Canon fd mount not controlling the iris.
 

Finally, my fs100 has arrived. Been playing with it all day. I bought the rainbow imaging emount to canon fd adapter (this one here)


I also bought a couple old fd lens off of eBay, a 50mm 1.4, and a 28mm 2.8. This is my first interchangeable lens camera, and I'm not sure if I'm doing something wrong or not. I connect the mount, to the camera, then I connect the lens to the mount. This is where I wonder if I'm doing something wrong. Both lens I bought (from different sellers), once connected to the camera, the manual iris ring won't control the iris. I adjust the ring, but the iris stays fully open.

I was wondering if anyone else might have a clue about this. This is just a cheap mount, until I can buy the novaflex Nikon mount.

Thanks for the help.

Re: Canon fd mount not controlling the iris.
 

Yeah, I have the same adapter, and I SWEAR it's possible. I don't
understand still lenses and adapters very well though, so hard to
explain, I don't even know the words for the things on these lenses.

First thing, is detach the lens from the adapter and
look through the lens. There are a couple metal pieces sticking out
of the back of the lens....where you attach it onto the adapter.
You can move them and find out which one controls the adapter
by looking through the lens, you can see the aperture open and
close (you are not moving the aperture ring, just the metal 'levers'.
If neither one opens and closes the aperture, you need to move the
'locking' ring (the one that locks the lens onto the adapter) the
other way and try again. Once you figure out which lever controls
the aperture, remember it. Now there is a little 'lever' sticking
out on the adapter. It needs to be on the right side of the 'aperture'
lever which is on the lens for everything to work right. I just
tried it both ways until it worked. Once that 'adapter lever' is
not 'blocking' the 'aperture lever' you can manually control
aperture with the aperture ring.....it works, you just have
to play around until you get the lens on the adapter the RIGHT
way. And unfortunately there are no instructions with the adapter.

When I first got it, I was afraid that it wasn't going to work,
partly because I had Vivitar lenses in FD mount and
not genuine FD mount lenses, but it works. I just kept trying
it different ways until it worked, and then figured it out
(kinda). Still sometimes have trouble switching lenses, but I am
almost certain it is because you have it attached wrong. Sorry
I can't really give you good clear instructions on how to
do it, I basically figured it out through trial and error.


There is a 'how to' here:


Scroll down and read the user comments. They are for a m 4/3 mount but the idea is
almost the same. It might help you more than my attempt at explaining. Just be
aware that just about everyone has the same issue that you are having unless they
are far more familiar with the lens/adapter thing.....you can see this by reading
the comments.

Re: Canon fd mount not controlling the iris.
 

Thanks Gabe,

It made sense, but primarily cause I looked at it closer and figured out I had the ring turned the wrong way. I thought I was all on and locked in. Wasn't working. Then I did as you said, and took everything off and went to town again. Works great now.

Next thing is getting stabilization. I must have the shakiest hands around. I loaded Doug Jensen's 2 picture profile settings, and 4 of able cinemas profiles.

Re: Canon fd mount not controlling the iris.
 

I noticed quite a bit of 'shaking' myself. For me it just showed me how
much the really nice OIS steadyshot was helping me with the kit lens.
I think I will be using a lot of tripod shots with my FD lenses
until I get better at holding it steady. My rigging is on it's way
so that may help a little with the heavier 28-90 F.28 FD lens.
We'll see....

Re: Canon fd mount not controlling the iris.
 

Gabe, what rigging rails did you decide to go with?

Scott Caplan

Re: Canon fd mount not controlling the iris.
 

I have the FD to F3 mount from MTF..

The trick I've found that works every time is to start with the lens rotated slightly (10-15 degrees) clockwise from where it fits onto the mount and rotate the lens counter clockwise till everything lines up and it locks onto the mount.

This makes sure the aperture release blade is on the correct side of the pin in the mount.

Re: Canon fd mount not controlling the iris.
 

I read an interesting comment in the reviews section on that amazon page. one purchaser suggested buying one for each lens you needed an adapter on since they're only $21.00 and it was far easier to swap lenses quickly in the field rather than fiddle with the adapter. Food for thought. I picked one of the last 2 adapters in stock up on Amazon today in anticipation of our FS-100 being ordered this week.

Scott Caplan

Re: Canon fd mount not controlling the iris.
 

Well, I just went with some cheap ones I found on ebay, I like to
shoot 'unrigged' as much as possible, but for times that I have
a heavy FD lens, I needed something to save stress on the emount.
Here's a link to the set I got:

DP500 DSLR rail 15mm rod support system rig for follow focus mattebox canon 5D 2 | eBay

Re: Canon fd mount not controlling the iris.
 

gabe-

thanks for the link.

i look forward to seeing some "rig pix"!

be well

rob
smalltalk productions

Re: Canon fd mount not controlling the iris.
 

I ordered them 8 days ago....and if they get here before Sunday, I'll have pics up the day I get them. If not, I'll get pics up after I get
back into town from a 10-15 trip. I got a cheap mattebox from them as
well.

Re: Canon fd mount not controlling the iris.
 

FYI: The price of the adapter just doubled to $39.99 - still waiting to see if they honor my purchase price of $20.99, there was an issue with my initial purchase, should be processed today.

Scott

Re: Canon fd mount not controlling the iris.
 

Another cheap Canon FD to NEX Adapter. $25.00

Scott

Re: Canon fd mount not controlling the iris.
 

It's funny - back when I was only contemplating the purchase of FS100, I arranged for a short trial period with my local Sony dealer, and wanted to also test my FD glass. So I picked up the cheapest "no name" FD->NEX adapter on eBay ($20 shipment included) - and guess what:

- of course I decided to keep this marvelous camera (along with my good old EX1), and have been using the cheap adapter ever since without any single problem: no light leak, no lens play, no reflections!

I would like to recommend it to you guys, but cannot do that simply because it's a no name product, and I don't remember who I bought it from....

That said, I did have some "user errors" with it when I put one on my Canon FD lens on it for the first time; like many others I didn't twist the lens all the way to engage the iris lever stop pin, and the iris didn't fully open. I remember my dismay when with my 50mm F1.4 lens, I had to put the camera on 18 dB gain for it to see in my darkish room :)

Re: Canon fd mount not controlling the iris.
 

Agreed! Fotodiox Fotodiox Professional Photography Supplies and Equipment does make a nice adapter. I use their FD mount on my FS100 without any issues. Matter of fact I liked the price point and product line so much I now have several of their adapters,I.E, NEX to EF, NEX to M42 and micro 4/3 to both FD and M39 Lieca mount.

Though I like the MFT and Novoflex adapters build quaility, I feel the pricing is rather high.