FS7: Why hasn't anyone made a positive lock Ef to E mount adapter with electronics?

Ben Scott

Ben Scott

Veteran
Lockcircle / PS Technik and that Polish lens mount chap are all making lovely solid mechanical Ef to E mount adapters with PL-style locking mechanisms that keep the lens rock solid.

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Nobody I can find does one with electronics as well for iris control.

Surely I can't be alone in wanting/needing one of these. Basically a Metabones with a locking system that doesn't have wiggle with heavier lenses and remote follow focus.

Who do I/we have to hassle to get this built?

EDIT: The Lockcircle one has electronics but is part of a £3,000 wireless focus kit they only made 100 of.
 
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Ben Scott said:
Lockcircle / PS Technik and that Polish lens mount chap are all making lovely solid mechanical Ef to E mount adapters with PL-style locking mechanisms that keep the lens rock solid.

QxifQsn.jpg

ILgBZOU.jpg


sEzKg1t.jpg



Nobody I can find does one with electronics as well for iris control.

Surely I can't be alone in wanting/needing one of these. Basically a Metabones with a locking system that doesn't have wiggle with heavier lenses and remote follow focus.

Who do I/we have to hassle to get this built?

EDIT: The Lockcircle one has electronics but is part of a £3,000 wireless focus kit they only made 100 of.
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Two words: snot tape

But seriously, my guess is that the demand for such a thing is low. I rarely hear anyone complain about the play inherent in e-mount. I purchased a hot rod camera e-mount to PL adapter that has a dreadful amount of play in it. I ended up purchasing a Metabones e-mount to PL adapter that fits far more snugly.

Rather than an adapter that has the capability to lock ( something I would welcome ), it seems that someone could create some sort of thin ring that goes between any e-mount adapter or e-mount lens and snugs everything up nicely. Something that is fitted to the camera's lens port and remains there. I've wondered if simply applying camera tape around the edges of the camera's e-mount would reduce play. Or some sort of thin rubberized ring that applies to the camera via adhesive and makes it more difficult for any lens or adapter to rotate in the mount when rotational force is applied.
 
The Red Canon EF mount is perfection. Mount lens as normal and then tighten ring and zero play. Plus it has electronics.

I can't believe people don't want/demand this for the FS7. If we're tricking it out for posher productions it's a real dealbreaker.

Noticing it more and more since I got heavier lenses and again even more when using it with a remote follow focus. If you're shooting L glass or using AF I guess it's not going to be an issue.

The annoying thing is the mount isn't moving between the adapter and the e mount, and the adapter isn't moving itself. It's the play of the lens within the mount, which is a lot harder to gaffa tape to safety. Will have a play today and try some of your suggestions.

I'd happily pay Speedbooster money for a regular 'Metabones +' that also had a locking collar. I wonder if Wooden Camera would be interested....
 
Having just opened my Metabones up there's three little thin bent metal leaves and a miniscule spring for the locking pin. Have attempted to retension everything but I wonder if it is possible to replace the spring with something a lot stronger.
 
Ben, get in touch with Metabones. I remember having play in my old BMPCC adapter and they sent out a new spring kit which tightened it all up nicely.
 
Thanks Neill. Not a bad idea. Might only be a temporary solution but anything to improve it is well received.


EDIT: Also asked them to start producing a Metabones Pro with locking collar :)
 
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"I've wondered if simply applying camera tape around the edges of the camera's e-mount would reduce play."

It's not lateral translation of the lens, relative to the sensor that I would worry about, that won't affect optical quality. And changes in the axial direction only affect focus, that can be dialed out when the lens is focused. What would concern me the most, would be tilt of the lens relative to the sensor plane. Til introduces all kinds of quality errors, coma, asymetrical defocus, etc. On that note, while adding some kind of tape to tighten up the mount, you could well introduce lens tilt....a bad thing.
 
Metabones sending me out a new spring kit but also in relation to me asking them to make a Metabones Pro with locking mechanism they said they are working on the next gen adapter which will do away with play and tear.

Of course I offered to be a tester :)
 
My personal opinion of this is that you kind of hit a limit with the E and EF mount

PL (and FZ) works in a specific way in that it is conical so as the lens is tightened it draws onto the cone which creates an anti torque bond that will sustain a follow focus torque.

Certainly EF still lenses do not present a cone so there is a limit to thier physical prowess.

It is also worth considering that still mounts are designed to be weak on purpose.. this is called fail soft. Simply a body dropped with a telephoto will snap off the mount, which is a $50 replacement, a mount that does not snap could really damage the lens or body and that will lead to an expensive failure.

Personally I would consider the F5 (or another PL camera) once you hit a certain production level that requires solid repeatable seating, of heavy optics.
 
But as Ben said earlier, Red's EF mount has a thightening screw lock and it's a genius solution.
I have no slack when using a follow focus on my Samyang EF lenses on my Red cameras. Nor I'm I afraid of hanging my 70-200 is lens straight of the mount without support either.
My FS7/metabones solution is crap in comparison.
 
morgan_moore said:
My personal opinion of this is that you kind of hit a limit with the E and EF mount

PL (and FZ) works in a specific way in that it is conical so as the lens is tightened it draws onto the cone which creates an anti torque bond that will sustain a follow focus torque.

Certainly EF still lenses do not present a cone so there is a limit to thier physical prowess.

It is also worth considering that still mounts are designed to be weak on purpose.. this is called fail soft. Simply a body dropped with a telephoto will snap off the mount, which is a $50 replacement, a mount that does not snap could really damage the lens or body and that will lead to an expensive failure.

Personally I would consider the F5 (or another PL camera) once you hit a certain production level that requires solid repeatable seating, of heavy optics.
Click to expand...

Plenty of other EF mounts out there with excellent locking mechanisms.
 
Just as an update to this I just received replacement front and rear plates free of charge from Metabnes which is great service.

Plus I ordered their rod support thingy so from then on in its a process of elimination to source any additional wobble.
 
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