Rayqual m4/3 to FD; Issue with FD 50mm f/1.2

I am very interested in how the FD-mFT Rayqual adapter works.

Could you qualify, you are talking about a FD 50/1.2, not a FD 50L. The FD 50L would need a more exactingly correct adapter thickness.

Can you confirm the FD lens will infinity focus on a film body? That would confirm it has the proper flange to sensor register.

I am questioning the proper optical thickness of the adapter.

ajuett said:

It appears that I can't focus beyond 200 feet (approx.) so basically, no infinity focus.

I have done all the settings I believe needed to make the FD 50mm f/1.2 lens work;
In the menu options choose No Lens
MF setting on the left dial
Shooting mode A
Use aperture dial on lens

Any other setting I have missed?

Click to expand...

I have the same lens and adapter and I have no problem focusing to infinity. Did you set the lens aperture to something other than the "A" mark before mounting the lens to the adapter? Does the lens stop down properly (look at the lens from the front) as you rotate the aperture ring when the lens is mounted? If all of this checks out then you may have to check out the lens.

The alignment marks should look like this when properly mounted:

I may have found the issue and its not a good sign. I'm not seeing the blades move when I change the aperture setting on the ring.

I'm going to take the G1 with the adapter back to the store where I bought the lens and try a different FD lens.

On another note; The adapter itself is very well made and fits nice and snug on the G1. From what I can see, no fault is to blame on the Rayqual adapter.

ajuett said:

I may have found the issue and its not a good sign. I'm not seeing the blades move when I change the aperture setting on the ring.

I'm going to take the G1 with the adapter back to the store where I bought the lens and try a different FD lens.

On another note; The adapter itself is very well made and fits nice and snug on the G1. From what I can see, no fault is to blame on the Rayqual adapter.

Click to expand...

It is a little tricky mounting the lens to adapter to get the aperture ring working properly. Try re-mounting the lens to adapter, off camera, and check that aperture ring is working before mounting to the camera. You should hear a click when the lens is properly engaged in the mount.

I've tried like you suggested. I still don't see the blades moving. Unfortunately I have found yet another issue; fungus. You can't see it when the lens is by itself but, when you attach the adapter, its there large as life. The store has a FD 35mm f/2 if not they have a couple of others that might interest me.

scho said:

It is a little tricky mounting the lens to adapter to get the aperture ring working properly. Try re-mounting the lens to adapter, off camera, and check that aperture ring is working before mounting to the camera. You should hear a click when the lens is properly engaged in the mount.

Click to expand...

I have the same situation with an FD lens (50/1.8) and a Chinese 4/3 adapter. Once the lens is mounted on the adapter, the aperture is wide open and won't adjust at all. Off the adapter it works fine. So the adapter is somehow locking it open. I tried mounting the lens with the aperture ring set on "A" and somewhere in the middle (around 5.6) and the same thing happens. Unless I'm missing something, there isn't any other way to mount it to the adapter so that the aperture will still work.

Bill

Bill, I bought a CQ FD adaptor that arrived late yesterday. I am assuming it is basically the same as the Rayqual. I only tried it wide open last evening but today I find that I'm sure that it is not stopping down. I've tried it with an FD 50 f/1.8 and a 24 f/2.8. I mounted them back on an AE1 and can see the blades stopped down on it when I change the aperture. I cannot see that on the G1. I was unable to mount the lens with it set to A however.

Now--with playing around with both lens, if I initially set it in "A", try to mount (but don't force it)--it evidently does something to the lever--and then when I mount normally with it on aperture settings, it will work normally. Not every time--but several times. With the 50 f/1.8--I tried that trick--and it didn't work, but I found by watching the blades that if I don't completely mount the lens, the aperture works as its supposed to work. Def. not the solution, but it does indicate that something about the adaptor is keeping it from stopping down.

I just noticed when I took the 24 f/2.8 lens off (when it was working correctly on the G1) that there is a 'click' as I take it off-not the dismount click but probably the lever. I'm totally not mechanical so am not sure what is happening.

Hmm--in fiddling with it more--if I am careful to place the lever on the 'right' side--and then mounting, both lenses will work correctly. It seems rather strange--since you have to make an effort to both make sure the lever is on the right side--nearest you--of the pin and then twist just a bit to mount correctly, but this now works for me each time. Without being able to say what's happening, the trick appears to be getting the lever to connect correctly with the pin that is at the bottom of the adaptor.

I'm obviously sitting here working with the adaptor/lens as I type--so this is rather just a stream of my observations as they happen LOL.

I suspect that I'm not describing what I'm doing well--but suggest you look at the pin and lever as they connect and then twist the lens clockwise to mount and see what happens.

Addendum:---is the pin not placed correctly?? I have to make an effort to get the lever and pin in contact and you can hear a small 'ping'--then twist the lens awkwardly to get it placed-almost doing a bit of counter clockwise before twisting it clockwise. Its not intuitive, that's for sure.

Diane

I have a page of instructions, but unfortunately I can't read Japanese. Diane is correct that you have to "discover" the secret moves required to mount the FD lens and it is hard to describe them. The little diagram on top of the lens (see my image above) gives a clue. You need to move the lens a bit counterclockwise to engage the pin before twisting clockwise to mount the lens. Watch the position and interaction of the pin and lens lever as you make these moves with the lens and mount off camera.

scho said:

I have a page of instructions, but unfortunately I can't read Japanese. Diane is correct that you have to "discover" the secret moves required to mount the FD lens and it is hard to describe them. The little diagram on top of the lens (see my image above) gives a clue. .

Click to expand...

Ah, Carl, you hit it. I hadn't even thought what that little diagram really meant (mine is the same)--but that's exactly what you have to do. My instructions really didn't say anything about that I don't think--I'll have to reread it--mainly how to use with 'no lens', MF, etc.

Here are 2 very quick grab shots to show that I indeed can now stop down with the 50 f/1.8. I found I didn't get along very well MF with the twisted LCD--I do fine on tripod, but handholding--well LOL.

I may have been at the edge of minimum focusing on the 2 f/1.8s--obviously VERY fast grabs as I said.

f/1.8


f/11


f/1.8


f/16

FDs are apparently tricky to mount onto the adapter. Has anyone tried an FL lens on the Rayqual/Cameraquest?

Thanks for all the advice. After fiddling around again, and twisting back and forth a few times, I finally got the thing to mount correctly so that I have aperture control. It's still a macro lens only, but that's OK since I can at least set the aperture. I only have one FD lens right now, so I'm going to just leave the adapter on it. I'm glad to have this figured out, although I don't really know what I did.

Bill

No Issue with Rayqual

Ok! Thanks to Carl's explaination FD mounts flawlessly now! Thanks! The issue is my 50mm 1.2: fungus, not the Rayqual. I have another 50mm on the way and will report tonight.

fordfanjpn said:

Thanks for all the advice. After fiddling around again, and twisting back and forth a few times, I finally got the thing to mount correctly so that I have aperture control. It's still a macro lens only, but that's OK since I can at least set the aperture. I only have one FD lens right now, so I'm going to just leave the adapter on it. I'm glad to have this figured out, although I don't really know what I did.

Bill

Click to expand...

Bill, I didn't figure out exactly what I did until I did it several times. Carl suggested mounting the lens to the adaptor first so that you could see where the pin engaged the lens lever. That might help though I just put the adaptor on the camera first (as per instructions) and then the lens to the adaptor. On the Rayqual/CQ, there is a diagram on the top of it that shows counter clockwise and then clockwise with it being the longer part of the diagram. I would never have figured out 'intuitively' what that really meant--and no where have I seen anything about the 2 twists until now.

Diane

Probem Solved.

Carl, your help is much appreciated on how to mount the lens to the Rayqual adapter. Thanks!

The store I had bought the FD 50mm f/1.2 luckily had 2 of these lenses. The one I had had fungus so I swapped it today.

Photos to come soon!

Re: Probem Solved.

ajuett said:

Carl, your help is much appreciated on how to mount the lens to the Rayqual adapter. Thanks!

The store I had bought the FD 50mm f/1.2 luckily had 2 of these lenses. The one I had had fungus so I swapped it today.

Photos to come soon!

Click to expand...

Glad to hear that you have a working 50 1.2 and look forward to seeing some of your shots. Let us know if infinity focus is OK.

Regards,
Carl

Here is the working FD;

f/5.6

Extremely promising. I've just taken a few photos at infinity and they look Very sharp. I'll know for sure once on the computer later this afternoon.