k-hawinkler Posted May 1, 2016 Share #1 Posted May 1, 2016 Advertisement (gone after registration) I wonder whether this is the right place to report on experiences with autofocus of Leica M lenses on Sony A7/r/2 cameras and the Techart Pro LM-EA7 Adapter? If so, please join in. Thanks. 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted May 1, 2016 Posted May 1, 2016 Hi k-hawinkler, Take a look here AUTOFOCUS: M lenses on Sony A7r2 with Techart Pro LM-EA7 Adapter. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
satijntje Posted May 1, 2016 Share #2 Posted May 1, 2016 Yes please, I'm waiting for this! john 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted May 1, 2016 Share #3 Posted May 1, 2016 I would imagine the Sony sub-forum would be the right place. Rick 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
k-hawinkler Posted May 2, 2016 Author Share #4 Posted May 2, 2016 I would imagine the Sony sub-forum would be the right place. Rick Thanks Rick, Would you have the URL for the Sony sub-forum available? TIA. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
satijntje Posted May 2, 2016 Share #5 Posted May 2, 2016 This is the Leica lens subform, so why not here?We can only profit from it! John 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted May 2, 2016 Share #6 Posted May 2, 2016 Hmmm... Within the "family" we have this: http://www.systemkamera-forum.de/forum/43-sony-alpha-sony-nex/ 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
k-hawinkler Posted May 2, 2016 Author Share #7 Posted May 2, 2016 (edited) Advertisement (gone after registration) Yes please, I'm waiting for this! john Thanks John. Here we go. I think we need to discuss 3 areas, namely: • The adapter LM-EA7 itself The adapter seems well built with a pretty powerful engine to move an entire lens. Of course, this early in the game, the adapter is a work in progress, but worth having in my particular situation. It provides basic focusing functionality but is not free of firmware bugs that can interfere with taking pictures. Nevertheless, it's a great help for me, but I would not depend on it yet, when push comes to shove. It seems to work particularly well with wide open fast lenses. Focusing speed varies, from very fast to hunting. Current firmware version is 2. Firmware can be updated online via a smartphone. • Camera and adapter interaction The adapter takes advantage of camera functionality to achieve the focusing. But it also disables functionality one would like to keep. An example is, to be able to manually focus, should the adapter fail to focus. Luckily there is a workaround for that. It also pays to setup the camera buttons in order to minimize use of the menu system. So, I first explain how my camera is setup. I am primarily discussing features associated with using the LM-EA7 adapter easily. A7r2 menu 1/3/Focus Mode: AF-S > AF-C. A7r2 menu 1/3/Focus Area: when possible use Flexible Spot, L > M > S. Reason, L has more PDAF points. A7r2 menu 2/5/AF w/shutter: On. A7r2 menu 2/5/AEL w/shutter: Off. Reason, so one can focus wide open, then stop down, while half pressing the shutter button. A7r2 menu 2/7/AF System: Phase Detection AF. A7r2 menu 2/7/Custom Key Settings: Control wheel.....: Not set (default?) Custom Button 1: C1: White Balance (default?) Custom Button 2: C2: Focus Magnifier Custom Button 3: C3: SteadyS. Focal Len. (no need to go into the menu for changing the Focal Length) Custom Button 4: C4: In-Camera Guide (very useful when in menu) Center Button: Eye AF (default?) Left Button: LB: Drive Mode (default?) Right Button: RB: ISO (default?) Down Button: DB: SteadyShot (so that with C3 and DB one can control IBIS) AEL Button: AEL toggle AF/MF Button: AF/MF Ctrl Toggle (with the adapter this is a way to get to MF) Focus Hold Button: Eye AF (very useful for lenses that have that button, e.g the FE 90/2.8 MACRO G for portrait shots) A7r2 menu 6/3/Remote Ctrl: On (probably needed when lens is firmly attached and the adapter has to move the camera) I am sure I have overlooked some useful settings, but this is a start. • Images shot with using the LM-EA7 The following images were shot with AF and a Rigid Summicron from 1956, I believe lens at f/2, processed with Capture One Pro. In the newspaper one can certainly see a reference to The New York Times. So a manual only 1956 rangefinder lens can be shot with autofocus on a 2015 Sony camera and a 2016 Techart Pro adapter. The focus seems pretty much spot on. Not bad, not bad at all IMHO. Edited May 2, 2016 by k-hawinkler 5 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted May 2, 2016 Share #8 Posted May 2, 2016 But how about more demanding lenses, and lenses with floating elements? How much travel, i.e. what is the longest focal length that can be focused fully? 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
k-hawinkler Posted May 2, 2016 Author Share #9 Posted May 2, 2016 The following images were shot in AF mode with the Summicron-M 75/2 AA. 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted May 2, 2016 Share #10 Posted May 2, 2016 How close does it get on the 75? 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
k-hawinkler Posted May 2, 2016 Author Share #11 Posted May 2, 2016 And here a shot with the Leica WATE. 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
k-hawinkler Posted May 2, 2016 Author Share #12 Posted May 2, 2016 How close does it get on the 75? Thank you Jaap. About 50 cm from sensor to subject. My guess, with additional rings a lot closer. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
k-hawinkler Posted May 2, 2016 Author Share #13 Posted May 2, 2016 But how about more demanding lenses, and lenses with floating elements? How much travel, i.e. what is the longest focal length that can be focused fully? Many thanks Jaap. All excellent questions I would like to know the answers to as well. It'll take some time. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
k-hawinkler Posted May 2, 2016 Author Share #14 Posted May 2, 2016 Okay, I did a quick check and took a photo of my screen with the 50/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH. in AF mode with the adapter @ f/1.4. I believe it's my only lens with an FLE. Here is the AF image. So, first in MF mode I manually prefocused very accurately as indicated by peaking and magnification, all hand held, IBIS off. Then I switched back to AF. The lens was oscillating back and forth vigorously before finally taking the shot. Obviously the adapter isn't built for this and seemed to encounter an instability IMHO. So, not good! To be avoided for now! Maybe this could be made to work in the future by damping the oscillation. I don't think it's worth it to invest a lot of effort into that. I wouldn't. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exodies Posted May 2, 2016 Share #15 Posted May 2, 2016 The oscillations could be due to screen flicker 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
k-hawinkler Posted May 2, 2016 Author Share #16 Posted May 2, 2016 The oscillations could be due to screen flicker Good point. Could well be. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
k-hawinkler Posted May 2, 2016 Author Share #17 Posted May 2, 2016 (edited) The oscillations could be due to screen flicker Yup, you figured it out. That was it. Many thanks. So, I went outside and took an AF shot of this early (humming)-bird with the above mentioned FLE lens @ f/1.4 . This is a 100% resolution crop. Well. That seems in focus to my eyes. I very much doubt that I could have done that with manual focusing @ f/1.4! So in MF mode I focused on the feeder ahead of time. Then I switched to AF, pointed the tiny flexible spot S at the bird and fired, voilà. I may use this lens a lot after all except for the CA wide open. Edited May 2, 2016 by k-hawinkler 12 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
k-hawinkler Posted May 3, 2016 Author Share #18 Posted May 3, 2016 (edited) Hi Jaap, to answer your questions, I also tried 90/2.8 Tele-Elmarit-M, 90/2.8 Elmarit-M, and several R lenses. The TE 90 is perfectly suited for AF, the Elmarit-M 90 seems on the heavy side, the TE 135/4 needs rather precise manual pre-focusing and is rather heavy as well. All my R lenses are too heavy. I could try mounting a lens on a tripod and have the adapter move the camera. However, I anticipate that the few mm the adapter can move is too short so that accurate pre-focusing would be required anyway. I also worry that having to move rather heavy lenses all the time might wear out the adapter prematurely. I also noticed changed appearance of camera menus and operational glitches with the adapter mounted. So, speaking just for me, is the adapter a failure! Definitely not IMHO. How will I use it? My two favorite lenses for that are the WATE and AA 75/2. Followed by TE 90/2.8 and a 50/2 Summicron. 35, 28, 24, and 21 mm lenses that I have could be used but have known corner issues. I also have a Minolta 24-35/3.5 lens that seems to work very well in AF with the adapter. My Noct-Nikkor 58/1.2 is simply too heavy. Edited May 3, 2016 by k-hawinkler 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norwood_d Posted May 4, 2016 Share #19 Posted May 4, 2016 Thanks for sharing! Question: the 75 you're using is the APO version, right (Summicron-M 2/75 APO)? That's the one I have, so I'm particularly excited to think that it might work well with the TechArt Pro. My adapter has been shipped, so I'll find out just how well it works firsthand very soon. I also have the Zeiss Distagon 1.4/35 ZM that I plan to use with the adapter. It's such a gorgeous lens - IF you can get the focus just right. It'll be a dream come true if I can have that kind of IQ *and* be able to increase my keeper rate. <fingers crossed!> 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
k-hawinkler Posted May 4, 2016 Author Share #20 Posted May 4, 2016 Thanks for sharing! Question: the 75 you're using is the APO version, right (Summicron-M 2/75 APO)? That's the one I have, so I'm particularly excited to think that it might work well with the TechArt Pro. My adapter has been shipped, so I'll find out just how well it works firsthand very soon.I also have the Zeiss Distagon 1.4/35 ZM that I plan to use with the adapter. It's such a gorgeous lens - IF you can get the focus just right. It'll be a dream come true if I can have that kind of IQ *and* be able to increase my keeper rate. <fingers crossed!> Yup, mine is the APO-SUMMICRON-M 1:2/75 ASPH. same type as yours. That lens seems to work very well with the adapter on an A7r2. Good luck with your adapter! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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