PL to EF adapter to Ef-M4/3 Speedbooster. Does it work?

[John Palmer]

Hey everybody. I was just wondering if anyone knows or has ever used a PL mount lens adapted to a speedbooster (metabones or RJ) and if it works or were there any issues

I am considering getting a PL mount adapter for my gh4 and already have an EF-m43 speedbooster and would really like to be able to still use the speedbooster to get closer to a s35 look.

Specifically I would be trying to use Zeiss super speeds mk 1

 

thanks!

 

[richg101]

95% of pl lenses wont work on ef-pl adaptors unfortunately.  your best bet to get the superspeed look would be to go for early rollei f1.4's adapted to ef mount.

[John Palmer]

Gotcha. Is that because of the flange distance or whatever you call the rear part of the lens behind the actual mount? I know that a canon camera has to have the mirror removed to work with a lot of pl mount lenses but I was thinking that wouldn't be an issue.

do the rollei's have a triangular aperture too?

thanks for the reply!
 

[andy lee]

yes most of the HFT ones do - for that 'Taxi Driver' Bokeh look

[richg101]

Gotcha. Is that because of the flange distance or whatever you call the rear part of the lens behind the actual mount? I know that a canon camera has to have the mirror removed to work with a lot of pl mount lenses but I was thinking that wouldn't be an issue.

do the rollei's have a triangular aperture too?

thanks for the reply!
 

​i'm afraid its not really the mirror that causes the main problem.  It's more the fact that the actual barrel of the lens (the stainless part after the 4 notched ears) is too deep and thus prevents the lens from seating into the pl port on the ef-pl adaptors - there is a step on the inside of ef adaptors which means the actual PL mount of the lens needs to be short.

also I'm pretty sure some of the PL mount 35mm format supers are simply the same lenses as 3 blade the rollei versions with a small amount of focal reduction optics on the back (to shrink the circle from Full frame 36x24 down to s35 (24x15) - gaining speed.  these rear optics seat very deep into the pl port so would hit the speed booster optic.

Unfortunately the 50mm f1.4 is 7 blade with no option for a 3 blade.  there are some 35mm f1.4's with 3 blades.  most of the 85mm's are 3 blade.

 

I actually mod contax zeisses (35, 50 and 85) with a fixed triangular aperture (new fixed aperture can be from f2 and smaller) to give the superspeed look to great effect.  I wouldn't do it to rolleis because i have too much respect for their heritage!

 

[John Palmer]

Cool, was not aware of that. I have looked into rollei lenses but before but have never seen a 3 blade.

thanks for the info fellas!

Are there any similar issues with PL-m43 adapters?

Is that Mod difficult? I have a 28-70mm contax zeiss and was thinking about getting a 50mm f1.7.

[andy lee]

the contax zeiss 50mm f1.7 C/Y is a killer lens my fave 50mm - get one!!

[richg101]

 

Are there any similar issues with PL-m43 adapters?

 

​it's only the ef-pl adaptors that have limitations.  a m4/3 to pl adaptor will be fine