graybeard

I have a Canon DSLR and a lot of old M42 screw mount lenses from my film days. I have bought several adapters on ebay more or less on faith and find several types. All achieve the physical mounting of lens to camera, but all have (or don't have) features that make me wonder. Let me describe what I have come across so far: Type 1-a simple ring with M42 threads and the EOS bayonet. It mounts lens to camera- no more. Type 2-same as type 1 but also has a flange that presses in the pin on the back of the lens, related to the lens "auto-manual" switch. Type 3- same as type 1 (no flange) but has "AF confirmation chips" that supposedly tell you when your manual focus is right. Type 4- has the flange and the chips. Type 5- same as type 4 but the chips are programmable, for lens focal length, aperture range, and minimal focal distance (IIRC). The programming is long and tedious, and makes you wonder if this thing really works. Over all I get good results, it is just like using a film SLR by focusing manually, and using the lens aperture ring. The only catch is I have to make sure my cameras lens aperture is set even to or lower than my lenses widest opening, otherwise I will get an overexposure depending on the difference between the 2 settings. Anyway, what experience have any of you had and what light can you shed on this bewildering variety of lens adapters? BTW, (no surprise) none of the sellers make clear these differences, particularly the flange, so I only found all of this out because I wanted each lens to have its own adapter.

Shoeless_Photographer Loc: Lexington

I just got a Pentax K -> EOS adapter with the chip. So far, I've not had any luck getting it into programming mode. Were you able to do that with your M42 version? Otherwise, I've just started playing around with these adapters.

bobmcculloch Loc: NYC, NY

I recently acquired an adapter, sounds like your Type 1, for my Canon T1i, haven't tried it on the T4i yet, I set exposure on AV, no problem, biggest problem is hard to focus with the screen in the camera but I'm getting there, tried to get magic lantern for focus peaking but it doesn't seem to work, the lens is an old ISCO 135, small and light and I had it so no extra $$, Bob.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

The "chipped" adapters are supposedly "programmable"... but at best all you could do is enter the lens focal length and, maybe, it's max aperture to be recorded in the EXIF of images. Programming the chip doesn't change the functionality of the adapter or the lens in any meaningful way.

Programming the chip may or may not work. I carefully followed the instructions on one, but the EXIF still shows the incorrect focal length and max lens aperture. Also, the "programming" usually just involves selecting among a short list of pre-established, common lens focal length/aperture combos already loaded onto the chip... which may or may not include something that matches the lens you're using.

Still, the chipped adapters are worthwhile.... They allow the camera's Focus Confirmation to work and that can really assist with manual focusing. Personally I think the slightly more expensive chipped adapters are worth it. But there are a couple tricks to using them.

The chip also may be help some cameras recognize that there is a lens installed. Some cameras are set up by default to not shoot, when there's no lens installed (but probably have a setting in the menu to override this). An unchipped adapted lens is like no lens at all, as far as the camera is concerned.

To use Focus Confirmation, the camera must be in One Shot mode (not AI Servo or AI Focus). I also think it works best with Single Point, Manually Selected. It may not be possible to set these with the adapted lens or no lens on the camera. To set both these up, you probably need to have a modern AF lens installed temporarily (at least I've had to do that, with all the Canon camera models I've tried). Once these settings are made, remove the modern lens and install the adapted, vintage lens.

Stopping the lens down actually causes the aperture to close down... dimming down the viewfinder along with it. This also effects Focus Confirmation. It probably varies to some extent with camera model, but I've been able to get Focus Confirmation with as small as f/11 aperture set, in bright lighting conditions (full sun). However, at that small an aperture, the viewfinder will be quite dim, making manual focus difficult.

It can help manual focusing to use Live View. With the lens stopped down very much, it also can help to have Exposure Simulation enabled in Live View. So long as your combo of aperture, shutter speed and ISO allow, that can brighten up the screen in Live View, helping with focus (as well as getting your exposure settings in the ballpark).

I haven't used it, but... as Bob noted too.. I've heard that Magic Lantern's Focus Peaking feature can be helpful with manual focus, too. Of course, that would only work in Live View and M.L. is only fully compatible with select Canon models. Some models it has limited features and others it's not usable at all (see website for list of models and features).

You could manually open the aperture to help with focusing, but keep in mind that the aperture is fully manual too, on an adapted lens. For a correct exposure, you need to set it to the appropriate aperture prior to taking the shot. It's not like a modern lens, where the aperture is held wide open until the very instant of exposure, when it momentarily stops down during exposure, and the re-opens afterward. With an adapted lens, all the stopping down and opening of the aperture is on you and purely manual.

The camera's internal metering system will work as normally with adapted lenses and you can use fully Manual exposure with a "match needle" method, or set the exposure parameters using a separate meter or by eye. Auto exposure is possible, too, with Aperture Priority (Av) mode. I haven't tried it personally, but a second form of auto exposure may be possible using Manual with Auto ISO, on cameras that have that feature. With AE modes, Exposure Compensation also should work and can be used (not all models have E.C. available with Auto ISO, in which case I would avoid using it). Other AE modes Tv and P, and the camera's even more highly automated "Scene" modes or A+ mode CANNOT be used with adapted lenses.

Personally I don't use any adapted M42 mount lenses... but I do use several other adapted mounts and they work similarly.

If I recall correctly, there were several variations of Takumars in M42 mount, as it evolved over the years to add features such as auto aperture (which isn't auto exposure, but simply holds the aperture open until the instant of exposure). The earlier had a "switch" on the side to control the aperture, while the later had that pin in the rear that interfaced with the camera. I imagine the different types of Pentax M42 mount lenses would need different types of adapters, as described by the original poster.

It's great to be able to adapt old lenses for new uses! There are a lot of different mount vintage lenses that can be adapted for use on Canon DSLRs. I'm considering getting an EOS M5 "mirrorless", which expands the list of adaptable and usable vintage lenses even further than is possible with the DSLRs (such as Leica rangefinder L39 or M-bayonet.... Canon FD/FL, too... and more).

More info.... http://bobatkins.com/photography/eosfaq/manual_focus_EOS.html

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

I once had an adapter with a chip, my 5D M III did not like it, so I peeled that darn thing off, and ta da, the adapter worked fine! I like the "type 1-simple ring" the best, it does everything I want it to do and there's just nothing to worry about!

graybeard

I did manage to program it. If you didn't get instructions you can find it online (I think the search argument would be something like "programmable chips"). You set your camera's aperture to something goofy, like F64 IIRC, and then go thru a tedious routine. Anyway, one of the key things you want to check after putting the adapter on is if, when turning your lens aperture ring, the iris in the lens expands and contracts. But no matter what, you can use M42 lenses on your EOS. OK you have Pentax, and I have an Olympus lens I got an adapter for, so just hang in there and experiment. When you get it right it will be just like it was in film days, get the exposure triangle the way you want it, focus the image, and press the shutter. Comes out fine.

graybeard

Yeah, same with me. I had Pentax, Praktica and Mamiya/Sekor film cameras, all using M42 lenses. I probably had 9 or 10 of them. Altho I am only interested in the fast ones and the super telephotos, I got an adapter for each, and that is how I discovered, the hard way, that some of them had no flange, therefore the pin is not pressed in, therefore your lens would only function at its widest aperture.

Shoeless_Photographer Loc: Lexington

My problem is getting it to go into programming mode. It claims I should be able to go down to f/1.0 to confirm that it's in programming mode. It will only go down to f/1.4. The main thing I wanted to do was adjust the focus point. Right now, it'll beep when it's in focus, but it's NOT in focus. It's a little bit off the mark, so it's worthless right now. I might as well use the non-chipped adapter and just rely on my eyes to see when it's focused.

Shoeless_Photographer Loc: Lexington

I got them to send me the instructions which were pretty close to what I'd already found online. It says to set it in Manual mode and make sure the stop increments are 1/3 stop (so it'll find the f/57 point in the next part). Then, f/64, press shutter, f/57, press shutter, f/64, press shutter. From there, they say to confirm that it's in programming mode, dial it down to f/1. I can't get it to do that; it only goes down to f/1.4. Makes me wonder if there's something amiss with the adapter.

graybeard

I am under the impression that all of this is just for the sake of EXIF, and that it has nothing to do with the exposure. So the worst you can do is get the info on exif incorrect, which to me is no big deal. If there is a greater purpose to this programming, I wish somebody would tell me.

Shoeless_Photographer Loc: Lexington

I'm not concerned with the EXIF being correct. This adapter allegedly has the ability to be adjusted for correct focus. As it stands, when it beeps, it's out of focus which makes it worthless to have bought it since I might as well just use my eye and not have the autofocus confirmation "feature".