EX-3 Nikon Adaptors at DVinfo.net

Bo Skelmose · September 2nd, 2009, 02:13 PM

Hi
I Have been very happy for my EX3 nikon adaptor from "mtf". With that I made a lot of sharp footage with my Sigma 120-300mm lens. Only problem I had was when I touched the focus - the adapter could not quite hold the lens steady. The small copper bands cannot hold the lens tight. I made a lens support and now it works well.

I have bought an Adaptimax too - or two. This can hold my nikon 200 mm macro, sigma 180mm macro and my sigma 20 macro very tight and there is no wobbling when touching the focus or iris.

My only complaint about Adaptimax is that you can only order 1 piece at a time on their homepage. This makes it a little expensive when you do not live in the UK.

Does anyone knows where to buy the plastic caps for the adaptimax on the EX side (or the original EX3 lens) . I Like to have a Adaptimax converter on every lens, to make the shift very quicly.

Doug Jensen · September 2nd, 2009, 04:45 PM

Bo, I didn't know the other brands of adapters were wobbly, but as you know the Adaptimax-Plus is rock solid.

I don't know if it is more cost effective that ordering from UK, but Vortex Media sells the Adaptimax+Plus in the U.S. You can order as many at one time as you want. Adaptimax Plus - Nikon Lens Adapter

Although the website says we will only ship them to the U.S. and Canada, we will ship to Denmark if you don't mind paying a little extra for freight and insurance.

I don't have any information on caps. I keep my own Adaptimax+Plus in a small zippered case (made for a digital camera) with a carabiner attached to my camera bag so it won't get lost. Having an adapter on every SLR lens makes sense, but I don't know where to get caps that will fit the EX side. I'll let you know if I come up with anything.

Ed Kukla · September 2nd, 2009, 08:03 PM

bo

did you put the same wobbling lens on the adaptamax and find a difference in the focus?

I'm seeing some jumping of the focus but it seems to be from the lens focus ring not being tight enough.

Ofer Levy · September 5th, 2009, 01:50 PM

I can tell you that after using MTF Nikon to EX3 adaptors for more than a year now - they are fantastic devices!

There is absolutely no effect on the image quality as there is no glass in them - basically just a metal ring. I often see the "wobbling effect" which is caused by heat/moisture in the air/deferent density air zones or related factors. It is especially noticeable when working with very long lenses from long distances.

It will happen with every camera and every long telephoto lens under certain conditions of heat/humidity and as I said has nothing to do with the MTF adaptors.

Cheers,
Ofer
http://www.oferlevyphotography.com

Steve Phillipps · September 5th, 2009, 02:05 PM

Correct. Ya canni change the laws of physics Captain!
Steve

Steve Phillipps · September 5th, 2009, 02:09 PM

ps Ofer, any more clips to blow us away with after those ospreys!? You got the slomo workflow with the XDR sorted now? Are you getting a Nano?
Steve

Bo Skelmose · September 5th, 2009, 02:52 PM

My problems was that when touching the focus ring on my Nikon lens, the hole lens was sitting very loose on the "mtf" adpter. This made the captured picture very unstable without a lens support. On the Adatimax converter I do not have that problem and it can be used with my 180 mm sigma macro lens without problems. The problem seems to be the soft copper metal strings on the "mtf" adapter that cannot hold the lens firmly witout a lens support.

Steve Phillipps · September 5th, 2009, 03:38 PM

I'd have thought that any lens over about 150mm should have a support for just this reason, as close to the focus ring as possible.
Steve

Doug Jensen · September 5th, 2009, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Phillipps

I'd have thought that any lens over about 150mm should have a support for just this reason, as close to the focus ring as possible.
Steve

I don't know whether other brands of adapters wobble because I haven't tried them, so I'll have to take the word of others.

But, I can assure you that the Adaptimax is rock solid and there's no need for supports with the lenses I own. I use mine 90% of the time with a Nikon 300mm f/4 and the other 10% with a Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8. Both of those are pretty hefty lenses and the mount is rock solid. Perhaps if I jumped up to a 400mm f/2.8 I'd want some extra support, but I'm not buying one of those anytime soon.

The 300mm lens has a very accurate and smooth focus ring. The 80-200 is a little sloppier, but that is the fault of the lens and has nothing to do with the mount. You have to realize that SLR lenses are not really designed for smooth follow-focus. Compare the cost of an SLR lens to a true broadcast lens. That is one of things that gets compromised.

But, with a little practice, and the right lens, you can get some amazing results.

Alastair Traill · September 5th, 2009, 05:04 PM

The Nikon lens mount is a fairly flimsy affair even as made by Nikon. The lens is pulled back into the mount by sprung strips that cannot be reasonably expected to hold a heavy lens tightly. In the Nikon this does not matter much as when hand holding one supports both the lens and the camera body. In the case of the longer lenses it is normal to attach the lens to the tripod head so that the body is supported by the lens and as the camera body is comparatively short there is not much leverage acting on the mount.

I know it has been done but it looks very scary to me and that is to hang the EX3 body from a tripod mounted lens. It is scary because the 4 lens mount screws used by Nikon are only 1.6 mm. and the EX3 body is heavier and provides more leverage than a Nikon body.

A lens support can be very simple and easy to adjust, I am not game to use my 300 mm lens without one.

September 2nd, 2009, 02:13 PM	#1
Bo Skelmose Major Player Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Denmark Posts: 495	EX-3 Nikon Adaptors Hi I Have been very happy for my EX3 nikon adaptor from "mtf". With that I made a lot of sharp footage with my Sigma 120-300mm lens. Only problem I had was when I touched the focus - the adapter could not quite hold the lens steady. The small copper bands cannot hold the lens tight. I made a lens support and now it works well. I have bought an Adaptimax too - or two. This can hold my nikon 200 mm macro, sigma 180mm macro and my sigma 20 macro very tight and there is no wobbling when touching the focus or iris. My only complaint about Adaptimax is that you can only order 1 piece at a time on their homepage. This makes it a little expensive when you do not live in the UK. Does anyone knows where to buy the plastic caps for the adaptimax on the EX side (or the original EX3 lens) . I Like to have a Adaptimax converter on every lens, to make the shift very quicly.

September 2nd, 2009, 04:45 PM	#2
Doug Jensen Vortex Media Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 3,450	Bo, I didn't know the other brands of adapters were wobbly, but as you know the Adaptimax-Plus is rock solid. I don't know if it is more cost effective that ordering from UK, but Vortex Media sells the Adaptimax+Plus in the U.S. You can order as many at one time as you want. Adaptimax Plus - Nikon Lens Adapter Although the website says we will only ship them to the U.S. and Canada, we will ship to Denmark if you don't mind paying a little extra for freight and insurance. I don't have any information on caps. I keep my own Adaptimax+Plus in a small zippered case (made for a digital camera) with a carabiner attached to my camera bag so it won't get lost. Having an adapter on every SLR lens makes sense, but I don't know where to get caps that will fit the EX side. I'll let you know if I come up with anything. __________________ Vortex Media http://www.vortexmedia.com/ Sony FS7, F55, and XDCAM training videos, field guides, and other production tools

September 2nd, 2009, 08:03 PM	#3
Ed Kukla Major Player Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: All over, USA Posts: 512	bo did you put the same wobbling lens on the adaptamax and find a difference in the focus? I'm seeing some jumping of the focus but it seems to be from the lens focus ring not being tight enough.

September 5th, 2009, 01:50 PM	#4
Ofer Levy Major Player Join Date: May 2005 Location: Sydney-Australia Posts: 443	I can tell you that after using MTF Nikon to EX3 adaptors for more than a year now - they are fantastic devices! There is absolutely no effect on the image quality as there is no glass in them - basically just a metal ring. I often see the "wobbling effect" which is caused by heat/moisture in the air/deferent density air zones or related factors. It is especially noticeable when working with very long lenses from long distances. It will happen with every camera and every long telephoto lens under certain conditions of heat/humidity and as I said has nothing to do with the MTF adaptors. Cheers, Ofer http://www.oferlevyphotography.com

September 5th, 2009, 02:05 PM	#5
Steve Phillipps Inner Circle Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Wales Posts: 2,130	Correct. Ya canni change the laws of physics Captain! Steve

September 5th, 2009, 02:09 PM	#6
Steve Phillipps Inner Circle Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Wales Posts: 2,130	ps Ofer, any more clips to blow us away with after those ospreys!? You got the slomo workflow with the XDR sorted now? Are you getting a Nano? Steve

September 5th, 2009, 02:52 PM	#7
Bo Skelmose Major Player Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Denmark Posts: 495	My problems was that when touching the focus ring on my Nikon lens, the hole lens was sitting very loose on the "mtf" adpter. This made the captured picture very unstable without a lens support. On the Adatimax converter I do not have that problem and it can be used with my 180 mm sigma macro lens without problems. The problem seems to be the soft copper metal strings on the "mtf" adapter that cannot hold the lens firmly witout a lens support.

September 5th, 2009, 03:38 PM	#8
Steve Phillipps Inner Circle Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Wales Posts: 2,130	I'd have thought that any lens over about 150mm should have a support for just this reason, as close to the focus ring as possible. Steve

September 5th, 2009, 05:04 PM	#10
Alastair Traill Major Player Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Melbourne Australia Posts: 626	The Nikon lens mount is a fairly flimsy affair even as made by Nikon. The lens is pulled back into the mount by sprung strips that cannot be reasonably expected to hold a heavy lens tightly. In the Nikon this does not matter much as when hand holding one supports both the lens and the camera body. In the case of the longer lenses it is normal to attach the lens to the tripod head so that the body is supported by the lens and as the camera body is comparatively short there is not much leverage acting on the mount. I know it has been done but it looks very scary to me and that is to hang the EX3 body from a tripod mounted lens. It is scary because the 4 lens mount screws used by Nikon are only 1.6 mm. and the EX3 body is heavier and provides more leverage than a Nikon body. A lens support can be very simple and easy to adjust, I am not game to use my 300 mm lens without one.