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Mamiya 645 glass with the a900 (a query)

robmac

Well-known member
I thought alt glass (like the new leitax R-Sony kits - see website) needed to be chipped to engage focus confirm and SSS?
 

fotografz

Well-known member
I thought alt glass (like the new leitax R-Sony kits - see website) needed to be chipped to engage focus confirm and SSS?
No joy on the focus confirmation, but the SSS seems to be working ... the little bar graph appears in the viewfinder and is active. Of the two, SSS is what I'd rather have anyway ... the finder is pretty bright and easy to focus.

You have to manual meter also ... no Aperture prefered as far as I can figure.
 

douglasf13

New member
It seems that SSS works without a chip, but it works better with a chip that gives the camera the correct focal length..granted I haven't a seen anything too scientific that tests this.
 

robmac

Well-known member
Ok so, no chip:

- SSS works, camera has no idea of FL, so probably defaults to 50mm (just a guess).
- No FC
- No AE (that sucks)

Of course you can hit up leitax's recommended chip vendor and fit the eprom to your Hassy/M645, etc adapter and be good to go. Alt zooms would be an issue with SSS, but I guess just have encoded to longest FL and fastest Ap as is done with chipped adapters on EoS..
 

fotografz

Well-known member
Ok so, no chip:

- SSS works, camera has no idea of FL, so probably defaults to 50mm (just a guess).
- No FC
- No AE (that sucks)

Of course you can hit up leitax's recommended chip vendor and fit the eprom to your Hassy/M645, etc adapter and be good to go. Alt zooms would be an issue with SSS, but I guess just have encoded to longest FL and fastest Ap as is done with chipped adapters on EoS..
Wonder how SSS works being lens FL dependant? Less or more correction?

What's "FC" stand for?

I don't mind the missing AE with MF lenses. It'd be nice in some circumstances, but it's stop down metering anyway, so it's a slower process going in.
 

fotografz

Well-known member
It seems that SSS works without a chip, but it works better with a chip that gives the camera the correct focal length..granted I haven't a seen anything too scientific that tests this.
Yeah, I'd like to see info on that myself.

If it was the case, couldn't a firmware choice be added to the menu like with the Nikons?

-Marc
 

fotografz

Well-known member
I thought it was easy as well but just curious if you are using the stock focusing screen or if you swapped for one of the others?
Stock one.

If Bright Screen offered a diagonal split prism replacement, I would consider it for one of my A900s ... but I don't use alt manual MF lenses much any more because they are a big PITA.

The one use I have for a DSLR with MF lenses is as a suppliment to a MFD body ... but that is usually one of the Nikons for use of higher ISOs in low light.
 

wayne_s

New member
FC = Focus Confirmation.

I add FC chips on all my alt glass for my 1ds3 because it helps the AE be more correct with that particular alt lens by using the focal length and aperture info and thus I don't have to add as much AE compensation as I would without the chip. It helps with adding the lens info to the exif for each shot which I really need to keep track of which alt lens I used. And now the latest chips have added the micro lens adjust feature for canon mount. Sounds like you need a chip for the A900 to be able to have Aperture Priority mode to work which is very important, no?
 

carstenw

Active member
I believe that you can have this with the Leitax adapters, for example. At least, their website seems to make this statement. SSS works too, if I read it right.

Focus Correction is probably what I should have written before. I don't know if this works with the A900 and non-Sony lenses at all?
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
If I may go back here for a second. I think and I like the Mamiya glass very much but I only see real value here given the Zeiss lenses are being used for the Sony and from all that I have seen very nicely to boot. That using Mamiya or alternative lenses on the A900 maybe a waste except for a few lenses that may just bring a certain look to the table that the Zeiss does not have or something relatively inexpensive that maybe worth the effort.

I will name a few that might be fun to try that are different . Mamiya has a old manual fisheye a 24mm I believe that is very nice. The 50mm shift lens for obvious reasons, the 200 2.8 apo is killer sharp and 600 dollars and the 80 1.9 is a fun cheap lens. there maybe a few more but they are the obvious ones. A Hassy 110 f2 is also a sweetie but after that not sure any wide would be better than the 16-35 of Sigma 12-24 and anything mid range why bother but the long end like the 200 apo and the Hassy might be great on it. I guess i say this because i came from a long history of bolting lenses on canon before it was such a popular thing to do and it's a PITA most of the time but the main reason was I was not happy with the Canon glass and i just don't see that in these Zeiss lenses so i would be careful you going off the deep end on this idea unless it brings you something different to your toolbox. Okay you can ignore the advice but i thought I would just toss it in the bowl and let it stir around.
 

carstenw

Active member
There are some interesting possibilities though. With the new Leitax mount for Leica-on-Sony you could grab a copy of the Leica 100mm f/2.8 Apo-Macro instead of the inferior Sony 100 macro. There might also be a nice Leica 15mm or 19mm prime for the Sony. Many Sony lenses are good, but for the missing lenses, a Leica might provide a good answer. And yes, the Hasselblad 110/2 is a slam-dunk.
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
I agree Carsten, certainly that would be a great option as well the Leica 100 macro. Now when some tells me they can bolt my old 180 F2 leica Cron on there than watch out. Damn I did not know about this Leitax for the sony. This is dangerous
 

fotografz

Well-known member
If I may go back here for a second. I think and I like the Mamiya glass very much but I only see real value here given the Zeiss lenses are being used for the Sony and from all that I have seen very nicely to boot. That using Mamiya or alternative lenses on the A900 maybe a waste except for a few lenses that may just bring a certain look to the table that the Zeiss does not have or something relatively inexpensive that maybe worth the effort.

I will name a few that might be fun to try that are different . Mamiya has a old manual fisheye a 24mm I believe that is very nice. The 50mm shift lens for obvious reasons, the 200 2.8 apo is killer sharp and 600 dollars and the 80 1.9 is a fun cheap lens. there maybe a few more but they are the obvious ones. A Hassy 110 f2 is also a sweetie but after that not sure any wide would be better than the 16-35 of Sigma 12-24 and anything mid range why bother but the long end like the 200 apo and the Hassy might be great on it. I guess i say this because i came from a long history of bolting lenses on canon before it was such a popular thing to do and it's a PITA most of the time but the main reason was I was not happy with the Canon glass and i just don't see that in these Zeiss lenses so i would be careful you going off the deep end on this idea unless it brings you something different to your toolbox. Okay you can ignore the advice but i thought I would just toss it in the bowl and let it stir around.
I think you are dead on the money Guy. I've done a ton of adapting on various cameras over the years in search of some Holy Grail, and in most cases it was due to the poor performance of some of the manufacture's glass ... or the need for some special application. However, it was usually a PITA to use.

But so far, this isn't the case with the A900 and the spread of AF Zeiss lenses. I suggested the Hassey 110/2 F or FE not only for its unique signature (especially at f/2-4, but also because it fills a focal length gap in the Zeiss prime offerings that jump from 85 to 135 ... where sometimes that magic 100 to 110mm focal length is preferable depending on the subject, and distance to subject. A used "F" version of this lens isn't a bank robber in disguise either.

I'd say it'd be nice if the yummy Leica R 35/1.4 could be adapted also ... but that's an expensive pup, and I hold out hope that Sony will deliver an AF Zeiss 35/1.4 ASPH in future.
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Agreed what I see the Sony has over the Nikon for example is that SWEET 135 that Nikon can only dream about and there old 85 which is good but needs a serious Nano coating update. Okay i will be honest here i pushed Terry pretty much on to the Sony and here is why besides the 24mpx it was the glass that got my interest there sweet 135 a better 70-200 and even there 70-300 is better. So on the top end from 85 up the Sony wins except for the Nikon 200 f2 which if I went Nikon buy it in a nano second. But out to big for her needs and costs as well. Okay the 24-70 if not the same no clear advantage with Nikon but the Nikon 14-24 maybe a shade better than the 16-35 . I am assuming here from what i read from you guys but the zooms are pretty equal for all intents. I see the Sony advantage on the top end and I did not even get into the camera part. That is what i see even for myself. That is just a brief thought pattern.

The issue right NOW is Nikon needs some updates but there are holes in the Sony lineup but they can be filled. The macro is the obvious one and T/S stuff
 

wayne_s

New member
Despite the few great CZ zooms, Sony lens line up still has quite a few holes as we know.
Here would be my alt (or MF) lens buy list for A900:
Leica 100 APO 2.8 for macro work
Leica 180 APO 2.8 or Mamiya 200 APO 2.8
Leica R 28 latest edition
ZS 35 2.0
Minolta Rokkor 58 1.2
I also think that if you have the incredible ZA 135 1.8, you probably don't need the Hassy 110 f2 as much.
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
So macro
Long fast 180 or 200
Fast 28 or 35

Heck you think with enough push they could crank out those three lenses

Question is does Sony follow a certain release pattern like PMA or Photokinia or just release whenever. We all know many follow these shows does Sony
 

robmac

Well-known member
Yup

FC = Focus Confirmation.

I add FC chips on all my alt glass for my 1ds3 because it helps the AE be more correct with that particular alt lens by using the focal length and aperture info and thus I don't have to add as much AE compensation as I would without the chip. It helps with adding the lens info to the exif for each shot which I really need to keep track of which alt lens I used. And now the latest chips have added the micro lens adjust feature for canon mount. Sounds like you need a chip for the A900 to be able to have Aperture Priority mode to work which is very important, no?

Bear in mind the OP was/is contemplating a Phamiya MFDB kit. Picking the right glass (w/direct aperture control of course) would give him ability to run some glass on both - in short avoid too much overlap and make the MFDB a more cost-effective solution. Select system-dedicated glass for each plus some 'joint glass' for both as it were. It would also expand his over-all lens collection due to different FoV using same lens on the two bodies. Using select Mamiya glass would also allow him APO correction on BOTH systems for one investment as don't think any Sony/Zeiss units are, as yet, APO corrected - barring some older Minolta units like 200 APO.

My fave M645s so far - 200 APO and 80/1.9. I'm sure the as-yet-arrive 120/2 Apo Macro will sit in that group as well. Allah help me when I get a chance to try a friend's 300/2.8 APO. I run almost exclusively with alt glass on my Canon (and soon to be Nikon film body - plus some CV AiS), but I am a masochist, like the rendering vs native, am willing to put up with the minimal hassle - and I have a slower-paced shooting requirement (e.g. I don't shoot weddings).

To answer Marc's question. My guess (having since read elsewhere that SSS works 'better' with chipped glass) would be that SSS adjusts the degree of anti-shake/rattle/roll based on aperture (e.g. DoF), meter reading (shutter speed required) and FL (edit: definite yes).

No idea if Sony eproms (on Sony glass only obviously) convey distance, but if so that may come into the DoF equation. Longer lenses requiring more compensation than a shorter lens (aperture being equal, blah, blah).

If distance IS conveyed with native D glass, you MAY get three degree of SSS accuracy/effectiveness (in order of increasing effectiveness):

1. No chip (assumed 50mm attached)
2. Chip, but not Sony D glass (uses FL, eprom aperture and meter)
3. Sony native D glass (#2 plus distance? & actual aperture selected?)

Would be curious to find out exact facts just how intelligent the system is .

Edit - barring a chip, SSS does apparently default to 50mm assumed FL.
 
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wayne_s

New member
Doubt they will do a 2nd version yet of their 100 macro or 35 1.4G lens which are not world beaters.
Rumors have a fast 24/28 lens coming soon though.
I forgot the Minolta 200 2.8 lens which some people have here that looks pretty sharp.
Maybe they could take that design and use some uptodate ED glass/coatings to satisfy the fast 180/200
range?
 
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