[shoplink 39860 ebay]
[/shoplink]
Techart again updated the firmware for their [shoplink 39860 ebay]Contax G to E-mount autofocus adapter (available here on eBay)[/shoplink]. With the new adapter autofocus speed has been again improved! You can download the firmware on Google Play (Click here) or iTunes (Click here). Techart Contax page: techart-logic.com/2015/G2.html
Chad Wadsworth already tested the new version and writes:
As of revision 2.1.0, released in October, 2015, the performance is rock solid with AF speed on both my lenses (45/2 and 90/2.8) that rivals a native lens – yes you read that correctly. I’ve noticed some minor hunting in low contrast / low light subjects but nothing major and native FE lenses frequently do the same. AF accuracy is spot on and the MF implementation now works as it used to, meaning that you can engage MF at any time by adjusting the small focus dial on the adapter. This is a major achievement by TecArt and finally makes these lenses viable options that I would feel confident shooting even for paid work.
And there are two videos posted on SonyAlphaCameras do show how good and how noisy(!) the adapter works on the Sony A7rII.
These are the Contax Full Frame lenses you can use on the A7-A7r-A7s and APS-C E-mount camera with full autofocus and electronic aperture control:
Hologon 16mm; 1:8 on [shoplink 16235 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].
Biogon T* 21 mm; 1:2,8 on [shoplink 16236 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].
Biogon T* 28 mm; 1:2,8 on [shoplink 16237 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].
Planar T* 35 mm; 1:2,0 on [shoplink 16238 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].
Planar T* 45 mm; 1:2,0 on [shoplink 16239 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].
Sonnar T* 90 mm; 1:2,8 on [shoplink 16240 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].
Vario-Sonnar T* 35 – 70 mm; 1:3,5-5,6 on [shoplink 16241 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].
40 Responses
I wonder when Techart are going to do english webpage…. my chinese is extremely rusty 🙂
Before buying anything I prefer to know all the details and a Google translation is *not* good enough.
deoinfinity.com is their “international” reseller.
That said, all of their webpages could use some improvement…
The MF dail still looks awkward to me. Why not a regular focus ring?
Right, older MF solutions looked more convenient. Anybody tried G lenses with the new BSI sensor?
The guy quoted did, he tested on the A7rII.
The adapter is very thin actually and they need to fit motor and some gears inside perhaps. I would think they do focus by wire as there is likely not enough room for focus ring with direct giears. This said a bigger outer focus ring could probably be made on the outside that will turn the current small wheel.
I have been contemplating this adapter for very long time. The 45/2 on A6000 delivers stunning results and MF on A6000 with this lens is very easy (performance on A7 is excellent but does not have the same Wow effect….)
PS The older adapters with focus ring are actually not very good. I have a few of them and while they work MF ring action is not smooth or easy like MF ring on any lens)
I wonder if AF is improved on A7ii, A7 and may be A7r, A7s.
If A7ii AF is acceptable this will be fantastic
No. This firmware is only for the a7RII and is designed to be used with the PDAF system of the BSI sensor. You need to use FW version 1.5 for the other bodies and you will not get the fast AF.
I already own the adapter and have now downloaded the firmware update … does anyone have an idea how to install it? I am totally clueless and can’t find any description how to do a firmware update anywhere …? Many thanks, Thomas
I think you’re supposed to update via Bluetooth.
Click the link to my post above. Step by step directions are in the comments section on the post.
Come on Kyocera, make them for e-mount….
* remake
They have working adapter with screwdriver.
why don’t they make versions with screwdriver for Pentax, A, and Nikon mounts? whyyyyyyyyyyyyyy?
Maybe both works much different than Contax ones.
But at least shows that it is possible, and in a super compact form.
No one has a working adapter with screwdrive other than Sony.
Contax G is fully electronic just like Canon EF – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contax_G
What about Nikon F->1.
it seems to work flawlessly with all their lenses and with the center PDAF point.
Take a look at the left top picture in the link you posted, and you’ll a screwdriver in camera mount and a slot in lens mount.
Or look at this:
Weird… The mount is described as “electronic autofocus”…
I think this may be one of the few cases of a mount with electronic aperture and screwdrive AF though – in almost all other mounts it’s the other way around.
Aperture linkages tend to be a bit more complex than screw AF drives, to the point where Pentax even stopped including parts of the linkage in newer bodies to save cost (which cripples the bodies with pre-A series K-mount lenses) – Sony is the only manufacturer to make an adapter with mechanical aperture linkage so far.
A very select few Nikon lenses apparently have electronic aperture now, but those are likely not common enough to warrant an “electronic only” Nikon adapter.
Actually, the aperture is manual, too. Maybe it was electronic for the G1 & G2, but with this adapter, you set it with the aperture ring on the lens.
Either way, there is no mechanical control linkage on the lens, thus no requirement for the adapter to implement a mechanical aperture control linkage.
Compare to Pentax K, where the lens will stop down to the narrowest aperture when not mounted to a body, so it’s pretty much required to implement an aperture control linkage. Some manual adapters do it, but managing it with precision automatically would be quite difficult.
there exist 3rd party manual adapters with aperture lever a-e, f-e
It works relatively well so far because the mass of the lens is small. They have to use a bigger motor for those DSLR lenses, which mean more R&D time.
Indeed!
OK, it’s 35 to 90 that is acceptable but not 21 nor 28.
The 21 & 28 are good if you have a Kolari modded sensor.
Good to know! I’m still reluctant about Kolari since I haven’t seen native WA on it. FE 35 and 55 are known to be fine.
Also a new update for the EOS- NEX III update
Yeah although it doesn’t include fixing the lens focus position reporting, which I suspect they just fixed on the Contax G adapter which is why it now works with MF Assist
Unless there’s now something newer than 1.2.0 which was just released two days ago?
I didn’t think this adapter worked with the 35-70mm 3.5-5.6? It’s not on their supported list, at least it wasn’t when I checked before.
The 35-70 does not fit mechanically inside the adapter
Does anyone know how well this performs on the A7II?
Poorly. You only get useable AF with the A7rII.
Haha..this guy…full of jokes^^^^
The only cases of adapters with mechanical aperture linkages actually hitting the market were ones released by the designers of those mounts with large amounts of experience (as in, every body they’ve ever made) in driving those linkages properly. (Sony A-mount adapters and apparently the Nikon adapters).
There are third party adapters F->E, A->E with aperture levers but no
AF.
Can anyone else with the adaptor and said lenses comment about how well it works? I mean with the update. I’d love to have another voice before I buy it.
It seems to work best with the A7rII due to new AF system, but you can manual focus with a dumb adapter.
IQ should be good/great for lenses longer than 21mm.
So wish we had a digital Contax G 2.
Heads up, I am having trouble updating the adapter with new firmware 2.1.0. Perhaps it is my copy, or a software issue but am trying to resolve with the manufacturer.
Update: Perfect! Firmware update success on iOS 8.3 (using iPad!).
Tips: Unable to update with iOS 9.0.2. Apple recently released iOS 9.1 but have not tried. So use an older iOS for now. Otherwise, the adapter runs fast, zippy in all focus modes. Very pleased.