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Hi! Need some advice on adapters to G1/GF! for older lenses (FD, M42, Hasselblad)

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FrankT

Guest
This is my first post here, and I've really enjoyed reading through the discussions. Also, I wanted to say Hi and introduce myself as well as ask a couple of questions. So...Hi! :)

I recently bought a Panasonic Lumix GF1 and have really enjoyed it so far with two of the kit lenses. One of the big draws of the G system (and micro 4/3 in general) for me is the ability to put some of my old glass back to use in digital photography.

After searching the forums, I'm still a little confused as to the best lens adapters for various mount types. These are the lenses I have, and I'd love to learn which adapters you've found work best:

1. Canon FD lenses (mostly manual, a couple of older automatic), mostly primes from 28mm to 200mm, some of them quite fast.

2. Older (all manual) Ziess lenses for Hasselblad (500 camera). Many of these are longer focal lengths, 150mm and up.

3. A number of M42 screw mount lenses, and

4. Some cine glass from when I did more movie work (mostly C-mount but a couple of larger lenses) that might be worth experimenting with.

Any advice is greatly appreciated. I'm entirely new to u4/3. Some of the lenses wouldn't cost that much to replace with system lenses, but the lenses I've managed to keep over the years are personal favorites which I'd love to put to use.

Do you have one adapter for each mount type? Or do you have an adapter "permanently" coupled with each legacy lens?

Almost all of my lenses are manual (and even those that aren't I would be using manually), so is it safe to say I don't have to worry about the electronic connections? I wonder if that makes some of the less expensive adapters more feasible or whether the fit/construction of the more expensive adapters makes them worth purchasing anyway....

Thanks and Cheers!

Frank
 

pellicle

New member
Hi Frank

This is my first post here,
welcome out of the closet :)

After searching the forums, I'm still a little confused as to the best lens adapters for various mount types. These are the lenses I have, and I'd love to learn which adapters you've found work best:

1. Canon FD lenses (mostly manual, a couple of older automatic), mostly primes from 28mm to 200mm, some of them quite fast.
well, as always others milage may vary, but so far I've liked the Ciecio7 adaptor better. Its solid robust reliable and well priced.

Here is my thoughts on it over the RJ Camera one I have. The focus of that blog post is reviewing the RJ adaptor but I end up comparing to the ciecio7 one. The ability to open and close the aperture for focus seemed attractive at first but I found the operation cumbersome. It does however make things easier to mount and unmount extension tubes from the adaptor.

this animated gif should give you an idea of the relative size differences between the RJ and the Ciecio7 ...



personally I found the RJ adaptor made the already snug area between grip and lens base that more crowded

Do you have one adapter for each mount type? Or do you have an adapter "permanently" coupled with each legacy lens?
more or less I have one adaptor for each system ... although I have 3 for the FD system (don't ask...)

Almost all of my lenses are manual (and even those that aren't I would be using manually), so is it safe to say I don't have to worry about the electronic connections?
well, if the lens is not one of the OM ZD series of lenses then yes, the electrical connections are totally irrelevant.

see this table for legacy 4/3 connections.

hope that helps

PS many of the RJ adaptors have a slight "rotational orientation" issue which means that when mounted the lens top is not perfectly at the top. I didn't notice this, but it was pointed out to me in a thread on a flickr group ... it does not effect picture taking but does effect how the camera sits with a big lens such as a 300mm on a lens based tripod mount. For your reference. If you look carefully at the GIF above you'll note the mount of the RJ adaptor is in fact rotated by a few degrees. This is a problem created during the drilling of the screw holes ... perhaps they've fixed it now.
 
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FrankT

Guest
That's incredibly informative. Thanks!

And now I'm a little nervous. "Honing" the adapters is a bit beyond by field of experience. I was hoping to buy something ready to go out of the box. :D

Cheers!
 

pellicle

New member
Frank

as I understand it they are all ready to go out of the box

but *iff* you are a camera nerd like me you'll perhaps want to get everything 100% perfect.

The tolerances involved for the perfect application of lenses like 20mm legacy lens is perhaps beyond the real manufacturing tolerances of these cameras (long story, ask if you like), this means that ideally manufacturers now make their stuff to "infinity and beyond" (sorry buzz) ... meaning the adaptors are often a little short now to "guarantee" infinity focus. We are talking something like 0.05 or so of a mm

Recall that a lens focuses by extension, and infinity is the closest point of the lens to the camera, so if the adaptor is a weeny weeny ittyd biddy bit long (mine was) you'll hit the infinity bump stop on your lens and the very very far stuff will be out of focus when you have f1.8 or something set.

Essentially if you're not intending to photograph the horizon at f1.8 its a non issue

my first one from Ciecio7 was a bit out and on my 28mm lens I had problems (less on my 50mm and nil on my 200 as of course the amount of extension gets more with longer focal length lenses) ... so I just honed it down. If you're photographing things close to you (less than 5 meters)

I'm sure the new ones are "top notch" ....

I'll let you know how my new one goes.
 

seakayaker

Active member
A couple of sources for information on adaptors that I have used.

1. Novaflex Adaptor Finder: http://www.novoflex.com/en/products/adapters/adapter-finder/

2. Four Thirds Matching http://www.four-thirds.org/en/products/matching/index.html

3. If I see a photo in a thread with a lens identified that I am interested in and having been shot with a micro 4/3 camera, I will send a PM asking what adaptor they use.

4. Go on Ebay and do a search for micro four third adaptors. I have bought a C/Y adaptor and Pentacon 6 adaptor for my GF1 from rainbowimaging on ebay who was recommended by other GetDPI members. http://stores.ebay.com/RainbowImaging_Lens-Adapter_W0QQ_fsubZ1396706011QQ_sidZ887351901QQ_trksidZp4634Q2ec0Q2em322

Adaptors I currently use:

Panaonic DMW-MA1 4/3 Lens Mount Adaptor which connects my GF1 to a Leica D Summilux 25mm / F1.4 ASPH. and Leica D Vario-Elmar 14-150mm / F3.5-5.6 ASPH. / MEGA O.I.S. Four Thirds lenses. This allows full auto focus with the original four/thirds lens. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/588085-REG/Panasonic_DMW_MA1_DMW_MA1_Mount_Adapter_to.html

C/Y to Micro 4/3 for an old Yashica 50/1.7 and Zeiss Distagon 35mm f/2.8. Manual Focus Only.

Pentacon 6 to Micro 4/3 for a Zeiss Jena Biometar MC 80mm F2.8. Manual Focus Only.

Monza Adaptor -- Contax G to Micro 4/3 http://contaxgm43.wordpress.com/ for the Contax G 45/2 and 90/2.8 lenses.

Voigtlander Leica M Lens to Micro 4/3 for a Leica Summicron-M 35mm f/2 ASPH. Along with the Voigtlander Leica Screw Mount to Leica M Bayonet Adapter for a Voigtlander Nokton 50/1.5; Voigtlander Color-Heliar 75/2.5; Ernst Leitz Wetzlar Summitar 5 cm f/2; Ernst Leitz GmbH Wetzlar - Elmar 9cm f/4; and Ernst Leitz Wetzlar - Hector 135mm f/4.5. http://www.cameraquest.com/adaptnew.htm

The combination of lenses to the four/thirds cameras is pretty extensive and you will find members on the site who have adapted, it sometimes seems, like every possible lens out there.

. . . . . there was a comment from Pellicle "I found the RJ adaptor made the already snug area between grip and lens base that more crowded" . . . . . Since the GF1 does not have the 'Grip' that is on the G1 the comment about a snug area will not apply.

Good luck and enjoy the GF1. They are a lot of fun.

Life is Grand!

Dan
~ ;)
 
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