Originally posted by Kunzite Besides, if my options for using my lenses on Sony are as Nicolas described... that's unacceptable. Only my FA 50mm f/1.7 would work, and that I could replace easily with the $198 FE 50mm f/1.8.
My understanding if that the TechArtPro is made with the idea of supporting old Leica prime lenses and other equivalent MF lenses. You could buy a set of MF lenses like M28, M50 and M135 and use the TechArtPro to achieve focus for you instead of having to do the focus yourself or as an aid within the product limitations.
The best support for non FE lenses is Sony A-mount lenses and for Canon or canon compatible lenses with quite expensive adapters that transform Sony FE AF commands into Canon EF AF commands.
From Metabones website (
http://www.metabones.com/products/details/MB-EF-E-BT5):
- AF-C is supported on A9, A7RII, A7II, A6500 and A6300 only, and only in
Green mode.
- Continuous video AF is functional in
Advanced mode, but performance may be unsatisfactory.
- On Sony A9, only phase-detection autofocus is supported. Contrast-detection autofocus does not work
- Autofocus may have difficultly locking onto subjects which are very close to the nearest focusing distance of the lens.
- Sony E-mount 1.4x TC (model SEL14TC) will fit and work but AF performance may be unsatisfactory and there may be significant vignetting with some telephoto lenses.
- No support for lens corrections such as peripheral shading, CA and distortion.
- Use of Canon Cinema lenses such as CN-E 18-80mm T4.4 for still photography is not supported. (Functional, but slower than lenses designed for still photography
- Early Tamron VC lenses such as the AF 28-300/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC LD Aspherical [IF] Macro (model A20), AF 18-270/3.5-6.3 Di II VC LD Aspherical [IF] MACRO (model B003), SP AF 17-50mm F/2.8 XR Di II VC LD Aspherical [IF] (model B005) may not be able to freely switch between OIS and IBIS because they may not report IS activity status. Later Tamron VC lenses equipped with USD or PZD focus motors are fine.
Lenses unable to use constrast detect with the adapter:
- Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM
- Canon EF 28-70mm f/3.5-4.5 II
- Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L USM
- Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II
- Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM
- Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM
- Contax N Vario Sonnar 17-35mm f/2.8
- Contax N Planar 50mm f/1.4
- Contax N Vario Sonnar 70-200mm f/3.5-4.5
- Contax N Planar 85mm f/1.4
- Kenko Teleplus Pro 300 1.4x (note 1)
- Kenko Teleplus Pro 300 2x (note 1)
- Sigma 18-125mm f/3.8-5.6 DC OS HSM
- Tamron SP 17-50mm F/2.8 XR Di II VC LD Aspherical [IF] B005
- Tamron 18-270/3.5-6.3 Di II VC LD Aspherical [IF] MACRO B003
Over the internet some praise it a lot, some say it is only acceptable for static subjects. I guess it'll get better and for past Canon users, heavily invested in Canon glass I guess buying the adapter can make sense. I don't think it would make sense to buy Canon glass with the intent on using it with Sony and I don't think that in the long term you wouldn't want to switch to native FE lenses.