Using m42 lenses on digital EOS

[miroslav_majstorovic]

<p>I am trying to help my friend here. He is interested in buying a Canon digital body (probably used,something like 400D),but he is wondering if he can use it with m42 lenses with adapter. He has two m42 Pentacon lenses which are quite good according to reviews on the internet,and one Zeiss 50mm f/1.8. He wants to know what is he losing,beside AF(and he is not bothered by that fact). Will a 400D(or maybe 350D,20D,30D...) be able to meter with these lenses,and are there any focusing issues,because I know they can't reach infinity on Nikon bodies,and you can't meter either? Miki</p>

[bobatkins]

<p>No problems in metering or focusing to infinity. Any M42 lens should be usuable on a 400D or other crop sensor body. There are a few M42 lenses that have problems with full frame bodies, where the mirror can sometimes just clip the rear element of the lens when it's focused at infinity, but that's a non-issue with crop sensor bodies.</p>

<p>It's possible that slight exposure compensation may be needed with some lenses, but most don't need it. You have to set the aperture manually, and so you may have to switch between wide open for better focusing, then manually stop down to the shooting aperture. There is no auto aperture operation (i.e. no auto stop down on shooting). </p>

<p>See <a href="http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/eosfaq/manual_focus_EOS.html">http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/eosfaq/manual_focus_EOS.html</a> for more details on using manual focus lenses on EOS bodies.</p>

[richard_oleson]

<p>Metering does drift a bit, but for me it nearly always stays within the camera's range so it's easily adjusted in postprocessing. On any lens faster than about f/4, you can't completely trust the factory focusing screen if you shoot wide open. Easiest solution there is just to stop down a little, if you want the wider apertures and shallower DOF you will probably want to change the screen. Since the meter works, you can shoot in aperture priority AE and there is very little penalty for using the older lens.</p>

[robert lee]

<p>The biggest problem with M42 on low-end Canon DSLR is lack of practical usability. The viewfinder is dim, small, and has no focusing aids at all. While quite good enough for framing and composition with an AF lens, depending on it for critical manual focusing is difficult.</p>

[ralph_jensen]

<p>I agree with Bob. I have several M42 lenses I use on EOS digital SLRs and they work great (when I can nail the focus, that is!). There are some really nice M42 lenses available for little very money.</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>The faster the lens is that is being mounted with an adapter, the easier the focus is on the small viewscreen. I love to shoot with a number of old M42 and other mount lenses on an EOS body, but I wouldn't want them to be my <em><strong>only</strong> </em> lenses. If they were, I'd think I'd just use an older film camera in the appropriate mount and scan the negatives.</p>

[allardk]

<p>I'd advise your friend to look for a body where you can exchange the focusing screens. I changed the one on my 40D for an 'ultra precision' ground glass type, which was very helpful, if not a necessity, to get accurate manual focus.</p>

[miroslav_majstorovic]

<p>Thanks for all responses.The Pentacon lenses he has are both f/2.8,and the Zeiss is f/1.8,so I guess it would be enough for manual focusing on a 400D,altough it really has a small viewfinder,I tried it. He is not planning to shoot every day,only for his joy,and he doesn't care much for taking time for focusing and metering,he just want to have fun and buy a cheap body so that he can put those lenses in use. He has a an old Practica but here where we live,they sell only the worst and basic films,and they develop them in dirty chemicals because no one is using film here anymore,and those chemicals are old and get very dirty so when they give you a processed negative,it's full of particles and scratches also. Not to mention that they do not process B&W film. If they were doing all this how it should be done,I wouldn't buy a DSLR at all. By the way,is focusing screen exchangable in 20D and 30D.</p>

 

[JDMvW]

<blockquote>

<p>is focusing screen exchangable in 20D and 30D.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>It can be changed, but is not interchangeable. That is to say there are kits and people who will change the screen, but only the later models have screens that are <em>made</em> to be changed by the user.</p>