AUTOFOCUS: M lenses on Sony A7r2 with Techart Pro LM-EA7 Adapter

[k-hawinkler]

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I stated above:"All my R lenses are too heavy."

Well, let's have a closer look.
TechArt Pro in their FAQ sets a weight limit of 700g for a lens for their LM-EA7 adapter.
The Leica Vario-Elmarit-R 28-90/2.8-4.5 ASPH. for example weighs 740g.
The Novoflex LEM/LER adapter weighs 2.4 ounces or about 70g.
Total weight of the lens and adapter is then about 810g.
Hmm, a bit on the heavy side.

Nevertheless I was able to get the following image with the just described system @ f/4, ISO 12,800, 1/20s, hand held and with AF.

 

 

When I tried f/5.6 the system wouldn't autofocus.  So, for some situations it'll work, for others it won't.  YMMV.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 6, 2016 by k-hawinkler

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[k-hawinkler]

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Edited May 17, 2016 by k-hawinkler

[otho]

Big review of Techart Pro:

http://www.sonyalpharumors.com/techart-pro-adapter-user-experience-and-how-to-adapt-non-leica-m-lenses/

[k-hawinkler]

Thanks. The adapter works with my Leica M, R, and Nikon F lenses.

For Nikon AF-S lenses there is a different kind of adapter that controls the AF mechanism built into the lens.

[wilfredo]

I'm seriously considering the Sony A7RII. Being able to use my M lenses on AF would be a huge advantage. I mostly shoot B&W with my Monochrom (original version) but at times I want to shoot color. My Canon gear is too heavy and bulky for my taste, so I hardly touch it anymore. This sounds like a great alternative, and I must confess I've missed many a shot with my beloved rangefinder because I could not focus fast enough, coupled with the fact that my focusing hand has been compromised after neck surgery a few years ago. With this option, I could also unload most of my Canon lenses, and simplify.

 

Question, does TechArt make both an M adaptor and an R adaptor? I have a 90mm Elmarit R which I love mainly for portraits, I would love to keep. I don't know the weight but it's a relatively small lens for an R lens.

 

Cheers!

[k-hawinkler]

Wilfredo, TechArt makes the M to E adapter.  

For your R lens you need an additional R to M adapter that attaches your lens to the TechArt adapter.

They offer such an adapter for sale as well for $80.

For this purpose I use a Novoflex R to M adapter I already had.

 

For whatever secondary adapter you get you need to check whether it's thin enough to reach infinity or beyond.

For your 90mm lens you may need to roughly pre-focus manually so that the autofocus adapter can attain focus within the 4.5mm reach of the adapter motor.

For close-focus there is a bonus.  When setting the lens manually to minimum focus, the TechArt adapter then can focus even closer than a rangefinder camera could.

Good luck.

[wilfredo]

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K-H

 

Thanks for the tip.  I also have a 90mm M Hexanon which I like almost as much as the Elmarit.  I'll experiment with it.  I sold my old 90mm M Elmarit which I now regret, but I may just get another M Elmarit, and sell both the M Hexanon, and R Elmarit.

 

Thanks!

[k-hawinkler]

Here is a Hummingbird video https://winklers.smugmug.com/KHW/Pics-by-Date/2016-05-17-A7r22804-APO-RLM/ I shot with

Sony A7r II + TechArt Pro LM-EA7 autofocus adapter + Novoflex LEM-LER adapter + Leica APO-Telyt-R 280/4.

I also exercised the 4x digital zoom feature of the camera.

 

 

 

 

[dante]

I had an a6300 that was only used for video with its standard zoom, so I got one of the LM-EA7s s to see what it could do.

 

Wow. This. Works. Well.

 

On an a6300, the device focuses quickly with a faint mechanical whirring noise. It does not work for video, which wants passive AF.

 

In terms of focus accuracy, it beats human focus through a rangefinder. That should not be surprising, since a rangefinder cannot account for focus shift, but phase-detect AF looking through the lens at shooting aperture can. The other thing it can do is find and focus on a face off center. On a rangefinder, this would require focusing and recomposing. The 50 ZM Sonnar is a whole different lens when you can focus it completely accurately every time.

 

The 4.5mm travel gets you focusing to 1m with pretty much any 50mm lens. On the a6300, you have to back up anyway due to the 1.5 multiplier effect. With longer lenses, you need to park the adapter (press and hold AF/AE lock on the 6300) and then manually focus *past* the subject. This puts the lens at exactly the right point to reach your near distance. I have successfully used this technique with the 90/2.8 Hexanon (see attached) and 105/2.5 Nikkor. I have not tried the 75/1.4 because I am not sure about the weight. I have 12 or 13 other lenses to try.

 

Note 1: not compatible with most SLR to M mount adapters.

 

Note 2: does not work with the new-style (lever, 50mm dedicated) Amedeo Contax adapters.

 

Note 3: don't screw around with the aperture-sets-metadata settings. Pointless.

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[k-hawinkler]

This "K&F Concept Lens Mount Adapter for Nikon Mount Lens to Leica M Lens Camera Body" works well with the TechArt Pro (TAP) adapter and lets me focus my Noct-Nikkor 58/1.2 lens to infinity.

 

I have also 2 adapters from Leicaist, one for Nikon F and one for Minolta MD lenses, that work well with the TAP.

TechArt Pro is selling these Leicaist adapters from their website.

However, one can get them cheaper from eBay.

 

For adapting my Leica R lenses to the TAP I use the Novoflex LEM/LER adapter.

Edited September 4, 2016 by k-hawinkler

[satijntje]

The company that produces the techhart pro adapter for M lenses will be at the Photokina 2016 in Hall 4.1 G-031.

I will pay them a visit to see the miracle working in live

 

John

[k-hawinkler]

LM-EA7 Ver.4 firmware update took about 7 or 8 minutes for each of my two adapters.     

[k-hawinkler]

 

Sony ILCE-7RM2 + TechArt Pro LM-EA7 Ver.4 + Leica APO-Telyt-R 180/3.4

[wilfredo]

Well, after purchasing the Sony AR7II, I ordered the TechArt AF adaptor and it's been an exciting ride thus far.  The 50mm ASPH LUX has a reputation for being stiff, and being able to use this lens in AF mode is simply astonishing.  Here's two examples from today.  The focus is spot on, which is a relief since my manual focusing skills are not always the best.  I also like the B&W conversions I'm getting from this camera, and find them comparable to my Monochrom (Type I) photographs, but that's another topic for another day.

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[k-hawinkler]

Hi Wilfredo.  That seems to be working out well for you.  Please, keep the images coming.  Thanks.

[wilfredo]

Hi Wilfredo.  That seems to be working out well for you.  Please, keep the images coming.  Thanks.

Thanks! I want to see how well it performs on the street. Stay tuned.

[jaapv]

Nice shots. I am a bit surprised you find them comparable to the Monochrome. To me they look a bit digital-smooth, especially the skin. Not negative, just different, it may be the way you like to process your files.

[wilfredo]

Wilfredo, TechArt makes the M to E adapter.  

For your R lens you need an additional R to M adapter that attaches your lens to the TechArt adapter.

They offer such an adapter for sale as well for $80.

For this purpose I use a Novoflex R to M adapter I already had.

 

For whatever secondary adapter you get you need to check whether it's thin enough to reach infinity or beyond.

For your 90mm lens you may need to roughly pre-focus manually so that the autofocus adapter can attain focus within the 4.5mm reach of the adapter motor.

For close-focus there is a bonus.  When setting the lens manually to minimum focus, the TechArt adapter then can focus even closer than a rangefinder camera could.

Good luck.

I think I'm going to follow your lead on this one, since keeping the Elmarit R would also allow me to do some macro photography with it using the Elpro glass on the lens. The 90mm Elmarit R is a relatively small lens. I shot this using MF and a Leica to Canon to Sony adapter. I'm wondering if the TechArt AF adaptor would work with the Elpro attachment on the lens?

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Edited September 17, 2016 by wilfredo

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[wilfredo]

The look of the SONY AR7II starts to look somewhat classic when you attach a silver Leica M lens and add a Gariz leather half case.  Not quite the classic rangefinder look, but it's growing on me.

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[wilfredo]

Nice shots. I am a bit surprised you find them comparable to the Monochrome. To me they look a bit digital-smooth, especially the skin. Not negative, just different, it may be the way you like to process your files.

 

 

Well, I myself am surprised.  Generally speaking I've never been a fan of the CMOS sensor when it comes to skin texture given the added "porcelain" effect; and the B&W tones were not always there, they just didn't please me.  I've always found that CCD sensors were richer in producing B&W tones.  That's one of the reasons I hardly used my DSLR anymore, especially after I purchased the Monochrom (Type I) but even before that my "go to" camera was the M8.  Not being a techy, from what I can see, CMOS technology has advanced beyond my expectations.  

 

Here's two shots I did to examine skin tones, and I find it hard to distinguish between the two.  If unlabeled, I think most of us would not be able to tell which was which.  The unlabeled second shot was done with the Monochrom (Type I).  Both photos were shot with the 50mm LUX ASPH.  One thing is certain, the stamp of the Leica glass is evident in both photographs.  I'm grateful to my spouse for being patient with me and posing for photos.  I know we are going off topic here, and I apologize for that in advance. 

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