p.1 #1 · Which M lens adapters for the Sony E mount?
In anticipation of a pre-ordered α7R...
Novoflex.............big €¥£$ >>> purportedly precision made in Deutschland, but is it worth it? Metabones..........enticing. Also solid, and made in China Voigtländer.........not cheap but seems precision built in Japan. Heavier than Novoflex, is my understanding
Note, I've omitted the competent Fotodiox and various sundry machined aluminum soda can tops littering eBay and emanating from Red China, selling for a pittance. Why, after all, anyone would attach a $2,000 lens built to tight tolerances onto a precision $2,000 camera using a $40 adapter, escapes me.
p.1 #2 · Which M lens adapters for the Sony E mount?
I've used the Novoflex. It's very good, but I had to shim it to get a hard stop infinity on the Elmarit 24. My cheepo Fotodiox Pro, on the other hand, is every bit as solid and was perfect out of the box.
I'm very happy with the Hawks. I don't use it much on the Summicron 90 or Elmar 135, since I rarely break the MFD with either so they get the Fotodiox. I use it on the Summarit 75, which is basically my walk-around macroish lens on my NEX-7, and the pre-A Summilux 35, because sometimes I need just a bit more than 1m.
p.1 #4 · Which M lens adapters for the Sony E mount?
j.liam wrote:
Why, after all, anyone would attach a $2,000 lens built to tight tolerances onto a precision $2,000 camera using a $40 adapter, escapes me.
lathes and micrometers aren't difficult tools to use, and the expensive adapters seem to be nearly as much of crapshoot as the cheapos. the real issue/difficulty with making adapters is the milling of the actual mount parts (not the tube) and getting a spring to hold them tight. the expensive adapters have a proper spring, but sometimes it still doesn't hold tight enough. the cheap adapters have no spring, but a slit that you widen with a screwdriver to adjust how tight the adapter holds the lens. adjusting these slits actually allows the cheap adapters to do a better job than the expensive ones of holding the lens flush. unfortunately it only will last for a few mounts and dismounts (depending on the lens weight/dimensions) then you have to adjust the slits again (ad nauseam).
having said that, the new voigtlander helicoid adapter certainly looks more solidly built than the hawk's. i'm tempted to try it out.
p.1 #5 · Which M lens adapters for the Sony E mount?
I generally like my Fotodiox pro better than my Metabones. But the former is too tight with the 21SEM, and I don't feel like torquing it on there. So I use the Metabones the most. The Metabones, on the other hand, is not tight enough with the CV35/1.2.
p.1 #6 · Which M lens adapters for the Sony E mount?
I have owned and used Novoflex, Voigtländer, Hawks', and cheap adapters. Novoflex and Voigtläder feel fine in terms of build and fit, Hawks' less so. The cheaper adapter didn't even give me infinity, by a long shot. Which shows how little the manufacturer care about performance.
That being said, I think the present sensitivity to adapter tolerance is overblown, at least for landscape. When shooting landscape, there is enough DOF to "cover up" any slight manufacturing defect
Lastly, now that I have tried a helicoid adapter, there is no way I will go shooting without one. I will probably buy one to have 2 on my Sony A7R,and the Voigtländer is looking good.
p.1 #8 · Which M lens adapters for the Sony E mount?
j.liam wrote:
Can anyone comment on how a helicoid adapter like the Voigtländer actually works? Not clear how the mechanism works as it relates to adapters.
Are the Voigtländers heavier than the Novoflex?
I have the Hawks helicoid adapter and one of the cheaper knockoffs. Due to the M-E registration difference they are simply thick enough to allow a short helicoid to be part of the adapter (and I have to assume the Voigtlander is similar), so they can be moved in and out a few mm, enough to give very handy close focus on wide/normal angle lenses, much less effective on short teles.
The only caveat is that you can forget it's in a CF position and when you adjust the lens to infinity for a shot you won't be able to get focus. It takes a few times to remember this (to check the adapter as well as your lens focus position) but you get the hang of it pretty quickly.
The new Voigtlander has a latch at infinity to prevent it from moving. I'm not sure if that is good or a liability (ie ergonomically easy or a pain to unlatch it) but it's too pricey for me to bother trying to be honest.
Mike
PS. I think you can look on ebay at the Hawks and see what it looks like and how it works, similar at the Voitglander pics.
Any weight difference is pretty small WRT the lens and camera.
p.1 #9 · Which M lens adapters for the Sony E mount?
My experience is that Fotodiox is unreliable garbage with sloppy tolerances. Sure, sometimes they happen to fit snug and secure, but just as often they barely hold the lens in. I don't have the patience for that much sample variation.
Every Novoflex I've used has been spot on - but the premium they charge is extreme.
p.1 #11 · Which M lens adapters for the Sony E mount?
Are there any adapters that guarantee the infinity hard stop will be at infinity (assuming the hard stop is correct w/o adapter) ?
Nov 11, 2013 at 05:55 PM
Emacs Offline • • [X]
p.1 #12 · Which M lens adapters for the Sony E mount?
Azimuthal wrote:
Are there any adapters that guarantee the infinity hard stop will be at infinity (assuming the hard stop is correct w/o adapter) ?
I have three adapters (Novoflex, Metabones and Voigtlander). The Novoflex is definitely the best of the bunch, but from my experience the infinity position is also depends on the lens. I have four:
Super Elmar 18
Summilux 35 ASPH FLE
Summilux 50 ASPH
APO-Summicron 90 ASPH
Both luxes are spot on infinity with Novoflex while both Super Elmar and Summicron are slightly over it (very slightly indeed). All lenses goes past it with other two adapters. All are very solid and, in fact,VL and Metabones both has better levers (easier to leave a lens). Although novoflex is the most robust: it is just solid piece of metal while others two has springs. Voigtlander and Metabones both look prettier than Novoflex IMO.
p.1 #13 · Which M lens adapters for the Sony E mount?
Emacs wrote:
All are very solid and, in fact,VL and Metabones both has better levers (easier to leave a lens). Although novoflex is the most robust: it is just solid piece of metal while others two has springs. Voigtlander and Metabones both look prettier than Novoflex IMO.
Thanks for your input. So they have their pros and cons; all things considered, which of the three seems to work the most reliably?
(best fit, able to replicate performance as seen on the native systems, durability..)
Nov 11, 2013 at 06:17 PM
Emacs Offline • • [X]
p.1 #14 · Which M lens adapters for the Sony E mount?
j.liam wrote:
Thanks for your input. So they have their pros and cons; all things considered, which of the three seems to work the most reliably?
(best fit, able to replicate performance as seen on the native systems, durability..)
Novoflex without a doubt. Metabones and VL are catching dust on a shelf.
p.1 #19 · Which M lens adapters for the Sony E mount?
I haven't used all of the adapters out there, but I've used several, and I'd also recommend keeping an eye on the various release tabs that some of the companies use, because they can often get in the way of your fingers on the camera grip. It looks like Hawk's changed their release tab for the worse when they upgraded their v2 helicoid to v3. My Metabones adapter had a pretty large release tab that got in the way (drove me nuts on NEX,) and my Voigtlander had a really nice release tab that was flush with the adapter. Just something to consider.
p.1 #20 · Which M lens adapters for the Sony E mount?
If anything, look for brass chromed mounts on both sides of the adapter. If you complain about the cheap soda can type, the Novoflex is not much different.
As far as how much can go wrong with something as simple as an adapter, at least one of mine is a full mm thicker then advertised which means that even at f16 my 28mm lens doesn´t render a thing sharp at infinity.
If you´re looking for a quality product I would advise to go with the Metabones adapter. Their product line looks to offer good quality products for a very fair price.
