Cheaper ways to reverse-mount an EF lens while retaining aperture control for macro
Asked 7/3/2011
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2 answers
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I’m looking specifically for a lens-reversal setup for Canon EF macro work that still lets the camera control the reversed lens electronically, like the Novoflex EOS-RETRO. The appeal is keeping control of the EF lens when mounted in reverse, but the Novoflex solution is very expensive.
Are there lower-cost alternatives for this specific setup? I’m aware of other macro approaches, but I’m asking about reversing an EF lens while preserving electronic control.
Also, if autofocus is supported in this kind of setup, would it behave normally when the lens is reversed?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
15y ago
2 Answers
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You will not normally be using AF in a macro setting anyway, so that is a moot point.
The critical bit with EF objectives is that the aperture is electronically controlled, so unless your adapter supplies power and the electronic stop-down command from the camera you will be shooting wide open always which is not a good thing. Dare I suggest using a lens from Nikon or Olympus or something, an older one with an aperture ring, instead of a Canon one? That way you don't need the electronic connection and can use a much cheaper adapter setup. You can get a lot of lens for three hundred euro! Heck, you could get an old manual-focus Canon lens, they go for a song because they are not compatible with any current DSLR. I don't really see the point of the Novoflex (at its price point) unless it would be to use something very exotic and very Canon-specific like an 85L reversed.
Originally by user3458. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user3458
15y ago
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There isn’t a simple cheap off-the-shelf alternative mentioned here that does exactly what the Novoflex does. The main issue is that Canon EF lenses need electronic communication for aperture control, so with a basic reverse ring the lens will usually stay wide open.
The lower-cost options discussed are:
- Use an older manual-aperture lens (for example older Nikon, Olympus, or manual-focus Canon lenses with an aperture ring) reversed on a simple adapter. This avoids the need for electronic control entirely.
- Build a DIY electronic reverse adapter by extending the lens contacts with wiring, but that’s a custom project rather than a ready-made budget product.
As for autofocus: in macro photography, AF usually isn’t very useful, so this often doesn’t matter in practice. But reversing the lens does not inherently reverse the focus direction logic. If AF works at all with such a setup, it should still drive focus in the correct direction.
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