Fred Miranda
Offline
Admin
Upload & Sell: On
|
Chad Wadsworth wrote:
So apologies if someone has already covered this but I don't have the time or patience to read back through the whole thread 
I received my Kipon Sony A-mount to Leica M adapter earlier this week in the hopes of creating a replacement solution for the LA-EA4 adapter. Stacked on the Techart Pro, the A to M adapter conceivably would allow you to use your screw mount Sony and Minolta lenses without that pesky SLT mirror in the LA-EA4. Specifically I wanted to have fast PDAF with the ZA 135/1.8
In practice, the idea is both a success and failure.
First off, the Kipon does not physically mount on the Techart without some modification to either it or the Techart. I chose to tackle the Kipon - by removing the aperture adjustment ring from the adapter, it will then fit on the Techart and you can still adjust the aperture using the small lever built into the Kipon (see photo below).
With that first hurdle passed, I mounted the ZA 135 and started shooting. Initial reaction was positive but I soon realized that for this focal length and lens, the Techart required a significant amount of pre-focus. I found I was effectively manually focusing and then using the Techart for that final confirmation. The other negative, and this one most critical, was the sag in the adapter due to the weight of the Zeiss. This was to be expected but still a bummer.
So at the end of the day, I reassembled the Kipon and sent it back. If I had other, small A-mount lenses such as the 20/2.8 or the Minolta 35/2, I think this solution would gain you a little bit of AF speed over the LA-EA4 but you would be giving up precise aperture control with EXIF and suffering from the always present lockups of the Techart. Not worth it for me.
Maybe one of these days Sony will release a new adapter supporting screw drive lenses without the SLT but until then, this is the only AF solution on E mount besides the current LA-EA4 adapter.
 |
|
|
|
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8031/29240456552_b92547ef40_b.jpg |
|
|
|
| ...Show more →
Thanks for the report Chad. I thought about doing something similar but using a Nikon version of the Zeiss 135/2 APO. I am sure it would work but as you described, a rough pre-focus is required for long focal lengths when using this adapter.
I'd say, after 85mm pre-focus is a must. I learned to change the lens focus setting from infinity to a closer distance (like 2 or 3m) based on my most common distances to the subject. (For example headshots)
Best,
Fred
|
