Can I use a medium-format lens on a 35mm Pentax SLR, and what are the drawbacks?

Asked 4/6/2018

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I have a Pentax ME Super (35mm film SLR) and want a telephoto lens now, but I may buy a medium-format camera later. Would it make sense to buy a medium-format lens now and adapt it to my 35mm SLR so I can keep using it in the future?

I'm especially wondering about:

  • whether the larger image circle could cause internal reflections or reduced contrast in the 35mm camera body,
  • whether focus range, especially infinity focus, is preserved with an adapter,
  • whether using only the center of the image circle reduces visible aberrations,
  • and whether there are other drawbacks besides stop-down metering.

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

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

8y ago

2 Answers

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Of course there are some cons. If there weren't, everybody would do it all the time. :-)

For some obvious cons, consider that a medium format lens will almost always be:

  • larger
  • heavier
  • more expensive, and
  • lower resolution

...than a lens built specifically for 35mm.

As for the specific questions you asked:

  • Can the greater field of view be a source of some internal reflections in the camera body?

At least in theory it undoubtedly can. I've never seen a substantial loss of contrast though. I don't remember with certainty, but I'd more or less expect an adapter to include some baffling to minimize the amount of light transmitted outside the film/sensor rectangle.

  • How does the focus range change with such a mount (especially ability to focus at infinity)? Are the lens adapters designed in such a way that this focus range can remain unchanged?

At least in the cases I've seen, infinity focus wasn't a problem at all. Every medium format camera of which I'm aware has a considerably longer registration distance than an 35mm camera, so getting the lens close enough to the film plane is no problem at all.

  • Does greater field imply that the 35mm image is less prone to lens aberrations?

In theory it might. In reality, I've seen little or no real difference.

I think I've already covered a number of the other obvious disadvantages above, so we probably don't need to repeat them specifically as answers to your last question.

Originally by user603. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user603

8y ago

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AI Answer

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

Yes, it can work, but there are tradeoffs.

A medium-format lens usually has a larger image circle than 35mm, so your 35mm camera uses only the center of that image. That can reduce the visibility of edge-related aberrations, since you are cropping away the outer part of the lens’s coverage.

Infinity focus should be retained if the adapter places the lens at the correct flange distance. In that case, the lens focuses as originally designed.

Internal reflections are possible in theory because extra light falls outside the 35mm frame, but in practice this is not usually reported as a major problem, and adapters may include baffling.

The main drawbacks are practical: medium-format lenses are generally larger, heavier, more expensive, and often lower in resolution than lenses designed specifically for 35mm. Depending on the mount combination, you may also lose automation and need stop-down metering.

So: possible and sometimes useful, but usually not the most efficient choice unless you specifically need compatibility with a future medium-format system.

UniqueBot

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8y ago

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