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Do not buy the Novoflex EF-SL Adapter!!

dasjak

By dasjak
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Leicaiste

Leicaiste

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I had the opportunity to try the Novoflex Canon EF Adapter L on the SL with some Canon EF lenses.

 

24mm f/2.8 IS USM (06/2012) = AF doesn't work at all and the camera refuse to take any picture

 

35mm f/2 IS USM (12/2012) = AF doesn't work at all and the camera refuse to take any picture

 

50mm f/1.8 STM (05/2015) = AF ok

 

500 F/4 L IS USM (V1) (09/1999)= AF ok but slow

 

70-200 F/2,8 L IS II USM (03/2010) = AF ok but slow

 

100-400 f/4,5-5,6 L IS II USM (12/2014) = AF ok but slow

 

 

Time for an update of the SL firmware.

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FlashGordonPhotography
FlashGordonPhotography

I shot Canon professionally for over 15 years and was a CPS member when you actually needed to be a professional to apply.   You mentioned the 135L as a lens you have shot. At 3.5 it's easily the eq

FlashGordonPhotography
FlashGordonPhotography

Is it really that hard to grasp that a lens adaptor has almost no hope of autofocusing Canon lenses on a different brand body that will ever come close to the speed of native camera? Is it really that

LD_50
LD_50

There is a 10-page discussion about this adapter on this site.   Several users have had good experiences with specific lenses, and several have had experiences similar to your own.   I would sugg

Leicaiste

Leicaiste

Posted
Posted

I had the opportunity to try the Novoflex Canon EF Adapter L on the SL with some Canon EF lenses.

 

24mm f/2.8 IS USM (06/2012) = AF doesn't work at all and the camera refuse to take any picture

 

35mm f/2 IS USM (12/2012) = AF doesn't work at all and the camera refuse to take any picture

 

50mm f/1.8 STM (05/2015) = AF ok

 

500 F/4 L IS USM (V1) (09/1999)= AF ok but slow

 

70-200 F/2,8 L IS II USM (03/2010) = AF ok but slow

 

100-400 f/4,5-5,6 L IS II USM (12/2014) = AF ok but slow

 

 

Time for an update of the SL firmware.

There is no improvement with the new firmware 2.2.

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kikouyou

kikouyou

Posted
Posted (edited)

Did you upgraded the SL with the novoflex adaptor mounted on the camera?

It sounds to me that this is the only safe way to perform an update of the novoflex without a dedicated user function on the body that as we know does not exists....

Edited by kikouyou
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FlashGordonPhotography

FlashGordonPhotography

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No, I didn't. And shouldn't IMO.

 

And I doubt very much that the Novoflex Adapter could be upgraded by Leica.

 

It is only the SL firmware which could be upgraded, again IMO.

 

Updates for the adaptor are delivered via camera firmware updates. It's an agreement between Novoflex and Leica according to my Novoflex dealer.

 

OTOH. No mention of improvements for the adaptor were listed in the updates list.

 

Gordon

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kikouyou

kikouyou

Posted
Posted (edited)

OTOH, not all the update info for a given FW is published, that would be acknowledging issues that were not uncovered by the majority of the users. But with regard to this one, I would see no reason not to inform the Novoflex users that an update is backed in.

I still have to perform the update, but is seems so insignificant that I have been dragging my feet. Anyway I will preform the update with the novoflex adaptor mounted and will report if I see any change. Did anybody spotted somewhere in the menus or exif info a Novoflex FW version number?

Edited by kikouyou
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linemrkr

linemrkr

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I have tried the adapter with varying degree of success.  It works okay with my 300 2.8, 200 2.8 (interesting its not on the list) and Sigma 1.4 DG (interesting it says no autofocus on the list).  Also they seem to work better after the firmware update. Maybe my imagination but the lenses seem to lock on focus more consistently. 

 

Novoflex states they are currently working on a list. They state the lenses listed below are the lenses they have tested up to now. From B&H website.


Canon:

Fixed Focal Length lenses
EF 14mm f/2.8
EF 24mm f/1.4
EF 28mm f/1.8
EF 35mm f/1.4
EF 35mm f/2.0
EF 50mm f/1.2
EF 50mm f/1.4 (NO autofocus; Aperture setting OK)
EF 85mm f/1.2
EF 85mm f/1.8
EF 100mm f/2.8 (Slow autofocus)
EF 135mm f/2.0
EF 200mm f/1.8
EF 300mm f/2.8
EF 400mm f/2.8

Zoom Lenses
EF 11-24mm f/4.0
EF 16-35mm f/2.8
EF 17-40mm f/4.0
EF 24-70mm f/2.8
EF 24-105mm f/4.0
EF 70-200mm f/2.8
EF 70-200mm f/4.0

Tilt-Shift Lenses
TS-E 17mm f/4
TS-E 24mm f/3.5
TS-E 45mm f/2.8
TS-E 90mm f/2.8

Teleconverters
TC 1.4x III
TC 2.0x III


Sigma:

Fixed Focal Length Lenses:
15mm f/2.8 EX DG Diagonal-Fisheye
20mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art
24mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art
35mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art
50mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art (NO autofocus; aperture OK)
85mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM
300mm f/2.8 EX DG HSM
500mm f/4.5 EX DG HSM

Zoom Lenses:
12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 DG HSM II
24-35mm f/2 DG HSM Art
24-70mm f/2.8 EX DG HSM
24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM Art (NO autofocus; aperture OK)
50-500mm f/4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM (NO autofocus; aperture OK)
70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM (NO autofocus; aperture OK)
120-300mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Sports
150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports
150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary
200-500mm f/2.8 EX DG (Slow autofocus)
300-800mm f/5.6 EX DG HSM (Slow autofocus)

Macro:
105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM (NO autofocus; aperture OK)
150mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM (NO autofocus; aperture OK)
180mm f/2.8 ES DG OS HSM (NO autofocus; aperture OK)

Zeiss:
Milvus 50mm f/2.0
Otus 55mm f/1.4
Answered by Manzell L. STAFF on Sep 
Edited by linemrkr
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blacksinner

blacksinner

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Posted

i ask novoflex is there any possibility for future firmware update and this is what they say. i copied the email

 

Hello,

 
up to now there is no update planned for this adapter. You should have the newest update of the firmware of your Leica SL. Then our adapter should work with most of the Canon lenses.
Some of the lenses work faster then other ones, but this is i problem from Canon on which we don´t have any influence.
 
Mit freundlichen Grüßen 
Kind regards
 
Andreas Marx
Fotografenmeister | PIC

Leiter Fototechnik
 

NOVOFLEX Präzisionstechnik GmbH 
Brahmsstr. 7, D- 87700 Memmingen 
Tel.08331 88888 Fax. 08331 47174 
e-mail marx@novoflex.com 
www.novoflex.com

Geschäftsführer: Reinhard Hiesinger, Michael Hiesinger 
AG Memmingen HR B 9072 
Ust.-IdNr. DE 811960374 
StNr. 138 133 70063
 
 
there is no update planned for this adapter. WTF? so this is the final product. and it the most expensive adapter i've ever bought. i would not recommend this adapter to anyone.
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steppenw0lf

steppenw0lf

Posted
Posted (edited)

As stated many times before, first try the important lenses for you, and only then buy the adapter. 

Some people actually depend on this adapter, as it works very nicely with the T/S lenses and the 11-24 zoom.

Also users of Zeiss Otus lenses (Milvus probably as well) recommend it.

 

But general recommendation just as well as general dammnation is not appropriate.

 

With a little bit of experience with other AF adapters (for Sony) you will know that surprises are always possible.

Edited by steppenw0lf
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  • 4 weeks later...
Leicaiste

Leicaiste

Posted
Posted (edited)

I had the opportunity to try the new Canon EOS 24-105 mm f4 IS USM II on the SL equipped with the Novoflex SL/EOS adapter. The AF works ok. (nothing to compare with the same lens on the Canon 5D Mark IV).

 

What is strange is that in the menu, the EOS 24-105 mm f4 IS USM II is mentioned as an EOS EFS 17-55 mm f2,8 IS USM which is an APS C lens.

 

This prompted me to try an EOS EFS 17-55 mm f2,8 IS USM on the SL.

 

In works the same, but in APS C obviously. Maybe a bit faster, thanks to the wider aperture ?

 

It is is also mentioned as an EOS EFS 17-55 mm f2,8 IS USM.

 

With both lenses, the focal length and aperture were correctly mentioned in the picture information.

Edited by Leicaiste
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John Black

John Black

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Not mentioned on the list above are the Zeiss 35mm F2 Distagon ZE and Zeiss 100mm F2 Makro-Planar ZE.  Both work fine on the SL.  The lens name is reported wrong of course - Voigtlander 40mm SL II something another...

 

What's funny is that the same Zeiss lenses a-la the Metabones IV T on the Sony A7rII show the lens names correctly.  So Novoflex or Leica are polling the wrong the field when the EXIF data is gathered.

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Ivar B

Ivar B

Posted
Posted (edited)

I see that it is being said that the Zeiss Otus 1.4/55 works well. This is in my experience not completely correct. The diaphragm closes and opens once when the adapter is mounted. This is not a major problem of course, but it had me worried a bit. There is also some delay compared to shooting with a native lens. Not so much the first expose, more the time it takes for the diaphragm to open again so you are ready for a 2nd exposure. EXIF lists this lens as Canon 1.4/50. Fairly close, I would say.

 

Apart from that, the Otus is a wonderful lens (without autofocus).

 

I tried the adapter also on Canon 4/300 L IS. I did not work at all. 

Edited by Ivar B
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  • 2 weeks later...
steppenw0lf

steppenw0lf

Posted
Posted (edited)

There is no IS - this is clearly stated in their announcement.

AF is quite fast, but of course the special programs (the six cases) are missing, so it is not as good as e.g. with a 5Ds. Use the compatibility list.

Here an example (70-200):

Edited by steppenw0lf
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helged

helged

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Posted

Thanks for the video! Looks pretty much similar to the AF with Nikon E-lenses on the Novoflex SL/NIK-adapter discussed here. And contrary to the headline, I will say that the Novoflex adapters are a fine supplement to the SL-system - albeit with a performance far from the level of native bodies. No surprise there.

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FlashGordonPhotography

FlashGordonPhotography

Posted
Posted

 

i ask novoflex is there any possibility for future firmware update and this is what they say. i copied the email

 

Hello,

 
up to now there is no update planned for this adapter. You should have the newest update of the firmware of your Leica SL. Then our adapter should work with most of the Canon lenses.
Some of the lenses work faster then other ones, but this is i problem from Canon on which we don´t have any influence.
 
Mit freundlichen Grüßen 
Kind regards
 
Andreas Marx

Fotografenmeister | PIC

Leiter Fototechnik

 

NOVOFLEX Präzisionstechnik GmbH 

Brahmsstr. 7, D- 87700 Memmingen 

Tel.08331 88888 Fax. 08331 47174 

e-mail marx@novoflex.com 

www.novoflex.com

Geschäftsführer: Reinhard Hiesinger, Michael Hiesinger 

AG Memmingen HR B 9072 

Ust.-IdNr. DE 811960374 

StNr. 138 133 70063

 
 
there is no update planned for this adapter. WTF? so this is the final product. and it the most expensive adapter i've ever bought. i would not recommend this adapter to anyone.

 

 

If you read that from the point of view that it was written by someone who speaks English as a second language then it seems to imply that the HARDWARE is final and if you have the latest camera firmware then you have the latest adaptor firmware. Novoflex have stated that testing of new lenses and new firmware was under consideration.

 

Then again I'd never suggest buying any product on what *might* happen if the future. That's bound to lead to disappointment.

 

Gordon

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airfang

airfang

Posted
Posted

Updates for the adaptor are delivered via camera firmware updates. It's an agreement between Novoflex and Leica according to my Novoflex dealer.

 

OTOH. No mention of improvements for the adaptor were listed in the updates list.

 

Gordon

 

Hmmm, does this mean the Novoflex adaptor is "officially" approved by Leica?

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