Sony LA-EA5 Adapter $250 October

skm.sa100 wrote: I'm quite uninformed about E-mount, so a seemingly simple question: would this new LA-EA5 adapter allow all A-mount lenses to be used on the compatible E-mount bodies for full AF performance? Would it work for 3rd party as well as Minolta legacy lenses? I'm assuming the AF performance wouldn't still be quite as good as with native A-mount bodies such as A77ii or A99ii. Also it wouldn't be quite on par as with native E-mount lenses on E-mount bodies. That seems to be pretty much a given. Apart from that, I'm assuming A-mount lenses will probably stage a modest recovery on prices.

The current LA-EA adapters work well with most third-party A-mount lenses. I wouldn't expect any third-party screw-driven lens to work on the LA-EA5. Sigma HSM lenses that have issues with SLTs don't work on the LA-EA's. Some third-party lenses that don't work on SLTs do work on the LA-EAs.

AF is different. In some situations I find LA-EA3 AF much better than the A77II. I was disappointed by the A77II overall trying it last year. It is so far behind E-mount even if it debuted something like real-time Eye AF.

E-mount cameras still lack any cross-points. They can only detect horizontal contrast. Olympus has cross points on their sensors that Sony manufacturers.

Edited by QuietOC - 01 September 2020 at 20:30

sybersitizen wrote: Conversations at Sony a few months ago: Big shot Sony exec: Hey, remember that adapter your guys developed and engineered several years ago - the one that provides OSPDAF with screw drive lenses? The one we've been sitting on? What were we calling that? Engineering exec: Yes. The LA-EA5. Big shot Sony exec: Well, you can turn it over to the production and marketing teams now. Engineering exec: Really? Why - has something happened? Big shot Sony exec: Yeah, just found out that some guy in China is shaming us with a replacement board for the LA-EA4 that supports screw drive lenses. Engineering exec: Okay, will do. Any other instructions? Big shot Sony exec: Just make sure ours doesn't support teleconverters or video AF and that screw drive AF is limited to our newest E-mount bodies. We don't want to make it THAT attractive. Engineering exec: As you wish.

So what you're implying here is that once again the competition is pushing Sony to stop playing the crippling game ?

Well we'll see that:
For the moment I haven't seen any demonstration of that LAEA5 used with a Legacy Minolta AFing... Standing-by ... But eager to see this.

djfoxy wrote: So what you're implying here is that once again the competition is pushing Sony to stop playing the crippling game ?

When it comes to A-Mount, Sony will always find a way to play the cripple game, pretty much the way Sybersitizen describes. That doesn't mean we are ungrateful. This is fantastic news. It's just that experience suggests that fantastic news from Sony always comes with a silent gotcha.

djfoxy wrote: Well we'll see that: For the moment I haven't seen any demonstration of that LAEA5 used with a Legacy Minolta AFing... Standing-by ... But eager to see this.

Neither have I, and I'm definitely concerned. Between my a9's and a6600's, only one of them 'might' work with my gamble purchase of a 100/2 a few moments ago. And that thwarted my plans to sell those Sony bodies and go with all a7s3 cams which I've already ordered. And that's not on the list, and probably won't be just because it's mostly video centric, and the adapter doesn't AF with vid. Yet I have enough hope to put my money where my hope is. Will let you know.

Photosopher wrote: djfoxy wrote: LAEA5 + whatever new E-mount bodies = Latest A-mount Bodies Sure. The only differences being the lack of top side LCD, fully articulating LCD, front side controls, twice the top side controls, full set of vertical grip controls to match the horizontal layout, lowered vertical grip for better elbow stabilization on chest and complete elimination of accidentally firing it from the horizontal grip, self locking battery doors, extreme weather sealing rubber gasket on vertical battery grip, strap lug on left side of vertical grip handy for no strapping by hand grip, genuine hinged doors for port covers, the ability to change control dials without raising hand on grip, EV comp that automatically resets to 0 and is equally useable with vertical grip, completely separate ports for remote, ac power, and usb connect (allowing all to be used simultaneously) and a battery system that shares the same charger with Sony big boy video cameras. Other than that, yeah, pretty much the same. ___ That said, I just pulled the trigger on a Max 100/2 and will be ordering the LA-EA5 as soon as it's available.

Well,

Probably all of this will come with the next line-up of e-mount cameras... All what we can tell is that from this date (I consider here that legacy Minolta AF are working but it's not a given yet) all the new incoming e-mount bodies combined with this adapters will bring you kind of an equivalent to an A-mount body.

There are no clue indicating that Sony wouldn't make 2 form factors E-mount bodies in the future for example (neither the opposite)

Sorry just saw your very lst answer... Understood your concerns here... A7s3 not compatible ?

Edited by djfoxy - 01 September 2020 at 21:03

pegelli wrote: I'm always very sceptical when people start spreading conspiracy theories. Most of them usually prove to be wrong in the end (except for a few die-hards who keep believing them). If a company has developed a product they can make (without jeopardising the production of more profitable products), sell and make money on they will just go ahead and produce it, holding it back until "competition is forcing them" won't happen. The money is too attractive to justify waiting. In this case also I don't think it's possible to finalise development, test, announce and produce an LA-EA5 in the time since the first rumours of the "monster adapter" came out the end of April. Maybe the monster adapter sped up the final steps of the development and advanced the announcement but I even doubt if that's the case. I don't think we'll ever get to know the full story, but I don't care.

I don't care either, but there can be zero doubt whatsoever that Sony has had the ability to produce this adapter for YEARS, and also that the development and engineering for it was already figured out YEARS ago.

Feel free to come up with any reason you like for its appearance at this particular late point in time (and with its announced limitations).

djfoxy wrote: There are no clue indicating that Sony wouldn't make 2 form factors E-mount bodies in the future for example (neither the opposite)

There are two clues that this could happen. The experimental E-Mount a3000 had vague A-Mount styling... though they messed up with the mode dial.


And the RX10 lineup most resembles A-Mount ergo, and is a logical compromise between the two mounts.


Point being... It could happen.

djfoxy wrote: A7s3 not compatible ?

Ordered two... As a compromise. Want that viewfinder. Want that LCD for low/high angle verticals. Love 12mp. Wish it had the body of an a200 A-Mount though.

pegelli wrote: I'm always very sceptical when people start spreading conspiracy theories. Most of them usually prove to be wrong in the end (except for a few die-hards who keep believing them).

Haha I know what you mean. But as far as I know, every genuine conspiracy that was ever uncovered, was done so on the back of a conspiracy theory.

pegelli wrote: In this case also I don't think it's possible to finalise development, test, announce and produce an LA-EA5 in the time since the first rumours of the "monster adapter" came out the end of April.

Sony has proven track record of answering customer demand only after third party embarrassed them into doing so. Tough E-Mount metal lens mount comes to mind. The first time in history where a third party had to release a user changeable camera/lens mount because the original was faulty. Many DIY solutions to keep early EMount cameras from overheating forced Sony to solve the problem. Many third party external battery solutions forced Sony to solve the underpowered cameras. All good things of course. But Sony had to be embarrassed into changing them for the better.

pegelli wrote: I don't think we'll ever get to know the full story, but I don't care

That's why it's fun to speculate at Sony's expense. Many of us sold off many great lenses at considerable loss. It's ok if Sony takes one on the chin in the form of a conspiracy theory.