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Auto focus with anything!

k-hawinkler

Well-known member
The "ring reflection" is not an internal reflection. It is a software correction in camera. Turn off your automatic lens corrections and it will disappear.

Many thanks Show Performance.
What's a good starting point for setting up an A7t2 for using this adapter?
TIA.
 

mazor

New member
It took about 2 mins to lock focus and trip the shutter.



Jupiter-3 5cm f/1.5 (f4), NEX-5N monochrome.
Wonder if anyone will agree, 2 minutes to lock focus is a little too long in my opinion. Wonder why Techart could not use a motor that suited CDAF.
 

mazor

New member
Thank you, K-H!

It is not possible to manually focus when this adapter is mounted with all the electrical contacts intact. :(

It is AF or bust! No DMF or MF possibilities at all. Also, my 5N reported "not enough power" for a sensor clean with the adapter on!

This was one lucky shot. The AF worked within ~10-15s to make this!



Juipter-3 5cm f/1.5 f/2.8, NEX-5N monochrome.





Finally, I found something slower than me (in my current physical condition). :LOL:

So based on your tests Vivek, you would not be recommending this Techart adapter for those with older NEX cameras?
 
V

Vivek

Guest
That is correct. Unless you use the latest cameras, avoid this adapter.
 

k-hawinkler

Well-known member
Interesting! So in what position schould your manual focus ring be? Or doesn't matter at all? Silly Question?:confused:?
Great question Michiel.

AFAIK, without having the adapter yet, that depends.
If the movement of the adapter covers the entire focusing range then at infinity.
Seems to work for 50 mm lenses.

Otherwise closer to what you want to focus on.

At least that's what I picked up on. If I am wrong, please, anybody correct me. Thanks.
 

monza

Active member
Interesting! So in what position schould your manual focus ring be? Or doesn't matter at all? Silly Question?:confused:?
I received my adapter last Saturday, and have shot several hundred photos since then.

I've been using "Flexible Spot: S" successfully, the only photos that have not been in focus were the result of user error (i.e., firing without first pressing back-button AF.)

A few notes:

Mine apparently came with firmware version 1. However when I looked at the version number, it originally said:

Lens
Ver. 02

So I originally thought it shipped with firmware version 2.

After updating to version 2, the motor is less 'chirpy' and focus seems a bit slower, but that may just be an initial impression as I just updated it a few minutes ago and have only done a few tests around the house.

Now, when I go to the Version screen on the camera, it shows:

Lens
Ver. 01

As far as where to put the focus ring on the lens, I leave it on infinity, unless the subject is relatively close.

For example, with the 50/1.7 C/Y, the minimum focus distance is 0.6m. That's a little long for my preference with SLR lenses (the 50/1.4 C/Y has an MFD of 0.45m for comparison) so the Techart adapter is very useful, as it's in effect a built-in, on-demand, variable extension tube.

So, if I'm shooting something that is in the range of about 1m to infinity, I leave the lens on infinity.

If the subject is fairly close, however, say, in the range of 1m or less, I'll turn the focus ring on the lens until things look reasonably sharp in the viewfinder, then hit the back-button AF to lock focus. After a bit of practice this becomes second nature, and the motor in the Techart only has to move very slightly to lock focus.

The above would be the recommended usage for lenses with floating elements; coarse focus manually, and then press AF button to lock.

If the lens is NOT at infinity, and you try to AF on something farther away, the Techart might not be able to reach focus. At first I was wondering what was up, but it was just user error. :) In this situation the motor moves a bit, but never 'beeps' with focus confirmation and the green square doesn't light up. Set the focus ring to infinity and then press the AF button again.

At first I wasn't able to use focus magnification, but finally figured out that AF/MF Ctrl has to be toggled first.

So in AF mode, you won't see focus peaking, and you won't be able to magnify. This error will appear:

“This operation or setting
is not available as follows

Focus Mode
Single-shot AF”


Toggle to MF and focus peaking will appear, and magnification is then possible.

My camera has AF/MF Ctrl Toggle set to the Center Button, Focus Magnifier set to C2, and Steady Shot Focal Length set to C4 (trash can.) This arrangement was suggested by Chad (@Show Performance.)

Hope this helps!
 

Michiel Schierbeek

Well-known member
I received my adapter last Saturday, and have shot several hundred photos since then.

I've been using "Flexible Spot: S" successfully, the only photos that have not been in focus were the result of user error (i.e., firing without first pressing back-button AF.)

A few notes:

Mine apparently came with firmware version 1. However when I looked at the version number, it originally said:

Lens
Ver. 02

So I originally thought it shipped with firmware version 2.

After updating to version 2, the motor is less 'chirpy' and focus seems a bit slower, but that may just be an initial impression as I just updated it a few minutes ago and have only done a few tests around the house.

Now, when I go to the Version screen on the camera, it shows:

Lens
Ver. 01

As far as where to put the focus ring on the lens, I leave it on infinity, unless the subject is relatively close.

For example, with the 50/1.7 C/Y, the minimum focus distance is 0.6m. That's a little long for my preference with SLR lenses (the 50/1.4 C/Y has an MFD of 0.45m for comparison) so the Techart adapter is very useful, as it's in effect a built-in, on-demand, variable extension tube.

So, if I'm shooting something that is in the range of about 1m to infinity, I leave the lens on infinity.

If the subject is fairly close, however, say, in the range of 1m or less, I'll turn the focus ring on the lens until things look reasonably sharp in the viewfinder, then hit the back-button AF to lock focus. After a bit of practice this becomes second nature, and the motor in the Techart only has to move very slightly to lock focus.

The above would be the recommended usage for lenses with floating elements; coarse focus manually, and then press AF button to lock.

If the lens is NOT at infinity, and you try to AF on something farther away, the Techart might not be able to reach focus. At first I was wondering what was up, but it was just user error. :) In this situation the motor moves a bit, but never 'beeps' with focus confirmation and the green square doesn't light up. Set the focus ring to infinity and then press the AF button again.

At first I wasn't able to use focus magnification, but finally figured out that AF/MF Ctrl has to be toggled first.

So in AF mode, you won't see focus peaking, and you won't be able to magnify. This error will appear:

“This operation or setting
is not available as follows

Focus Mode
Single-shot AF”


Toggle to MF and focus peaking will appear, and magnification is then possible.

My camera has AF/MF Ctrl Toggle set to the Center Button, Focus Magnifier set to C2, and Steady Shot Focal Length set to C4 (trash can.) This arrangement was suggested by Chad (@Show Performance.)

Hope this helps!
Thanks Monza, very informative!

Tw other questions are:

Infinity with adapters is mostly a liitle past infinity, especially if you start using two adapters on top of each other.
If I try to think logically with my limited tech brain I would think this is not a problem for the Techart adapter?

Did you use one of the latest Sony camera models? Because, as Vivek stated on the old models the focussing is like a snail and I didn't
hear you complain about focussing speed.

Thanks
 

Michiel Schierbeek

Well-known member
Ah thanks, Vivek, may be one of these days....

It would put some new life into my old lenses.
Even with two adapters my pancake C/Y 45 Tessar would make
a very modest streetcam. And in deed the Jupiters!

Let's see what Bart has to say about this
 

monza

Active member
Thanks Monza, very informative!

Tw other questions are:

Infinity with adapters is mostly a liitle past infinity, especially if you start using two adapters on top of each other.
If I try to think logically with my limited tech brain I would think this is not a problem for the Techart adapter?
Most of my shots were taken with C/Y lenses, so the Techart + a C/Y-to-M adapter.

Did you use one of the latest Sony camera models? Because, as Vivek stated on the old models the focussing is like a snail and I didn't
hear you complain about focussing speed.

Thanks
A7-II.

Focusing speed is not as fast as the Techart for Contax G, but then again, that motor is only moving the optics, not the entire lens.
 

Knorp

Well-known member
Bart will let us know if that is the case. :)

Michiel, you are welcome to try the adapter on your A7r.
Don't hold your breath, guys !
Got this today ...

Hi Sir,

Sorry to tell you that due to the heated demand and limited supply, we are not able to ship all the preorders in late March.
According to your order number, we are going to ship in around late April/early May. Will let you know when it is available to ship.
Thank you very much for your understanding and patience. We will make sure this waiting is worthwhile.
Please stay close to our webpage/facebook page for latest shipment updates.

Thanks again for your support and sorry for all the inconvenience caused!

David
 
Monza was nice enough to let me borrow his Techart while I've been recovering from the stomach flu. Took it out for a trip to the doctor and to pick up lunch for my wife (can't handle burgers yet). Took the C/Y Zeiss 50mm Planar 1.4 and a7RII along.

The adapter was really impressive. Focus is very accurate and plenty fast in daylight. It is similar to the Techart G adapter except quieter and a bit slower but not by much.

Also played around with my converted minilux 40mm Summarit but no samples yet. That lens seems like a perfect match on the Techart.

This is a game changer and a tech that will only improve as PDAF improves. Exciting times.










 
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