LA-EA2: what lenses to get?

The lens was stopped down when I tried all this - wide open it behaves quite differently and sounds 'normal'.

You seem to be saying that with Live View Effect 'On' I should see the aperture move as I change f number (as it does with my E lenses).  This definitely does not happen - the aperture only closes when the shutter fires.  Can you confirm whether this is normal behaviour?