@cbauer wrote:
Can I use my Canon EF lens on a Canon 7 film rangefinder? Is there an adapter? I only see an adapter for the EOS-M, which is digital. I want to purchase a Canon P or 7 *film* rangefinder, but I'll be more motivated if I can use my old lenses.
Thank you!
Absolutely not. Even if you figure out a way to make them work, there would be serious limitation and it would make little sense to do so.
Rangefinder camera lenses have a much shorter lens-to-image plane distance or "register". The Canon screwmount is 39mm diameter with a register of 28.8mm. Because of this difference in "register", the SLR/DSLR EF lenses would not focus properly on the rangefinder camera. Besides, part of the appeal of those rangefinder cameas is their smaller size, and that includes the lenses used upon them. In comparison, EF lenses are massive!
But even more importantly, EF lenses are electronically controlled.... both focus and aperture. While a lot of EF lenses have means of manually focusing them, there would be no way to set the aperture. Even if you were able to adapt the lenses somhow and get around the focusing issues, you'd basically have to shoot with the lens aperture wide open all the time. You'd have to control exposure with your film speed selection and shutter speeds only. And you'd have little control over depth of field.
If you want to play around with a vintage Canon P or 7 RF camera... I day go for it! But I highly recommend you plan on buying matching lenses to use upon it.. Trying to use EF lenses on it just wouldn't be very much fun!
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Alan Myers
San Jose, Calif., USA
"Walk softly and carry a big lens."
GEAR: 5DII, 7DII (x2), 7D(x2) some other cameras, various lenses & accessories
FLICKR & EXPOSUREMANAGER
