Sony NEX-5N Lens Help Needed ~Urgently~

[BravoGolfTango]

Could anyone teach me a little real quick. I can't post links yet I don't think, but is the (Sony Alpha LAEA1 Mount Adaptor) what I need to use a (Sony - 75-300mm f/4.5-5.6 Super-Telephoto Zoom Lens - Model: SAL-75300) lens?

The adapter specs list the following:
Technical Details

A-mount adaptor: a A- mount adaptor for a E-mount camera bodies
AE support: Auto Exposure support with aperture mechanism
Tripod attachment: Includes detachable tripod attachment

The lens specs list the following:
Product Features

Compatible with Sony Alpha Series Digital SLR cameras
13 elements in 10 groups with 7 aperture blades
4x zoom
f/4.5-5.6 maximum aperture
Working distance of nearly 5' from the front of the lens to the subject
32° - 8° 10' diagonal angle of view
Circular aperture design captures natural highlights
55mm filter size
Includes front and rear lens caps and lens hood

So if I understand this correctly the lens is a Sony "Alpha" lens and the adapter I found does have the brass bus AF boot for AE which I believe/hope is the AF/electronic control portion of the adapter for thru-put from body to AF lens.

Appreciate any help. Just (today) picked up the Sony E-mount Nex-5N 55-210 lens, like it but want more zoom.

[Greg McCary]

Yes, but it isn't going to AF near as good as you would think, maybe in bright light. Not all lenses will AF. My 11-18mm won't my 16-50mm will slow in low light. I think the lens has to have the AF/MF switch on it to work.

[Greg McCary]

Sorry for the low quality Galaxy pictures but you get the idea...

[BravoGolfTango]

Yes, but it isn't going to AF near as good as you would think, maybe in bright light. Not all lenses will AF. My 11-18mm won't my 16-50mm will slow in low light. I think the lens has to have the AF/MF switch on it to work.

Ok thanks Greg, think I'm going to jump ship and return the Sony 55-210 for this other one, if it's crap I'll go yet another direction. Appreciate the advice.

[Greg McCary]

I wound up with the 18-270mm Tamron for my a77. But here it is on the NEX.. It is slow to focus indoors, but will. I haven't tried it outside. Plus there is $100.00 rebate going on right now. It's a good all around lens that don't weigh a ton. If you want I will give it a whirl outside tomorrow and let you know how it works.

[Greg McCary]

I could even shoot you a small video of the two lenses.Hang on i'll post something..

[Greg McCary]

Check it out, hope this helps. This is the 55-210 not bad for indoors.

[Greg McCary]

One more, unrelated...LOL

[BravoGolfTango]

Wow Greg, thanks for the feedback, being a newbie on this forum and DSLR beginner to boot, it's nice to know some folks don't mind helping us new folks out.

Well I bought the Sony Alpha 75-300, it does have AF/MF button, does have the AF motor but no IS because Alpha cameras have the IS in the body as I learned. I ended up getting almost $100 back from bestbuy with the 3yr ext warranty on this lens. Amazon has the Sony a LAE1 adapter (with the AF bus) for $127, here next Tue.

My new dilemma is what I learned from a somewhat knowledgeable photographer tonight. Here is what I learned from this guy. The AF without IS on my camera with this 75-300 will AF focus but take longer, of course a tripod helps, just not practical at all times. Told my son this who has the Nikon D5100 and a 70-300 lens with IS and he told me that guy was maybe technically correct in theory but the reality is that even depressing the trigger let alone just holding it causes enough shake to skew your photos. My Son enjoys wildlife photography as do I. That said, I didn't order the adapter yet, just got home from bestbuy and am going to sleep on some ideas.

I'm considering jumping ship entirely to a Sony Alpha camera like the a55 for close to the same price as this nex-5n. It has body IS so my thinking is the lenses going forward would always be less expensive because your not paying another $100 (roughly) for built in lens IS. Even thought about a Nikon 5100 but those lenses are also IS (no body IS), so it'd be the same boat with the MAJOR exception of lens availability for Nikon, like Canon.

Eh, I'm really wanting to experiment with this lens and an adapter, but kinda of exhausted mentally on whether or not the nex-5n was the right choice of camera.

Thoughts?

[Greg McCary]

The SLT cameras have almost no camera shake problems. I started to get a Nikon but the price of there lenses were to high. If you are going to shoot wildlife the Olympus cameras have in body IS and Olympus has the sharpest lenses on the planet and the x2 crop factor brings things in close.
I wouldnt attempt wildlife with a mirrorless camera.

[Greg McCary]

You could pick up a used Olympus E3 for about 500, Wolf camera Ebay had them for that and a used 50-200mm, 100-400 35mm equvalent for about 500 as well. With the in body IS i rarely used a tripod and could shoot very low shutter speeds. If i were going to shoot birds ect thats the route i would take. It would all be weather sealed and you could shoot in a rain storm.

[BravoGolfTango]

Bottom line was this Sony Alpha lens (75-300) a mistake? Would it be utterly terrible and just be a waste of money?

I really like this nex-5n, just wish they made a lens that was reasonably priced 75-300, I can't find on if it does.

I've relaxed a bit, would hate to jump ship at this point to an entirely different camera, albeit I'll check out what you suggested on ebay just for grins.

[BravoGolfTango]

Well think I made up my mind. Going with my Son's setup, Nikon D5100 comes w/18-55 for $800 @BestBuy, then I'll order their Nikon - AF-S DX Nikkor 55-300mm lens for $250. More reasonably priced lenses, I lose a few fps in burst, but I can live with 6 less fps.

[Greg McCary]

Congrats on the Nikon. Always remember your camera is only good as the glass that's
on it. I would get a high end zoom at some point. This should do you very well though. The high ISO noise levels are going to be just like all the other Nikons,, great. We want pictures and a review...
Merry Christmas.

[Anbesol]

Wooooah nellie.

The new LA-EA2 adapter has the SLT mirror in there, as well as a screw-drive motor. That adapter will give you AF on all Sony lens, and fast AF.

Nikon certainly doesn't have more reasonably priced lens. Canon and Sony both have better prices, though the difference is little.

Bravo, if you don't need AF, then you can look at whatever lens you want on the planet to put on your NEX. And then just purchase an adapter, which runs from $15-$30. Sonys LA-EA1 and 2 are expensive because of AF and mirror and ****. Right now at best buy the Olympus E-PM1 is going for $450, with the telephoto add-on the 40-150 at normally $300, going half off with the camera. The image quality is comparable to the D5100, but the 5100 sure has the edge. Then again, the D5100 is about 4 times the size as well, 6 times with the telephoto lens.

I think you'd be better off with a CSC camera like a nex or oly e-pm1. You talk about getting a DSLR with the 75-300, but the only good reason to go DSLR is to get the good fast glass. Otherwise all you are doing is getting the same thing at many times larger size.

[BravoGolfTango]

I can't thank all who replied enough, great intel. I am very pleased with the Nikon & the 55-300mm VR/AF blah blah blah lens that will be here wed. Bought a polorizer 58mm cover for the zoom, spare batt, spare class 10 scandisk 16g, lowepro swing around bag and ready to get snapping, ready to post some review pics on here for you experts to school me haha.

Thanks again, like this forum, hope to get to know everyone in due time.

EDITED: For poor smarterthanmephone misspelled texting, lol.

[Greg McCary]

I can't thank all who replied enough, great intel. I am very pleased with the Nikon a.d the 55-300mm vr blah blah blah lens will be here wed. Bought a polarizer 58mm cover for the zoom, spare batt, spare class 10 scandisk 16g, lowepro swing around bag and ready to get snapping, post some review pics on herd for you exoerts to school me haha.

Thanks again, like this forum, hooe to get to know everyone in due time.

Thats what we are here for. I myself rely on reviews. Its 80 miles to the nearest camera store.

[Greg McCary]

I can't thank all who replied enough, great intel. I am very pleased with the Nikon a.d the 55-300mm vr blah blah blah lens will be here wed. Bought a polarizer 58mm cover for the zoom, spare batt, spare class 10 scandisk 16g, lowepro swing around bag and ready to get snapping, post some review pics on herd for you exoerts to school me haha.

Thanks again, like this forum, hooe to get to know everyone in due time.

Thats what we are here for. I myself rely on reviews. Its 80 miles to the nearest camera store.

[BravoGolfTango]

Appreciate the tips, but the Sony was definitely not the route for me as it turns out, very happy with the Nikon D5100, 18-55 and just picked up my 55-300 Nikkor lens today, what an amazing addition to the camera bag.

[Photo-John]

Appreciate the tips, but the Sony was definitely not the route for me as it turns out, very happy with the Nikon D5100, 18-55 and just picked up my 55-300 Nikkor lens today, what an amazing addition to the camera bag.

Congratulations on your new camera! I'm curious - was your final decision based on the Nikon lens options or did it have to do with the camera, too?

Please write a review for your new D5100 and lenses after you've had them for a bit. User reviews are the foundation of PhotographyREVIEW.com and we don't have any Nikon D5100 reviews yet. You could be the first!

Nikon D5100 User Reviews Page >>

Congratulations again on the new gear and thanks in advance for your reviews!

[Photo-John]

Which adapter do you have, Greg? Did you get the LA-EA2? I'm really anxious to hear from someone who's used it.

[BravoGolfTango]

Congratulations on your new camera! I'm curious - was your final decision based on the Nikon lens options or did it have to do with the camera, too?

Please write a review for your new D5100 and lenses after you've had them for a bit. User reviews are the foundation of PhotographyREVIEW.com and we don't have any Nikon D5100 reviews yet. You could be the first!

Nikon D5100 User Reviews Page >>

Congratulations again on the new gear and thanks in advance for your reviews!

I'll absolutely do that, great idea. I spent 4 hours touring where my wife & I work @NASA (Johnson Space Center), I'll post a preliminary review and add to it as I learn this camera. My wildlife photos after the NASA shoot sucked, I guess I just needed to bring my tripod for the zoom-in bird shots, most were blurry while on auto (user error I'm sure) because my sons photos are incredible of wildlife. Maybe a monopod would be better.

As for your first inquiry, I felt limited with lens options and my inexperience compared to the expertise here that are more than capable of using the Sony NEX-5N with various other lenses. The Nikon indeed has a ton more lens options. Snapsort.com states Nikon has 269 lens vs Sony's 8 lens, I'm not crazy about Snapsorts intel compared to dpreview.com. Nonetheless my own basic research produced several more Nikon lens options.

Other than that my wife and I both love the feel of the Nikon compared to the NEX-5N, the Nikon fits like a glove for both of us.

[BravoGolfTango]

Hey John I clicked on your link, went to rate the Nikon, gave me a pop-up for writing a review with a selectable category of cameras, but there is not a D5100, just a D5000 and D7000. Suggestions?

EDIT: Guess the link is outdated:

The page you tried was not found. You may have used an outdated link or may have typed the address (URL) incorrectly. You might find what you’re looking for in one of these areas:

[Photo-John]

Hey John I clicked on your link, went to rate the Nikon, gave me a pop-up for writing a review with a selectable category of cameras, but there is not a D5100, just a D5000 and D7000. Suggestions?

Hmmm - that's weird. The D5100 is definitely listed in the reviews. Maybe you hit the page when there was a temporary glitch or maybe I screwed up the link. Thanks for trying. Here is a new link to the Nikon D5100 review page: Nikon D5100 Reviews

[BravoGolfTango]

Hmmm - that's weird. The D5100 is definitely listed in the reviews. Maybe you hit the page when there was a temporary glitch or maybe I screwed up the link. Thanks for trying. Here is a new link to the Nikon D5100 review page: Nikon D5100 Reviews

Ok thanks, will check out your new link.