So I got some old manual focus lesnses. Now I think the NEX kit lenses suck.

[jacobgong]

I got my Sony NEX a couple of months ago actually, but just a few months ago I saw a Canon T77 SLR camera ($25) at a flee market with it's kit lense so I got it. Afther that I ordered an adapter for it, it Canon 50mm F/1.8 I thought it was great but not having auto focus sometimes is kind of annoying because you always have to zoom in with the manual focus function to make sure it is actually focused, especially at the largest apeture.
Now just then like 10 minutes ago I was bored at home so I decided to actually test howmuch of a difference there is between the NEX kit zoom 18-55mm lense and the Canon. I'd say I'm not that surprised, because I've seen the picutres and everything. The NEX kit lens sucked, no competition.
Basically with the NEX lense the picture quality is not very acceptable without digital corrections including distortion, CA and dark corners. But the Canon looks practically perfect without any corrections. The NEX is only acceptable at about 25mm, which only gives it about 4.0 to 4.5 aperture, I guess you could say I rather use an iPhone 4S.

Last week, I also got a Magnicon 35-70mm f/3.5-3.8 zoom lens at the same flee market (It's funny how they price the lens $10 but the camera body $20, so I just got the lens). I am still waiting for an adapter but just by pressing it against the FD-E adapter I could get it to work. At 35mm it does show an obvious distortion but CA is better than the NEX, At longer focal distances it shows minimal distortion and slight CA. Overall I'd say it's still way better, because not only it has less distortions, it has larger aperture.

So just by comparing to these two lenses, which are also kit lenses at the time I believe. I'd say the NEX kit lens is of a substandard quality. Sure it has optical stabilization and auto-focus, now I think the price has dropped but when I bought the camera I think it was like $300, I don't think it's worth it. Mine came with the camera, I couldn't get a body only version so I had to get it. I even feel like just selling it.


I've never owned a decent camera other than the NEX 5N so I don't know how it compares to other kit lenses today, so that's whay I'm making this post.

these are the corners, the center is shaply focused, obviously.