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Compact lens for Sony NEX/ Canon M-50
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PostPosted: Tue Oct 19, 2021 12:46 am    Post subject: Compact lens for Sony NEX/ Canon M-50 Reply with quote

Hi, I have not been here in years. I used to hang with the defunct "Manual Focus Forum" and am very familiar with adapting to the Canon EF mount DSLRs and in fact have modified some lenses such as Sig mirror lenses, and old Canon FD, etc, plus usual import adapters

Now I have both a Sony NEX and a Canon M-50 I have a couple adapters for the NEX including "'to" Canon EF but it won't autofocus. For the M-50 I have a Canon FD adapter as well as a Canon EF adapter. So I can already adapt my "usual array" of old lenses

This is more about keeping things lighter, shorter, and compact. The question is

What SHORT REGISTER lenses (such as rangefinder, maybe Leica RV??) are available for reasonable cost, which can be adapted with available Chinese/ Fotodiox/ etc adapters to either or both the NEX and the Canon M?

"I'm thinking" something 24--40mm etc?


PostPosted: Tue Oct 19, 2021 11:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't know what you consider to be reasonable.
Tiny RF lenses are usually more expensive and provide worse corner performance on modern digital cameras compared to SLR lenses.
I don't know anything about your Canon M but Sony NEX cameras usually suffer from corner smearing and sometimes also color cast in the edges with wide angle RF lenses.
Would therefore recommend to look for smaller SLR lenses such as e.g. the Minolta MD 35/2.8 or alike. However, these lenses in combination with the required adapter will always be much bigger compared to any RF lens....

My solution to have a small pocketable camera/lens combination for travelling and hiking was to acquire a Panasonic Lumix GX80/85 with the 12-32mm pancake lens.
Available for apprx. the same budget like required for one single focus RF lens.
Just something to consider as well......


PostPosted: Tue Oct 19, 2021 11:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

...

Last edited by Blazer0ne on Tue Feb 22, 2022 5:38 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Tue Oct 19, 2021 1:20 pm    Post subject: Re: Compact lens for Sony NEX/ Canon M-50 Reply with quote

Industar 69
Jupiter 12, this one may not fit aps-c cameras.

Olympus Pen lenses. 40mm 1.4 for example.

Nokton 35 or 40mm 1.4.

Or enlarging lenses. Componon 35mm, Rodagon 35mm, CE Rokkor 30mm.


PostPosted: Tue Oct 19, 2021 1:41 pm    Post subject: Re: Compact lens for Sony NEX/ Canon M-50 Reply with quote

blotafton wrote:
Nokton 35 or 40mm 1.4.


The Nokton 40/1.4 is certainly a good and very compact lens.

I've introduced this lens here: http://forum.mflenses.com/voigtlander-nokton-40mm-f1-4-on-sony-a7r-ii-t79831.html

However, the rather weak outer corner performance will also apply on most cameras, particularly on the NEX.


PostPosted: Tue Oct 19, 2021 1:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The 7artisans 35mm F1.2 is a compact lens for mirrorless (APS-C coverage no FF) It's not expensive.


PostPosted: Tue Oct 19, 2021 3:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I would recommend the Pergear 35mm f/1.2. This way you skip the size and weight of the adapter. The lens is available in native mounts for both your Sony and Canon cameras. It is an aps-c lens so it is small and light at 210 grams and 48mm x 53mm. I have tested all Chinese aps-c 35mm f/1.2 and the Pergear was the best in my opinion.


PostPosted: Tue Oct 19, 2021 3:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Super- or Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 35mm f/3.5. Very small.


PostPosted: Tue Oct 19, 2021 3:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

caspert79 wrote:
Super- or Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 35mm f/3.5. Very small.

I second that and it's M42 FF so it can be adapted to almost all FF, APS-C and M4/3 cameras if you decide to use a different camera at some moment.

The Pergear is much smaller without the adapter so I recommended it, but I use the SMC Takumar 35mm f/3.5 instead of it myself as I shoot on FF and also don't need a fast 35mm lens. In my opinion it has the best rendering out of all 35mm Takumars. Here is a video where they were compared directly in several settings:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrjwRUi3jfQ


Last edited by Dusty-Lens on Tue Oct 19, 2021 4:22 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Tue Oct 19, 2021 4:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I agree with Thomas re RF lenses. Amongst SLR lenses Olympus OM are almost all quite tiny and perform remarkably well. Many are not that expensive. If shooting a crop NEX I definitely recommend the Pen F lenses. The 38 1.8 is relatively inexpensive and looks like it was made for the camera. It takes fantastic photos and is pretty tiny.


PostPosted: Tue Oct 19, 2021 5:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks VERY much for the replies. I'll have to search and digest all this. I do have some OM and Minolta lenses the Minolta from back in the day I owned that line of cameras. I know I have an OM 28mm and it is not very big. The OM, tho, is a rather "long" focus register so the adapter is quite thick on either camera. I don't remember how much shorter the Minoltas are.

..............Here we go.........

https://www.graphics.cornell.edu/~westin/misc/mounts-by-register.html

According to this, OM is 45mm, longer than an M42 or Pentax K EG

Canon EOS (EF) is 44mm

and Minolta MD is 43.72, so not a tremendous difference.

I was excited when I saw the RF was 28, much shorter.

Off we go to check all this out


PostPosted: Tue Oct 19, 2021 5:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

One of my projects a few years back. Canon FL 19mm modified (helix re-positioned) to fit Canon EF



PostPosted: Tue Oct 19, 2021 5:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I would vote for Nikon 45mm 2.8 pancake. Low profile and decent enough performance.


PostPosted: Tue Oct 19, 2021 5:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Industar 69 is quite tiny, it usually requires a mod to reach infinity with a LTM adapter, you can mod either the lens or adapter to correct the helicoid limitation/registration distance, modding the lens turns it into LTM, modding the adapter makes the adapter into a fixed use item.
This lens will cause magenta sides/corners on my NEX-7, I switched to B&W, centre was sharp, then gets soft further out.

Canon S 35/2.8 LTM, my silver copy is nearly as tiny as the Industar 69, way nicer IQ, works fine on my NEX-7 & A7r, 2 of the most picky sensors Sony has made.
Canon S28/2.8, it's about as big as the Industar, but covers FF, it also causes magenta corners on both my NEX-7 & A7r, I expect it to perform better on BSI sensors.

I do like my OM 21/3.5 on my NEX-7, not quite as small as the above lenses, but it was the widest /smallest lens I had till I got the Voigtlander 15.

OLYMPUS Pen F 43/1.8, 40/1.4 Like a small SLR lens, ergonomics are nicer than some FR lenses.

My absolute favourite lens on my NEX-7 is my Leica M 28/2.8 Elmarit v2, Mandler magic.

Topcor-S 50/2 LTM is a nice sharp lens. Same with Super Rokkor 50/2 & 45/2.8 LTM.

Blazer0ne wrote:
Tokyo Kogaku Topcor-S 50mm F/2. There is also a f/1.8 copy on eBay, which I have never seen listed before .

Link for the f1.8?


Last edited by Lightshow on Tue Oct 19, 2021 6:09 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Tue Oct 19, 2021 6:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Another contender could be the Mamiya E 28mm f/2.8. There is also a Revuenon version that you can find cheaper. Very light and compact lens and a good performer.

There is a photodiox pro adapter available in order to control the aperture.


PostPosted: Tue Oct 19, 2021 11:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

LOL!!! Ironically I did "re-find" and finally identify a lens I've had for awhile, but unfortunately the adapter(s) are fairly expensive. It's a "less than pristine" Zeiss Planar Contrex 50mm 1:2 and these have no aperture hardware in the lens, therefore the aperture must be in the adapter (or camera) These seem to be worth a bit of money, I may sell it instead. Since it is 50mm, I already have numerous other 50-55mm that are pretty fair, but this one would sure be bragging rights LOL

Photo I stole off the 'net:



PostPosted: Wed Oct 20, 2021 3:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Other people have mentioned Industar 69. Its a very versatile little thing, but rather odd.
Its got an interesting look, very much a film camera effect. It works great on APS-C mirrorless.

My experience with it - http://forum.mflenses.com/industar-69-28-2-8-on-aps-c-t78589,highlight,%2Bindustar.html

Other option is the generic 25mm f/1.8 C-mount lenses from China. The corners are bad, but they are very small and you do get f/1.8. A good walk-around lens.

http://forum.mflenses.com/fujian-25mm-f-1-8-c-mount-for-aps-c-t77634,highlight,%2B25mm.html

Both options are very cheap.


PostPosted: Thu Oct 21, 2021 12:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

TTArtisan lenses are small yet fast for aps-c cameras.

https://en.ttartisan.com/?list_10/


PostPosted: Thu Oct 21, 2021 5:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The price of a SMC Takumar 35mm 3.5, you'll be well on your way to being able to go for a faster 35mm from China-based manufacturers. I wouldn't discount not needing the speed, particularly if you just want one small, do it all lens.


PostPosted: Fri Oct 22, 2021 8:01 am    Post subject: Re: Compact lens for Sony NEX/ Canon M-50 Reply with quote

440roadrunner wrote:
Hi, I have not been here in years. I used to hang with the defunct "Manual Focus Forum" and am very familiar with adapting to the Canon EF mount DSLRs and in fact have modified some lenses such as Sig mirror lenses, and old Canon FD, etc, plus usual import adapters

Now I have both a Sony NEX and a Canon M-50 I have a couple adapters for the NEX including "'to" Canon EF but it won't autofocus. For the M-50 I have a Canon FD adapter as well as a Canon EF adapter. So I can already adapt my "usual array" of old lenses

This is more about keeping things lighter, shorter, and compact. The question is

What SHORT REGISTER lenses (such as rangefinder, maybe Leica RV??) are available for reasonable cost, which can be adapted with available Chinese/ Fotodiox/ etc adapters to either or both the NEX and the Canon M?

"I'm thinking" something 24--40mm etc?


Salvaged analog compact camera lenses converted to NEX mount. Like shown here: https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/62599677 To that four I added a Petri 45mm 1.8, a Minolta 45mm 1.8 and a Kowa 50mm 2.0 which was a fixed lens to an early Kowa SLR so less compact.

Some brands have a 40mm 1.7 on the compacts which has a good reputation. Konica, Minolta, Vivitar, Revue.

You can find an already converted lens on Ebay, the Yashinon DX 45mm 1.7 is quite often available and mine is good on FF but will be even better on APS edge to edge.

In case you have access to a 3D printer: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3902440