Direct and specific experience with THIS Fotodiox Adapter, M42 Screw Mount Lens to Fujifilm X?

[milandro]

The reason why that I want direct and specific comments on the  Fotodiox Adapter, M42 Screw Mount Lens to Fujifilm X is because I particularly like the fact that this adapter features a stainless steel bayonet  as opposed to the majority of adapters which are made of aluminum.

 

The reason why I am concerned about using an aluminum adapter is that I’ve had one before and it might have caused some little shavings of aluminum to come off the bayonet while rubbing against the camera receiver made of steel and ending on the sensor of my previous camera.

 

This, I admit, has caused me some grief and concern.

 

I would much prefer buying an adapter with a bayonet made of stainless steel.

 

If any of you OWNS and or has USED this particular adapter ( so, if you haven’t, please, don’t advise me) could you please confirm, as Fotodiox affirms, that the lens keeps its infinity focus while offering extended macro capabilities?

[milandro]

I would have thought there would have been more people around these parts using “ legacy” lenses for macro purposes but it turns out that quite a few are just peeking in this thread ( I wonder what attracts them to open a thread which in the title says pretty much all there is to say but once they’ve done that not to add anything at all   ) but may have nothing to say.

[Aswald]

 

If any of you OWNS and or has USED this particular adapter ( so, if you haven’t, please, don’t advise me) .....

 

Perhaps this has something to do with it?

[milandro]

probably, but then why do so many people ( over 60 views before there was any posts and only the original question)  open a thread called in the title ( so no mystery enticing  title there) “ Direct and specific experience with this Fotodiox Adapter, M42 Screw Mount Lens to Fujifilm X?

 

I would have thought it would be clear that this was a request for specific information on that specific product. I am asking this because I am puzzled since I don’t normally read or even open threads where I have nothing to say.

[Aswald]

Perhaps readers wanted to know what specifically you wanted to know about the adapter. Won't know until you read the full post.

 

This is what I know about this 42 to FX/M adapter. Macro capability is enhanced via the extra helicoid focusing thread that extends the length of the adapter at both ends, increasing the magnification of the attached M42 lens. When you are not shooting macro however, you'd set the helicoid to minimum. At the retracted (minimum) setting, it DOES focus to infinity like any other adapter. I've just gotten the normal Fotodiox FD to FX adapter and they are well built and focuses to infinity.

 

More info here, with confirmation that it does focus to infinity.

 

https://www.fotodioxpro.com/fotodiox-pro-lens-mount-adapter-m42-screw-mount-lens-to-fujifilm-x-fx-mount-camera-body-with-macro-focusing-helicoid-for-fuijifilm-x-pro1-x-e1-w-macro-focusing-ability.html

 

Hope this helps.

[milandro]

Thanks Aswald, I appreciate your effort to help me.

 

I had the link to the product page already, which is where I got the picture.

 

The reason why I am interested in this product is mainly because it has a stainless steel bayonet.

 

I have had a generic aluminum adapter in the past and I think that the problems which I had at the time with particles on the sensor might have come from minute aluminum shavings coming the contact with the camera , stainless steel, bayonet.

 

Aluminum is not as hard as steel so if you rub two surfaces against each other of which one is softer than the other there are good chances to produce some particles coming from the softest of the two.

 

If this happens close to the sensor you have potential for a problem.

 

This idea has been bothering me for a while.

 

Not so long ago I bought a tilt adapter by Kipon, they are made for many cameras and it makes only sense to have the bayonet for each camera machined separately.

 

In that case, the bayonet is Stainless steel too.

 

I have used it with some trepidation but no ill effect came from it. Using such an adapter for anything other than tilted photography is impossible ( since they don’t have a “ click” which tells you the adapter is in its orthogonal position to the sensor).

 

So, I set out to seek a “ normal” adapter which would also have a stainless steel bayonet. I didn’t even make it a matter of price, yet.

 

Kipon, for example, does make a M42 to Fuji helicoid adapter but, beside costing a fortune, it is made of aluminum!

 

The only one that I’ve found is this type by Fotodiox ( and a shift only adapter by Kipon but besides the cost,  I don’t need a shift adapter !).

 

Now the fotodiox says in their product description that it keeps the focus to infinity.

 

BUT!

 

Roxen (another “ brand”, there are several nameless of the same type of adapters on ebay...) sells an identical ( and cheaper) adapter but in THEIR product description they say it doesn’t keep focus to infinity.

 

“.......Suitable for macro photography only, does not support focusing infinity....."

 

 

So, that is why I wanted to know from a user whether it really kept focus at infinity or not!

[Aswald]

I can concur with you on the AL mount. A few of them claim to be high grade aluminium. That's why I am very careful mounting adapters to camera bodies. I'm a little more worried after reading your post.

 

Here's what I think.

 

The M42 lenses has an FFD of 45.46mm. The Fujifilm has an FFD of 17.7mm. With these measurements, you have plenty of distance for an standard M42 adapter. It just need to be 27.8mm back of lens to camera mount. Fotodiox has guaranteed that their standard M42 adapter will achieve infinity focus. On the FX/M adapter the specified extension is 0 - 30mm. This means that it only needs to extend 15mm both ends to achieve a total of 30mm. 15mm extension is easily built into the 30mm or so space they have to work with.

 

I found "copies" of the FX/M adapter which states "Functions as a Standard adapter or Macro extension adapter".

 

So, I thought...why would Fotodiox make a macro adapter which only extends 30mm and not let it achieve infinity focus?

 

Food for thought.

 

The Fotodiox FD to FX adapter is about 22mm FFD. Canon FD lenses need 42mm FFD. I do a rough estimate of FD lens + Adapter to get 39.70mm. That's less than 42mm. It also explains why I don't have to turn the focusing ring all the way to get infinity focus. There is always some room left.

 

If you really want to be sure, you may write or contact Fotodiox but my suspicion is the FX/M will focus to infinity at it's minimum setting (macro helicoid retracted). I would buy without worries if I needed it.

 

For Reference,

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flange_focal_distance

[milandro]

Thanks Aswald for your perspective on this matter, If I am going to buy an adapter it will probably be this one. Call me overcautious but once bitten twice shy 

[Aswald]

Anytime.

 

Both the Fotodiox adapters I have are decently built. I would buy their products again. Like you said, it'll be perfect if they all come with s/steel mount.

[milandro]

Well after much thinking I decided to buy a K&F Concept adapter and I can only recommend this, the only problem is that there isn’t a tool with the adapter to adjust it but it is something that you might easily have in your tool box

[milandro]

In oder to adapt a projection lens to my camera (and maybe other lenses too) I decided to buy it although I never received any advise from my fellow forum members here. 

 

The adapter is very well made and works well, considering the price. It was shipped (very slowly) from China and fortunately arrived without any extra cost.

 

The steel mount is certainly very good and I feel confident to use this lens for macro purposes or using a lens without any helicoid.

[milandro]

contrary to what the description of some of these adapters say, they do offer infinity focussing and coupled to a normal lens will offer 1:1 ( depending on the lens) macro focussing.