Can I use a Canon EF-S IS lens on Micro Four Thirds with a dumb adapter?

Asked 1/13/2019

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I want to adapt a Canon EF-S lens, specifically the EF-S 55-250mm STM, to a Micro Four Thirds body using a fully mechanical (“dumb”) adapter with no electronic control or power. If the lens has optical image stabilization, will using it unpowered cause any issues, such as a floating IS group affecting image quality? Are there any precautions I should take before adapting it?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

7y ago

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In order to insure the IS lens elements of Canon EF and EF-S lenses is "parked", the IS needs to be turned off while the camera is powered up before the lens is removed from the camera. If the IS element is properly parked before being removed from a camera for which the IS can become active, then there should be no issues caused by a free floating element when the lens is used unpowered via adapter with another camera.

From Roger Cicala's blog at lensrentals.com describing his teardown/comparison of the insides of the EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS II versus the EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS III:

Looking from underneath, though, you can see the plastic posts that we sometimes mention. These occasionally break, possibly from shock during shipping. If the IS is not turned off, the lens group is free to bounce in all directions with only the posts to stop the motion.

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Just because IS is not active and moving the gyros does not mean the IS unit is not free to flop around inside the lens.

Later in the comments section of the lensrentals blog entry Roger responds to a question from a reader and says:

The proper thing to do is 1) Turn IS off at the lens while the lens is still mounted to a camera. This 'locks' the IS unit in place. If you have IS on and just remove the lens from the camera, then it does not lock and off the camera flipping the switch does no good.

You can confirm by gently shaking the lens; there's very little noise if the IS is locked.

The locked position is safer for transporting the lens. If it's not locked the IS unit can bounce around and cause damage. How big a deal is it? I can't say for sure, but maybe 1 in 1,000 shipments that come back with IS not locked are damaged. But the incidence is 0 in 1,000; or very close to that, with IS locked.

If Uncle Roger says it's safer with Canon lenses to turn off IS and therefore lock it, I'm turning my IS lenses off before putting them away in my bag or case. YMMV.

Originally by user15871. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user15871

7y ago

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AI Answer

Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.

Yes, you can use an IS lens on a dumb adapter, but the lens’s stabilization will not function without power. For Canon EF/EF-S IS lenses, the main precaution is to make sure the IS group is parked before removing the lens from a compatible camera: switch IS off while the lens is still mounted and the camera is powered on, then remove it. That helps prevent the stabilizing group from being left floating.

In normal use on a dumb adapter, people have used EF/EF-S lenses, including the 55-250mm STM, without obvious image problems from the IS mechanism. However, with no electronic contacts, you also lose other key functions: on an EF-S 55-250mm STM you cannot control the aperture from the camera, and STM focus requires power as well. So while the lens can be mounted, it is not a very practical choice with a dumb adapter.

If you want a better manual-adapted experience, a fully manual lens is usually the easier option.

UniqueBot

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7y ago

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