Novoflex Canon EF Lens to Leica SL Adapter: list of compatible/tested lenses

[gbpost]

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AF on my 135 f2 works, if the focus is set to a medium distance before switching the SL on. Then the SL moves the focus distance setting to infinity and to the minimum focus distance within a second or two. After this procedure the AF works, though not very reliable.

 

If the focus is set to infinity on my the 135 f2 before switching the SL on, the AF does not work at all with this lens. My 135 f2 is from 2006 or so, maybe your lens works with the same trick .

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[cabe]

@gbpost

 

I tried what you recommended... focusing is not always perfect, but... it works !!!  

Edited July 29, 2018 by cabe

[Conrad69]

I have the rather good Sigma 180/2.8 macro. Autofocus simply does not work, and when switching on the camera, the lens is locked at f/22. Only after taking a picture in manual mode, aperture control via the thumb wheel starts functioning (P or A mode exposures do not release the aperture control for some reason). Once you know the startup sequence, it is OK to use in manual focus. And it is a good lens, low on axial and longitudinal CA. Not as good as the 24-90 native zoom, but for a 1:1 macro, it does very well what it is supposed to do.

[Vieri]

Laowa 12mm Zero-D works just fine BUT you need to tape the contacts on the adapter Best regards,

 

Vieri

[Ivar B]

I know that we have discussed the superb Sigma Art 1.4/85mm on the SL with Novoflex SL/EOS adaptor. Many users praised the superb optics, but at the same time experienced camera crashes. I had not used mine for a while, but today I used mine again. Since I used it last there have been some software updates to the SL, but what happened today was that the camera never crashed (not on a single occasion) but the autofocus left a lot to be desired. Many misses, and also times where it simply did not respond. It almost looks like the problems have been reversed in a way. In the past, autofocus was good, but the camera crashed. Anyone knows what is going on, or if the software updates solved some problems, but created others?

Edited September 2, 2018 by Ivar B

[thighslapper]

I have my doubts that there has been any update at all to the functioning of the Novoflex adapters as far as Leica is concerned. 

 

Leica firmware recognises the adapter and passes AF and Aperture info one way and the Lens data the other way but probably does little else. 

 

AF improvements to Leica lenses appear to be mostly through updates to the lens firmware although there is clearly some in-camera changes as well. 

 

My assumption is that the Novoflex has a limited 'average Nikon' or 'average canon' built-in AF algorithm ...... and if the lens used is close to this it will work well .... otherwise it's hit and miss. 

 

Presumably even minor changes at the Leica end may influence performance of lenses that don't conform to what Novoflex expects them to do...... 

 

The Novoflex adapter is a great idea in theory but a long way from being a universal AF solution for the SL. 

[Ivar B]

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I have my doubts that there has been any update at all to the functioning of the Novoflex adapters as far as Leica is concerned. 

 

Leica firmware recognises the adapter and passes AF and Aperture info one way and the Lens data the other way but probably does little else. 

 

AF improvements to Leica lenses appear to be mostly through updates to the lens firmware although there is clearly some in-camera changes as well. 

 

My assumption is that the Novoflex has a limited 'average Nikon' or 'average canon' built-in AF algorithm ...... and if the lens used is close to this it will work well .... otherwise it's hit and miss. 

 

Presumably even minor changes at the Leica end may influence performance of lenses that don't conform to what Novoflex expects them to do...... 

 

The Novoflex adapter is a great idea in theory but a long way from being a universal AF solution for the SL. 

 

I also have come to believe that your final sentence is correct. A good idea, but not yet a fully workable solution.

[Cowz]

All of these great lens combos.... here is my dilemma

 

I have migrated from Nikon to SL+24-90 (I already had a M10, M4P, M8 and TL2) with plenty of M glass and adapters.  Luckily, most of my Nikon glass (105/f2DC, 300/f4, 20-70/2.8 etc) is older D with Manual aperture and used in MF with dumb adapter.

 

I have the gorgeous Sigma 105 f1.4 ART (Bokeh Monster).  I have tried to contact both Novoflex and Sigma with no luck as to whether the Novoflex SL/NIK will work with the 105/1.4.  A local Australian supplier has contacted Novoflex on my behalf and also had no luck with only vague replies.  They did offer a 14 day money back guarantee if the combo does not work, but it is still a good chunk of cash to get the adapter.

 

It would be nice to have AF but the aperture control is essential (EXIF also nice but not must have)

 

Anyone have any words of advice...…

 

Cheers

 

Cowz

Photos By Cowz

OZ

[hillavoider]

All of these great lens combos.... here is my dilemma

 

I have migrated from Nikon to SL+24-90 (I already had a M10, M4P, M8 and TL2) with plenty of M glass and adapters.  Luckily, most of my Nikon glass (105/f2DC, 300/f4, 20-70/2.8 etc) is older D with Manual aperture and used in MF with dumb adapter.

 

I have the gorgeous Sigma 105 f1.4 ART (Bokeh Monster).  I have tried to contact both Novoflex and Sigma with no luck as to whether the Novoflex SL/NIK will work with the 105/1.4.  A local Australian supplier has contacted Novoflex on my behalf and also had no luck with only vague replies.  They did offer a 14 day money back guarantee if the combo does not work, but it is still a good chunk of cash to get the adapter.

 

It would be nice to have AF but the aperture control is essential (EXIF also nice but not must have)

 

Anyone have any words of advice...…

 

Cheers

 

Cowz

Photos By Cowz

OZ

 

they sell novoflex adapters at the Leica store in Sydney, if you are ever there i'm sure they could let you try it out if you tell them you intend to buy it if it works with your lens 

[thighslapper]

Sale or return after a trial at home with the camera/adapter/lens combo to see if it works well enough to be worth keeping is the best option.

 

I suspect it will work ...... but how reliably and quickly is the issue.....

 

The similar sigma art 135/1.8 works ok ....... but often takes a ‘double focus’ to lock on ...... although it is very accurate and can always be used manually with AF switched off.

Edited September 13, 2018 by thighslapper

[Ivar B]

I bought a used but mint Canon EOS Macro 2.5/50mm (€ 100 - cheap in the Leica world) and just tested it out. Autofocus is not fast and it is kind of noisy, but the good news is that it works very well and there were practically no misses. Optical performance seems to be excellent as well, which I have also noted other users report. Mechanically, it is probably not among the best of the Canon EOS lenses.

Edited September 15, 2018 by Ivar B

[supermouse]

My experience with the Sigma Art 20mm f1.4 is not so good. My Leica SL has been updated to firmware 3.3. Could not confirm firmware for the Sigma lens as I do not have the USB Dock. When attached using the Novoflex EOS/SL, the Aperture of the lens is stuck at f16 although the display shows F1.4, and can't be adjusted even using A mode on SL. Of course multiple attempts of reattaching the lens doesn't work as well. However when used with my Sony A7R iii with MC11 adapter, the lens works perfectly. I am afraid I have to return the lens and hope for Sigma to release native SL mount lens soon.

[biogon]

I have tested the following Canon EF lenses on the SL (firmware 3.3) with the Novoflex adapter:

Canon 500mm f/4L IS II: AF work but slow and being recognized as 24-105 f/4

24-85mm f/3.5-4.5: AF work. OK speed

15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS EF-S: AF work. OK speed. But is being recognized as 70-300 DO 

60mm f/2.8 Macro EF-S: AF work. OK speed. But is being recognized as 400 f/2.8

I also confirm that the 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II is working with OK speed. 

[Ronald Weissman]

I have tested the following 12 lenses (latest current production version of each lens) with the following results:

• LAOWA 12mm (Manual) F2.8 -- Nothing visible in EVF, no aperture control., Screen blacked out. Total failure.
• SIGMA 12-24 f4 --- "3 step" focus — forward/backward/forward then focus; full aperture control 
• IRIX 15mm f2.5 (great manual focus lens, especially for astrophotography having a hard stop at infinity and virtually distortion free) — easy to focus manually, full aperture control, full magnification and focusing aids
• CANON 16-35 f4 — fast, full aperture control
• SIGMA 24 f1.4 -- fast, confident focus; full aperture control
• SIGMA 24-105 f4 — no autofocus (misses 100% when tries to focus, often doesn’t even try); full aperture control
• SIGMA 35 f1.4 -- No focus—misfocuses; manual focus OK; full aperture control. A real disappointment given light weight, superb optics—but no autofocus.
• CANON 50L f1.2 — generally ok, full aperture control, can be fast or can miss focus, mostly fast 
• TAMRON 70-210 f4 (released 2018) -- racks focus back and forth, ultimately achieves it, no aperture control, aperture shown as “.7" and does not change aperture
• CANON 100 Macro — rarely achieves focus, sometimes focus lock seems to occur but entire frame out of focus; manual focus OK, but unusable as an AF lens, fine as AF macro lens
• SIGMA 100- 400, f5 -6.3 (released 2018):  focuses erratically, but mostly achieves focus, No aperture control —doesn’t change aperture.  Aperture value reads “4.9”
• SIGMA 105 f1.4 (released 2018--"Bokeh Master". Slight hesitation at first, but focuses relatively quickly. Full aperture control. Overall, works well, especially given its intended use as a portrait lena,

 

 

Edited January 21, 2019 by Ronald Weissman
duplicate sentence