Adapter quality question

[Dralowid]

Teetering on the verge of buying a Nex 6 to use with M, LTM and even R lenses leads to a question about adaptors.

In your opinion, is it worth spending the extra money on Metabones adaptors rather than buying less expensive like Fotodiox and the nameless ones from all over?

And can anyone recommend a UK supplier?

I purposely haven't mentioned either CV or Novoflex...I reckon they are even more money but surely the best!

 

[GaryLH]

Cheaper adapters are hit and miss in terms of
- loose fit
- inf focus ahead of inf mark
This is due to manufacturing tolerences in order to keep price down. The more expensive adapters such as novoflex will have none of these issues. But just because they are more expensive, certain brands still have issues w/ inf focus. For example I have two metabones adapters, one is a normal and the other is the speedbooster. The inf focus on speedbooster is right on the money but the normal one focuses about 1/16 inch ahead of inf mark.

The good thing about the issue w/ inf focus is that u can shim it by try and error until u got it right or note the mark where inf focus is on the adapter if u don't want to do all the work. If u are a zone focus shooter, have perfect inf is important if u are depending on the scale and f stop info on the lens.

Lately I have had good luck w/ the fotodiox pro line btw. Never had good luck w/ the rainbow. One had issue w/ looseness and inf, the other did not but needed to be shimmed. All the non-pro line fotodiox I have owned needed to be shimmed except one. But none of them had issues w/ looseness.

Good luck
Gary

 

[f16sunshine]

My experience with all adapters over the years is do your homework and invest in the best you can find. (In my case many for eos, a couple for fuji x series)

If you plan to seriously make use of legacy lenses you want a nice tight fitting adapter that reaches infinity at the correct point. Especially if zone focussing is in your plans.
Cheap adapters are fine for playing around and macro type situations but far from perfect if QC is not good.

EDIT..Gary Beat me too it 😀

 

[GaryLH]

Lol Andy.

Btw I forgot to mention just because I have had luk lately w/ the fotodiox pro line, does not mean I expect the inf focus issue to not pop up when I buy my next one.

I have two novoflex adapters and they are spot on and have nice tight fit. I was lucky enough to find them at a decent price used.

Gary

 

[Shac]

I have expensive and cheap for the Nex series - no problems with any. I did buy a Novoflex for the Nikon b/c of the equally expensive tripod collar add-on. They are excellent but $$$. Most of the cheap ones can me adjusted for bayonet fit (just tweak the springs) and all focus just slightly "beyond infinity" - which is better than the converse.
Most recently I bought a tilt adapter for Olympus OM lenses - I was pleasantly surprised how well it was made (though time will tell) and how effective it is. So much so that I have ordered another for Nikon lenses.

 

[zauhar]

Don't buy a cheap adaptor. I got one for LTM-to-M at a bargain price. It 'works', but when I mount the lens there is not the clean, precise feel you expect, it feels very gimpy. I will not risk damaging the camera with it.

Randy

 

[pvdhaar]

My experience is limited to a cheap Chinese E-M converter (ca. $30). Positives: infinity focus is spot on, and the converter mounts tight but not too tight on the NEX. Drawback: getting M-Mount lenses off the converter is troublesome, as the release lever is very hard to push in far enough for the locking pin to clear the catch in the lens' mount.

 

[YYV_146]

Fotodiox is functional, the two I have are not wobbly, but the protruding release lever can be annoying. Both also go just past infinity, which is also annoying.

I would recommend a Voigtlander adapter if you want something nice, they are about as well-made as adapters go, and guarantee proper infinity. Another suggestion would be the Hawk Helicoid or a similar adapter, which gives all of your lenses a bit of macro ability.

 

[peter_n]

Don't buy a cheap adaptor.

It depends as there is a lot of variation with them as others have said. If you're willing to take a chance you can hit and you can miss. I have two cheap adapters and one is perfect (Exakta) and the other isn't (helicoid). My Novoflex (Leica M) is excellent but it was expensive.

 

[Dralowid]

I've posted this on the Industar/NEX thread too...

When putting the Industar 22 or equivalent 50mm Elmar on a cheap LTN to NEX adapter do you have a problem in being unable to unlock the infinity lock?

On some adapters it seems that there is no room to allow the infinity lock button to be depressed. (In other words the adapter is wider than the lens flange and is right up behind the button)

It is not a problem when using an LTM to M adapter attached to an M to NEX because most LTM to M adapters have a cut out.

Anyone else had this problem?