Looking for info on using or converting rokkor lenses on Canon bodies. I know there is a lot of info floating around here. Just having trouble finding it.
The only lens I'm actually interested in is the 58/1.2 but, I did just get a 45/2 for cheap just to play around with trying to adapt it. If it doesn't work... Oh well. No major loss. I already know there is clearance issues on FF. That is the main reason I haven't gotten into any rokkors yet. Unfortunately, now my curiousity has the best of me.
Not a problem if you shot less than fifty feet from infinity. I have the 1.2 on 5d's with no mirror mods, and can get focus from minimum to fifty feet, wide open
The 45/2 is cheap and produces good results but is actually more difficult to convert than the 58/1.2 due to the cam based aperture control.
In order to find more info on other Rokkors perform your search from the FM main search engine rather than the "title only" forum search. There you can use advanced filters etc... to fine tune your search within message bodies.
The only other advice I have is to jump in and start trying them. Gather your info and pick a couple of cheap ones to practice your conversion skills. You don't necessarily have to have the "best" to get pleasing results or enjoy the satisfaction or breathing new life into an old lens.
Hmmm..... Thanks Patrick, good to hear. So, no landscapes. Did you mod the lens for extra clearence or is that also stock? Also, are you using an adapter or did you modify the mount?
pengland wrote:
The 45/2 is cheap and produces good results but is actually more difficult to convert than the 58/1.2 due to the cam based aperture control.
In order to find more info on other Rokkors perform your search from the FM main search engine rather than the "title only" forum search. There you can use advanced filters etc... to fine tune your search within message bodies.
The only other advice I have is to jump in and start trying them. Gather your info and pick a couple of cheap ones to practice your conversion skills. You don't necessarily have to have the "best" to get pleasing results or enjoy the satisfaction or breathing new life into an old lens....Show more →
Thanks pengland, I agree with you about using old lenses. I have a pretty good collection so far. But, I've stayed away from lenses that required modification to use so I don't really have experience in that area.
The minoltas have a mount distance to similar to canon ef, so you must modify the lens. I have no clearance issues, as the lens has a focus adjustment that allows you to get the lens close to full focus, without clearance.
I had Jim personally modify (2) Rokkor 58's, a Minolta 50mm F/1.2 and a Canon FL55 and they all came out great. I would suggest having him do it because he shaves down the rear, aligns the lens for infinity focus and cleans the glass - personally I wouldn't dare take apart a lens myself. Well worth his modest fee.
Thanks Robert, I guess I'll have to get a hold a Jim.
As a side note, like most things in photography, I'm finding mixed results with using rokkors on a Canon body. Some people say they have no clearence issues and some say they do. Does it maybe just have to do with how the conversion is done?
More on the camera, as there is only so much you can do to the lens. On my Rokkor, I filed down the rear retainer as much as I could and got to just about infinity on my 5D2 before I would have to switch to live view to prevent interference with the mirror. It cleared completely at any focus setting on my 1D3 however.
Yes, this is what I always hear. As I said earlier, this is why I have, up to this point, stayed away from any rokkors or other lenses that require modifications. I'm just interested in trying them out. I can, however, tell you that I have zero interest in shaving my mirror.
When Jim does the conversion you will get as close to infinity focus as is possible, but from my understanding regardless of who does the conversion 0% of 58mm Rokkor F/1.2 Lens clear the mirror of a 5D Mark II. To focus at infinity you will have to use Live View mode.
However, my Minolta MD 50mm F/1.2 Lens does clear the mirror on the 5D Mark II.
Disclaimer: I will never bash Jim's awesome work. All I say is, his conversion kit does nothing on this subject. Mirror clearance is the lens' last element fault only. Sanding it and/or the camera mirror solvs the problem.
That's correct, his kit doesn't change the distance, however, when I had him personally work on my lenses he files them down to the point where there is the slightest rim left which is important because if the mirror is going to hit something, you want it to catch on the rim rather than scratching the glass.
