?? Lens adapter firmware... different brands compatibility ??

I've read that the internal electronics of various lens adapters come from one Chinese factory and are identical. Since the hardware and electronic contact points are 100 percent compatible, couldn't one brand of firmware work with any other brand of adapter? It seems the only difference between brands is firmware, so updating to the best firmware of any brand should work with any other 'budget priced' brand. Shouldn't it?

It's likely that each manufacturer has their hardware coded so that the firmware can identify where it is running. This would make the likelihood that the firmware from one manufacturer would not run on the hardware of another even if the hardware were otherwise identical.

Thanks Ed. Maybe there's a hack available? The hardware ID is part of the firmware, right?

Sure . . . You appear to be willing to go to a lot of trouble to save little money to gain questionable quality on your images . . .

Two hundred-fifty plus dollars is "little money"? Not to me. :-/

 

"A lot of trouble" to update firmware? Not to me. :-/

 

Questionable quality increase? Really... if the hardware and internal electronics are identical but some firmware works but others don't???

Edited September 28, 2018 by snicker_doodle

Your time is worth something and, in the other thread on the subject of adaptors, you were spending money on, potentially, more than one adaptor. Instead of returning something that doesn't do what you need, you intend to void it's warrantee by installing non-recommended firmware.

 

Updating firmware is not a lot of trouble. Hacking the firmware from another manufacturer is.

 

Yes, your entire plan of "Frankensteining" together a system, as was explained in your other thread, is going to produce questionable results.

You have a point. I'm probably making things more difficult than necessary.

 

Still, I wonder if lens adapter firmware is interchangeable with no 'hacking' needed.

You have a point. I'm probably making things more difficult than necessary.

 

I think so.

I also think it's too soon to hope that universal adapters will become common, if ever -- indeed history does not suggest that the evolution of technology goes that way.

 

I read the situation now as being something like the competition between Beta and VHS-- the solution turned out to be neither. I am confident that someday all cameras will be mirrorless, but they may not look like anything we have now.

also see

Ha... I remember that seen. :D

I'm going to try one more thing before starting over from scratch. I'm going to replace the A6000 with an A6300. If that doesn't do what I want with what I already have then... lesson learned.

I just bought an A63000 which should be here in about ten days. I'll sell the A6000 once the other body arrives. I'm hoping this does what I need. If it doesn't then I'll start from scratch, having learned expensive lessons.

I've read that the internal electronics of various lens adapters come from one Chinese factory and are identical. Since the hardware and electronic contact points are 100 percent compatible, couldn't one brand of firmware work with any other brand of adapter? It seems the only difference between brands is firmware, so updating to the best firmware of any brand should work with any other 'budget priced' brand. Shouldn't it?

 

yes, they are all the same, I use a $19 adapter - works just as good as the "official" adapter

www.flickr.com/photos/mmirrorless

I updated the firmware in my Viltrox adapter so auto focus works a bit better but I had to set auto focus to 'slow' in the camera. The camera can now control lens aperture too (it didn't before the update). However, VR still doesn't work.

 

I attempted changing the adapter firmware to the firmware from various pricier adapters to no avail. I'm fairly certain it can be done but I'm not tech-savvy enough to do it.

I've been corresponding with the seller of the Viltrox adapter. It's supposed to be VR compatible. Maybe mine is defective.

 

In the meantime, I ordered a 58mm f/2 Soviet Helios 44-3 (ca. 1986, with 13 aperture blades) for portraits. And a Jupiter-9 (ca. 1988, with 16 aperture blades) for closer portraits.

The retailer who sold the Viltrox adapter advertised that the VR function works with all Nikon lenses with that feature. They confirmed with Viltrox this isn't true. Hmm... you folks already told me that.;) So they accepted return of the adapter.

 

I'll be replacing the Nikon lenses with Sigma equivalents made to work properly with the Sony A6300. I'm also considering Sony brand.