Are there any members who have a direct line to MTF services?
I have attempted to contact them on numerous occasions over the past several months simply to ask a question: Can they create a Leica M bayonet mount adapter for the F3 similar to—or not— the Nikon F version that I am currently using? I'd even be willing to consider a one-off version if that is their desire.
To date, I have not received a reply of any form.

In the past, I have found that Mike Tape (MTF) is usually pretty good at returning emails, but there have been times where the reply was not immediate. I believe he is represented in the states by ZGC who are located in New Jersey. I was sent there when I had a minor issue with an MTF mount for my EX3. I'm sure they can answer your questions. ZGC Video Digital Photo Optics Cameras, Stereography, Photography, Camcorders (http://www.zgc.com/webstore.nsf/home.html)

He was at their NAB booth for the show.

Thank you for the info.

I have been trying to contact them for the past month to see what's up with the F3 adapter, to no avail. 8-(

Firstly I must apologise for having a low profile here lately.
Since the introduction of our M43, E mount and F3 adaptors, we have indeed been snowed under.
In the last 4 months, demand for our products has been outstripping supply by a long way and we are unfortunately we are a bit behind on Nikon to F3 adaptor deliveries but we hope to get back on track around this time next week.

If the phone has not been answered lately, more than likely we are busy either building, packing
Or processing orders, not to mention the 50-100 emails we are getting daily!!

On top of all that we have just moved to new premises with the complications that entails.
However, going forward, once we are settled in, things should start running more smoothly.

Please feel free to call on our new number.

208 881 7850

While we have your attention, I wonder if you could comment on the feasibility of creating a Leica M bayonet to F3 adapter?

Hi Ron.

The Leica adaptors, both R and M are certainly feasible and are on the growing list of F3 adaptors we hope to be able to offer in the future.

Regards

Hi Mike,

Nice to meet you at NAB. I have both the Nikon and Canon FD adapters from you for the F3. They work brilliantly. Many thanks.

Chris at ZGC was great to work with.

Chris Medico

It was good to meet you too Chris

Yes Christine, at ZGC is a real trooper and I'm always grateful for her support.

I'm glad those 2 adaptors are working well for you.


All the best

Another vote for Christine

Another vote for the MTF Nikon adapter. It is working great on my F3 and allows me to have telephoto capabilities (800-200 f/2.8 & 300 f/4) that exceed anything I can afford with a PL mount. The adapter is a must-have for anyone who owns or will be using an F3. I show it in action quite a bit in my F3 training DVD. http://www.vortexmedia.com/SONY_PMW-F3_TRAINING.html

Mike, I mispoke when we met at NAB. I checked my records when I got home and it turns out I got my adapter through ZGC on Feb 15th. Sorry for the confusion, my brain is not what it should be.

I have an MTF Nikon adaptor that I use constantly on my F3. It's great to have a Nikon mount, and I'm happy to have this one, until I can find something better. "Better" means, 1) add a more robust locking screw, 2) provide a decent way to adjust the aperture (slippery aluminum ring doesn't cut it), 3) make the Nikon lock pin release tab bigger, textured, or both so that releasing the lens is a little easier.

Overall, it's well-made. Just clumsy to use. (my opinion)

Actually I don't have any complaints about the size of the screw or its stability on the MTF. If I could just remember which way opens the iris I would be fine.

Hi Mike ,

I'm looking into purchasing the F3 and the FS100 cameras, but this purchase is pending on the availability of an EF adapter that can control iris for them. I've heard very good testimonials concerning your mtf mounts. In the market, currently, there are some mounts with an IRIs blade in them. Any chance for you guys to come up with such a design? I know image stabilization, and auto focus require something like the birger approach, but adding an iris blade should be relatively easy to implement? I believe many of us with Huge canon L glass investment would jump immediately at this option. Keep us posted!

mounts with an iris blade added instead of controlling the original iris are putting the iris in the wrong place optically and tend to vignette - not a professional solution , at least that's what I've seen.

Yes, but you can always leave the mount iris open if you don't want to use it. It may vignette In certain apertures but it's better to have the choice of immediate change of iris in situations were you need it than to not have at all. Unless with the unreleased birger, the only available option to use canon L lenses in an F3 Is to not have controllable aperture- carrying an eos body around and using dof preview to unmount is not a solution for shooting in a tight situation!

Or use a vari ND which will allow you to use a fixed aperture.

That would work, Alister, but it would have to be lots of different Nd's to complement the camera internal ones (2, if I remember correctly). Add to that a Matte Box and once again we are in a time consuming setup that would probably spoil the low profile of the camera for certain shoots. This is obviously not a problem in a controlled environment, but for guerrilla, docs and "no permit" shooting, it is a concern. Having the iris blade in the mount would most certainly be a very valuable tool for certain shooting conditions.

Sergio, I don't know if you got Alister's suggestion - a Vari ND is a single filter that can change ND by rotating 2 polarizers and it is a solution for using a simple EF to F3 mount that would not use any vignetting iris.

Oh, a single filter, Leonard? I was thinking different ND's that would require a Matte box. Alister, were you suggesting a vari ND, as in a rotating disc like device located between the sensor and the lens? I'm not sure if its the type of thing I saw in the internet of some sort of disc like mock-up piece that would be set between the sensor and the lens in response to the fs100's lack of internal ND? Wouldn't this approach be vulnerable to dust entering on the ND's, like in a certain way what happens regularly to 35mm adapters? Or are we talking of completely different things? Sorry if I'm not getting this very well. I also saw some reports of Red's ND's in front of the sensor on Epic's. But these are time consuming and require dust free environments to apply, which would create again a time consuming situation...

Not between the sensor and the lens but on the outside end of the lens.

Finally got my adapter and its great because i have a bunch of nikon glass but the adapter didnt come with any caps.
I have their other adapters and they came with caps.
What is everyone else using?

I purchased some caps on ebay for a couple of dollars.

Alister
Can you send me the link to those caps please?

Just wish MTF would have sent caps with the adapter, they did on my other nikon adapter.

Just do an ebay search for "Nikon Body Cap". The ones I purchased were in the UK but there are plenty of suppliers world wide. It will only cap the Nikon end.

Of course that's what it is, sorry I had a brain fart.
Thank you Alister!

Ive tried to contact MTF for weeks now via email. does anyone know what is going on over there. My F3 is catching dust while I try desperately to get my hands on a nikon mount for F3 :(

So....


Adaptimax Plus Nikon Lens Adapter for Sony PMW-F3 APAPNF3 B&H


Bob

Am I right thinking that this would be a good alternative to the MTF one?

Probably a little more involved in changing aperature but if your camera is sitting on a shelf it may be a way to get started.

Alister has a review:

Adaptimax Lens Mount Adapters for PMW-F3, Canon and Nikon. | XDCAM-USER.COM (http://www.xdcam-user.com/2011/06/adaptimax-lens-mount-adapters-for-pmw-f3-canon-and-nikon/)

Bob

Thing is, I come from Europe, so buying the Adapter from MTF Britain would be a lot cheaper because of TAX. I cant even get info about if they have the adapter in stock right now. They dont reply to my mails :(