Why are Sony/Minolta A-mount to Canon EF adapters so rare?

Asked 4/26/2012

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I expected Sony/Minolta A-mount lenses to be adaptable to Canon EF because the flange distances are very close: A-mount is 44.5mm and Canon EF is 44.0mm. In theory that suggests a very thin adapter could work, but I can hardly find any A-mount to EF adapters. Why are they so uncommon, and what makes this adaptation difficult?

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

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

14y ago

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First of all, this leaves only .5 mm for the adapter, which isn't a lot. With a mount that's a lot smaller in diameter most of the adapter could sit inside the EF mount ring, and you could probably do it. From what I recall of the diameters, they're similar enough that this would be extremely difficult, if possible at all (and I'm leaning toward "probably not possible").

Second, EF mount uses an electronic connection for both aperture and focus, where A mount uses a mechanical linkage for aperture, and either mechanical or electrical for focus (but electrical was introduced relatively recently, so most older lenses being adapted would probably be mechanical).

Since (most) A mount lenses don't have aperture rings, you'd have to build an aperture control into the adapter. If it was purely mechanical, you could do stop-down metering. In theory, an adapter with some sort of built-in servo could receive the electrical signals from the body and translate them to mechanical movement for the lens. Given the small difference in flange distances, neither of those would probably be simple or straightforward -- but without it, you'd have no aperture control, so you could only shoot at the lens' minimum aperture (typically f/22) -- pretty useless. You could build a fixed stop into the adapter to always hold the lens at, say, f/8 I suppose, but it would still be quite limited, even at best.

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

user603

14y ago

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They’re rare because, although the flange distances suggest it might work, the practical constraints are severe.

First, the registration difference is only 0.5mm, so a simple adapter would have to be extremely thin and precisely made. That leaves very little room to machine the different bayonet mounts reliably.

Second, the mount geometry is not especially adapter-friendly. Because of the throat and mount dimensions, the A-mount lens often can’t sit deeply enough into the EF mount area. If the lens has to sit farther forward than intended, you lose infinity focus unless the adapter uses corrective glass.

Third, A-mount and EF handle lens control differently. Canon EF is fully electronic, while many A-mount lenses rely on mechanical aperture control and, on older lenses, mechanical focus drive. Since most A-mount lenses lack an aperture ring, an adapter would need its own aperture control mechanism, adding complexity.

That’s why simple glassless adapters are uncommon or impractical, and why the adapters that do exist typically use an optical element to preserve infinity focus, often with limited functionality.

UniqueBot

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14y ago

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