Canon or Nikon mount?

[Brian C in Az]

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There are several 3rd party lenses that are not made with an L, R or M mount, but they are available in Canon and Nikon mounts. Since I don't own either of those brand camera bodies, I have to pick which mount and get an adapter.

Is there an advantage of one over the other? Does one work better as far as the electronics?

I would prefer be able to manually focus most of the time, so focus by wire is low on the list of wants.

High on the list is manual aperture function, manual focus, strength (solid, secure, etc).

Thanks

 

 

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[fotonutzz]

Personally, I use both.   Lately, I am using more Nikon lenses on my SL as I can use older AF-D lenses with aperture rings.  If I use my Canon EF lenses, my adapter doesn't allow aperture controls unless I buy the expensive Novoflex SL-EOS adapter...

 

Edited December 5, 2018 by fotonutzz

[thighslapper]

Be aware that neither Novoflex adapter with AF functionality works consistently with all lenses.

AF is handy to have ...... even if you intend to use manual focus..... and that's mostly what you are paying the exorbitant cost for. 

The SL-EOS works with a wider range of Canon and 3rd party Canon mount lenses ... such as Sigma .... but AF performance varies from zero to shit-off-a-shovel fast and is unpredictable .... often even between copies of the same lens and adapter.

The SL-NIK AF works only on the latest E Nikon lenses and the E compatible Sigmas ...... so the range is much smaller ..... although it does appear to work more consistently.

Only a minority of lenses work to the native AF speed you would expect when connected to a Nikon/Canon body.

Of course both of them can be used in manual focus mode and still transmit EXIF data and allow Aperture control .... and with no manual control of aperture on most Canon lenses you would need this adapter anyway. With Nikon you can get away with the simple much cheaper Novoflex 'inactive' version but you lose EXIF data. 

This has popped up numerous times over the last 3 years ..... CAVEAT EMPTOR ..... particularly if you expect some AF functionality ...... is the main take home point.

Whatever you decide, make sure you return it for a refund if it fails to perform. 

If you never intend to use AF and have money to burn .... either will do ...... and then the choice is mainly directed by what lenses you are interested in. 

Edited December 5, 2018 by thighslapper

[pgk]

10 hours ago, Brian C in Az said:

Is there an advantage of one over the other? Does one work better as far as the electronics?

Depends. If you ever envisage using another camera body such as a Sony, then there may be advantages of compatibility and Canon are currently 'easier' to use on such bodies because adapters are available with greater functionality. So at the moment Canon might be more advantageous. However electronics change quickly so this may alter. If you simply want MF and build quality than I'd suggest that Nikon might be a better option but as has been said already the latest type Nikon fit lenses have their limits currently too.

Simple adapters are cheap and many work well so perhaps budget for an adapter per lens and accept that they are in effect 'converted' lenses and then the adapter is effectively irrelevant in terms of whether the lens in Canon or Nikon.

[BernardC]

12 hours ago, Brian C in Az said:

I would prefer be able to manually focus most of the time, so focus by wire is low on the list of wants.

High on the list is manual aperture function, manual focus, strength (solid, secure, etc).

One thing to consider is that Nikon lenses focus the "wrong way" compared to Leica, Canon, and every other brand. Infinity is clockwise (when looking through the finder), and near focus is counter-clockwise. Their aperture rings are also the wrong way compared to Leica.

Whether or not that's an issue for you depends on how you use manual focus. It's an issue for me because I instinctively follow-focus through the viewfinder. With Nikon lenses, everything is going the wrong way, and it takes me a while to regain confidence when I switch back to a non-Nikon lens. It's as-if I tried to play a piano with the high notes on the left and the low notes on the right.

[hhn360]

I think it depends on your needs and what lenses are in the library from Nikon and Canon that best suit them.  For portraits, I adapted my Nikon 105 f1.4 lens (one of my very favorites) to use with the SL.   Same for Macro (F mount Zeiss Makro Planar 100 f2).  But I also shoot with tilt-shift lenses, for which I adapted the Canon tilt shift 17 and 24 mm to the SL.  Prior to the SL 16-35 mm lens being available, I used the Canon one on the SL.  Also the 85 f1.2 as well.  All the ones I adapted have worked well.  

If Leica was quicker in releasing lenses for the SL, we wouldn't have had to do this.  3 years on and the catalog of native SL lenses remain quite small.  

[Brian C in Az]

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11 hours ago, BernardC said:

One thing to consider is that Nikon lenses focus the "wrong way" compared to Leica, Canon, and every other brand. Infinity is clockwise (when looking through the finder), and near focus is counter-clockwise. Their aperture rings are also the wrong way compared to Leica.

Whether or not that's an issue for you depends on how you use manual focus. It's an issue for me because I instinctively follow-focus through the viewfinder. 

That would be a big issue for me.  I do follow animal and adjust focus as they move. Thanks for pointing that out. That makes the Canon mount a better choice because I'll not buy a lens that has all the adjustments going "the wrong way".

 

[oudjunk]

I have both adapter for nikon and canon but different function. I bought the Kipon Nikon to SL for using manual focus lens for nikon (and can use auto focus lens but in manual mode only) and Novoflex for canon that i can use auto focus. Depend on what lens and style (character) that you like because IMO, I like the canon tone more than nikon but some focal length and aperture (Like 105mm  f1.4) make me interested in Nikon.