Anyone have some help with FD adapters?

A

alaskacameradude

Veteran
So last year I bought some FD lenses off ebay along with an FD to NEX adapter.
Three lenses, one adapter. After I got it, I see it all works fine, but
I don't like disconnecting the FD lenses to and from the adapter. So I
decide to buy two more FD to NEX adapters. I order two of this one:

(FY) Canon FD lens to Sony E Mount NEX adapter - RainbowImaging

And.....the FD lenses fit on it, but it WON'T snap into place
on my FS100.....the 'splines' are too big or something.

So, I send them back and eat the shipping.....and order two of
this one:

Amazon.com: Fotodiox Lens Mount Adapter, Canon FD, New FD, FL Lens to Sony Alpha Nex E-mount Camera Adapter, fit Sony NEX 3, Nex 5, NEX-VG10, Fits Original FD lens and New FD lenses: Camera & Photo

And....same exact problem. I'm getting frustrated as I have to wait
so long to even get anything sent to me in Alaska, and I have
nowhere to test anything out to see if it works. I would just
order two more of the adapter I already have, but.....it is
no longer made and it doesn't even have a brand name anywhere
on the adapter...I bought it from an ebay store.

So, I was wondering if anyone could recommend a cheap, decent
FD to NEX adapter that they KNOW works with the FS100. My kit
lens snaps right in, and so does my old FD to NEX adapter, so
I don't think my E-Mount is 'bad'. These last couple FD to NEX
adapters though....they won't turn all the way to 'snap in', and
I don't want to try to force them as I don't want a cheap adapter
stuck on my FS100. Something is not right, the old one goes on
with almost no friction, not sure what is going on, but if anyone
could help, that would be awesome. Thanks!
 
alaskacameradude said:
So last year I bought some FD lenses off ebay along with an FD to NEX adapter.
Three lenses, one adapter. After I got it, I see it all works fine, but
I don't like disconnecting the FD lenses to and from the adapter. So I
decide to buy two more FD to NEX adapters. I order two of this one:

(FY) Canon FD lens to Sony E Mount NEX adapter - RainbowImaging

And.....the FD lenses fit on it, but it WON'T snap into place
on my FS100.....the 'splines' are too big or something.
Click to expand...


I purchased the same adapter, and I had the same exact problem. I took sand paper to one of the 'splines' a little bit,
sanding it down a little, and it worked. Fits and now works perfect!! Shouldnt have to sand adapters, but I didnt want to bother with returning it,
and end up with wasted time, to only have another fitment issue.
 
Geez, I have the Fotodiox adapter from Amazon, works great so far. Granted, it took this moron a few days to get acclimated with FD lens protocol, but the adapter is doing its job.

Your "old one" is what brand? (just wondering)
 
Deepfocus88 said:
Geez, I have the Fotodiox adapter from Amazon, works great so far. Granted, it took this moron a few days to get acclimated with FD lens protocol, but the adapter is doing its job.

Your "old one" is what brand? (just wondering)
Click to expand...

This is just strange. Some people over at DVinfo are also saying the adapter works for them.
I would almost think it is my camera as I just can't seem to get an adapter to work on it....have
tried 4 different NEX to FD mounts now.....except for the fact that the earlier NEX to FD mount
works perfectly. As for what brand it is, that is the problem. I don't know and it doesn't
say on the adapter. It's something I bought off ebay and is no longer available from the ebay
store I bought it from, it has been replaced by the first adapter I linked to, which was why
I tried that one. HOWEVER, it LOOKS just like the one molcad posted a link to, so I think I am
going to try that one. I have tried sanding down the splines and everything, and these
ones still don't work.....something strange going on here.
 
It depends on if you feel comfortable with continuing to sand, but I looked at the stock lens, where it attaches
to the body, and comparing the splines on the stock lens to the splines on the adapter and I was able to see how
the splines on the adapters were a bit too think. I tried sanding it until I felt it matched the stock lens splines, and it worked.
 
ARTnVIDEO said:
It depends on if you feel comfortable with continuing to sand, but I looked at the stock lens, where it attaches
to the body, and comparing the splines on the stock lens to the splines on the adapter and I was able to see how
the splines on the adapters were a bit too think. I tried sanding it until I felt it matched the stock lens splines, and it worked.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's what I was doing as well. I sanded on it for quite awhile last night....now the splines are
if anything, THINNER than the ones on the kit lens, and my other adapter which works. But it still won't
connect. It is strange, I cannot see any reason it shouldn't connect. I've compared it to the kit
lens and to the adapter which works for thickness on the splines and for height on them as well.
They are if anything a little smaller, so nothing should 'catch' and they should work.
But they won't. With the kit lens and my other adapter, it will 'snap' into place with almost no force,
just a simple turn with two fingers. These other adapters just won't turn, something is catching... and
I've put a decent amount of torque on them too. I'm just not going to risk it, the FS100 is too nice of
a camera. They should snap into place nice and easy like the kit lens and the other NEX to FD adapter.
I'm not going to monkey with them anymore, I'm marking them as defective and returning them, it's
just strange as can be, I wish I could see exactly where it is 'catching' and not allowing them to snap
into place, because I certainly cannot see any reason that they won't work.
 
I had same thing with two adapters Nikon and fd. I have bought 7 cheap dumb adapters and they were all crap. I spent money and time for nothing. I realised that this is the reality of cheap adapters. My friend gave me his mtf adapters to test and I liked them so much that I bought mtf fd and Nikon adapter and (metabones for canon). They are working all great, solid and well designed, I have no complains about them. My advice to you, just buy one but really good fd adapter. But before I would suggest you to check your e mount, who knows maybe its not because of the adapters. You can find at bh really good adapters starting from $100+ But it's only my opinion and you may not agree.
 
Ok I can now confirm (whew!) that it is not my camera.
I ordered two of the adapters Molecad linked to
and they work perfectly on my FS100. The previous
four different ones I tried didn't work and the one
before that did. Seems a little random I am guessing
that maybe the NEX still cameras have less 'tight'
tolerances? Anyways thanks to Molecad for the link!
 
I don't like disconnecting the FD lenses to and from the adapter.
Click to expand...

Well I'm sorry you had to go through all the rigamarole of finding the right adapter for your camera, but at least you gave me the good idea to buy multiple adapters….because changing FD lenses on a shoot is a royal pain in the ass!

(I now have 2 Fotodiox adapters that fit right on)
 
Deepfocus88 said:
Well I'm sorry you had to go through all the rigamarole of finding the right adapter for your camera, but at least you gave me the good idea to buy multiple adapters….because changing FD lenses on a shoot is a royal pain in the ass!

(I now have 2 Fotodiox adapters that fit right on)
Click to expand...
Yeah the FD adapter is a Pain in the butt. It takes too long
to switch lense, better to make the FD lense into an NEX
lens by leaving the adapter on it. On the plus side you can
get some nice lense cheap.....I just picked up a 35mm f2
and it with the 50mm f1.4 are real nice I just used them
on a dance studio promo good stuff for $60 lenses.
 
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