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

[wilfredo]

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I decided to try the TechArt AF adaptor to take some shots of a theatre performance this past weekend, and I've got to say, it was a relief not to have to MF for these shots.  I shot with the 50mm LUX ASPH wide open. 

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Edited September 19, 2016 by wilfredo

[Exodies]

Does the lighting engineer know you reduced his sets to colourless?

 

On a more serious note, was this a rehearsal or a performance? If a performance, do you move around? Where do you stand or move around?

[wilfredo]

Does the lighting engineer know you reduced his sets to colourless?

On a more serious note, was this a rehearsal or a performance? If a performance, do you move around? Where do you stand or move around?

For these shots I moved around to the right of the stage, so I wouldn't block anyone's view. The Lighting Engineer couldn't care less that I converted these to B&W, LOL. Overall experience of using the TechArt AF adaptor was very good, and I was pleased with the results.

[pkwok]

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

After updating to Firmware V4, the focusing speed is obviously faster.

[k-hawinkler]

After updating to Firmware V4, the focusing speed is obviously faster.

 

 

+1!

[wilfredo]

Any instructions anywhere on how to do this upgrade? The little pamphlet I got with the adaptor is not very helpful. I don't know what version I have.

[Jeff S]

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http://techartpro.com/downloads-2/

 

 

 

 

Jeff

[k-hawinkler]

Any instructions anywhere on how to do this upgrade? The little pamphlet I got with the adaptor is not very helpful. I don't know what version I have.

 

Well, check in the camera menu the lens version number while the adapter is attached.  That's your answer.

Edited September 22, 2016 by k-hawinkler

[wilfredo]

http://techartpro.com/downloads-2/

 

 

 

 

Jeff

 

Hey,

 

I tried this, and I keep getting a message saying "Adapter LM-EA7 not found, please try again."  Any suggestions.

[Jeff S]

If you scan down this link, you'll see someone with similar problem and a solution that seemed to work...  https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4022147

 

Otherwise, you might try posting here (there appears to be a more recent FW download with instructions) and/or emailing DEO....  http://techartpro.com

 

I don't use any of this stuff....just Google....hope it helps.

 

Jeff

 

 

[k-hawinkler]

If you scan down this link, you'll see someone with similar problem and a solution that seemed to work...  https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4022147

 

Otherwise, you might try posting here (there appears to be a more recent FW download with instructions) and/or emailing DEO....  http://techartpro.com

 

I don't use any of this stuff....just Google....hope it helps.

 

Jeff

 

 

Thanks Jeff for pointing to my posts, alias khaw, on dpreview.

 

Hi Wilfredo, do you have Bluetooth ON on your iPhone?

Did you switch your camera off so that the adapter can talk to your iPhone.

Please, list the steps you take so that we can see which one is missing.  

Have a look at the FAQ here:   http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1452716/0#13743208

[frank_dernie]

Looking at this device from first principles it seems logical that it will focus accurately since it uses the in camera sensor to judge whether it is in focus or not.

Equally logically it will focus the image for a floating element lens accurately onto the sensor, but it will not be able to optimally correct the aberrations corrected by the floating element system apart from at infinity, where the lens is set. This doesn't mean the image won't be in focus, but it does mean the optimising effect of the floating elements is being lost/not-exploited.

I have just bought one but not experimented much yet.

I shall try with my WATE, MATE, and other floating element lenses to see if I am happy with this compromise, otoh I have lots of older Leica lenses for which this is not at issue...

[k-hawinkler]

Looking at this device from first principles it seems logical that it will focus accurately since it uses the in camera sensor to judge whether it is in focus or not.

Equally logically it will focus the image for a floating element lens accurately onto the sensor, but it will not be able to optimally correct the aberrations corrected by the floating element system apart from at infinity, where the lens is set. This doesn't mean the image won't be in focus, but it does mean the optimising effect of the floating elements is being lost/not-exploited.

I have just bought one but not experimented much yet.

I shall try with my WATE, MATE, and other floating element lenses to see if I am happy with this compromise, otoh I have lots of older Leica lenses for which this is not at issue...

 

 

Well, not really if you manually prefocus and then rely on the TAP.  Please see post #17.

[wilfredo]

If you scan down this link, you'll see someone with similar problem and a solution that seemed to work...  https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4022147

 

Otherwise, you might try posting here (there appears to be a more recent FW download with instructions) and/or emailing DEO....  http://techartpro.com

 

I don't use any of this stuff....just Google....hope it helps.

 

Jeff

 

I appreciate your help.  I didn't get very far and what's worse, after trying to update the firmware, the adaptor over exposes every shot, which I didn't discover until trying to use the camera last Fall.  It's been a crazy busy time for me, and I haven't picked-up the camera since October.   I'm going to fiddle around with it again today and see if I get anywhere.  Not being a techy, I'm disappointed.  

Edited December 28, 2016 by wilfredo

[wilfredo]

Thanks Jeff for pointing to my posts, alias khaw, on dpreview.

 

Hi Wilfredo, do you have Bluetooth ON on your iPhone?

Did you switch your camera off so that the adapter can talk to your iPhone.

Please, list the steps you take so that we can see which one is missing.  

Have a look at the FAQ here:   http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1452716/0#13743208

 

 

Yes, the Bluetooth is on. Based on what someone else on another forum experiencing the same issue did, this is what I've tried in my lates attempt:

Firmware Upgrade Instructions

1) Make sure the battery level of your camera and phone is >50%

2) Make sure the Auto-Lock of your phone is OFF

3) Plug in the adapter to your camera body

4) Turn ON the camera, change the aperture value to F/90 (not F/9 !), release the shutter

5) Turn OFF the camera (IMPORTANT!)

6) Run the app in the smartphone and select the firmware 3.0 under LM-EA7

7) Click ‘Update’

8) Wait around 10 mins for the update to complete

9) SUCCESS

 

I followed these instructions but no success.  I tried uploading version 4.0.0.  Somehow it seems the blue tooth in the TechArt adaptor is not pairing with my I-phone.  And as I said before, the TechArt Adapter continues to overexpose my shots by over three stops.  

Edited December 28, 2016 by wilfredo

[satijntje]

Wilfredo, this is very annoying and you should get your FW 4.0 as soon as possible, as it make a big difference compared to nr 3.

Try to find a TECHARTPRO colleague in NY (most effective is via Facebook), and try to upload the FW together with somebody that has done it already.

 

Good luck

 

John

[wilfredo]

Wilfredo, this is very annoying and you should get your FW 4.0 as soon as possible, as it make a big difference compared to nr 3.

Try to find a TECHARTPRO colleague in NY (most effective is via Facebook), and try to upload the FW together with somebody that has done it already.

 

Good luck

 

John

 

Thanks.  I will give this a try.  It is frustrating indeed since the whole idea of this camera was to use my M lenses with it.

[uhoh7]

Some of may be interested in some newer mods to A7r2 to help with M lenses:

There are only two or three in the world with the most advanced mod for M:

https://flic.kr/p/Qcrjzj

 

As you can see, Sam uses techart also. If you look through his recent shots you will see many lenses. His camera has less glass over the sensor than any Leica M except the M8, it's the same.

[Neko]

Some of may be interested in some newer mods to A7r2 to help with M lenses:

There are only two or three in the world with the most advanced mod for M:

https://flic.kr/p/Qcrjzj

 

As you can see, Sam uses techart also. If you look through his recent shots you will see many lenses. His camera has less glass over the sensor than any Leica M except the M8, it's the same.

 

 

 

 

 

  uhoh7, Im really interested in the A7RII mod. I´m on the fence about gettin the M10, but if the performance of the new mod equals the M240, I don´t know.....

 Currently I own the MM, 50 APO, 90APO and 35 lux FLE, and maybe the 21 superelmar comming soon.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[uhoh7]

uhoh7, Im really interested in the A7RII mod. I´m on the fence about gettin the M10, but if the performance of the new mod equals the M240, I don´t know.....

 Currently I own the MM, 50 APO, 90APO and 35 lux FLE, and maybe the 21 superelmar comming soon.

Those lenses would be excellent even on the "normal" Kolari mod. 35 FLE and 21 SEM are both very close if not at 240 level, before profile.

Light up the leaves by unoh7, SEM 21 A7.kolari v1

 

Kolari is now about to start test a new much thinner than .8mm IR cut, which may come up to levels we see with coverglass removal. But it's also possible to send a camera to the tech in Taiwan. I'm not in a huge hurry so I'm going to see how the new "ultra thin" does compared to what we are seeing from Sam, who I think has the benchmark non-M digital body in the world right now. However I've disced the issue extensively with Sam, and I think his "Taiwan Master" sounds very good.

 

The plain A7 makes a wonderful Mod body also, because it's only 475 grams with battery, and quite a bit thinner. However the Techart is really made for the ii cameras.

 

A7 vs A7ii by unoh7, on Flickr

 

M10 is great camera, I would love one. But for me I can afford M9/A7rii.mod2, and that gives me alot of flexibility and a single lens set. I've been shooting the A7.kolari since 1/2015. It has been great in the role as second body for M9. You loose the AA filter in the mod on the 24mp Sonys which really changes the character, as you may see in these shots.

 

Cat and Pirate by unoh7, 28 cron on A7.mod v2

 

Here I could not tell it from the M9 which I was shooting alongside.

 

My current A7 mod is only equal to M240 with certain lenses, SEM 18 28 Lux and some others. Far better than stock with everything, but these latest mods should bring us very close to Leica in handling the ray angles with more "problem" lenses. The "Sony effect" is not really smearing, it's an added FC. The 28 cron I'd guess is just a bit behind my M9 but catches up by f/4ish. ZM 35/2 takes longer. 50 cron is equal.

 

Bluebelt by unoh7, A7.mod 21/4 Skopar

 

You will never see the CV 21/4 look like that on a stock camera

 

The difference is simple:

M9= sensor + .8mm IR/Coverglass (the IR cut is in the coverglass)

A7= sensor + .7mm clear coverglass + 1.9mm IR and other filtration (the "filter stack")

Kolari v2 = sensor + 7mm clear coverglass + .8mm IR cut.

Sam A7rii = no coverglass + .5mm IR cut (he says other IR choice at .8mm might be better, but his is pretty good)

Edited January 29, 2017 by uhoh7