Hawk Peng helicoid adapter is awesome

artur, thanks for your review. It wasn't too lengthy at all. I can barely get out "hello" in that many words. :)

kxl - for what it is worth I ordered mine on Oct 22 and it arrived here in Canada on Nov 1 - very fast transit time all things considered - requiring a signature at my door. I consider that pretty darn good for shipping from Taiwan and at the price for shipping (under 10 bucks) is extraordinarily fair compared to what I pay to bring stuff in from the U.S. or Europe.
 
Wow.. I just got my adapter. I'm hoping to have a camera to mount it on... I'm entertaining ideas as to how to use the adapter without a camera... hmmm.
 
bwcolor from what I can recall of your postings you and I are in the same boat or similar boats at any date.

I think I'm still on the NEX-7, then 5N if that doesn't work train. GXR/M Mount possibly as an option but I'd like to see what Ricoh announces first if I have the luxury of time.

And if none of that works out, I'm going back to film.
 
I love film and still mostly shoot with film.. I went back in 2009 after seven years of only digital. The X100 got me back to a bit of digital. I ordered the NEX-7, body only on August 24th.. I'm thinking that body only will be in short supply (ie.. first batch will be mostly kits) and that SonyStyle will get most of the cameras, so my Amazon order probably won't make it till April, in which case I'll cancel. I have very high hopes for the next Fujifilm 'X'.... Based on my X100, I think that missing out on the NEX-7 might just be a good move. Put a quality EVF in the GXR-2 body and that would be a good option.

So, still need to work on that adapter... Looks like a quality product.
 
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Here's the thing... Sony leads the pack in EVF technology. By miles. The A55 EVF was better than anything else on the market NOW. I hope others can catch up, but the new NEXs are the only game in town from that angle.
 
bwcolor - I've been still shooting mostly film until this last year, but what that has meant for me progressively over the years is that I shoot a lot less. I am not well equipped for high res scans so much of my work remains as negatives and real prints. That isn't of itself the end of the world but I do want to publish more on-line for a number of purposes and projects, not to mention the mundane but important need to share with family around the world.

My experience with the X100 was pretty positive even though mine was tainted by the sticky aperture blade issue. Love working with the files. Loved the overall feel and look. But found the one lens too limiting for a camera I want with me all the time and some of the project work I am working on isn't well suited to a single moderate wide angle perspective. Still, I'd buy another Fujifilm product again but a little more guardedly - it'd have to be a keeper; the X100 I always knew there was a chance I'd like digital so much I'd want more flexibility and that's what happened. All in all a good outcome, I am shooting far more and achieving good results so I'm thankful for my time with that camera.

bwcolor said:
So, still need to work on that adapter... Looks like a quality product.
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Back to the topic; if the NEX-7 doesn't work out - I'm most concerned about edge detail preservation when a really good wide angle M lens is up front - then I'm not sure what my next step is. Probably the known-good quantity, the NEX-5N. In that case my Hawk adapter gets some use. Otherwise, I might just wait for Fuji or head to Ricoh. There's a lot of potential for either to surprise and delight folks like us I figure, although if Fujifilm is only about to start talking about their new ILC in January it may not be until the fall of 2012 that they ship anything... and I have these nice M lenses sitting here begging to be used so I think I'd go Ricoh and hope they have a full frame module coming down the road. If anyone goes there and allows me to use my m glass I will be paying a lot of attention. it'd be nice to get the full perspective out of these lenses again, on digital that is.

I think I will do some film work again but right now am having too much fun and the darkroom sits idle. Anyone in Vancouver need a supply of Rodinal and HC-110?

As for the Hawk adapter - 180 bucks didn't seem like too much to pay for the advantage it brought. Mine might be up for sale if the intial look at the NEX-7 proves the worst, *and* I can't find a NEX-5N and EVF to buy anywhere due to the rush of folks like me to that gear instead of the 7. Within two weeks we should know...
 
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Back to the topic; if the NEX-7 doesn't work out - I'm most concerned about edge detail preservation when a really good wide angle M lens is up front - then I'm not sure what my next step is. Probably the known-good quantity, the NEX-5N.
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I'm in the same boat. My Hawk's adapter came in the mail today. I canceled my NEX 7 pre-order last week. Corner performance is really lacking. Going to test drive a 5n tomorrow.
 
My adapter works really well. A special treat is to use it with a 50 DR Summicron. When the NEX5 came out there were initially no extension tubes available for it; or at least none that I could find. Then they became available in that mysterious way that machined metal goods do when ingenious entrepreneurs in Taiwan and elsewhere perceive a market need. Even then, though, you get three largish extension tubes and are in hyper-macro land pretty quickly with anything other than the narrowest of them. Then the Hawk adapter comes along. With a >swap< why-didn't-I-think-of-that moment, you have a pretty keen device that makes each and every legacy lens used with the NEX more useful and consigns the 3-foot minimum focus distance to the waste-bin. Ole!
 
segedi said:
I'm in the same boat. My Hawk's adapter came in the mail today. I canceled my NEX 7 pre-order last week. Corner performance is really lacking. Going to test drive a 5n tomorrow.
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I think you'll like the 5n. I still have the 7 on preorder, but I got the 5N and EVF the other day, and the touchscreen (for focus magnification) and tilt EVF may be enough to offset the advantages of the 7's body, for me. Even if both cameras perform well in the corners, the decision between the two is going to be tougher than I expected. The modularity of the NEX-5N is cool, and I use a nice, leather Ciesta half-case to beef up the grip a little bit.
 
I returned my 5N. I just didn't want the external EVF and the lack of external controls.
I'm not at all worried about finding a home for my 'M' lenses. Should I keep the NEX-7, I will use it for 28mm and longer lenses.

One of the Fuji Guys just announced that they will be going to Tokyo to learn about and try out the new interchangeable lens 'X' camera. So, that project is at a fairly advanced stage. Also, September should be another mirrorless from Leica. Of course, another NEX will be out by that time.
 
I headed to the photo store to try out the Hawk adapter on a 5n today.

The good:
Adapter fit snugly to the camera and the lens. It was pretty tight with the lenses in fact.

The macro capability is really nice. Close focusing was a breeze.

Focusing in fact was easier than I anticipated and this was without the viewfinder and peaking. The ability to tap the touchscreen and zoom in to focus easier is a big plus.

The bad:
Took a few minutes to find the settings in the menu system that needed to be changed (manual focus, release without lens) and the menu system seems clunky. Maybe I'm spoiled be the simplicity of the film cameras I've been using.

Changing settings takes some getting used to.

Touchscreen LCD. I know you can turn it off, but really annoying when it's on. Changing lenses and the touchscreen is too easier to activate.

The body is bit too small for my liking.

Soo.... I might be waiting until a 7n comes out assuming that Sony deals with the corner issues. The adapter is quite nice though and works as advertised. Not sure it is worth the big bucks, but it's a great option for attaching M mount lenses and is the only player with a close focus ability. In the meantime, I have a GXR with M module coming soon.
 
segedi said:
Touchscreen LCD. I know you can turn it off, but really annoying when it's on. Changing lenses and the touchscreen is too easier to activate.
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This goes to show how little you learn holding a camera in a store. Those who own and use the 5n are friggin crazy about the touch screen--which I also thought was silly.

why?

Because like all the serious nex guys they don't shoot with sony glass. wait--- is there such thing as a serious nex guy?

Anyway the big limitation has always been focusing of course, and with the mag on the 5 you had to work the wheel to get to one corner or the other. Not with 5n. You touch anywhere with focus magnification on, and it jumps right there. This is tremendous improvement, even if you own OLED, because many times you won't want to bother to put it on. You could leave it on, but forget about dumping the camera in your pocket with no worries then.

Lack of touch screen is one significant downside of n7--never thought I'd write that, but its obvious now.
 
uhoh7 - The touch for mag does seem to be a great feature, thanks for pointing out that it zooms to where you touch.

michel v - thanks for that. Again, film cameras have spoiled my digital sensibilities.
 
uhoh7 said:
This goes to show how little you learn holding a camera in a store. Those who own and use the 5n are friggin crazy about the touch screen--which I also thought was silly.

why?

Because like all the serious nex guys they don't shoot with sony glass. wait--- is there such thing as a serious nex guy?

Anyway the big limitation has always been focusing of course, and with the mag on the 5 you had to work the wheel to get to one corner or the other. Not with 5n. You touch anywhere with focus magnification on, and it jumps right there. This is tremendous improvement, even if you own OLED, because many times you won't want to bother to put it on. You could leave it on, but forget about dumping the camera in your pocket with no worries then.

Lack of touch screen is one significant downside of n7--never thought I'd write that, but its obvious now.
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Yeah, I was a touchscreen naysayer for a while, but touch magnification is incredibly useful. What is also cool is, when you're reviewing images, touching the screen also zooms in to that point, so you can check focus quickly after the fact. Really handy, and much less gimmicky than I expected. I will miss it on the NEX-7.
 
AWESOME INDEED! 4-day turnaround from Taiwan to SoCal. Here's my first try, taken with a ZM 18/4. GOtta love the ultra shallow DOF :D


helicoid.jpg
 
I like this adapter very much. It is well built and even allow fast focusing with its helicoid.

Minimal focusing distance of my Summicron 35/2 v4 has been reduced from 60 cm (24") to 19 cm (7.5"). You can see pictures taken at these distances below.
























 
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I came across a 50/2.8 EL Nikkor enlarger lens, with an extension tube of some sort attached (Leica 14020.) Since it has 39mm threads, I attached it to an LTM adapter and put it on the Hawk adapter...voila, instant 75mm equivalent f/2.8, with the Hawk adapter helical for focusing.

Looks like I need a slightly longer extension tube, as this would give closer focus, and not focus past infinity, but it works as it sits.

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Hawk m adapter

Hawk m adapter

I wonder will this special adapter solve the color shift problem of the 15mm heliar on the nex 7. I saw a photo taken with a 15mm heliar with this adapter on the nex 3 which is supposed to have the color shift problem and i don't see magenta corners.
 
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