Sony 30mm f/2.8

[kysham]

I have the 30mm macro as well. I think it was a great buy. Mounted it on my wife's A300 (it was a present for her birthday) and it never left! Somehow 30mm on an aps-c camera just felt so right. Light and close focusing, couldn't have asked for a better walkaround lens that has virtually no MFD limitation.

[Carlj]

David, quick question, following your BJP review.

I know you're impressed with the little fellow and I personally, aren't bothered about the plastic mount. Have moved more into portraiture, and until I bite the bullet for a 17-50mm f2.8, wonder if the 30mm f2.8 sam, coupled with the 50mm f1.8 sam I already own, would be a good combination for roomy/cramped shooting areas?

Ta
Carl

[WaltKnapp]

I got one of the 30mm used off ebay. I can't say my initial impression is at all favorable compared to the 50mm or 100mm Sony macros. Or a whole bunch of other lenses for that matter. Nothing I was not aware of, but actually tripping over it is worse than reading about it.

Focus ring spins with AF.

Focus, when switched to MF is still interfered with a good deal by the gear train.

DMF from the a700 fails to work, there is no substitute.

AF/MF switch on the a700 cannot control the lens, have to fumble around on the side of the lens, not good since often I'm doing that switch while looking through the viewfinder and maintaining framing.

No hood or hood mount, have to substitute a screw on mounted hood which interferes with filter use.

I'll get into shooting with it soon, but I won't be trading it for my other macro lenses.

I can understand David's argument about using it with old macro copy stands that were designed for 35mm film and a 50mm lens. But though I have those stands they hardly ever see use and a focus rail should take care of the working distance problem fairly well.

Walt

[Carlj]

Cheers Walt,

I have got used to the switching on the 50mm f1.8, so guess the quirks are acceptable I'm toying with saving longer for a Tamron 17-50 mm f2.8, but any alternative that keeps my relationship with Amber alive, has to be considered

Carl

[Winkler Prins]

AF/MF switch on the a700 cannot control the lens

Those are all specifications of the lens and the camera body. Did you check them before you decided to order it?

What about IQ? Is it not even worth mentioning? Or, are you glad the bells and whistles were left out in favour of IQ?

[bfitzgerald]

Not tried the 30mm macro lens. I surely hope it's better built than the 50mm f1.8 SAM. I picked that up and it felt like it fell out of a Tesco Christmas cracker! I hastily left the shop safe in the knowledge the 50mm f1.7 was a far far better buy..and it cost less too

I'd much prefer a fast 35mm f2 or f1.8 that is a FF lens and NO sam please either.

[Dr. Harout]

That adapter (FA-MA1AM) actually gobbles up most, if not all, of your working distance with the little 30/2.8 Macro.

As we don't have a real representative (agency, Sony room, whatever) here, may I ask if you could ask someone there if the HVL-MT24AM could be mounted on it without the adapter and what are the drawbacks/problems/consequences?
Even if I use that adapter, how would I use manual focus? Is it possible?

[WaltKnapp]

AF/MF switch on the a700 cannot control the lens

Those are all specifications of the lens and the camera body. Did you check them before you decided to order it?

What about IQ? Is it not even worth mentioning? Or, are you glad the bells and whistles were left out in favour of IQ?

As I stated in my posts I did know all the specs before buying. I had also read considerable comments from users. As I said, knowing it and experiencing it are two different things. I found it less tolerable than I expected. I itemized the items just to keep things balanced. All comments are in comparison to my other macro lenses.

I did not get into IQ as that was a preliminary report only a day after the UV filter I was waiting for arrived, I don't start using a lens until a UV is on it. Only a few shots to verify the lens is working. I'll comment about IQ later when I've run it through it's paces a while. Which will, partially, depend on what macro subjects I run across. And I'll be comparing to the full set of macro lenses I have, I'll be surprised if the IQ is exceptional. I have a Minolta 50mm D macro, Minolta 100mm D macro, and a Minolta 200mm G macro for it to compete against. Not counting all the other greater than 1:1 macros I use, but would not be compared.

Image quality does not substitute for functionality, they are separate things and you need both.
As I suspected it would likely not be all that satisfactory for a experienced macro shooter like me, I waited on buying until I could get a good deal off on ebay.

Walt

[Old Hydro]

I think the point about the 30mm is that it's great fun, but especially when combined with an articulating rear screen and live view focus - A300, A350, A500, A550, A330, A380.

It is one of those lenses which inspires experiments, and gives an unfamiliar view of the world. For me, it has restored the 'macro at 28mm' setting of the Dimage A2 but translated that to a professionally acceptable DSLR format.

David

David, I have a question. If the task was copy pages, such as wills from registry books from the 1800s -- would you choose the 30mm over the 50mm Minolta macro lens? The camera is a Sony 850.

[Dr. Harout]

David, I have a question. If the task was copy pages, such as wills from registry books from the 1800s -- would you choose the 30mm over the 50mm Minolta macro lens? The camera is a Sony 850.

I don't think it would make sense, because the 30/2.8 will automatically change the format of A850 to APS-C, which in its turn will equal the FF 50/2.8 (more or less, 45 vs 50mm of field of view).

[WaltKnapp]

That adapter (FA-MA1AM) actually gobbles up most, if not all, of your working distance with the little 30/2.8 Macro.

As we don't have a real representative (agency, Sony room, whatever) here, may I ask if you could ask someone there if the HVL-MT24AM could be mounted on it without the adapter and what are the drawbacks/problems/consequences?
Even if I use that adapter, how would I use manual focus? Is it possible?

I just went and checked, don't have the Sony version but the Minolta 2400 twin macro. So I checked that.

The mounting ring for 49mm filter size included with the twin macro will screw onto the filter threads of the lens. I have a UV filter on which gives more room, but it will fit (with only a tiny clearance) without a filter. Though not the most convenient, the focus ring can to reached to use.

So far, so good. But if you mount the two flash units on the clip on support mounted on the ring, and aim them as close as possible they will be aimed farther out than the focus of the lens at closest focus. Light might hit the subject, but only a glancing light from the side at closest focus.

Closest focus for this lens is only about 20mm forward of the plane of the filter thread. ( the focus distance given in the specs is from the plane of the sensor, which is that circle with a line through it marked near the back of your camera, on the a700 that's just to the right of the viewfinder on top )

So the twin macro with it's included parts can mount but probably only for shots of things well out from closest focus.

The same is probably true for the 1200 macro ringflash on it's 49mm filter ring. Maybe worse as the macro ringflash sticks forward of the filter plane a little more.

I don't have the Sony adapter, only looked at pictures, Sonystyle has a drawing of the adapter mounted. The Sony adapter clips on to the silver groove just behind the focus ring. You MF through the holes in the adapter. Even though it clips farther back I don't think it's going to light closest focus with the twin macro flash as it extends farther out than the ring above, or if it does only from extreme side angle, glancing light. (as you focus closer the lens extends eating a fair bit of room) So again, closeups well out from closest focus are how you could use it.

Walt

[Dr. Harout]

I just went and checked, don't have the Sony version but the Minolta 2400 twin macro. So I checked that.

The mounting ring for 49mm filter size included with the twin macro will screw onto the filter threads of the lens. I have a UV filter on which gives more room, but it will fit (with only a tiny clearance) without a filter. Though not the most convenient, the focus ring can to reached to use.

So far, so good. But if you mount the two flash units on the clip on support mounted on the ring, and aim them as close as possible they will be aimed farther out than the focus of the lens at closest focus. Light might hit the subject, but only a glancing light from the side at closest focus.

Closest focus for this lens is only about 20mm forward of the plane of the filter thread. ( the focus distance given in the specs is from the plane of the sensor, which is that circle with a line through it marked near the back of your camera, on the a700 that's just to the right of the viewfinder on top )

So the twin macro with it's included parts can mount but probably only for shots of things well out from closest focus.

The same is probably true for the 1200 macro ringflash on it's 49mm filter ring. Maybe worse as the macro ringflash sticks forward of the filter plane a little more.

I don't have the Sony adapter, only looked at pictures, Sonystyle has a drawing of the adapter mounted. The Sony adapter clips on to the silver groove just behind the focus ring. You MF through the holes in the adapter. Even though it clips farther back I don't think it's going to light closest focus with the twin macro flash as it extends farther out than the ring above, or if it does only from extreme side angle, glancing light. (as you focus closer the lens extends eating a fair bit of room) So again, closeups well out from closest focus are how you could use it.

Walt

Thank you very much Walt. You have been of great help. Thanks.

So if I understood correctly the adapter (FA-MA1AM) is for making manual focus possible.

I really don't need to use the twin macro with the 30/2.8 in extreme macro. That wouldn't make sense, because I'd rather use the 50/2.8 instead.
So Walt, you just made me save some money.
Don't have the 30/2.8 yet, but when I'll get it (I need it for my job) I'll use a soviet made filter (any filter without the glass) because they were made quiet thick and mount it on the lens the the macro twin ring adapter. Even more, I could use 2 filters and one step-up ring.
Thanks a lot.

[Javelin]

Don't know if this is relevent to this discussion or not. I just received my Delta ring flash (broke down and bought one) The ring unit is very light (seems well made though) and the way it mounts it allows nice accesss to the focus rings. also it will fire light very very close to the front element. it does not have an included adaptor for 49mm though. the adaptors that come with it are just step up rings and i'm sure you could get one to fit. in fact i'd like to use this on something else with 49mm thread so I'll find one

[WaltKnapp]

Thank you very much Walt. You have been of great help. Thanks.

So if I understood correctly the adapter (FA-MA1AM) is for making manual focus possible.

I really don't need to use the twin macro with the 30/2.8 in extreme macro. That wouldn't make sense, because I'd rather use the 50/2.8 instead.
So Walt, you just made me save some money.
Don't have the 30/2.8 yet, but when I'll get it (I need it for my job) I'll use a soviet made filter (any filter without the glass) because they were made quiet thick and mount it on the lens the the macro twin ring adapter. Even more, I could use 2 filters and one step-up ring.
Thanks a lot.

The thicker the filter you mount on the lens the farther forward you place the flash. And the problem is it's really going to end up too far forward. As I said, you can mount the twin macro ring on the lens with no filter. There's plenty of clearance even if you suck the lens back in to infinity focus where the ring will clear the focus ring on the lens by half a mm or so.

No way the 30mm is going to be useful in extreme macro. Macro starts at 1:1 where your clearance to try and get the subject lighted is only about 20mm. If you put the lens on extension for greater macro (which sony does not recommend) then the working distance would be even shorter.

The adapter is for attempting to position the twin macro so at least some of the flash would light the subject at 1:1. The cutaways in it do allow access to the focus ring on the lens, but that's not it's primary purpose. I don't think I'll be rushing out and buying the adapter, though it would be nice to try it and see how it works.

I am fiddling with a modification of the twin macro that might get the flash in a better position. Making a setup with more flexable arms. Got to design and machine some pieces for that.

I'm still trying to figure out what Sony was thinking in building this lens. I don't think it was macro, or it's a example of how greenhorn they are in macro. Maybe they think macro is what the various zooms with macro labels on them do.

Walt

[catalytic]

I received this lens earlier this week and i have to say i really like it. It's light and compact, sharp and contrasty, and there's no MFD to worry about. It is now glued to my A700 as an all-purpose walkaround lens.

The optical performance is very good with very minor LoCA and corner issues wide-open, but otherwise no real flaws that i can see. In comparison to my Sony 50/2.8 macro, it is not quite as excellent, but it is fairly close and beats most non-macro primes in this class IMHO. The bokeh is pretty smooth and pleasant; i haven't been able to provoke any nasty bokeh from this lens so far, although you can notice faint LoCA colouration wide-open depending on the background.

Indeed, serious macro shooters might prefer a much longer focal length macro for increased working distance, but I think this will do just fine for a regular photographer who just wants to do some close-up shots every now and then.

As far as the build quality goes, i'd say it's fairly good for the price. I think it's better constructed than the kit lens and don't imagine it would fall apart anytime soon.

Personally, I think this is an excellent choice for a compact normal / all-purpose walkaround prime for an APS-C body and highly recommend it to anyone looking for something light and compact with excellent IQ at a low price. I love this lens!

P.S. Good call, David! Thank you for posting your thoughts on this lens