Is it possible to remove fixed lenses from a camera?

[Marcello Mazzilli]

Hi,
I was wondering if somebody has success stories to tell about removing the fixed lenses you got with a mirrorless camera or a standard video camera like Sony Z1 or so and putting an MFT adapter or so.
This will obviously have to be done in a lab. The distance between the adaptor and the sensor will have to be perfect, and obviously you will loos all automation functions in focus, iris, zoom etc...
But.. can it be done?

[Donald McPherson]

Wouldn't even go there. Even if you could get the lens off I would expect loads of error messages.

[Marcello Mazzilli]

I would never do it myself.
And sure.. error messages.
This thing will have to be done by a professional and he could get the camera to think lenses are still on... probably just a matter of closing some circuits

[Bruce Watson]

Originally Posted by Marcello Mazzilli

But.. can it be done?

Given enough time and enough money, sure.

[Bob Hart]

Somebody did it and discussed the adventure here on dvinfo a long time back. It maybe became what Chris webmaster defines as a zombie thread and might have been relegated to archive. I think the camera was a Sony FX1. From very vague memory, it worked but I think the practical utility of the altered camera may have been diminished versus the original.

[Marcello Mazzilli]

I tried... spent 150$... for nothing. Couldn't be done.. at least,... that's what they told me

[Bob Hart]

The post relating to the original conversion attempt maybe became what Chris webmaster defines as a zombie thread and might have been relegated to archive. I think the camera was a Sony FX1. From very vague memory, it worked but I think the practical utility of the altered camera may have been diminished versus the original.

The Sony Z1 is the prosumer twin of the FX1. It uses a 3 x CCD arrangement with a special prism and is a 1/3" system. Its zoom lens is calibrated to that system. Optically it is a different beast than a MFT cam with a single CMOS sensor. MFT cams also use a larger sensor. You may not achieve any better sharpness or contrast than the existing lens already confers. This may be as much to do with the limitations of image processing downstream of the sensor as any optical differences.

The Sony flavour of HDV is 1080i. When interlaced footage is converted to progressive, there are some resolution losses. You may well be aware of these details so if I am forcing you to repartake of the same meal, my apologies in advance.

The SI2K digital cinema camera uses a single CMOS sensor. Simple cine lenses and stills lenses work fine on it. Its IMS universal mount system permits several mount styles.

For the camera to use 2/3" B4-Mount ENG-style 3xCCD calibrated lenses, a special optical element was incorporated into the mount to correct the lens image from one tailored for a 3xCCD prism system to one suitable for the single CMOS sensor. It is a very thick planar optic.

If a B4-Mount lens is offered to the SI2K with a custom mount which does not include a correcting optic, the recovered image is inferior.

My own sense is that the conversion will not reward the investment of effort and that a fuctioning Z1 should not be sacrificed to the experiment.

[Gary Huff]

Originally Posted by Marcello Mazzilli

I tried... spent 150$... for nothing.

Maybe it's best not to waste money on pie-in-the-sky ideas.

[Donald McPherson]

Give it to me. I have a good hacksaw. Not sure about putting it back together again. (-'

[Bruce Watson]

Originally Posted by Marcello Mazzilli

I tried... spent 150$... for nothing. Couldn't be done.. at least,... that's what they told me

Not nearly enough time and money.

[Steve Game]

For those feeling adventurous, here are the original pages of the hack way back in January 2005 when the FX1 had only been released a few weeks:
hdr
There are various links to detailed pictures of every stage in the process. The main reason that the resulting pictures/video looked sharper was that the lenses used didn't have the OLPF effect, either from a separate filter or by lens design. The artifacts after the mod were probably a bit fiercer than the original product as delivered.