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Techart adapter and Contax G question

Cindy Flood

Super Moderator
I just got the Techart III adapter in the mail today. I also just purchased the 45 f/2 and 90 f/2 lenses. The 90 mounts and tries to AF. I can manual focus it. The 45 mounts, but will not AF and when I turn the manual focus wheel, it spins loosely. It is not engaged. There is no AF.
I have put it on several times. I've had Contax G lenses before on a Contax II and on a NEX with an adapter (which I unfortunately no longer have), so I know how to mount and unmount a Contax G lens properly.
I am not sure if I am missing something in the gibberish Chinese translation instructions. I have my lens AF on the shutter button. The rest, I'm not clear on. I don't know if the problem is with the 45mm lens or with the adapter or with me. I'm pretty sure that the adapter needs a software update because it is hunting a lot, but I don't want to go there till I figure out if I should send it back or not.
I have tried it on A7rII and A7II.
Any help would really be appreciated.
 

ddanois

Member
I have the same lenses and issues. The adapters are finicky and require a bit of trial and error. I have had more success mounting the lens to the adapter before mounting to the camera but you might have a different experience.

If if the the dial spins loosely, then it isn't engaged correctly so try holding the lens by the middle ring and push it into the adapter firmly and then twisting to the right to lock it in.

Hope this helps.

Derek
 

Cindy Flood

Super Moderator
Thanks for those suggestions, Derek. I had previously tried locking and unlocking, and different sequences of mounting, and I can't get that wheel to engage.
 
Last edited:

Slingers

Active member
I have a love/hate relationship with the version II of this adapter. It doesn't recognise my 45mm either. I have the opposite problem though where it refuses to move the lens for focusing but I have no problem on a manual adapter and on a contax g camera with the 45mm so I know it's not the lens. My 90mm wouldn't AF when I first received the adapter and this is what they told me to do.

turn the camera aperture to f/25, and full press the shutter, capture the image,

- turn off the camera and return to f/2.8

- AF should work again.
 

Annna T

Active member
I have a love/hate relationship with the version II of this adapter. It doesn't recognise my 45mm either. I have the opposite problem though where it refuses to move the lens for focusing but I have no problem on a manual adapter and on a contax g camera with the 45mm so I know it's not the lens. My 90mm wouldn't AF when I first received the adapter and this is what they told me to do.

turn the camera aperture to f/25, and full press the shutter, capture the image,

- turn off the camera and return to f/2.8

- AF should work again.
I can confirm that Deotek smart adapters are finicky. I have two different versions : one v2 and one v3 and each works better with different lenses.

The adapter uses exotic Fstops to achieve some tasks. When you put it at F25, you can change from MF to AF. The process is as described above, to change from MF to AF or vice versa.


Frankly, those adapters cost a lot, but never worked very efficiently on my A7r. This prevents me from using those nice and light lenses on the A7r. Now I prefer the Sony 55mm F1.4 to the 45mm, or the Tamron 90mm F2.8 plus EOS Smart adapter, to the 90mm F2.8. I should just get a dumb Kipon manual one.
 

Jim DE

New member
I am retiring all my CG glass back to their Contx G2 kit bag it appears. I recently got a FE 55 and imp it is better than the cg45 which I never would of predicted. I have to assume the FE 90 macro will end up as better than the last CG lens I am currently carrying in my a7rII kit. I fully expect to the CG90 back to the Contax G2 bag on my next lens purchase.

I have been a huge fan of the 45 and 90 but their performance has finally been exceeded. But with the 90 their will be a size penalty to beat it.
 

Cindy Flood

Super Moderator
Thanks for all of the help. I still have not been able to engage the manual focus on the 45. It is very hard to get it to even mount. I really wanted this to work. I have the Sony 55 f/1.8 (and 50 R, M, Dark Night, Zooms at 50). I wanted this to work because I love the way these Zeiss lenses render.
 

Annna T

Active member
Thanks for all of the help. I still have not been able to engage the manual focus on the 45. It is very hard to get it to even mount. I really wanted this to work. I have the Sony 55 f/1.8 (and 50 R, M, Dark Night, Zooms at 50). I wanted this to work because I love the way these Zeiss lenses render.
The focusing mechanism of the Contax G lenses are activated by a screw which you can see on the mount. Try turning that screw, in order to check whether it is blocked or hard to turn. If it is hard, you may give it some more turns to smooth things out. Also, look at the adapter put in front of the lens mount and examine how the two parts are going to plug in : that screw and the mini screwdriver on the adapter are vital parts and sometimes don't match very well.

Or may be it is just that you need to update the adapter. That was necessary for the EOS-> FE smart adapter on the A7r2 too.
 

scho

Well-known member
I just got the Techart III adapter in the mail today. I also just purchased the 45 f/2 and 90 f/2 lenses. The 90 mounts and tries to AF. I can manual focus it. The 45 mounts, but will not AF and when I turn the manual focus wheel, it spins loosely. It is not engaged. There is no AF.
I have put it on several times. I've had Contax G lenses before on a Contax II and on a NEX with an adapter (which I unfortunately no longer have), so I know how to mount and unmount a Contax G lens properly.
I am not sure if I am missing something in the gibberish Chinese translation instructions. I have my lens AF on the shutter button. The rest, I'm not clear on. I don't know if the problem is with the 45mm lens or with the adapter or with me. I'm pretty sure that the adapter needs a software update because it is hunting a lot, but I don't want to go there till I figure out if I should send it back or not.
I have tried it on A7rII and A7II.
Any help would really be appreciated.
Withe the 45 mounted set the camera aperture to f/2 and leave it there. Set lens aperture to whatever you need. With the 90 set camera to 2.8. They both work fine for me with vIII adapter and firmware version 2.0. My adapter did not come with 2.0 installed so I had to use the iPhone app to update.

Good luck,
Carl
 

Cindy Flood

Super Moderator
The focusing mechanism of the Contax G lenses are activated by a screw which you can see on the mount. Try turning that screw, in order to check whether it is blocked or hard to turn. If it is hard, you may give it some more turns to smooth things out. Also, look at the adapter put in front of the lens mount and examine how the two parts are going to plug in : that screw and the mini screwdriver on the adapter are vital parts and sometimes don't match very well.

Or may be it is just that you need to update the adapter. That was necessary for the EOS-> FE smart adapter on the A7r2 too.
Thank you, Annna T. I found that the screw is binding badly on the 45mm. I turned it back and forth several times, but it still binds in the middle. I can see why the auto focus does not work with it (manual focus does not work either). I am going to send it back.
 

Cindy Flood

Super Moderator
Withe the 45 mounted set the camera aperture to f/2 and leave it there. Set lens aperture to whatever you need. With the 90 set camera to 2.8. They both work fine for me with vIII adapter and firmware version 2.0. My adapter did not come with 2.0 installed so I had to use the iPhone app to update.

Good luck,
Carl
Thanks for the information, Carl. The 90 is working, so I have narrowed down the problem to the screw drive on the 45mm.

Thanks to everyone for your input. I understand how it all works now and think that I can enjoy this adapter and the Contax G lenses once I have the lens problem sorted out.
 

Mark Muse

New member
The FE 55 is a great lens, no doubt. BUT, I find it incredibly sterile.
I agree about the sterility of the 55 (and Batis 25, by the way), but I think the 45 G is almost as bad - superb for B&W though.

The 90 G, on the other hand, is really nice all around - an ideal balance of qualities: not quite as sharp as the 45 but not at all lacking, has a somewhat delicate presentation (great for landscapes), excellent color rendering, very useable at ƒ2,8, small and lightweight.

I just wish I could find a light weight manual adapter with smooth focusing for it.
 

scho

Well-known member
I agree about the sterility of the 55 (and Batis 25, by the way), but I think the 45 G is almost as bad - superb for B&W though.

The 90 G, on the other hand, is really nice all around - an ideal balance of qualities: not quite as sharp as the 45 but not at all lacking, has a somewhat delicate presentation (great for landscapes), excellent color rendering, very useable at ƒ2,8, small and lightweight.

I just wish I could find a light weight manual adapter with smooth focusing for it.
The TechArt adapter offers very smooth manual focusing in addition to AF. The MF works well with peaking and magnification provided by the A7Rx. The 35 G (at least my copy) also has some very nice rendering and not as contrasty as the 45.
 

Annna T

Active member
I agree about the sterility of the 55 (and Batis 25, by the way), but I think the 45 G is almost as bad - superb for B&W though.

The 90 G, on the other hand, is really nice all around - an ideal balance of qualities: not quite as sharp as the 45 but not at all lacking, has a somewhat delicate presentation (great for landscapes), excellent color rendering, very useable at ƒ2,8, small and lightweight.

I just wish I could find a light weight manual adapter with smooth focusing for it.
I don't understand this reproach of sterility concerning a lens like the 55mm F1.4 : it is tack sharp, exhibits a lot of microcontrast and a nice soft bokey. The most frequent reproach against the Contax G lenses at the time was that they had a busy bokey, compared to Leica glass. But that is solved with the 55mm F1.4.

Or may be that is because these reproaches come from persons who are adverse to the "German Sachlichkeit" ?
 

Cindy Flood

Super Moderator
I don't understand this reproach of sterility concerning a lens like the 55mm F1.4 : it is tack sharp, exhibits a lot of microcontrast and a nice soft bokey. The most frequent reproach against the Contax G lenses at the time was that they had a busy bokey, compared to Leica glass. But that is solved with the 55mm F1.4.

Or may be that is because these reproaches come from persons who are adverse to the "German Sachlichkeit" ?
I am not dissing the 55 f/1.8. I have had it for almost 2 years and use it a lot. It is just a bit too perfect for me, and for me, that translates to sterile. I guess I like something a little quirkier.
 

Cindy Flood

Super Moderator
I love the manual focus from the 90 f/2.8 and this Techart adapter. Manual focus is much better than the previous G to NEX adapter that I used to have. I could not get the 45mm to AF or MF. It has been sent back, and I've ordered a replacement. I have the 35G and love mine, but it has the Leica M mount, so I won't be able to AF with it.

The TechArt adapter offers very smooth manual focusing in addition to AF. The MF works well with peaking and magnification provided by the A7Rx. The 35 G (at least my copy) also has some very nice rendering and not as contrasty as the 45.
 
V

Vivek

Guest
I am not dissing the 55 f/1.8. I have had it for almost 2 years and use it a lot. It is just a bit too perfect for me, and for me, that translates to sterile. I guess I like something a little quirkier.
When we get better cameras from Sony without lossy compressions and shutter shock, it will get interesting. :p

On sony cams, the higher contrast (55 and others) is useful when a lens is stopped down to minimise diffraction effects.
 
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