topic Re: Film lenses on 6D in EF & RF Lenses

Film lenses on 6D

Alimurphy007 — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 16:45:58 GMT

Hi Everyone!

I recently inherited the following items from my grandfather.

1 - TOYO OPTICS AUTO TELEZOOM 1:45 80-200Mm

1 - SMC Pentax-M 1:28 28mm

1 - SMC Pentax-M 1:17 50mm

1 - Miranda Pentax SENSOREX with a Auto Miranda 1:14 f=50mm and Asahi Pentax AF200S flash

1 - Pentax super program with an SMC PENTAX-A 1:2 50mm lens

1 - Pentax ME SUPER with a Albinar ADG 28Mm 1:28 macros focus lens

1 Bentley Optical Lens 1:6f=50mm lens

1 Canon auto teleconverter

I was wondering if anyone had any information on how I can use the lenses on my current camera (Canon 6D). Is there any adapter or adapters I can purchase to use them?

Re: Film lenses on 6D

Waddizzle — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 17:28:21 GMT

It is not worth the time and money to try to adapt them.

Re: Film lenses on 6D

normadel — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 02:48:55 GMT

There are adapters, and they aren't expensive. They are also NOT worthy of being used on your 6D.

First of all, they would not provide any focus and exposure automation. Full manual use only.

Second, these adapters have optical elements which enable focus to infinity. The elements are not very good optically, and degrade image quality.

You're much better off bypassing them and using Canon & compatible EF-mount lenses. But NOT EF-S.

Re: Film lenses on 6D

johnrmoyer — Fri, 03 Feb 2023 14:31:49 GMT

I think your lenses are a treasure.

I use a 45 year old Minolta lens from a film camera on my Canon EOS R5. The SLR film lenses are practical adapted to a mirrorless camera because the shorter distance between flange and sensor leaves room for an adapter. Adapters cost 35 to 40 dollars which makes experiments with these lenses attached to a mirrorless camera inexpensive. I agree with the other replies that they are not practical attached to a DSLR like yours. I suggest preserving these lenses until you get a newer mirrorless camera. Some of the older lenses have a distinct character that makes attractive photos in an older style. Many older film camera lenses are higher quality than the cheapest new lenses.

Some forums have information about using these lenses. e.g. https://www.pentaxforums.com/lensreviews/SMC-Pentax-M-28mm-F2.8-Lens.html has sample images made using the SMC Pentax-M 1:28 28mm.

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4448380 About the Pentax-F 28mm F2.8 and how it compares to other 28mm lenses Started Dec 6, 2019

Re: Film lenses on 6D

MikeSowsun — Fri, 03 Feb 2023 15:48:32 GMT

Old film camera lenses are sometimes problematic when adapted to Full Frame DSLR cameras. Often the rear element or aperture levers stick out too far and will interfere with the action of the mirror flipping up when the shutter is released. Mirrorless cameras don’t have this problem.

None of the lenses you have listed are really worth the effort (and risk) of using them on your 6D.

Re: Film lenses on 6D

ebiggs1 — Fri, 03 Feb 2023 16:55:59 GMT

I have done it. And, I have done it every way I think that is possible. I doubt seriously they will damage your 6D because most of the adapters have a corrector lens in between the old lens and the camera. However, some do not like the Ed Mika adapters which are the best. Yes, you will lose every function of your 6D and even some ability of the old lens like focus to infinity. However, some focus ability will still be there which occurs if you don't have the corrector lens in the adapter.

I am not sure Ed Mika is still in business but a search for it will answer that. Like most of the responders above have said, whether they have actually done this or not is unknown, it is not worth it unless you have a truly fantastic old lens like one of the old "great" whites. On my FD 500mm f8 and FD 600mm f4 the Ed Mik adapter works quite well.

Re: Film lenses on 6D

normadel — Fri, 03 Feb 2023 17:40:13 GMT

Anyone ever seen one of these.....?

I've read that Canon briefly made an FD-to-EF adapter that provided infinity-focus and was of very high optical quality, And quite expensive. I have searched long and hard and not found any evidence of this, pictures, for-sale ads, or anything. Can anyone say they have seen one?

Re: Film lenses on 6D

MikeSowsun — Fri, 03 Feb 2023 23:35:13 GMT

Here is some information on the original Canon FD to EF adapter……

Bob Atkins Canon FD to EOS lens adapters
When Canon introduced their new EOS line of autofocus cameras in 1988 they did something that no other manufacturer had done. They totally abandoned their previous lenses. The FD mount lenses used on their manual focus cameras simply would not fit on the new EOS cameras at all. Not only was the mount coupling different, but the "flange to focal plane" distance was longer (44mm vs 42mm), so even if an adapter was made which allowed an FD lens to mechanically couple to the EOS mount, the lens wouldn't focus to infinity. To allow the lens to focus to infinity, the flange of the FD lens would have to be 2mm inside the EOS body.

Needless to say this angered many Canon users at the time. Canon did make a small concession to the users of some of their more expensive "L" series telephoto lenses (and a few non "L" telephotos) by making a 4-element optical adapter which acted as a low power multiplier (1.26x). This was intended to ease the transition from FD to EOS for their professional user base. The price at the time was around $250, but they didn't make them for long and they didn't make many, so today they sell used for prices as high as $1000

Here's a copy of an illustration of the adapter from the original Canon instruction sheet:

As you can see the adapter has a protruding front element (similar to the current Canon TCs), which meant it would only couple with lenses which could accommodate this protrusion and these lenses are listed below:

FD 200mm 1.8 L
FD 200mm 2.8 RF
FD 300mm 2.8 L
FD 300mm 4
FD 300mm 4 L
FD 400mm 2.8 L
FD 400mm 4.5
FD 500mm 4.5 L
FD 600mm 4.5
FD 800mm 5.6 L
FD 50-300mm 4.5 L
FD 85-300mm 4.5
FD 150-600mm 5.6 L

If you couldn't find or couldn't afford the original Canon adapter, or you wanted something for their shorter lenses which couldn't couple to the Canon adapter, a number of generic adapters have been available for some time now. Priced at under $50 they're typically not really well constructed and the optics usually leave a lot to be desired.

Re: Film lenses on 6D

ebiggs1 — Fri, 03 Feb 2023 18:12:53 GMT

The Ed Mika adapter works with all those lenses is very well made has no lens and maintains infinity focus.

Re: Film lenses on 6D

MikeSowsun — Fri, 03 Feb 2023 18:17:28 GMT

Here are some photos of the original Canon. There is one for sale right now on eBay for $324.

Re: Film lenses on 6D

normadel — Fri, 03 Feb 2023 18:56:11 GMT

I've seen the Ed Mika kit, or another one like it. They are not adapters which keep the FD lens intact. They are CONVERSIONS which replace the FD mount on the lens with an EF mount. For what they cost and require, not something I was motivated to do.

Re: Film lenses on 6D

MikeSowsun — Fri, 03 Feb 2023 23:37:42 GMT

@normadel wrote:
I've seen the Ed Mika kit, or another one like it. They are not adapters which keep the FD lens intact. They are CONVERSIONS which replace the FD mount on the lens with an EF mount. For what they cost and require, not something I was motivated to do.

Ed Mika made both adapters AND conversion kits, at various times.

Very early on Ed Mika started off manufacturing some very thin 0.75mm thick FD-EF mount adapters. These worked well with Canon FD super telephoto lenses that had extra focus travel built in. They did not well with regular lenses like the FD 50mm as they could not achieve infinity focus.

Later on ED Mika produced kits that replaced the entire FD mount with an EF mount. The first ones were brass, and then he later switched to black polymer.

Re: Film lenses on 6D

ebiggs1 — Sat, 04 Feb 2023 17:58:14 GMT

"They are CONVERSIONS which replace the FD mount on the lens with an EF mount."

You are simply messing with words. The result is the same.

"For what they cost and require, not something I was motivated to do"

Perhaps you missed this part of my reply.

"... it is not worth it unless you have a truly fantastic old lens like one of the old "great" whites. "

Re: Film lenses on 6D

ebiggs1 — Sat, 04 Feb 2023 17:59:13 GMT

It is always better if you have actually done what you are commenting on.

Re: Film lenses on 6D

amfoto1 — Mon, 06 Feb 2023 00:15:25 GMT

First we have to sort out what you actually have...

1 - Miranda Pentax SENSOREX with a Auto Miranda 1:14 f=50mm and Asahi Pentax AF200S flash

Miranda Sensorex is a historic, somewhat collectable SLR and an Auto Miranda 50mm f/1.4 lens might be expected to be fitted to it. This camera and lens have nothing to do with Pentax and are not in anyway cross compatible with the Pentax lenses, cameras or flash. Miranda used their own 44mm lens threadmount earlier, then a reversed bayonet lens mount later... I have no idea which of those two types of lens you might have. The Sensorex was one of the first cameras Miranda made with both these these, to accommodate both older and the new lenses they were offering at the time.

In 1966, when this camera was introduced, it was common for SLR cameras to be fitted with a 50mm lens. The Auto-Miranda 50mm f/1.4 lens was a premium option. It was more typical for them to be fitted with 50mm f/1.8 lens.

You can get a free copy of the Miranda Sensorex camera manual here. I suggest you download that and study the basics before trying to do anything with the camera.

It is possible, but I think unlikely, that the Toyo zoom or Bentley lens are designed to fit the Miranda camera. Once you know how to properly remove the 50mm lens from the Miranda camera, you can compare the back of the Toyo lens to the rear of the Miranda lens, to see if they are the same.

I suspect the Toyo zoom lens is much newer and that it's designed to fit the Pentax cameras. See below for more about the Bentley.

The Pentax ME Super camera was introduced around 1977. The Pentax Super Program came out about five years later. They both can be used with those Pentax-M lenses (they also can be used with Pentax-A lenses). Apparently that Albinar lens is also in Pentax "K" bayonet mount (also sometimes called "P/K mount"), if it's already installed on one of the Pentax camera.

Those Pentax are both fairly advanced cameras for their day.... not pro, but just one or two notches below. User manuals for both Pentax cameras can be found here.

The Pentax AF200S flash you mentioned is NOT designed for use with the Miranda camera. It was offered along with the Pentax ME Super camera, but also will work with the later Super Program. That flash has some additional automated modes when used with those cameras. It also can be used with any camera that has a standard "hot shoe" (which the Miranda lacks). You can get a user manual for this flash too, at the above link.

I searched for but didn't find a "Bentley" lens. I DID find a "Bentley BX-3" camera with a "Bentley Optical Lens 50mm 6:1f" lens on it. That's a cheap, very basic, mostly plastic, point 'n' shoot film camera. Scale set exposure and focus. If you have a complete camera, it's not worth much. If you have only the lens, it's worth even less because it doesn't fit anything and shouldn't even have been removed from the camera.

As to using the lenses on your 6D. Yes, you can. But...

You really only need two adapters. The first is for the Miranda lens. This DOES have an optical element in the adapter, needed to be able to focus to infinity. But that will probably spoil the image quality. There is one adapter with a removable element, which will make for better images quality but the lens will not be able to focus all the way to infinity while it's removed. (Note: the Miranda adapters can accommodate both the screwmount and the bayonet mount types of lenses.)

The other adapter you need is Pentax P/K to EOS EF. This DOES NOT require any optics, so there is no concern about loss of image quality to a cheap "corrective" element. Some vintage Pentax-M and Pentax-A lenses are excellent. May be worth a try!

You'll notice at the above link that some adapters are "chipped for focus confirmation". These have electronic contacts that correspond with those in your camera, which can allow the focus confirmation feature of the camera to work, but does NOT allow autofocus or aperture control. Those are strictly manual, so shooting with vintage lenses like these is slower than using modern lenses. But focus confirmation can be helpful, and is only possible with adapted lenses by "fooling" the camera with that chip on the adapter.

If you're interested, there is more information about adapting and using vintage lenses on Canon EF mount cameras here at Bob Atkin's website.

Finally, you mention a Canon Auto Teleconverter. Without a photo it's hard to be sure.... but I suspect that's for the earlier Canon "FD" mount cameras. Various 3rd party manufacturers labelled some "Auto 2X Teleconverter for Canon" and sometimes would say if they were "FD". Only if it says "Autofocus" instead of just "Auto", it might be usable on your camera, with your Canon EF lenses. But if it's the earlier FD mount, it is not usable and if it's 3rd party (Canon always labelled theirs "Extenders", not "teleconverters") it's probably not very high quality. But without more info or photos of it, all this is just a guess.

I hope this helps!

***********

Alan Myers
San Jose, Calif., USA
"Walk softly and carry a big lens."
GEAR: 5DII, 7DII (x2), 7D(x2), EOS M5, some other cameras, various lenses & accessories
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