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Auto focus with anything!

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.










I sold my A7II for an RX1RII. This makes me almost regret that. Almost! :)
 

k-hawinkler

Well-known 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!
Thanks Vivek. I am afraid you are correct with the above statements.
Now that I have had my adapter for a few days I also so far have not found a way to use magnification either. They sure disabled a lot of functionality in the A7r2 when using the adapter. Maybe they will add some of it later back in with firmware updates. But that takes time.

My first impression on the A7r2, the adapter is work in progress, but for me already worth having. I need to use it more before making further characterizations.

Thanks again.
 

monza

Active member
Thanks Vivek. I am afraid you are correct with the above statements.
Now that I have had my adapter for a few days I also so far have not found a way to use magnification either. They sure disabled a lot of functionality in the A7r2 when using the adapter. Maybe they will add some of it later back in with firmware updates. But that takes time.

My first impression on the A7r2, the adapter is work in progress, but for me already worth having. I need to use it more before making further characterizations.

Thanks again.
To use magnification you'll need to go into manual focus mode. This has to be assigned to a button; on my camera it's set to the center button. Magnify is set to C2.
 

monza

Active member
More here:

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.)
 

k-hawinkler

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. Yup, that works like a charm.
Here is an image I took with autofocus and the Leica 75/2 Summicron-M AA on A7r2 and the LM-EA7 adapter @ ISO 12,800. :facesmack:



To my eyes it has a nice 3-D appearance.

BTW, I tried the adapter also on my 50/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH that I believe has an FLE. I got an AF picture - but not a good idea! :banghead:
Well, yes a good idea - if one doesn't take a picture of the screen! :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:
 
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k-hawinkler

Well-known member
Thanks monza. Of course we need pics. I am making them up as we go. Real time delivery! :facesmack:
When I took a picture of the screen I encountered a terrible oscillation of the adapter. Bad.


So, I went outside and took an AF shot of this early (humming)-bird with my 50/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH lens with FLE @ f/1.4.




This is a 100% resolution crop.



Well. That seems in focus to my eyes.
I very much doubt that I could have done that with manual focusing @ f/1.4!

So in MF mode I focused on the feeder ahead of time.
Then I switched to AF, pointed the tiny flexible spot S at the bird and fired, voilà.

I may use this lens a lot after all :D except for the CA wide open. :banghead:
 

monza

Active member
Thanks...I didn't see the 75/2 pic at first.

I have one FLE lens but have not had time to test.

I have found the adapter to be extremely accurate. Much more than I could be, with magnify and focus peaking...
 
I think that the negative effect of not using the floating element will be visible, if any, only at short focusing distance.
 

monza

Active member
I think that the negative effect of not using the floating element will be visible, if any, only at short focusing distance.
I tend to agree. In that case, anything that is short distance from the camera, adjust the lens focusing ring until things are reasonably sharp in the viewfinder (instead of using the AF system) then press the AF button to confirm focus and shoot. :)
 

k-hawinkler

Well-known member
I think that the negative effect of not using the floating element will be visible, if any, only at short focusing distance.
Thanks Ario. You may well be right on this point.
I also could have taken the picture of the hummingbird by presetting the lens to infinity.
 
I tend to agree. In that case, anything that is short distance from the camera, adjust the lens focusing ring until things are reasonably sharp in the viewfinder (instead of using the AF system) then press the AF button to confirm focus and shoot. :)
I also think that this is the correct procedure to focus with FLE lenses.
 

k-hawinkler

Well-known member
I just played with the Tele-Elmar 135/4.
The adapter focuses fine, provided one has manually pre-focused sufficiently well.

The Tele-Elmarit-M 90/2.8 is very easy to focus at larger distances when preset to infinity.

Heavier lenses don't seem to work well, if at all.

So, which lenses make sense for me to use on the adapter?

• WATE, it is small and delivers
• 75/2 Summicron-M AA, I love the way it draws

• 50/2 Summicron
• 90/2.8 Tele-Elmarit-M
• 90/2.8 Elmarit-M works well with the adapter, but borderline heavy

Other 21, 28, and 35 mm lenses with reservations.
I don't have a 24 mm rangefinder lens.

I also have a Minolta 24-35/3.5 lens that seems to work well with the LM-EA7 adapter.
 
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monza

Active member
Wides and normals and short teles seem to work very well with the adapter. Longer lenses have more difficulty, this is where getting close with the focusing ring, and then using the Techart to confirm focus, is the proper method.

Overall I'm extremely pleased. When the adapter confirms focus, it's extremely accurate. :)
 
Thx for all this info.

I was going to wait until any/all bugs were exterminated, but the adapter seems to be working well for all but heaviest lenses, and the early adopters* seem to have made the right choice.

Kirk

*Adapter adopters?
 

monza

Active member
Thx for all this info.

I was going to wait until any/all bugs were exterminated, but the adapter seems to be working well for all but heaviest lenses, and the early adopters* seem to have made the right choice.

Kirk

*Adapter adopters?

I'm a member of AA. :)

It's my guess that 'heavy' isn't a particular problem (although at some point a lens would definitely be too heavy at which point I suppose the camera would move, not the lens.)

I'm going to do more testing but I think it's more related to focal length. I'm going to test that theory with an 80-200/4 C/Y lens. If the theory holds, it should work fine at 80, and require manual adjustment to get 'close' in order to confirm/lock at 200.

If the theory doesn't hold, then maybe it *is* weight related...

More soon.
 
V

Vivek

Guest
Robert, it is FL related as well as a number of other factors like weight and sharpness/contrast. The light weight M Rokkor 90/4 struggles as well as the heavier (and low contrast wide open) OM 50/1.2.
 

monza

Active member
Robert, it is FL related as well as a number of other factors like weight and sharpness/contrast. The light weight M Rokkor 90/4 struggles as well as the heavier (and low contrast wide open) OM 50/1.2.
What I'm seeing is that when the AF button is pressed the adapter just barely moves, and gives up. It's almost like it's too far out of range, and so it doesn't know what to do...

Manual focus the lens to get things reasonably close, then press AF button, and it confirms right away.
 
V

Vivek

Guest
What I'm seeing is that when the AF button is pressed the adapter just barely moves, and gives up. It's almost like it's too far out of range, and so it doesn't know what to do...

Manual focus the lens to get things reasonably close, then press AF button, and it confirms right away.
You are describing the limitation/uselessness of the adapter. :)
 
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