Olympus-OM
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: [OM] OM to EOS adapter

Subject: Re: [OM] OM to EOS adapter
From: Moose <olymoose@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 09 Mar 2011 17:02:51 -0800
On 3/9/2011 11:57 AM, O. H. wrote:
> ...
>
> If you decided to continue reading, I am most probably buying a Canon.
> I would rather go for Nikon but I assume that there are no adapters
> for OM to Nikon available. If there are, please let me know!

The simple answer is that adapters that you want to use, i.e. simple and 
without additional lenses in them, are only 
available for 4/3, micro 4/3 and Canon EOS (And perhaps other, more recent, 
mirror less cameras?) (The actual name of 
the lens mount on EOS cameras is 'EF'.)

The reason is that the distance from lens mount to film/sensor of all other the 
mounts is to long to leave room for the 
adapter body between lens and camera body.

> I would appreciate if you could help me with the following questions:
>
> 1) Is there any OM to EOS adapter that allows the lens to firmly
> attach to the adapter? I already bought a very cheap adapter (to test
> lenses with camera shop's body) and noticed that the lens does not
> lock into the adapter. So when I am rotating the focus ring, the lens
> might fall off! I am seeking an adapter that has a locking mechanism
> with a relief button for the lens. So are there such at all?

As others have pointed out, your experience is not common. Most adapters lock 
properly in both ways, adapter to body and 
lens to adapter. The one you bought is faulty, and should be returned.

Mike and Nathan have pointed out expensive and really expensive models. I've 
been completely happy with the cheap one I 
bought from China.These are really simple, two piece devices, with one being 
the stop down tab screw. There's not a lot 
to go wrong.

Especially as you are just trying this out, I would buy an inexpensive one to 
start with. Rather than the cheapest one, 
from a 25 feedback seller in China Chuck linked to, I'd spend 9¢ more and buy 
from Big-IS, still in China, but with 
excellent feedback on over 20,000 transactions.

I think if you polled the list, you would find the vast majority of those who 
have bought inexpensive ones off the 'Bay 
have found them fine. I can't imagine in what way mine could be better.

> 2) Is there any OM to EOS adapter that would NOT allow focus to
> infinity? Such a adapter would be thicker and would allow mostly
> macrophotography (that would be OK with me). Such an adaptor could
> much easily have good locking mechanism.

Never heard of such a thing. There are at least three reasons:

1. Not necessary. Even very inexpensive adapters that focus to infinity lock 
properly. If you look at how the locks 
work, it is quite simple to implement.

2. No one would intentionally buy into such trouble. No matter how you warn 
them, some folks would buy them, then 
complain that they didn't "focus right".

3. A proper adapter and extension tubes is much more flexible.

> 3) Is there any OM to EOS adapter that would change the aperture as I
> turn the aperture ring? I mean similarly as in Olympus OM to 4/3
> adapter. The cheap OM to EOS adapter I bought, I have to manually
> press the depth of field preview button so that the aperture sets to
> correct. Well, this is good for focusing, but for macrophotography
> aspects I would rather have similar action as with OM to 4/3 adapter.

As someone else has pointed out, the way you want it to work is the way the 
vast majority of adapters work. Again, you 
bought a bad model/design.

> 4) Do you find the OM to EOS adapters basically OK for use? With this
> I mostly mean that are the Canon bodies really good at measuring the
> exposure?

No, the simple ones can't be relied on for correct exposure with all lenses at 
all apertures. It appears the camera 
needs to know the focal length and/or aperture to correctly interpret the light 
falling on it.

This is true of Oly 4/3 camera bodies, as well. When they first, reluctantly, 
brought out an OM=>4/3 adapter, they only 
approved it for a limited set of OM mount Zuikos. Later, they came out with a 
table showing EV adjustments necessary for 
many others, aperture by aperture.

When I got my first DSLR, a Canon 300D, and a hand machined adapter (unlike 
anything you will see today!), I did some 
simple testing with a 50/1.4 Zuiko. Auto exposure was uneven, tending to 
overexposure as the lens opened up. Manual 
exposure was much better, only slightly brighter at f1.4.

With Sigma 600/8, for a more extreme case, my 5D needs something like two stops 
less exposure than the meter says. For 
slow work like much landscape, macro, etc. it's not a big deal, as one shoots. 
looks at the LCD, adjusts, shoots again . 
. . And for repeated setups, maybe take notes. Remember, test shots later 
deleted have almost no cost at all.

There are adapters with chips that connect to the AF system to confirm correct 
focus. The fancier ones allow you to 
program them using the camera so they report the correct focal length when you 
shoot. I've heard it claimed that they 
make auto exposure more accurate. I don't know myself.

> 5) Once again: are there any adapters (without changing parts of the lens) to 
> fit OM lens to Nikon? I don't really need focus to infinity.

No there aren't, other than the mount replacements Mike referenced. And yes you 
do need infinity focus. Unless you are 
one in many million. You are going to want it sooner, rather than later.

I started with Zuikos on my Canon DSLRs and one basic Canon auto lens for 
casual use. I now I almost never use OM mount 
lenses on it except for specialty uses, like the super teles, the macro lenses 
with tube or bellows, etc. BTW, the 
Tamron 90/2.8 is a really excellent and reasonably priced auto macro lens 
available in EOS mount.

Moose
-- 
_________________________________________________________________
Options: http://lists.thomasclausen.net/mailman/listinfo/olympus
Archives: http://lists.thomasclausen.net/mailman/private/olympus/
Themed Olympus Photo Exhibition: http://www.tope.nl/

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>
Sponsored by Tako
Impressum | Datenschutz