Sony has announced the impending release of the LA-EA5, its newest A-mount to E-mount lens adapter. In addition to changing mounts, the new adapter provides autofocus support for Sony A-mount SSM (Super Sonic wave Motor) lenses, SAM (Smooth Autofocus Motor) lenses, and even non-motorized screw-drive lenses in still shooting modes.
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| An illustration showing the internal construction of the LA-EA5 adapter, with emphasis on the screw-drive motor. |
Despite the ability to power non-motorized screw-drive lenses (limited to the a7R IV and a6600, at least for the time being), the LA-EA5 features a compact form factor, thanks to clever internal gear and motor positioning. Sony says the adapter provides ‘full support for focal plane phase-detection autofocus (stills only), wide-area focal phased detection autofocus (stills only), Real-time Eye AF for both humans and animals, Real-time Tracking and AF/AE (auto exposure) tracking for SSM/SAM lenses on nine most recently introduced E-mount cameras at up to 11 frames per second depending on the camera model.’ The supported camera models, as of this press release, are as follows:
- Sony a7 III
- Sony a7R III
- Sony a7R IV (up to 10 fps)
- Sony a6100
- Sony a6400
- Sony a6600 (up to 11 fps)
- Sony a9 (up to 10 fps)
- Sony a9 II (up to 10 fps)
- Sony a7S III
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Sony says the LA-EA5 will be available in October 2020 for a suggested retail price of $ 250 / $ 330 CAD. You will be able to find a full compatibility list on Sony’s support page (currently shows ‘Coming Soon’ as of posting this article).
Press release:
Sony Electronics Announces New LA-EA5 Lens Adaptor for A-Mount Lenses
New Adaptor Enables Advanced Autofocus Capabilities When Attaching A-mount Lenses to Latest E-mount Bodies
SAN DIEGO – September 1, 2020 – Today, Sony Electronics Inc. announced the new LA-EA5, a 35mm Full-frame A-mount lens adaptor that allows users to easily pair advanced E-mount camera bodiesi with A-mount lensesi.
Using the new LA-EA5 A-mount adaptor, users can now access the acclaimed autofocus and high-speed shooting capabilities found in Sony’s latest E-mount camera bodiesi with A-mount SSM (Super Sonic wave Motor) and SAM (Smooth Autofocus Motor) lensesii, as well as A-mount lenses that do not have internal focus motors.
Full support is provided for focal plane phase-detection AFiii, wide-area focal phase-detection AFiii coverage, Real-time Eye AF for both humans and animals, Real-time Tracking and AF/AEiv (auto exposure) tracking for SSM/SAM lenses on nine most recently introduced E-mount camerasi at up to 11fpsv depending on the camera model. When used with the Alpha 7R IVvi or Alpha 6600vi, for the first time, these capabilities are possible with lenses that do not have internal focus motors, such as the Sonnar T* 135mm F1.8 ZA and Planar T* 85mm F1.4 ZA.
The LA-EA5 combines a compact design, featuring an aperture drive unit and a newly developed compact AF drive unit. To ensure comfortable operation when used on an E-mount camera body, the new adaptor’s diameter matches that of the A-mount, perfectly aligning with the edges of the mount. The LA-EA5 allows easy operation on full-frame E-mount bodies, even when a vertical grip is attached to the camera body.
Pricing and Availability
The LA-EA5 is available in October 2020 for a suggested retail price of $ 249.99 USD and $ 329.99 CAD.
Exclusive stories and exciting new content shot with the new lens and Sony’s other imaging products can be found at alphauniverse.com, a site created to educate and inspire all fans and customers of Sony’s ? – Alpha brand.
Notes
i. As of Sept. 2020, focal plane phase-detection AF is supported for SSM/SAM lenses on the Alpha 7 III, Alpha 7R III, Alpha 7R IV, Alpha 6100, Alpha 6400, Alpha 6600, Alpha 9, Alpha 9 II, and Alpha 7S III. Focal plane phase-detection is supported for lenses that do not have internal focus motors on the Alpha 7R IV and Alpha 6600.
ii. STF lenses are manual focus only. Teleconverters are not supported.
iii. Autofocus is not available during movie recording.
iv. For AE tracking, the aperture is fixed for the first frame while shutter speed and ISO are used for exposure adjustment.
v. Maximum continuous shooting speed is 10 fps with the Alpha 7R IV, Alpha 9, and Alpha 9 II, and 11 fps with the Alpha 6600. Continuous shooting speed may change depending on the attached lens.
vi. The Alpha 7R IV must be updated to software V1.20 or later, and the Alpha 6600 must be updated to software V1.10 or later.
Update (September 1, 2020 at 10:50am ET): Updated the article to clarify that support for non-motorized screw-drive lenses is limited to a7R IV and a6600 camera systems.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)