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Contax G to MFT adapter - anyone?

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uusunn

Guest
Just curious skywalker.. do you have any shots with the Kipon adapter? I think the most effective way to make a convincing argument for Kipon is to post shots and hands-on impressions.

You talk about 'not trying to promote', but you came on this forum with 27 posts all dedicated to spreading the gospel of Kipon with 'friends' as dealers. Personally, I trust buying from lasjas much more due to the quality of the device as well as whatever support he can provide. If your friends can come on this thread and personally stand by the products they are selling in the same manner that lasjas has reached out to the M43 community, then that's a slightly different ballgame.

I would be more interested in hearing honest personal opinions, like Jonas has said, much over 'dealer knows x, and y'. My metabones contax G adapter should be coming any day now.. impressions on that soon.
 

jrosen2

Member
I received an email from Lasjashk, the seller of the Metabones adapter. He kindly will replace the adapter. We are now working on the logistics. For me to send it to him quickly for a rapid turnaround, Canada Post will charge $55.00 for express post to Hong Kong. The only other way to send to HK is via parcel post which will take a few weeks. I feel that I shouldn't have to wait weeks for the adapter so I am proposing that we ship at the same time. I am waiting for a response.

I have ABSOLUTELY no connection to Kipon. I was looking forwards to the Metabones because the concept with the wider ring seemed very sound. I am just reporting my findings comparing both. My success rate in nailing the perfect focus sweet spot is much higher with the Kipon than with the Metabone, and that one is better than the Monza. My Metabone adapter appears defective. When the new one comes, I will report on it. If there is a big difference, it brings up the question of quality control.
 

Jonas

Active member
jrosen2, it's "skywalker" that's very tiresome. You can see he has posted 27 times here and, as uusunn mentions, he has promoted Kipon adapters in every single message. "I don't want to make a promotion for KIPON"... Come on, the guy is just too much and I don't think anyone mixes him up with you.

To stay on topic; I hope you and Lasjas sort it up and the question about quality control has of course already been brought up by all this.

As I mentioned I have three Metabones adapters and they are all excellent with a good tight fit and made by care, beating my Novoflex adapter for example. But something is bound to happen at some point.

regards,

/Jonas


EDIT:
Off topic... I always thought the Royal Swedish Mail was the most expensive mail service in the world. Now I checked and a 250g signed and insured mail from Sweden to Hong Kong delivered in 5 working days is SEK 125 (CAD 18). Are you sure you got the right price?
 
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davemillier

Member
I know nothing about Kipon, other than that two adapters I got from ebay were branded Kipon. Both seem very good to me.

A couple of weeks ago I got the gold ring version and it is difficult to see how it could be significantly improved beyond making the ring wider and giving it a rubber grip. Performance of mine with my two lenses is essentially indistinguishable from a real manual focus lens. YMMV.



jrosen2, it's "skywalker" that's very tiresome. You can see he has posted 27 times here and, as uusunn mentions, he has promoted Kipon adapters in every single message. "I don't want to make a promotion for KIPON"... Come on, the guy is just too much and I don't think anyone mixes him up with you.

To stay on topic; I hope you and Lasjas sort it up and the question about quality control has of course already been brought up by all this.

As I mentioned I have three Metabones adapters and they are all excellent with a good tight fit and made by care, beating my Novoflex adapter for example. But something is bound to happen at some point.

regards,

/Jonas


EDIT:
Off topic... I always thought the Royal Swedish Mail was the most expensive mail service in the world. Now I checked and a 250g signed and insured mail from Sweden to Hong Kong delivered in 5 working days is SEK 125 (CAD 18). Are you sure you got the right price?
 

Annna T

Active member
Just curious skywalker.. do you have any shots with the Kipon adapter? I think the most effective way to make a convincing argument for Kipon is to post shots and hands-on impressions.
Skywalker has posted many many pictures on the two Contax G threads (this one concerning the adapters and the Contax G image thread). I don't remember what kind of adapters he is using, but at least he is taking pictures with it and they are easy to find.

Concerning the adapters, they all offers roughness and can behave stiffly. This is probably largely due to the design of these lenses which were built for AF, not for MF. We are all looking for the holy graal here, but Iv'e yet to see an adapter which is unanimouly acclaimed to behave smoothly.
 

Novaron

New member
Just want to say that I have Monza's adapter with my G90/2.8 and used it a lot when I was at the Pcono Blues Festival this past weekend. In addition to my mu43 lens, I used it and a Contax 50/1.4 on an EP-1L extensively. I have posted images from this past Friday night and Saturday (some are P&S shots) at www.flickr.com/photos/novaron. Most B&W shots are from the EP-1.
 

aleksanderpolo

New member
I have Kipon's last adapter and it is quite usable. It is not as smooth as a real focusing ring as it is on the "stiff" side, but focusing does not stop in the middle of operation and there is minimal play between the lens and adapter. In hind sight, if skywalker isn't so hard selling, I would have bought this earlier instead of trying other adapters first. I am always suspicious of hard selling people.
 

seakayaker

Active member
Skywalker has posted many many pictures on the two Contax G threads (this one concerning the adapters and the Contax G image thread). I don't remember what kind of adapters he is using, but at least he is taking pictures with it and they are easy to find.

Concerning the adapters, they all offers roughness and can behave stiffly. This is probably largely due to the design of these lenses which were built for AF, not for MF. We are all looking for the holy graal here, but Iv'e yet to see an adapter which is unanimouly acclaimed to behave smoothly.

Skywalker has 27 comments posted, 26 in this thread and 1 in the NEX thread. The comments in this thread do appear to be from a seller pushing a particular product. Anything he states, for me, is suspect. He does not appear to be a 4/3rds camera user but a supplier pushing his wares.

JMHO


Agree with your second comment regarding that their is no perfect solution, holy grail, due to the design of Contax G lens for AF use.


The advice offered from uses who have actually purchased and used an adaptor carry a lot more credibility then a sales pitch.

I have the Monza adaptor, not perfect by any means, but it is usable. I have posted pictures here and in the 'Having Fun with Contax G' thread.

. . . . . hopefully members who have purchased and use an adaptor will continue to post comments regarding their experience and also post pictures in the 'Having Fun with Contax G' thread.

I believe we are looking for a solution to use these great lenses without having to continue to invest a lot of money and time trying multiple adaptors.

Life is Grand!

Dan
~ ;)
 

davemillier

Member
My adaptors have no stiffness, roughness or jerkiness of any kind. They both operate as smoothly as native manual focusing lenses. The gold ring one has the kind of precise smoothness you normally associate with a ball bearing race, I couldn't fault it.

The fact that there appears to be so much variation in performance of adaptors might reflect manufacturing tolerances but I suspect it might also be the lenses themselves.

Perhaps a fortuitous good match between lens and adaptor is the explanation of those who get good results - and vice versa - rather than anything instrinsic to the adaptors?


Skywalker has posted many many pictures on the two Contax G threads (this one concerning the adapters and the Contax G image thread). I don't remember what kind of adapters he is using, but at least he is taking pictures with it and they are easy to find.

Concerning the adapters, they all offers roughness and can behave stiffly. This is probably largely due to the design of these lenses which were built for AF, not for MF. We are all looking for the holy graal here, but Iv'e yet to see an adapter which is unanimouly acclaimed to behave smoothly.
 

Jonas

Active member
Skywalker has posted many many pictures on the two Contax G threads (this one concerning the adapters and the Contax G image thread). I don't remember what kind of adapters he is using, but at least he is taking pictures with it and they are easy to find.
(...)
27 posts, no images that I found with a quick search but he mentions Kipon in every single post.
I would say he is a spammer and my guess is you mixed him up with somebody else.

regards,

/Jonas
 

Jonas

Active member
(...)
The fact that there appears to be so much variation in performance of adaptors might reflect manufacturing tolerances but I suspect it might also be the lenses themselves.

Perhaps a fortuitous good match between lens and adaptor is the explanation of those who get good results - and vice versa - rather than anything instrinsic to the adaptors?
That's my experience as well; some adapters work well with some lenses. Then there are some first generation samples of both the thumb wheel- and the focusing ring- type adapters I don't think are smooth with any lens.
 
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uusunn

Guest
Trying to install my Contax Metabones adapter now but the lens falls out EASILY upon use. This is very scary. Focusing is great, very smooth, and akin to the 14-45mm ring (okay, maybe not that smooth.. but does feel like it 'belongs'... and when it works, it works.

When I adjust the aperture, the part of the lens body that rotates to secure to the adapter doesn't seem to 'click' into place (or secure into place for that matter.. it freely moves like a focusing wheel, and if you aren't careful enough while adjusting aperture (and you happen to brush the part that secures the lens down), the lens will come out of the body -- which is a huge problem).

Is this a problem with my lens or the metabones adapter? :confused:

See it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMHFhnS11rE

As you can see, the lens doesn't line up as it should:



I can still take photos with the camera, but it just doesn't seem to lock into place on the adapter. I bought the lens in 'EX+' condition with a UV filter and it seems pretty well taken care of (exception: the aperture values don't line up with the 'line'). The lens does not securely fit onto the adapter. It does not 'click', but instead it just stops, screws into the adapter, but doesn't 'click' in all the way to become secured.

I'm not sure what the problem is, but I can't shoot without worrying about the lens falling out.. which is bad news.

This flaw aside, I think it's probably the best adapter out there. VERY fluid, VERY easy to focus, and coming from a guy who was using MF only on the 14-45.. it's basically no different.
 
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Jonas

Active member
Trying to install my Contax Metabones adapter now but the lens falls out EASILY upon use. This is very scary. Focusing is great, very smooth, and akin to the 14-45mm ring (okay, maybe not that smooth.. but does feel like it 'belongs'... and when it works, it works.

When I adjust the aperture, the part of the lens body that rotates to secure to the adapter doesn't seem to 'click' into place (or secure into place for that matter.. it freely moves like a focusing wheel, and if you aren't careful enough while adjusting aperture, the lens will come out of the body -- which is a huge problem).

Is this a problem with my lens or the metabones adapter? :confused:
Hi,

It's not a lens problem and it is not an adapter problem (from a technical point of view). Then again, it is an adapter problem as mounting and un-mounting the lens and adapter isn't very intuitive and basically this is an user error as you didn't get it right... ;)

English is not my strong side, nor is peadagogics but I can try.

1: Make sure your lens is unmounted correctly. You can't open the aperture blades all the way up and the aperture scale is seemingly un-aligned.

2: face the lens downwards

3: Have a look at the adapter from the camera's angle of view. There is a sliding switch which should be positioned to the right.

Now look at the lens and the adapter and find the correct way to align them.

4: Here you may have to align the adapter focusing drive tip with the lid on the lens' focusing screw. Then push the lens and the adapter towards each other (the same way you mount the G lens to a G camera or any other adapter) without turning anything. Turn the knurled, or grooved, ring just in front of the adapter focusing ring only (meaning you should try not to touch any other ring or part of the lens barrel) to the right seen from the front of the lens. That is the lens "mounting ring" and a special for these G lenses.

When turning the mounting ring some power is needed. It is a tight fit and you turn the lens mounting ring until the whole thing clicks in place. The click comes from the adapter locking pin falling into place, a small lid, to the lens. You can see this happen from the adapter side.

5: Now again look at the adapter mount surface (the side mounting to the camera) and push the sliding lever to the left locking the lens to the adapter.

6: You should now be able to turn the aperture ring and see the aperture blades open and close corresponding to the marks on the lens.

7: Mount the lens/adapter to the camera. When locked to the camera the lens will now align correctly with the aperture index mark facing straight upwards. Done.

Yes, it is fiddly. All G -> µ4/3 adapters I have tried are fiddly in some way and this one is perhaps the worst. Maybe it is needed with this construction for a very safe lock between the lens and the adapter. Maybe it is a sign of a design that could be done better. Whatever, after some practice it is easier to do than describe.

I tried this procedure twice with my Planar 45 just to check I got things right. Still, I may have missed something.

I hope somebody fluent in both English and mechanics can describe it better later and that Metabones include a user guide with their adapters. The box is nice though...

regards,

/Jonas
 
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skywalker

Guest
hi Jonas,

Sometimes I think you are ridiculas,I'm not a seller,post here before, I have a friend in Shanghai who selling KIPON,my friend let me write some about KIPON in English in internet, I just tell the truth about the feeling of KIPON G adapter,because I also bought a KIPON G adapter,very smooth to use,now I sold EP2,bought a SONY nex5,using 28/2.8,I don't think my picture is good to show here,so I post two link here as below for your refference,a lot of photos they took with KIPON G adapter.They are pro,one is a adapter book writer,the other one is a blog writer ,both famous in Japan camera field.

http://wpfwm407.at.webry.info/201007/article_5.html
http://dc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/review/dressup/20100616_374350.html

I don't know why made you so upset/
 
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lasjashk

Guest
Thank's for Jonas ....... honestly to go into particulars for our products ...... share for our froum members.

Hi, uusunn, sorry! I will send you some install instructions or video to show how to lock the Lens.......i think it can help to use this adapter feel relieved, thank you!

/Lasjas
 
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uusunn

Guest
Thanks guys. I tried using the instructions but I still can't seem to get it to work. As you can most likely tell, i'm new to this and it's not something i'm too familiar with :eek:. Is there any way you guys can do a photo walk-through or a video? I know Lasjas is working on that and I appreciate it. Thanks for going through the trouble guys!
 
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uusunn

Guest


Got it in as per Jonas's directions.. they're very great. Thank you very much man. I definitely was not aware of the whole locking process that needed to go on prior to getting the lens on. It took some time but I finally got it, and i'm snapping a quick take before I head off to bed. More shots tomorrow with a higher-res camera.. this is just a quick take with my point and shoot (yeah it's a thumb - tease :D).
 
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lasjashk

Guest
That's good ! uusunn! Because i still making a instructions.......but i am very busy today......

Thank's Jonas too!
 
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uusunn

Guest
A few first images taken with this camera.. apologies if they're oversized, just tried to pick a res where you could see clarity. A lot of these are colored differently, but that was the only adjustment I really had to worry about. I still have trouble focusing with the lens (not the adapters problem.. just no tripod or EVF :D), but anyway.. without further ado..







 

seakayaker

Active member
Uusunn, the photographs look great! Congratulations on getting the adaptor and lens fitted properly.

A request was made a short time ago that discussion take place in this thread and for pictures to posted over in the 'Fun with Contax G lenses on m43' thread located here: http://forum.getdpi.com/forum/showthread.php?t=17934

Please keep us updated on the how the adaptor is working for you.

. . . . . and looking forward to viewing your photographs shot with the Contax G lenses!

Life is Grand!

Dan
~ ;)
 
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