Canon lens on GH2

[Brian Luce]

So I needed a fast tele for a concert shoot. I go to Sammy's and rent a 200mm f2.8. I already had a m43 to Canon adapter. No worries. I get to the venue, attach the lens with out issues and then Whoops...they forgot to put an aperture ring on it! Yes, I know, shoulda inspected the lens at Sammy's. Sammy's was cool, gave me a break on the rental fee, and the salesguy told me none of the Canons have aperture rings. Okay fine, but then, why on earth do they make m43 to EF adapters?

For anyone wishing to avoid a bonehead move like this, Nikon has mechanical aperture control on their newer glass.

[Bill Bruner]

Sorry to hear that. Sounds like you have a great rental house, though. Glad you were able to get your money back. But there are options for aperture control on EOS lenses, depending on how much you want to spend and how long you're willing to wait.
You can:
1) use an adapter like yours and set the lens aperture on a Canon body before putting it on your GH2 -- but that won't really work in the field -- especially at a concert gig;
2) buy a $100 Kipon adapter with manual aperture control from Adorama or

Amazon

 

Amazon

; or
3) wait for the ~$700 Birger Engineering EF to m4/3 adapter, which ships in late May and is supposed to give you full auto-aperture and auto-focus control of EOS lenses from any micro 4/3 camera (AF100/GH2/GH1/etc.)

Personally, I'm planning to buy the Kipon as soon as I can put together the hundred bucks.

[Nigel Barker]

The Canon EF lens defaults to wide open aperture if it doesn't communicate with a Canon body. So you can also shoot wide open at F2.8 but adjust exposure with a variable ND filter &/or shutter speed. As you wanted a fast lens for the concert gig surely it would have been somewhat useable?

Newer Nikon lenses (G-series) don't have a manual aperture ring either.

[Jeff Harper]

Yes, the Kipon will reportedly work for your lens, but I think the lens needs to be wide open before you put the adapter on. I might be wrong on that, but be sure to check.

[Brian Luce]

Originally Posted by Nigel Barker

The Canon EF lens defaults to wide open aperture if it doesn't communicate with a Canon body. So you can also shoot wide open at F2.8 but adjust exposure with a variable ND filter &/or shutter speed. As you wanted a fast lens for the concert gig surely it would have been somewhat useable?

Newer Nikon lenses (G-series) don't have a manual aperture ring either.

Well had I know that they default to wide open I could have used it. But I didn't, so I sat their feeling like a moron. But, the question remains, why do they sell these adaptors? Shuffling ND's isn't viable.
Btw, I have the Nikon adaptor from Rainbow on order.

[Nigel Barker]

They sell these adaptors because they are simple, cheap & easy. In controlled shooting situations they could be OK to use but TBH although I have a bunch of lovely 'L' lenses from my 5DII I haven't bought one of these dumb adaptors as I would find it more hassle than it is worth so I am just waiting for the Birger adaptor to ship.

[Jim Snow]

Originally Posted by Bill Bruner

3) wait for the ~$700 Birger Engineering EF to m4/3 adapter, which ships in late May and is supposed to give you full auto-aperture and auto-focus control of EOS lenses from any micro 4/3 camera (AF100/GH2/GH1/etc.)

Has there been confirmation that the Birger adapter will work on the GH2? Birger only mentions the AF100 on their web site unless I missed it somewhere.