E-Mount (NEX) adapters

E-mount adapters:

LA-EA1
My experience with the LA-EA1 on the Nex6 is that AF is totally unuseable on all SAM lenses period. But I'm quite happy with MF much of the time anyway, so I use the LA-EA1 with any of the dinky Sony easy-chocie primes (35/50/85mm) and they're just fine.

LA-EA2
The LA-EA2 gives good AF on the Nex 6 with any of the Minolta/Sony lenses I've tried but I've mostly acquired native E-mount alternatives now so it doesn't get a lot of use - maybe because it's bigger and sticks out too much for my small gadget bag, or maybe because I'm trending back to MF to improve my fun/nostalgia quotient.

Pixco speed booster A to E-mount.
Rather disappointed in this. It fails to give the whole view of an FF lens on the Nex (though I guess it's not far off), and judging by the shutter-speed change, gives only 10% to 20% more exposure so barely perceptible as a speed booster. It's pretty heavy and doesn't give you any data or AF capability, so not recommended unless the near-FF angle of view from your A-mount lenses is enough by itself. Oh, and once fitted my copy is very reluctant to be rmeoved without extreme measures.

Dumb adapters.
Have a lot of these, mostly very cheap. the lightweight cast aluminium ones from China are pretty good.

Pentax adapters:
There was a range of very lightweight plastic MF primes made in late film days for the Pentax K mount (28mm f2.8, 50mm f2) which work very well on a dumb Px-E adapter. Despite being plastic and cheap, they are pretty good optically, especially on APS-C.

Adapters for mirror lenses:
Worth a mention that although most mirror lenses were made for DSLRs and need a long adapter for E-mount, the ones that focus close (like the Kenko 400mm) can work with a short adapter: If you get a flat M42-E-mount adapter (intended for telescopes, etc) it's about an inch shorter than the usual one and though you lose close focus, you can still get a decent MF range out of it.

pegelli wrote: I bought this Pixco branded M42 to E-mount Helicoid adapter. It's adjustable from 27 to 59 mm. Contrary to what it says in the ad it allows infinity focus with all my M42 lenses Also I have not observed any vignetting on Full Frame (A7Rii) using a 50 and a 200 mm lens. More testing to follow but so far it seems an excellent adaptor with better performance than advertised.

I have several M42 to E helicoids and have been using them for years with no issues. No problem with infinity. I have also various other helicoids of shorter length which I have dedicated to lenses from rangefinders and even an oscillograph lens.

i do not think it is that important. Maybe stay away from the really cheap Chinese stuff. That means, look into Kipon, K&F and the like. These will be simple, but more or less fine.

The electronic ones like the Sigma MC-11 will surely be better, but it might not be what you need. (FYI: Harrison Camera has a used MC-11)

QuietOC wrote: The dumb adapters all seem to be made from the same parts. I heard the actual metal manufacturer is named RJ.

I guess most decent steel ones come from the same manufacturer. Recent K&F adapters are made in aluminium, not steel.

What material are they when they are not steel? The mounts for sure are not aluminium.

addy landzaat wrote: What material are they when they are not steel? The mounts for sure are not aluminium.

I believe most mounts are coated brass like keys. None of them are magnetic.

My Minolta 28-135 is taken apart right now, and its mount is definitely brass. There is a machined ring on the backside that shows the base material.

Edited by QuietOC - 17 January 2021 at 22:06

pegelli wrote: I bought this Pixco branded M42 to E-mount Helicoid adapter. It's adjustable from 27 to 59 mm. Contrary to what it says in the ad it allows infinity focus with all my M42 lenses Also I have not observed any vignetting on Full Frame (A7Rii) using a 50 and a 200 mm lens. More testing to follow but so far it seems an excellent adaptor with better performance than advertised.

You were lucky.
The first M42-MFT helicoid I brought SHOULD have just managed infinity focus from the quoted length range, but the listing didn't specifically claim it could. On arrival I found it couldn't reach infinity with a 135mm lens let alone shorter ones which see the effect of extension more.

On all subsequent helicoid purchases I've ensured the add quotes infinity focus if that's the way their likely to be used. The extra cost for this has been negligible.