Techart Leica M to Sony Autofocus adapter & shipping

[Ben]

As noted I had ordered two of these; one from TechArt when released on March 9th and the second from BH a few days later. I've got four Leica lenses  and hoped to permanently place just two of these on my lenses.

 

I received the first one last week from TechArt. Very disappointing to start with so I've cancelled the second one from BH.   

 

For starters, there was a ton of work put into this design and I very much appreciate all the effort but not at a cost of $350.  Here are the issues thus far:

 

1. Hunts for focus even in high contrast areas. I can manually focus faster.

2. I shot an image of a white textured wall and got a dark ring clearly visible in the image. I removed the TechArt adapter and the ring was gone. Have no idea what this is but its unacceptable.

 

I'll contact TechArt with these concerns and either have them replace it or refund it.

 

For those that are wondering, I was using a Leica Summicron 50, Summilux 35, Summarit 75 and Summicron 90.

 

If I still have the images on my SD card, I'll post them. If not, I can re-shoot and post.

 

Best of luck to others.

 

Hi,

 

I just found a German video that showed the reason for the bright halos (

). The adapter seems to have a vignette correction that is specific to a certain lens implemented. If you turn off the lens corrections for vignetting. The halo disappears.

 

Another video showed some limitations of the adapter regarding the auto focus. Disabling Auto Exposure on shutter, face detection and other advanced focusing aids seems to help (

). 

 

Hope this helps 

 

Ben

[KlausH]

@Ben,

 

Thanks for information. I have ordered one, but my order no. is 1789. So it will probably take 2-3 months before I'll get it.

 

Klaus

[Langstrum]

Problem with 135mm lenses: My TechArt adapter focuses all but my 135mm lens.

 

It works perfectly with my CV 15mm Series III, 35mm f1.4 Summilux (even in near total darkness), 50mm f2 Summicron and 90mm f2.8 Tele-Elmarit. But neither of my two Canon 135mm LTM rangefinders (newer f3.5, older f4) function properly.

 

If I connect the 135mm lens, lens, set it to infinity, dial in F32 and fire one shot, it then focuses properly - for one more shot. Then, the adapter will not respond to a half-press or full press. It doesn't even attempt to focus.

 

Tried turning off the camera, removing the lens and battery, and re-attaching the lens and reinserted the battery. Still won't focus. If I switch to another lens, dial in the proper F number for that lens, the camera focuses that other lens properly. If I then re-attach the 135, set F32, and shoot a test shot it sets up properly, and properly focuses one shot again. Then it refuses to focus the next image.

 

Anyone know of any solutions? Could the F number be totally wrong for a 135mm lens?

 

HELP!

 

Thanks, Mel

I got the same problem when I tried their method for changing the EXIF data on the focal length. Actually you just need to update the firmware (or again if you did already) it will work like normal.

In case you don't know how to update the lens: turn the aperture to F90, shoot once, turn off the camera and use the Techart Update in your smartphone to update the firmware.

[Marc Contaxtonikon]

I just came across this post

http://www.sonyalpharumors.com/techart-pro-adapter-user-experience-and-how-to-adapt-non-leica-m-lenses/

Is this for real - does Techart truly "protect" its market for its overpriced (even more expensive than Novoflex) adapters to the Leica M mount?

Anybody have experience with this?

I am particularly interested in Zeiss Contax adapters to Techart

[MelSnyder]

Got mine yesterday from B&H and i'm in love with it. Super fast and accurate but trying to focus into infinity when the lens in not caused a little bit of a freak out. Restarting the camera got it back to working. 

 

 

How fast do you call "super-fast"? Even after updating to firmware 2.0, it takes about 2-3 seconds to focus from infinity to about 2-3 meters with a 35 or 50mm lens.

 

PS: Like me, you own a Deo-Tech version of the TechArt - and B&H has stopped selling it. Apparently they gave up on getting enough supply. 

 

Here is what is truly curious: which company actually designed the adapter? When I tried to get support from TechArt, "David" replied that I should contact Deo for support - which I did. There appear to be 3 corporate entities involved - Deo, TechArt and MX, a Hong Kong distributor? 

 

The Deo web site went into more detail about the firmware 2.0 upgrade - claims it has eliminated all but 5% of the blackout condition that occasionally occurred when pressing the shutter button, and they are working on that.

 

$400 is a lot of money, and I struggled whether I should keep or return this adapter. It is a battery drain - not terrible - but it does a remarkably accurate job of hitting focus with both my pre-aspheric (~1982) 50mm f2 Summicron-M and 35mm f1.4 Summilux-M. While no focus-speed demon, it appears to work a bit faster and more effortlessly than MF, leading me to use my M mounts more than I would - which leads me to a more compact travel kit possibility. I still carry a Yeenon helical M to FE adapter in case the Deo/TechArt might fail.

 

And so, even though B&H has given up on it, I decided to keep it.

[MelSnyder]

I got the same problem when I tried their method for changing the EXIF data on the focal length. Actually you just need to update the firmware (or again if you did already) it will work like normal.

In case you don't know how to update the lens: turn the aperture to F90, shoot once, turn off the camera and use the Techart Update in your smartphone to update the firmware.

You are correct! I mistakenly believed it came with 2.0 installed. 

[MelSnyder]

I think I have found an improved way to set up and shoot with the adapter - at least with my A7II. 

 

1. Put the camera in M mode. Apply the lens-specific F number. Shoot one test shot.
2. Switch the mode to S
3. Set "focus area" to "center"
4. Set the "metering mode" to "spot"
5. Set "live view display" to "setting effect ON"
6. Set "AF w/shutter" to "on"
7. Set "AEL with shutter" to "Auto"
8. Set "SteadyShot" to "on" and "manual," and set to lens-correct focal length
9. Each time you change lenses, look in M mode at the F number. If it's not correct for the lens, re-set it and shoot a test shot.

The Chinese seem to be about where the Japanese camera industry was in 1980 - run by geeks who have no instructional experience and no appreciation of how to provide equipment-critical setup and trouble-shooting.

 

Has anyone found how to do a factory reset?

 

Has anyone been able to activate focus peaking/magnification with the default C1 button?

 

Still cannot get reliable focus with my Canon LTM 135mm f3.5 lens. However, it is so sharp and contrasty that MF is no big deal. 

[MelSnyder]

Just for my education - why would you try f32? Have you tried any other f-stops?

Also have you tried to focus roughly and leave the fine focussing to the adapter? This would work with the CONTAX AX, which was the camera that achieved AF with MF lenses years ago based on similar ideas as the Techart is now using

 

The F32 setting is really not an "f-stop" setting - it's a programming command to the adapter, to tell it what lens you have attached. Think about it - there is no electronic connection between the camera and the lens aperture mechanism. However, the F setting signal ***DOES*** still go to the camera mount contacts - so TechArt/Deo intercepts that signal and uses it to program both the adapter and the EXIF setting.

 

Darn clever, I think!

[rclymer]

 

 

How fast do you call "super-fast"? Even after updating to firmware 2.0, it takes about 2-3 seconds to focus from infinity to about 2-3 meters with a 35 or 50mm lens.

 

I'm sorry to hear that focus is so slow. I updated it to 2.0 before trying it so I can't speak to performance on the old firmware. From infinity locks focus in around a half second unless theres weak contrast and it may hunt. If your focus is already somewhat close, it's so fast I don't think I could even measure it. I've tested it with a Canon FD 50mm 1.4, FD 24mm 2.8, FD 85mm 1.8, Pentax SMC 50mm 1.4, M42 Rikenon 55mm 1.4, Minolta 58mm 1.4, Pentax 135mm 2.5. it's definitely fastest on the 50mm and below but the 135mm is notable slower. It seems the lighter Canon FDn's are a little quicker than the heavier m42 rikenon. The 50mm's let you focus closer then it normally would, giving a really nice macro ability. The 85 and 135 have too long of a movement to even focus the full range so you must get focus close then let it do the rest. It's really only an issue on the 135, you just can't to focus on something close without manually changing focus from infinity. 

[KlausH]

... I've tested it with a Canon FD 50mm 1.4, FD 24mm 2.8, FD 85mm 1.8, Pentax SMC 50mm 1.4, M42 Rikenon 55mm 1.4, Minolta 58mm 1.4, Pentax 135mm 2.5. it's definitely fastest on the 50mm and below but the 135mm is notable slower. It seems the lighter Canon FDn's are a little quicker than the heavier m42 rikenon. ...

 

There is some confusion here. The lenses you listed are DSLR lenses and the adapter is probably a Techart Canon to E-mount adapter. This thread here is about the Leica M to E-mount adapter. I don't know if the AF results are cross system comparable. 

[rclymer]

Sorry, I forgot to mention that I am using intermediate adapters in addition to the Techart Leica M to E mount. I have a Canon FD to Leica M, Pentax K to Leica M, M42 to Leica M to get all these lenses working. The Canon FD adapters had to be taken apart and dremmeled down to fit around the Techart's hump. Until I get the novoflex or weld the pin back on, they're only working wide open. BTW, I'm using the A7RII.

[Golem]

.......... The Canon FD adapters had to be taken apart and dremmeled down to fit

around the Techart's hump. Until I get the novoflex or weld the pin back on, they're

only working wide open. ...........

  

There are 3 [or more?] generations of FD. For adapting, older is better.

All of them can be used at all apertures, but older is easier. The FDn is

the worst. Canon packed a plastic widget with the FDn lenses, and cuz 

most users lost that item, you'd hafta reinvent it.

[yeer31]

Hi guys,

I just done a review on this adapter and thought I'd answer some of the residual questions posted here:

 

@MelSnyder - the only way to factory reset is to reload firmware. All known versions are available via their update app. "Has anyone been able to activate focus peaking/magnification with the default C1 button?" - focus peaking etc. only woks in manual mode so it'll work once you've switched to manual focus mode

 

@rclymer - focus is conditional to the weight and length of the lens. Even a light lens with significant length will affect the focus speed. Length adds torsional stress on the mount, making it harder to overcome the inertia of the lens.

 

If anyone is interested, my full review can be found on my recently launched site - http://lostlenscaps.com/techart-pro-lm-ea7-leica-m-mount-sony-e-mount-autofocus-adapter-review/

 

I had to trawl the chinese forums to get some of the info. I agree with MelSnyder's comments about Techart being "run by geeks who have no instructional experience and no appreciation of how to provide equipment-critical setup and trouble-shooting". I have all their adapters and it's often a case of trawling the chinese forums to find out bits of info. But then again, no one is making this stuff aside from them.

 

I 3D printed a better hump instead of Dremmeling an adapter like rclymer and that worked for a while. The torque from the mechanism stripped the threads off the 3D hump eventually. That damned hump is really badly designed. It's unnecessarily thick and doesn't protect the innards well. Take care of the adapter, there are large openings which can let dust and moisture into the innards and the PCBs inside are not sealed and, more crucially, neither is the gearing mechanism - which is finely geared. It will clog up eventually and require cleaning. Take the adapter down to a beach and you might actually be sending it back for a refund.

[nomad]

Thanks for the excellent review!

 

From my experience with the Techart adapter for Contax G lenses I can confirm most of these points.

 

It's a piece of technology made by brilliant geeks, but not by a company as we know it. The advantage of that version is the construction of G lenses, where the adapter only needs to drive the existing AF mechanism, plus the excellent quality and (still) low price of those lenses. Unfortunately, the wider lenses (Biogon type) don't work well on digital sensors. Regarding AF speed and reliability of the firmware, they have come a long way. I still need to power-cycle my A7R II occasionally after changing lenses, but apart from that it's AF is as good as it ever was on the original Contax G cameras. I don't regret buying their version 3 and getting through the awkward firmware upgrade process.

 

Regarding the universal AF adapter, it should be clear to anyone with a basic understanding of mechanical engineering that heavier and/or longer lenses will restrict the efficiency of that construction (as I already mentioned further above). I'd recommend very light and short lenses if you want to go that direction. There are some excellent vintage pancakes like Zeiss C/Y or Minolta where you'd only give up some speed for good IQ and decent functionality (I assume the latter, never tested it). But, honestly, I doubt that it makes a lot of sense. I have large collection of other vintage glass, but I use it MF only with the great EVF and pixel-zoom of the Sonys. If I need AF occasionally, I use the only two native AF lenses I own, namely the (acceptable) kit 28-70mm and the brilliant 55mm.

[Marc Contaxtonikon]

Hi guys,

I just done a review on this adapter and thought I'd answer some of the residual questions posted here:

 

@MelSnyder - the only way to factory reset is to reload firmware. All known versions are available via their update app. "Has anyone been able to activate focus peaking/magnification with the default C1 button?" - focus peaking etc. only woks in manual mode so it'll work once you've switched to manual focus mode

 

@rclymer - focus is conditional to the weight and length of the lens. Even a light lens with significant length will affect the focus speed. Length adds torsional stress on the mount, making it harder to overcome the inertia of the lens.

 

If anyone is interested, my full review can be found on my recently launched site - http://lostlenscaps.com/techart-pro-lm-ea7-leica-m-mount-sony-e-mount-autofocus-adapter-review/

 

I had to trawl the chinese forums to get some of the info. I agree with MelSnyder's comments about Techart being "run by geeks who have no instructional experience and no appreciation of how to provide equipment-critical setup and trouble-shooting". I have all their adapters and it's often a case of trawling the chinese forums to find out bits of info. But then again, no one is making this stuff aside from them.

 

I 3D printed a better hump instead of Dremmeling an adapter like rclymer and that worked for a while. The torque from the mechanism stripped the threads off the 3D hump eventually. That damned hump is really badly designed. It's unnecessarily thick and doesn't protect the innards well. Take care of the adapter, there are large openings which can let dust and moisture into the innards and the PCBs inside are not sealed and, more crucially, neither is the gearing mechanism - which is finely geared. It will clog up eventually and require cleaning. Take the adapter down to a beach and you might actually be sending it back for a refund.

 

Very interesting review indeed  - thank you for that

[gruesomeflowers]

 

My question is how to set up the A7II so that the viewed image and the exposed one match. I've tried setting Live View on and off, and so far, best is simply shooting an image and adjusting accordingly.

 

 

 

Mel

Did you ever figure out the issue with this? I received my adapter yesterday and as far as i can tell the focus works ok, but everything appears to be way over exposed..or too dark in live view..

Thanks.

[KlausH]

I got my Techart Adapter two weeks ago. Unfortunately, the documentation is very poor. The first images were totally overexposed. It is not documented that it is necessary to set the aperture on the camera with the rear dial to F2 and use only the aperture ring on the lens to set the f-stop.

 

I also wished there would be more focal length settings. The lenses I use are Voigtländer 15mm F4.5 III, Heliar 40mm F2.8, Zeiss Tele-Tessar 4/85, Zeiss Makro-Planar 2/100 ZF.2 and Zeiss Apo-Sonnar 2/135 ZF.2. There is no possibility to set the adapter to 40, 85 or 100mm and with 135mm you lose AF. The ZF.2 lenses require an additional Nikon F to Leica M adapter. They work fine, albeit the AF is rather slow but very exact.

 

Klaus

[MelSnyder]

Did you ever figure out the issue with this? I received my adapter yesterday and as far as i can tell the focus works ok, but everything appears to be way over exposed..or too dark in live view..

Thanks.

 

 Sorry to be so late in responding...

 

YES. Use only the A (aperture mode) for all lens settings, and set the gear icon manu #3 to Live View On.

[MelSnyder]

I got my Techart Adapter two weeks ago. Unfortunately, the documentation is very poor. The first images were totally overexposed. It is not documented that it is necessary to set the aperture on the camera with the rear dial to F2 and use only the aperture ring on the lens to set the f-stop.

 

I also wished there would be more focal length settings. The lenses I use are Voigtländer 15mm F4.5 III, Heliar 40mm F2.8, Zeiss Tele-Tessar 4/85, Zeiss Makro-Planar 2/100 ZF.2 and Zeiss Apo-Sonnar 2/135 ZF.2. There is no possibility to set the adapter to 40, 85 or 100mm and with 135mm you lose AF. The ZF.2 lenses require an additional Nikon F to Leica M adapter. They work fine, albeit the AF is rather slow but very exact.

 

Klaus

 

If you are having AF issues with 135mm lenses...

 

1. Just set it to F25 (50mm setting). click, and re-set aperture in EVF to f2. Won't report 135mm but it will let you shoot AF.

 

2. Realize that it can take a long time for the adapter to focus from infinity to closeup with a 135mm lens. Better to rough-focus and then allow the TechArt to focus the last bit.

 

3. Always use A mode, and with Live View set to On

[KlausH]

If you are having AF issues with 135mm lenses...

 

1. Just set it to F25 (50mm setting). click, and re-set aperture in EVF to f2. Won't report 135mm but it will let you shoot AF.

 

2. Realize that it can take a long time for the adapter to focus from infinity to closeup with a 135mm lens. Better to rough-focus and then allow the TechArt to focus the last bit.

 

3. Always use A mode, and with Live View set to On

 

 

Yes, you have to set the adapter to a different focal length when using a 135mm lens. When set to 135mm you only get MF.

In addition, you have to set image stabilization in manual mode and the focal length for IBIS to 135mm. In auto mode the stabilization will use the (wrong) value the adapter was set to. Wouldn't it be much easier for us if the Techart adapter could read the focal length IBIS was set to and put it in the Exif data? Even better, why doesn't Sony write the IBIS focal length into the Exif data?

[JimmyD]

After you set the focal length of your lens based on the chart provided in the documentation, just set the aperture electronically on the camera to f/2, set the focus mode to flexible spot small, on the lens set focus to infinity (might need to adjust if you are focusing on near object) and go. Focus will be achieved the fastest with your lens wide open, but in decent light with a 50mm or wider lens focus is fast and accurate even at f/8. I have been shooting a lot with my Leica 50mm Summicron and Zeiss ZM 85mm f/4, and focus has been quick and accurate! I have also been using the Techart Minolta MD to Lecia M and Canon FD to Leica M adapters in concert with the Techart adapter to achieve auto focus with older Minolta and Canon legacy 35mm glass, and these work great as well, at least at wide apertures. For example, the Minolta MD 58mm f/1.2 "bokeh monster" . . . still is!!! Although it is a bit "dreamy" as it always has been at f/1.2, at f/2 it is sharp with fantastic bokeh.

[JimmyD]

Update to my above post: with the very positive experience using the Techart adapter with the Leica 50mm Summicron and the Leica ZM 85mm f/4, I have expanded my M mount collection to include the Zeiss ZM 50mm f/1.5 and the Zeiss ZM 35mm f/1.4, both of which work extremely will with the adapter on my A7Rii.  Zeiss intentionally makes the 50 1.5 to render like an old style lens: not ultra sharp with a bit of a classic dreamy look wide open, but sharp with wonderful bokeh (IMHO) stopped down to f/2.  The ZM 35mm f/1.4, again IMHO, lives up to its reputation as being the best 35mm 1.4 from anyone ever.  Due to the well-documented issues with wide angle rangefinder lenses due to the thick Sony sensor, the corners are soft wide open; no magenta cast or horrendous corner smearing issues, just soft wide open and gradually gets better until f8 where crners are sharp.  And really nice rendering with "3D pop" and wonderful bokeh.  And the recent firmware version 5 release from Techart makes the autofocus even more responsive than before!    

[JimmyD]

WARNING: after a few months of fantastic results with the Teacart adapter using several Zeiss and Leica M mount lenses, I started getting very inconsistent autofocus results with many out of focus shots.  After some testing and research, I discovered that my copy had began to experience the effects of a design flaw (which is discussed in detail on Phillip Reeves website) whereby the mounting plate on the adapter becomes loose to the extent it wobbles and won't hold the lens properly on plane focus.  Two weeks ago I contacted customer support at Techart and they have failed to respond. Very disappointing.  Anyone heard any official response from Techart on this problem?

[Username]

You can't just tighten the plate ?   

  

Not familiar with the construction but usually 

stuff built with fasteners can be tightened up.