This is a post/question ABOUT GEAR, not about lifestyle choices, not about philosophy, not about native vs adapted lenses, not about collecting vs using photography equipment, not about whether it's a good or bad idea to use adapted lenses on a digital camera, not about film vs digital, not about "stop worrying about gear and just go out and shoot", not about "lenses are just tools, just use the right tool for the job", etc. IF YOU DISLIKE DISCUSSING GEAR, DON'T RESPOND TO THIS POST. There are plenty of other posts on FM that I'm sure will satisfy your need to be condescending, belittling, and/or troll-like; this post is ABOUT GEAR.
(Sorry for the somewhat harsh disclaimer. I'm just simply fed up with the three usual toxic trolls here on FM that manage to ruin every single post with their constant personal attacks, and the fact that reporting them to the moderators does absolutely nothing. Pressing the "Hide Member" button does nothing because they still find a way to see/comment in my posts. Hopefully the rest of the awesome forum members here will chime in and provide actual helpful info like always).
I have several manual focus Minolta MD and Canon FL lenses in pristine condition (no haze, no fungus; they look almost brand new), and I would like to use them on my A7c (not for professional/paid work, not for travel, not for exhibiting in some upscale photo gallery, not for entering photos in any competition, not for daily use, not for "replacing" any of my current mirrorless lenses, not for any type of professional workflow whatsoever, not to impress/seek validation of the usual three petty, toxic trolls here). They are simply excellent lenses (at least when I use them on my film cameras), and I would like to try them on my A7c just because they are fantastic lenses, and it seems like it would be fun.
Any experienses with Fotodiox, Metabones, K&F, Urth, etc.? I am well aware that I won't have any AF or any other automatic functions if I do this. I just want to know about your experiences; which adapter has the best fit? Which adapter will be less likely to cause any damage to either my camera or my lenses? Which adapter has worked better for you? Which adapters should I stay away from? Etc.
So far as FL/FD, my strongest recommendation is to spend on the Novoflex. Every adapter I've received from them has been square and accurate, but the FD has the nice bonus of no moving parts. Once you figure out the mount diagram on the adapter (so you catch the aperture pin before sinking the adapter into the lens mount) it'll be your pal. Well worth the money.
For Minolta, I'd go Rayqual. It's very well flocked, which can be important depending on the lens (my MD 100/2.5 and 200/2.8 get reflection issues without it in some lighting scenarios) and, like with Novoflex, they've never shipped me a dud. That said, I have a few other adapters that get used for the mount; an old K&F helicoid adapter for closer focusing, a Kipon shift adapter I use exclusively with the 100/4 mac for flowers and the like, and a Fotodoix Pro the seller of my MD 300/4.5 included in the purchase. I bought the K&F and Kipon and had to shim them both on the lens mount side to get them square. I didn't have to do it with the Fotodiox and there's no sign the original owner did either, which makes it unique in my adapter collection. I've never received anything from them before that didn't require a little help or need to be sent back because the camera mount side was unsatisfactorily loose.
For what it's worth, I've not had any issues with a basic Fotodiox MD adapter I have had for some years now. Fit is fine, for both lens and camera sides.
freaklikeme wrote:
So far as FL/FD, my strongest recommendation is to spend on the Novoflex. Every adapter I've received from them has been square and accurate, but the FD has the nice bonus of no moving parts. Once you figure out the mount diagram on the adapter (so you catch the aperture pin before sinking the adapter into the lens mount) it'll be your pal. Well worth the money.
For Minolta, I'd go Rayqual. It's very well flocked, which can be important depending on the lens (my MD 100/2.5 and 200/2.8 get reflection issues without it in some lighting scenarios) and, like with Novoflex, they've never shipped me a dud. That said, I have a few other adapters that get used for the mount; an old K&F helicoid adapter for closer focusing, a Kipon shift adapter I use exclusively with the 100/4 mac for flowers and the like, and a Fotodoix Pro the seller of my MD 300/4.5 included in the purchase. I bought the K&F and Kipon and had to shim them both on the lens mount side to get them square. I didn't have to do it with the Fotodiox and there's no sign the original owner did either, which makes it unique in my adapter collection. I've never received anything from them before that didn't require a little help or need to be sent back because the camera mount side was unsatisfactorily loose....Show more →
Thanks!!! Regarding the Novoflex, is there any difference regarding ease/difficulty of attaching whether I'm using breech mount (FL) vs FD New bayonet mount?
freaklikeme wrote:
So far as FL/FD, my strongest recommendation is to spend on the Novoflex.
I agree. The lesser-cost adapters worked OK with the 300mm f/4 L but for the 500mm f/4.5 L the pin to close the diaphragm didn't engage with the lens. The Novoflex worked with both lenses.
snegron7 wrote: freaklikeme wroteSo far as FL/FD, my strongest recommendation is to spend on the Novoflex. Every adapter I've received from them has been square and accurate, but the FD has the nice bonus of no moving parts. Once you figure out the mount diagram on the adapter (so you catch the aperture pin before sinking the adapter into the lens mount) it'll be your pal. Well worth the money.
For Minolta, I'd go Rayqual. It's very well flocked, which can be important depending on the lens (my MD 100/2.5 and 200/2.8 get reflection issues without it in some lighting scenarios) and, like with Novoflex, they've never shipped me a dud. That said, I have a few other adapters that get used for the mount; an old K&F helicoid adapter for closer focusing, a Kipon shift adapter I use exclusively with the 100/4 mac for flowers and the like, and a Fotodoix Pro the seller of my MD 300/4.5 included in the purchase. I bought the K&F and Kipon and had to shim them both on the lens mount side to get them square. I didn't have to do it with the Fotodiox and there's no sign the original owner did either, which makes it unique in my adapter collection. I've never received anything from them before that didn't require a little help or need to be sent back because the camera mount side was unsatisfactorily loose.Thanks!!! Regarding the Novoflex, is there any difference regarding ease/difficulty of attaching whether I'm using breech mount (FL) vs FD New bayonet mount?
Nothing dependent on the adapter, no. The 1.4x converter is the only breech mount I've used, and it was more of a pain to twist locked, but the fit and operation were as expected.
The adapters I use on MD and FL(and FD) are the basic/Gen1 K&F Concept adapters. Although I haven't had problems with those specific adapters (ie for MD and FL/FD) I have had problems with the basic/Gen1 adapter with other lenses, and I wouldn't buy them again. They have poor internal reflection control/paint. However the K&F Concept GenIV, and Pro (I see there are 'fit art' adapters now as well) adapters are probably the sweet spot for price/quality, and they are the ones I tend to buy these days.
I regularly use Fotodiox Pro on other lenses, and they are fine (although I did receive a Contax adapapter which was faulty out of the box).
I wouldn't recommend the Novoflex and Rayqual. I've had a faulty Novoflex for Leica R to NEX (from brand new (too tight on the camera body)). On the other hand, the Rayqual is a superb item, but it is the CORRECT length, ie it is NOT intentionally slightly short, as are other adapters, so your lenses might not achieve infinity focus. I had this problem with a few Leica R lenses with the Rayqual, and surprisingly with a base model K&F Concept, which I suspect was simply made out of spec. That's why adapters are typically made a little short, so that you get infinity focus.
Buy whatever you can afford, but avoid the cheapest adapters (which can also be OK), partly because internal reflections might be a problem. I think the upper range of the K&F Concept are very good and that's what I tend to buy these days, and Fotodiox Pro.
Another point to consider, sometimes these adapters are made by external contractors which can change over time. I've bought what I thought was the same adapter, several years later, and received a functionally equivalent adapter but clearly made to a slightly different design, and certainly to different specifications. Point being, that other people's experience over the years may not relate to what you might get today.