Lens adapter help~

angevin1angevin1 Registered Users Posts: 3,403 Major grins
edited February 22, 2010 in Accessories
Anyone using lens adapters and like them, Nikon lens to Canon EOS body?

Also has anyone tried these folks?

Thanks in advance for input/help.
tom wise

Comments

  • angevin1angevin1 Registered Users Posts: 3,403 Major grins
    edited February 20, 2010
    Seymore wrote:
    Tom... you might do better with this type of question on another forum. You can find it HERE. A search there may also answer some of your questions. I know there are many there who do what you're looking to do. Just be aware that there are some converters that are below par and not suggested.

    Thanks for the tip Seymore!

    I did find other tracks out there on the Net about these, but was wonderin if anyone here had any experience with them, and wondered if anyone uses these things~

    :D
    tom wise
  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 24,132 moderator
    edited February 20, 2010
    I use a couple of similar adapters that allow the use of old M42/Pentax screw mount lenses on my Canon EOS cameras.

    If you ever used preset aperture lenses (very old technology) these would seem right at home. If you want to use older lenses for everyday general photography, I doubt that you will be happy.

    The first adapter I bought was an Adorama simple adapter, and I purchased a "chip" from an EBay vendor which I attached to the adapter to provide AF confirmation.

    (The chip vendor on EBay has disappeared, I think.)

    The second adapter was from an EBay vendor and it already had the confirmation chip attached. I did have to "shave" some material from the adapter to fit one lens to the adapter.

    If you have some special purpose and very high quality lenses, like long telephoto or 1:1 macro, and if you intend to use them only occasionally, the adapters can make a lot of sense.

    At any rate the adapters are inexpensive enough to try, so if you already have the Nikon lenses you might just try it to see for yourself.

    The following are shot using Pentax and other M42 mount lenses on my Canon cameras:

    Vivitar 105mm used as a macro:
    71544416-D.jpg

    Vivitar 500mm, f6.3:
    76517179-D.jpg

    Vivitar 500mm, f6.3:
    100447533-D.jpg

    Tamron 500mm, f8 mirror (catadioptric)
    554047630_fzsda-XL-1.jpg

    Pentax 50mm, f1.4 (@f5.6)
    82051322-D.jpg
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
  • angevin1angevin1 Registered Users Posts: 3,403 Major grins
    edited February 21, 2010
    ziggy53 wrote:
    I use a couple of similar adapters that allow the use of old M42/Pentax screw mount lenses on my Canon EOS cameras.

    If you ever used preset aperture lenses (very old technology) these would seem right at home. If you want to use older lenses for everyday general photography, I doubt that you will be happy.

    The first adapter I bought was an Adorama simple adapter, and I purchased a "chip" from an EBay vendor which I attached to the adapter to provide AF confirmation.

    (The chip vendor on EBay has disappeared, I think.)

    The second adapter was from an EBay vendor and it already had the confirmation chip attached. I did have to "shave" some material from the adapter to fit one lens to the adapter.

    If you have some special purpose and very high quality lenses, like long telephoto or 1:1 macro, and if you intend to use them only occasionally, the adapters can make a lot of sense.

    At any rate the adapters are inexpensive enough to try, so if you already have the Nikon lenses you might just try it to see for yourself.
    I did find some adapters on eBay, but instead chose to go with one I could read a review for. Spent more than perhaps necessary, but am more confident of a good fit, and can more easily return it if it is unsatisfactory.
    I did not choose one with a chip, because, as you suggested, for everyday use, I can see no reason to do this. Besides, at some of the eBay sellers stores, I got a bit confused reading the text about how to set it up...I figured if I get confused on first read..not what I am after.

    I pulled the trigger on a 5DMK2 yesterday with the sole intention on learning video via DSLR. I bought a Nikon-EOS adapter to allow older Nikkors to mount. I read where I can get adapters for many other brands and will perhaps do that as my learning-curve warrants.

    I am currently seeking a general all-round L ( or L-like) lens to suit me for everyday camera-learning. I don't know the Canon system, but look forward to the experience. Almost bought the 17-40L yesterday, but thought better of it simply because I haven't had time to truly review the lens options.

    The shots you posted were terriffic, I can easily see why you would want and adapter to be able to utilize those lenses, superb shots!

    thanks for the input~
    tom wise
  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 24,132 moderator
    edited February 21, 2010
    angevin1 wrote:
    I did find some adapters on eBay, but instead chose to go with one I could read a review for. Spent more than perhaps necessary, but am more confident of a good fit, and can more easily return it if it is unsatisfactory.
    I did not choose one with a chip, because, as you suggested, for everyday use, I can see no reason to do this. Besides, at some of the eBay sellers stores, I got a bit confused reading the text about how to set it up...I figured if I get confused on first read..not what I am after.

    I pulled the trigger on a 5DMK2 yesterday with the sole intention on learning video via DSLR. I bought a Nikon-EOS adapter to allow older Nikkors to mount. I read where I can get adapters for many other brands and will perhaps do that as my learning-curve warrants.

    I am currently seeking a general all-round L ( or L-like) lens to suit me for everyday camera-learning. I don't know the Canon system, but look forward to the experience. Almost bought the 17-40L yesterday, but thought better of it simply because I haven't had time to truly review the lens options.

    The shots you posted were terriffic, I can easily see why you would want and adapter to be able to utilize those lenses, superb shots!

    thanks for the input~

    Thanks for the compliment Tom.

    The real surprise was that the name "Vivitar" could produce lenses of quality.

    I suspect you will enjoy the Canon 5D MKII. The Live View mode will allow critical focus of manual focus adapted lenses with great accuracy and I use that mode a lot when I mount these older lenses.

    The AF confirmation chip is useful for more general shooting and for any sort of action. The jet ski was shot using focus confirmation exclusively and it does work pretty well.

    The best standard zoom lens for the 5D MKII is the Canon EF 24-70mm, f2.8L USM, but the older brothers, the 28-70mm, f2.8L and the 28-80mm, f2.8-f4L, are also very good performers. (The 28-80mm, f2.8-f4L is no longer repaired by Canon however, so greater risk.)

    A Canon EF 50mm, f1.4 USM is a very nice standard prime and takes me back to simpler times when, for a couple of years in my youth, all I had was a 50mm lens for my Pentax film camera (a middle-school graduation gift from my parents.)
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
  • Scott_QuierScott_Quier Registered Users Posts: 6,524 Major grins
    edited February 22, 2010
    ziggy53 wrote:
    The real surprise was that the name "Vivitar" could produce lenses of quality.
    I remember the The Vivitar Series 1 line from the late '70s and early '80s. I actually had a very nice copy of the 28-90 f/2.8-3.5 in a Canon FD mount. It was a veri-focal design, meaning it wasn't a true zoom. Every time you changed the focal length you also had to re-focus. Made the design less expensive, if you can call ~$730 in 1980 "less expensive." But it was a stellar performer. I never had any issues with it and I seem to recall it producing very, very sharp images.

    Vivitar also badged the "Solid Cat" (don't recall now who actually manufactured it) was a thing of beauty and envy (if you didn't have one - which I didn't), though Michael Reichmann didn't have much good to say about it in his review of it compared to an EF 100-400 f/4.5-5.6 paired with a Canon 2x TC.
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