Lens mount adapters

[Aaron Jones Sr.]

Here is an interesting Dumb Adapter NEX - EF with ND Filters built in:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1041731-REG/fotodiox_vzlx_thrtl_eos_nex_pro_vizelx_nd_throttle_adpter.html

[Jody Arnott]

Originally Posted by Aaron Jones Sr.

Here is an interesting Dumb Adapter NEX - EF with ND Filters built in:

FotodioX Vizelex ND Throttle Adapter for Canon EF/EF-S Lenses to Sony NEX Cameras

Looks interesting. But I'd personally be a bit worried about the quality of the built-in ND filters.. A good quality ND filter by itself usually costs more than that, and the cheaper variable ND filters have a tendency to create an unwanted colour cast on the image (even the high quality variable filters do it to a lesser extent). So I'd proceed with caution.

On another note, how do you control the iris using that adapter? The description says it can't be controlled from the camera..

[Chris Harding]

Hi Jody

You don't!! This model requires that you keep the lens full open all the time and the amount of light entering the camera is controlled only by the ND filter. Look at the range it has!! If that's the case I would have thought that a ordinary dumb adapter and something like a Genus Variable would be a better way to go. I have had really bad casts with ND's that cost me the same price as this unit ...and that's just one filter. All my footage had IR contamination and was a lovely shade of red!!

Chris

[Jody Arnott]

Originally Posted by Chris Harding

Hi Jody

You don't!! This model requires that you keep the lens full open all the time and the amount of light entering the camera is controlled only by the ND filter.

Chris

Thanks Chris. Sounds terrible! Many lenses aren't at their optimum wide open.. I guess I just don't see the point in dumb adapters that don't have a way of manually adjusting the iris.

[Chris Harding]

Hi Jody

100% correct and you are stuck with ND filters that might be awful too ..no sense putting crappy ND's behind a $5,000 lens!!!

Chris

[Aaron Jones Sr.]

So I got one of my lens adapters in the mail today and finally got home from work to test it out. It is a Viltrox NEX - EF II. I tried it with my wife's Tamron 24-70mm f/2.8 lens and I could see a nice difference from my stock lens. Even when I tried it with a Canon 28-135mm f/4 was better than the stock lens we have. an the 28-135mm is a stock lens for the EOS 5D. So of course I'm using this adapter with Manual Focus and I like what I'm seeing. I have another adapter coming in the mail tomorrow I hope, which is the Commlite EF - NEX Adapter.

The Viltrox II fits with no slack at all. I have read some reviews that pretty much peg all these so called auto focus adapters not to fit completely secure on the camera side. Also the auto focus does not work at all on the four EF lenses I tried with it. No worries because I had already planned to go Manual Focus. I got tired of the EA50 deciding for me what should be in focus and what should not. It is so frustrating to be at a wedding and the focus switch on you. So manual focus here I come. I will update when the second adapter comes in.

[Chris Harding]

Cool Aaron

With focus peaking it's pretty hard not to able to nail focus perfectly every time just by rotating the ring until what you want in focus has yellow (or red or white depending on what you choose) highlights ...Just be careful when you zoom past 50mm ...at higher zooms you think you are spot on when in fact you have focussed 3' behind the subject...it's easy to do so if you are working above 50mm and at F1.8 or 2.8 where the DOF is small, grab focus with the peaking and then hit the expand button and make sure that your focus is accurate... I learnt this lesson at a wedding where the guy at the lectern was soft but the stuff behind him was razor sharp ...I always do an expanded check now to make sure the area I need sharpest has highlights on it in expanded mode too! Normally I have to tweak it a tiny bit so my subject is sharp and the background is soft. Let us know how both work for you!

Chris

[Peter Rush]

The only time I use autofocus with the stock lens is at weddings, and for the 10 minutes or so immediately after the ceremony to film all the hugging/kissing/back slapping etc as it usually mobbed and fast moving. I film a lot from holding the camera over people's heads to get any decent shots and the autofocus does a decent enough job.

For the rest of the wedding day it's EF lenses and manual focus - just how I like it

Pete

[Chris Harding]

Hi Pete

Our congratulations after the ceremony are a lot more structured (if not I make them structured!!!) The bride and groom stay in one spot and the guests file past and go the kiss/hug/backslap thing and move on. That way I'm in one fixed place so focus is easy!! At the last two weddings I didn't even take the stock lens out of the case!!

Chris

[Aaron Jones Sr.]

Just case it is applicable to anyone here is a rough test of my Tamron EF 17-50mm f/2.8 using Commlite adapter Vs my stock lens:

Lens Test - Stock Vs Tamron Lens on Vimeo