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Archive 2014 · FotoDiox "Tough E Mount"

miguel_13
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p.2 #1 · p.2 #1 · FotoDiox "Tough E Mount"

Oct 15, 2014 at 07:54 PM

shoevarek
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p.2 #2 · p.2 #2 · FotoDiox "Tough E Mount"

I wonder how much did Sony save by not producing camera body with fully metal mount? If that was done for cost saving reason rather than some other practical reason then I wonder what else is made of paper, err I meant plastic, in Sony's bodies?

Oct 15, 2014 at 10:48 PM

freaklikeme
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p.2 #3 · p.2 #3 · FotoDiox "Tough E Mount"

FlyPenFly wrote:
IMO, not a great idea.

The plastic is there to give some flex with larger/heavier lenses. If there is no plastic to give some bend, you'll be permanently bending structural frames.

I would just replace the plastic once every year or two if you notice your mount has more give than you're used to.

I think it would make more sense if it were there to make the mount more tolerant to variations in lens mount differences. As Tariq noted, some mounts may be far enough out of spec to shave away at the plastic.

From an engineering perspective, I can see the logic in the design. It's one of four parts of the camera that are going to get the most wear (power switch, shutter release, and shutter being the others) so making it functional but cheap and easy to replace is a valid, if not satisfying, design choice.

If this solves the problem with the NEX-7 and gives me an extended life over the plastic-backed mount, then it will be money well spent. I'm willing to take that chance.

Oct 16, 2014 at 12:47 AM

freaklikeme
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p.2 #4 · p.2 #4 · FotoDiox "Tough E Mount"

Tariq Gibran wrote:
I notice this mount is made out of chromed brass whereas the A7s uses a mount made out of stainless steel. I don't know if one is preferable to the other, brass would be softer I suppose but classic camera mounts also were made out of brass I believe.

Stainless steel wears better. The chrome will eventually wear off our mounts and we'll get brass showing through at high friction points.

Oct 16, 2014 at 12:51 AM

pdmphoto
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p.2 #5 · p.2 #5 · FotoDiox "Tough E Mount"

freaklikeme wrote:
Wrap it up in a sheet of plastic wrap and cut small holes over the screws. Screwdriver in one hand, tweezers in the other, you're good to go.

I like that idea. I went ahead and ordered one. I will use the plastic wrap approach for installation. Thanks!

Oct 16, 2014 at 12:59 AM

dannat
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p.2 #6 · p.2 #6 · FotoDiox "Tough E Mount"

I wonder why the a6000 isn't on the fotodioxlist? Does is have a diff flange in place?

Oct 16, 2014 at 04:22 AM

tsdevine
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p.2 #7 · p.2 #7 · FotoDiox "Tough E Mount"

Or just punch a hole in construction paper, put the hole over one of the screws...take it out and then slide the paper to the next screw.

-Tim

freaklikeme wrote:
Wrap it up in a sheet of plastic wrap and cut small holes over the screws. Screwdriver in one hand, tweezers in the other, you're good to go.

Oct 16, 2014 at 04:58 AM

RCicala
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p.2 #8 · p.2 #8 · FotoDiox "Tough E Mount"

Well, hmmmm. It makes a lot of sense, sort of. Except that plastic piece isn't load bearing. The plastic piece is a spacer.

If I was going to make that video, I'd have loosened the mount's screws just like they did to really make the lens wobble dramatic. Well played, Fotodiox.

Still, it's not an awful idea. As long as you trust Fotodiox to make very flat, very accurately machined mounts. I don't, but YMMV.

Oct 16, 2014 at 06:23 AM

Tariq Gibran
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p.2 #9 · p.2 #9 · FotoDiox "Tough E Mount"

RCicala wrote:
If I was going to make that video, I'd have loosened the mount's screws just like they did to really make the lens wobble dramatic. Well played, Fotodiox.

Yeah, I also got that impression as my A7r mount certainly does not have as much play (I have never noticed play with mine actually) as they show.

Oct 16, 2014 at 06:54 AM

Tariq Gibran
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p.2 #10 · p.2 #10 · FotoDiox "Tough E Mount"

freaklikeme wrote:
Stainless steel wears better. The chrome will eventually wear off our mounts and we'll get brass showing through at high friction points.

Yes, I suppose the other side of the coin is that Stainless would cause more wear on the lens mounts than a slightly softer material. Now I'm curious what material Sony uses for the metal part of the mounts in the A7/A7r.

Oct 16, 2014 at 06:57 AM

miguel_13
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p.2 #11 · p.2 #11 · FotoDiox "Tough E Mount"

RCicala wrote:
Still, it's not an awful idea. As long as you trust Fotodiox to make very flat, very accurately machined mounts. I don't, but YMMV.

. . .sounds like a job for the 'crack' micrometer-research team at Lensrentals?

Oct 16, 2014 at 08:45 AM

ISO1600
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p.2 #12 · p.2 #12 · FotoDiox "Tough E Mount"

I've long used their adapters, and they've been good value most of the time- but i have had a few with issues. Would not trust them for the mount on my A7.

Oct 16, 2014 at 09:26 AM

Jman13
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p.2 #13 · p.2 #13 · FotoDiox "Tough E Mount"

Roger, the flanges that hold the lens in are part of the plastic piece, are they not? Wouldn't that be bearing the most load?
RCicala wrote:
Well, hmmmm. It makes a lot of sense, sort of. Except that plastic piece isn't load bearing. The plastic piece is a spacer.

If I was going to make that video, I'd have loosened the mount's screws just like they did to really make the lens wobble dramatic. Well played, Fotodiox.

Still, it's not an awful idea. As long as you trust Fotodiox to make very flat, very accurately machined mounts. I don't, but YMMV.

Oct 16, 2014 at 10:27 AM

RCicala
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p.2 #14 · p.2 #14 · FotoDiox "Tough E Mount"

Jman13 wrote:
Roger, the flanges that hold the lens in are part of the plastic piece, are they not? Wouldn't that be bearing the most load?

The flanges are, and if it was a question of the flange itself wearing out over time (it might) or bending much (I tried, the flanges are thick and short, they don't) I'd be more interested. The plastic ring is sandwiched between two metal pieces and as long as the screws are properly tightened I I haven't noticed any problem - and we stock ninety A7s cameras alone, and lots more of the other A7 variants.

I have seen a couple of A7s return with bent flanges. Both times they were the uppermost flanges and the bend was severe toward the center, which makes my educated guess that a renter mounted a heavy video lens via adapter and then picked it up by the camera. So this might be a good idea if you know you're going to overload the flange.

But I don't see the problem as endemic and widespread, and I will admit the video drama and exaggeration pissed me off a bit. It seems to me a bit of a solution in search of a problem.

Oct 16, 2014 at 11:36 AM

Tariq Gibran
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p.2 #15 · p.2 #15 · FotoDiox "Tough E Mount"

RCicala wrote:
I have seen a couple of A7s return with bent flanges.

Roger, just to clarify...you are referring to the specific A7s 12MP model with the Stainless mount that you saw this bent flange issue with? "A7s" as above is not meant as plural - A7's right? The A7s model is the only one with metal flanges I suppose anyway...

Edit. Isn't going to be ironic if it turns out that the more robust Stainless mount/ metal flanges on the A7s ends up being more fragile than the plastic used with the other A7 models.

Another question for Roger...how easy is it to order just the plastic flange or the stainless mount from Sony for the A7(r) or the A7s? Any idea on cost?

Oct 16, 2014 at 12:32 PM

naturephoto1
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p.2 #16 · p.2 #16 · FotoDiox "Tough E Mount"

I think that I will keep things as is as Roger seems to suggest and let the rest of you be the guinea pigs.

I am careful in using my heavier lenses on my A7r and use the Novoflex ASTAT rotating collar for lenses tripod mounted starting at least with my Leica R 100mm f2.8 Apo-Macro-Elmarit, my Leica R 80-200mm f4 Vario Elmar and my Leica R 180mm f3.4 Apo Telyt. I also use the Novoflex rotating collar for my Contax (C/Y) 21mm f2.8 Zeiss Distagon lens and I have also used the collar for my Leica R 35mm-70mm f4 Vario Elmar lens when tripod mounted as well. My Leica R 280mm f4 Apo Telyt and my Leica R 560mm f6.8 Telyt lens have their own tripod mounts and/or plates. I never lift or handle any of my longer lenses by my A7r camera, I always carry/hold by the lens itself. This just seems like common sense.

Rich

Edited on Oct 16, 2014 at 02:24 PM · View previous versions

Oct 16, 2014 at 12:54 PM

freaklikeme
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p.2 #17 · p.2 #17 · FotoDiox "Tough E Mount"

RCicala wrote:
As long as you trust Fotodiox to make very flat, very accurately machined mounts. I don't, but YMMV.

It's not that I trust them. I just don't have any reason to trust the Chinese company manufacturing the FotoD mount any more or less than I trust the Chinese company manufacturing Sony's mounts.

I'd be more hesitant if I were doing something that can't be easily reversed.

Oct 16, 2014 at 02:21 PM

Dpedraza
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p.2 #18 · p.2 #18 · FotoDiox "Tough E Mount"

Jman13 wrote:
Well, if I get one I'll do the screws while the camera is tilted slightly down mounted to a tripod. Then there's no chance of dropping a screw on the sensor.

exactly it's common sense lol.

I might look into this I just purchased another a7 kit.

Oct 16, 2014 at 02:30 PM

Lee Saxon
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p.2 #19 · p.2 #19 · FotoDiox "Tough E Mount"

RCicala wrote:
As long as you trust Fotodiox to make very flat, very accurately machined mounts. I don't, but YMMV.

freaklikeme wrote:
It's not that I trust them. I just don't have any reason to trust the Chinese company manufacturing the FotoD mount any more or less than I trust the Chinese company manufacturing Sony's mounts.

The issue isn't where the parts are made. Apple is proof that (if you keep a close enough eye on them) the Chinese can maintain fairly high quality. The issue is that Fotodiox isn't asking them to. If you specify wildly insufficient tolerances to cut costs to absurdly low levels, you're going to get hit-and-miss quality to matter where you manufacture.

Oct 16, 2014 at 03:39 PM

Lee Saxon
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p.2 #20 · p.2 #20 · FotoDiox "Tough E Mount"

RCicala wrote:
I have seen a couple of A7s return with bent flanges. Both times they were the uppermost flanges and the bend was severe toward the center, which makes my educated guess that a renter mounted a heavy video lens via adapter and then picked it up by the camera. So this might be a good idea if you know you're going to overload the flange.

It is my firm belief that anyone stupid enough to do that should have their warranty (or their LensCap plan, in your case) voided. Although on the other hand I have to admit that if Sony wanted to build a mirrorless camera with a robust titanium mount like an Epic big enough to have a grip as big and comfortable as the D4s, so these things didn't happen....I'd pony up for it.

Oct 16, 2014 at 03:43 PM

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