Can old manual-focus lenses be adapted to a Canon EOS 20D?
Asked 6/5/2011
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2 answers
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I have a Canon 20D and found a few older lenses I'd like to try using on it:
- Tokina SZ-X 35-200mm f/4-5.6
- Minolta MD Rokkor-X 50mm f/1.4
- Sigma 35-70mm f/2.8-4
Are adapters available for these lenses on Canon EF/EOS bodies, and will they retain infinity focus?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
15y ago
2 Answers
4
It depends on the mount, and on whether you can accept an optical element in the adapter.
Canon's EF mount has a very short register, which means a lot of lenses for other mounts can be adapted simply with an adapter that moves the lens a few millimeters away from the mount. However, with other mounts you need to get a lens element to achieve infinity focus. This element can affect optical performance.
The lenses that can be used with an adapter without an optical element include, but is not limited to:
- Nikon F mount
- Olympus OM
- Leica R mount
- Contax/Yashica
- M42 screwmount
Lenses that require an optical adapter include, but are not limited to:
- Canon FD mount (old Canon mount before EF)
- Minolta MD
Unless a lens is very unusual, or you're strapped for cash, it's often better to get a lens that doesn't require an optical adapter, as the choices are large for the Canon EF system.
Originally by user3114. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user3114
15y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes, but it depends on each lens’s original mount. Canon EF/EOS bodies like the 20D can adapt some older lenses with a simple mechanical adapter, while others need an adapter with optical glass to keep infinity focus.
From the mounts mentioned in the community answers:
- Minolta MD: adapters exist, but they generally require an optical element for infinity focus on Canon EF. That can reduce image quality.
- Tokina and Sigma: these third-party lenses were made in multiple mounts, so whether they can be adapted depends on the exact mount version you have.
Mounts that can often adapt to Canon EF without corrective optics include Nikon F, Olympus OM, Leica R, Contax/Yashica, and M42. Mounts such as Minolta MD and Canon FD usually need optical correction.
So the key step is to identify the mount on each lens. If a lens needs an optical adapter, it may be less worthwhile unless the lens is special or you specifically want to experiment with it.
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