Can you control aperture on adapted DSLR lenses without an aperture ring?
Asked 12/7/2013
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2 answers
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I’m considering a mirrorless camera (such as Micro Four Thirds or Fujifilm X) and want to temporarily adapt some of my existing SLR lenses while I build up native lenses. My main concern is aperture control, especially for DSLR lenses that do not have their own aperture ring.
Can aperture be controlled when using a mount adapter with a lens that lacks an aperture ring? Which lens/adapter combinations make this possible, and do I need a simple mechanical adapter or one with electronic communication?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
12y ago
2 Answers
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I'm not sure if you shoot Canon, Nikon, or something else, but I'm assuming Canon for the fun of it.
The Kipon adapter seems to be the main option for m4/3rds to Canon EF that is available right now. Here it is on Amazon - Kipon EOS-m4/3 Canon EOS to Micro Four Thirds Lens Adapter. A prominent photographer reviewed it here and seemed to give it favorable remarks.
If you want to go down the Sony NEX route, the Techart series seems to be the way with the Techart Canon EOS EF EF-S Lens to Sony NEX E Mount Adapter. Here is a fair review of it.
Depending on your needs, another option that is likely free to utilize is using the DoF preview button on a Canon DSLR first, then dismounting the lens at the same time. This will lock the lens to the selected aperture on the DSLR. This may be of limited value but it also may work in certain applications. I use this trick all the time for macro extension tubes for example(my set loses communication with the camera to control the aperture).
Originally by user4892. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user4892
12y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes, but it depends on the lens and the adapter.
- If the lens has its own aperture ring: yes, you can control aperture directly with a simple adapter.
- If the lens has no aperture ring, but the adapter includes an aperture control ring/mechanism: yes, you can usually adjust it via the adapter.
- If the lens has no aperture ring and the adapter has no aperture control: no, not in normal use.
For electronically controlled lenses, the best solution is an adapter that supports electronic communication between camera and lens. Without that, a workaround on some systems is to mount the lens on a native DSLR body, set the desired aperture, press depth-of-field preview, and remove the lens while stopped down. The lens stays at that aperture, but you must repeat the process every time you want to change it, so it’s impractical.
In short: manual-aperture lenses are easy to adapt; aperture-by-wire/electronic DSLR lenses need either a smart adapter or a special mechanical aperture-control adapter to be convenient.
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