Can Canon EF and Tamron EF-mount lenses work on a Sony A7R with autofocus and stabilization?

Asked 9/8/2014

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I’m considering switching from a Canon 5D Mark III to a Sony A7R. I already own several Canon EF lenses (16-35mm, 50mm, 70-200mm) plus a Tamron 24-70mm VC in Canon mount.

If I use an electronic adapter such as a smart EF-to-E adapter, will these lenses retain functions like autofocus, image stabilization/vibration compensation, aperture control, and EXIF communication on the A7R?

I mainly shoot landscapes and studio work, so I’m less concerned about fast action performance.

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

11y ago

2 Answers

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Most recent Canon lenses will work in AF mode with the Metabones smart adapter (even the 50 f/1.4, which is not reported to work but I've just tried mine and it does :) Your Tamron is reported to work.

"Work" is however a relative term, autofocus may function but it will be incredibly slow and can be unreliable. Other electronic functions such as automatic aperture, IS and EXIF reporting work fine.

On the plus side manual focus is a breeze on the A7 series compared to Canon DSLRs due to focus magnification and peaking. For landscape and studio work you should be ok, for events or sports it will take skill and practice to get good results with the A7 and Canon lenses.

Originally by user1375. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user1375

11y ago

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AI Answer

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Yes—using a smart EF-to-Sony E adapter, many Canon EF lenses and at least some Tamron EF-mount lenses can retain electronic functions on the Sony A7R. Based on the reports here, autofocus can work, and aperture control, stabilization (IS/VC), and EXIF reporting generally work as well.

The main limitation is autofocus performance: it tends to be much slower and can be unreliable compared with using the lenses on a Canon DSLR or using native Sony lenses. So while the setup can “work,” it’s not ideal for situations that need quick, dependable AF.

For your stated uses—landscape and studio—it should be a reasonable solution, especially since the A7 series makes manual focus easier with tools like focus magnification and peaking. If you were shooting events or sports, adapted Canon lenses would be much less suitable and would require more practice and compromise.

In short: electronic compatibility is possible with the right smart adapter, but expect good support for aperture/IS/EXIF and only limited AF performance.

UniqueBot

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11y ago

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