drive lenses like the Sony 135mm f/1.8 CZ is that you can focus across the entire PDAF area – not just in the limited 15-point focus area of LA-EA4. But not everyone wants or needs a big sensor. Thanks a lot! You can find him on Instagram @jamespfisher, Sign up for What's New Now to get our top stories delivered to your inbox every morning. The Sony a6400 isn't an absolutely perfect camera, but its flaws are more foibles than deal breakers, so we're naming it our Editors' Choice. Hi, On the other hand, the Minolta 300mm 2.8 SSM should perform as well as the Sony SAL 300mm 2.8 G – but not as fast as the G II. The Raw image is certainly noisy, but the Raw file shows sharper, clearer details, where the JPG smudges them in order to wipe away the grain. Both offer AF/AE tracking at up to 2.5 fps. I think it’s possible that support might eventually be extended to additional cameras through firmware updates, but I’ve heard no official word to that effect. Eye-af and focus tracking are simply fantastic with both A9 and A7RIV. When taking selfies, a three-second countdown timer automatically engages, so you can make sure you're ready for the shot. It is true classic glass. Primarily you'll use it to set an autofocus point—it's especially handy for overriding automatic focus point selection when needed—and you can double tap the screen to punch in and check focus on an image in playback mode. The camera does include an in-body pop-up flash, an EVF, and a hot shoe. On a technical level, focus is acquired from the image sensor, so there's no need to calibrate a lens and body to ensure dead-on focus. Thanks. The “Monster Adapter” that a previous poster mentioned in a third-party hack of the LA-EA4 adapter. Fast focus, improved by machine learning, a 24MP image sensor, and 4K video are just the highlights. Sony Vario-Sonnar T* 24-70mm f/2.8 ZA SSM ) using the a7r3/a73. Shooting at top speed can make it difficult to track a moving subject, so Sony also includes an 8fps mode that allows for preview of changes in the scene from shot to shot, so you can better pan the camera to keep a moving target in frame. Hopefully, they will. I have the 85mm ZA and several quality Minolta lenses, which I use on a A7. It's awkward to reach, and recessed so you don't trigger it accidentally. It offers the same 921k-dot resolution, but the hinge has been redesigned. Am I able to get Eye AF on motorless (screw drive) lenses? Canons mirrorless 100-500 is nearly £3k. For what it’s worth, just for kicks I had excellent results with the old screw-drive Minolta 28-135, the 50 f/1.4, and the 35-70 f4, the kit lens from the Maxxum 7000 in 1985. At lower settings there's not much difference in detail between JPGs and Raw images—Lightroom's default output even appears a little bit less sharp, but a slight bump in contrast will satisfy photographers who prefer a punchier look to images. thankyou …..and eye auto is fully functional? If you already own Sony 300mm f/2.8 G II or 500mm f/F4 G you’ll get fairly quick AF with LA-EA5 – but not the lightning fast AF of native FE glass like Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS. We’ll see in the future if Sony chooses the high road and extends the capabilities of this adapter. There are some menu improvements with this model. B&H Photo, Amazon, Adorama, KEH & eBay. I’m currious if the continuous AF with a6600 better than a77II? The a6400 includes many of the same focus functions as the a6300, but drops Sony's older Lock-On AF subject tracking for a new system, which is identified more simply as Tracking in the camera menus. The ‘other’ adapter (Monster) allows using any focus points with the 500mm Reflex. The a6400 offers access to MR, which lets you recall one of three saved banks of settings, and it replaces two separate dial positions for the a6300's two available custom profiles. I have a Sigma 50mm 1.4 ART A mount lens (V1.0) and the focusing does not work with A7R IV (V1.2). Martin. Okay, I’m still confused. Hello Martin. i agree that this lens will be the main bottle-neck. I wonder (I am assuming really) if Sony will release a firmware for the A7ii etc to use screw drive lenses with this? Two dials are located behind them. In my testing I found that it works very well. The 3-inch LCD is a touch screen, an upgrade from the a6300. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Sony ALC-B55 A-mount Camera Body Cap While Sony LA-EA1 & LA-EA-3 enabled focal plane PDAF for stills with SSM & SAM A-mount lenses they could not drive older A-mount lenses that incorporated screw-drive autofocus technology inherited from Minolta. Thanks, I saw the video on you tube. What I would LOVE to see is AF-S while in movie mode. Thanks to a recent update to iOS, Apple users can now pair the camera with the Sony PlayMemories Mobile app with a tap, just as Android owners have been able to do for ages. The a6400 ($898.00 at Amazon) looks a lot like the a6300 ($888.55 at Amazon) . For instance, I have focus tracking and eye-AF with an old Minolta 500mm f/8 reflex, across the whole frame. B&H took down the October ship date after it came and went without shipping. All I want is eye AF to work. Any of these four directional press functions can be remapped. I assume “Monster adapter” refers to the hacked LA-EA4 I’ve seen posted on the web. While Sony does not test third-party lens compatibility, I see that lens uses an ultrasonic motor, so chances are fairly good that it will perform similar to SSM lenses. The “other” adapter supports AF with screw-driven lenses with the A7II and A7III, the only requirement here is to have on-sensor PDAF. . But if your needs are beyond basic, and you don't want to spend much more than $1,000 on a kit, it's a very appealing option. PCMag, PCMag.com and PC Magazine are among the federally registered trademarks of Ziff Davis, LLC and may not be used by third parties without explicit permission. The a6400 is fast—at its fastest it manages an 11fps burst rate. This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. It takes the same data as the standard focus mode—color, distance, and face detection—and adds real-time eye detection and pattern recognition to better identify and track subjects. Thank you for supporting this website through purchases from our affiliate partners: You can start shooting again while the buffer is partially cleared, but you can't do other things. How the focus speed ? These lenses can also be used with Sony a7-Series or a9 fullframe E-mount cameras in APS-C or Super 35 crop mode. Sony a7R IV + Sony LA-EA5 + SAL 85mm F1.4 ZA | (VIEW LARGER), Sony a7R IV + Sony LA-EA5 + SAL 135mm F 1.8 ZA | (VIEW LARGER). It’s certainly possible that additional compatibility will be added to the cameras listed in this post. It allows you to capture photos at set intervals, with the intention of combining them into a time-lapse video. Performance might not be optimal with those bodies but it maybe made to work, nonetheless. Unfortunately there's no way to remap the Record button's function. Are you sure about your statement? I didn’t really expect it to work as well as it does on these old lenses, and certainly not as fast. Video AF is simply not possible. The a6400—and other mirrorless cameras—have some tangible advantages over SLRs when it comes to autofocus. Can you please elaborate? Appreciate your follow up. Interesting but… Sony a6600+ Sony LA-EA5 + Sony 70-400mm f/4-5.6 G II| (VIEW LARGER), Sony a6600+ Sony LA-EA5 + Sony 70-400mm f/4-5.6 G II | (VIEW LARGER). As for focus speed, right now it is not that fast. I own a Sony 300 2.8 SSM II + LA-EA3. At only 22 oz, this camera/lens combo has image quality equal to or exceeding the very best, and … The a6400 doesn't make the movies in-camera—you'll need to use the software Sony provides or your favorite video editing program to make the finished video. Keep an eye on your inbox! You don't always get all three in a mirrorless camera. I’ve set an alert to notify me when they’re in stock. Mirrorless lenses are generally a bit more than older DSLR lenses. I have a Tokina 300 mm F2.8 screw drive lens. 1,36,000 Rs. . MSRP $499.99 $398.00 Take a look at the side-by-side comparison above—the shot on the left was captured with the flash pointed forward, and the one on the right was shot with it pointed to the ceiling. Your post indicates that it works, a very big surprise, but then you make a point about the performance which is cryptic. We also give some tips on how to make the most of your mirrorless camera. Sony states the a6400 is only protected from the elements, with the caveat that it is "not guaranteed to be 100 percent dust and moisture proof." Camera Mount: Sony E Sony wants you to move up to the a6500 ($1,499.00 at Amazon) to get an APS-C camera with in-body image stabilization (IBIS). You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time. There is a very slight drop in quality at ISO 6400, but you'll have to look very closely to see it. On-screen help is available to tell you what a function does, and you also get a customizable My Menu page and there are illustrations to make it easier to change the function of the programmable buttons. Looks like Sony updated their website and now Minolta 1-st gen. lenses are included as working with la-ea5 (at least with a7r IV). Minolta 1st Generation Sony screw drive lenses should also perform similar to the Sony lenses on this list. I sold my la-ea3 and sal70400G when I bought my sel100400GM. Other pro features, including proxy recording to speed up 4K editing, are also included. In fact better results than I got with my A-mount Sony bodies! Most of the A-mount lenses I own are Sony (generation 2) A-Mount lenses. even some of the macro stuff... ( obviously cropped in) The Sony a6400 ($899.99, body only) isn't the sexiest, flashiest camera to come from the brand in recent years—most of the buzz comes from the company's full-frame line. That makes sense. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! A guide to the best mirrorless cameras for travel at every price point. The smudging gives way to blur at ISO 25600, and at the top ISO 51200 and ISO 102400 settings are blurry to the point they appear slightly defocused. It's joined by the Menu button just to its right, and the AF/MF and AEL control, which is a two-function button with operation changed by a toggle switch that surrounds it. About body support: why only the most recent bodies support AF with screw-driven lenses? It’s an interesting concept, but since it’s a hack use at your own risk…, Is there any difference at all in functionality between LA-EA5 and LA-AE3, when used on a7Riii with SSM lenses, There is not. I did mix in some video capture; CIPA rates the a6400 for about two hours of continuous recording time. A-mount lens adapters have been a challenge to say the least. With a77II it is possible to AF to moving subject around 50km/h and if it is possible to maintain this performance I will consider to move to e-mount. PCMag Digital Group. Our expert industry analysis and practical solutions help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology. This is a pain point I'd like to see Sony address in the future, but one big step would be supporting UHS-II transfer speeds. Any idea if the LA-EA5 will support the Tamron 16-300? Lens Mount: Sony/Minolta A When coupled with Sony a7R IV and a6600 cameras running the latest firmware, Sony LA-EA5 unlocks the potential of my favorite Sony A-mount lenses including Sony’s Zeiss 85mm F1.4, 135mm F 1.8 ZA lenses allowing still photography autofocus without the need for the SLT mirror.