I know this is very much projecting into the future but was just wondering if there is an issue with third party companies like Metabones being able to produce an autofocus adapter for the Fuji GFX camera? As far as I know, there is no electronic autofocus adapter for the Fuji apsc series of cameras, as there is for Sony and m43?
Is it simply due to lack of demand or is it something more complex than that?
Am very excited by the Fuji as it contains a shutter and (potentially) allows the use of a whole bunch of lenses. Am not really concerned about autofocus but would love to see an adapter that enabled the use of Canon TS-E lenses.. Throw in a shift adapter for these lenses (even if the lenses need to be used in aperture stopdown mode) and for use with other medium format lenses and we really have a versatile camera...
Oh, a couple of leaf shutter lenses or the option to use existing ones and then it is very versatile...
Well, the adapter would need to be able to do the following:
1. Report as an AF lens for the camera - easy enough, chipped lenses/adapters do this all the time.
2. Intercept and decode the AF/aperture/shutter signal - requires reverse engineering as most of this data is proprietary, but third-party lenses from the likes of Sigma and Tamron already do this.
3. Encode and re-send said data to adapted lens in question - same as point 2 but in reverse, you need the proper interface protocols for each mount adapted.
4. If the lens in question is mechanically-coupled in nature, that is screw-driven or with a lever for aperture, the adapter would need it's own motors and actuators built-in.
Seeing as many medium format lenses are designed to cover a fairly long mirror box, of around 63-71mm on average, and the GFX flange is 26.3mm, that leaves a fairly comfortable 36~44mm of dumb space between the mount and lens, which I think is plenty to implement whatever mechanical wizardry that's needed for it to work... Assuming, of course, someone takes the initiative to invest in the R&D needed to reverse engineer all the protocols and translate them, and also prototype the hardware and tolerances needed for mechanically-driven features.
The success of this camera could be significantly boosted with adapters as people could take them as second cameras for existing systems, but that depends on how certain companies will see the GFX as an investment. Metabones is primarily concerned with video shooters, so if it ships with solid video features, that would actually be a benefit to everyone.