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Novoflex Nikon Lens To Canon EOS Body Adapter

Greetings,

I'm enjoying Camera Hacker very much.

I see that you have the expensive Novoflex EOS-to-Nikon-lens adapter. I'm using a $25 Chinese-made one that I bought on eBay. There's a small amount of looseness in it (mainly rotational) and it's sometimes difficult to open the Nikon lens back up to full aperture after stopping it down (something hits something else). Is the Novoflex one free of these problems?

Many thanks,

Michael A. Covington
Sat Nov 27 09:49:38 PST 2004

Wow. I didn't know you can get one of these adapters for $25 on e-bay.

After I got your e-mail, I took the lens adapter and a Nikon lens out for an entire day. The Novoflex EOSNIK adapter has a small amount of rotational tolerance. It is the same amount of tolerance compared to a Canon lens. Therefore, I would say it is not loose. The EOSNIK adapter also does not have the aperture problem you mentioned.

I would say the EOSNIK adapter does not exhibit any issues that you mentioned.

Chieh Cheng
Sun Nov 28 00:38:57 PST 2004

Many thanks!

Michael A. Covington
Sun, 28 Nov 2004 11:02:07 -0500

Maybe with this ring I can hold may uncertainty: Nikon D70 or Canon 20D?

I get many Nikon lenses but I'd like buy the 20D machine, in my opinion it should be better then D70. So my doubts were how i can use the nekon lenses? Now I get the reply.

Do you know if the ring is usable on Canon machine, and if yes, where I can find it?

Many thanks for your reply,

Mario
Sun Dec 5 04:42:37 PST 2004

In the US, you can find them at
Amazon - $194.95
B&H - $199.95

But since you are in Italy, I'm not quite sure where you can get them.

Chieh Cheng
Sun Dec 5 12:00:57 PST 2004

This is a german product available for online purchase for 149 euros at:
http://www.novoflex.de/html_d/index_d.htm

Mark
Tue Dec 14 16:52:07 PST 2004

i am considering the novoflex adapter to use a nikon 28mm PC (shift) lens on a canon 1Ds. would there be any problems with this setup? will i still be able to focus at infinity to do architectural exteriors? will i experience color shift with this setup and how do i correct it? thanks.

jnorman
Thu Dec 23 11:57:02 PST 2004

how well does this adaptor work w/ the new nikon dx lenses? is it more difficult because it has no aperature ring?

noel
Sat Jan 22 10:10:23 PST 2005

Chieh, Came across your excellent article on the Novoflex Nikon to Canon adapter, I have been using one of these on a D30 and 20D with excellent results. My 35mm equipment was Nikon and Leica, and I wanted to be able to use some of my more exotic Nikkor lenses on the Canon as replacing them would be cost prohibitive. The only lens I had trouble with was a 55mm f1.2, it had a protrusion on the back to prevent scratching the rear element if set on a table without a cap, a few minutes with a dremel tool fixed this! Using the camera in manual mode is no problem, I prefer manual mode anyway. I also tried another adapter made in Eastern Europe (absolute Junk - never would lock correctly) but was most satisfied with the newer adapter made in China. The main difference was in the locking release for the Nikon side (enclosing a photo to show difference). At first I felt it somewhat less refined and awkward to use compared to the Novoflex, but with some time got used to the system. Anyway, at a cost of $25 each, I bought 6 for less than the cost of one Novoflex and pretty much leave them on the Nikon lenses (had to purchase Canon rear lens caps though) as I shoot mostly digital and occasionally use the Leica for 35mm. Thanks!

Attached Image:

NtoEOSa.jpg

A. C. Elkins
Sun Jan 23 08:51:53 PST 2005

When you use the Novoflex Nikon to Canon adaptor with a manual focus AI Nikkor lens does it work with the autodiaphram or do you have to look thru the lens stopped down when taking the picture and using the thru the lens meter in a Canon 10D?

Nick
Thu Jan 27 20:08:15 PST 2005

Only manual operation is possible. If your Nikon lens does not have a manual aperture ring, then you won't be able to adjust the aperture. When you meter, you have to manually stop the lens down to the aperture you want.

Chieh Cheng
Fri Jan 28 19:00:33 PST 2005

Hi Chieh,

Thanks for the review. The novoflex was out of my range when I was looking in to this last year, but I managed to stumble across one on eBay from Poland. This one has a very tight fit, and a crude lever-based lens release mechanism, which has gotten loose quickly, but it's not been a problem, since the fit itself is very snug.

I then bought three of the ones off eBay, the chinese ones, and they did seem to have more play than the Polish one I had; but then again, it was half the price. I wasn't able to play around with them much though before I got a large chunk of my photo gear stolen, those included =(

For those who are interested in pursuing this, you might also want to check out the manual focus screen someone has modified for use on the 300D (which is what I use), find out about it at the yahoo group 'canondigicamhacking'.

Chieh, how's been your use of the novoflex recently? Any issues with metering?

maurice

maurice chung
Tue Mar 15 12:29:01 PST 2005

The Novoflex works fine. No problems with metering at all . . . all done through the lens (TTL).

I did purchase a really old mechanical third-party Nikon lens from E-bay recently. It doesn't work too well with the adapter . . . I have a hard time figuring out how to mount it. And the screw slots get stuck with the lens lock. Have to keep the lock button down. The older lens wasn't designed with the features of the new Nikon lens mount in mind. But no such problem with the new Nikon lenses.

Chieh Cheng
Wed Mar 16 10:35:09 PST 2005

Hey Chieh,

Hrm, it's weird, I get metering issues when I stop down a bit - starting around 5.6 or sometimes even as wide as 4, and on through f8 and f16, it overexposes. I think the TTL is not reliable at narrow apertures like that, which makes sense because even the most hurtingest consumer zoom rarely goes smaller than 5.6 at their widest, which is how you focus and meter (the rest being done via calculations away from the widest aperture).

And from second to second, the metering changes slightly, so that if I burst a series of four shots, they might come out noticeably different shot to shot - nothing a little levels adjustment in CS won't fix, but a bit odd.

Part of it might be because I'm using a hacked microprism (not split prism, but similar - the center of the viewscreen is rigged for more precise focus, with microprisms that quickly blur out when shifted away from the focus point)...

Btw, the manual Nikon you got probably is pre-AI, the way that the EOS-Fmount adapters are made, they require at least AI mounts, if I'm not mistaken. With pre-AI, we're taking Nikon F vintage lenses, from the 70's.

...

Recently I shot our church's Easter service as well as baptism service, and I mostly used the 105/1.8 Nikkor manual lens, it was nice. I'm steadily getting used to focusing with it. I switched to an AF lens only when I needed the 17-35mm wideangle Tamron...

maurice chung
Fri Apr 1 00:32:53 PST 2005

Hi Maurice,

The meter changing slightly from second to second occurs when the lighting happens to border between two exposure settings. This is normal and is common with all EOS camera bodies and lenses.

However, I don't know anything about the hacked microprism that you talked about . . . so maybe you know something I don't. If you don't mind telling me about it, then I'm all ears.

Yes, the lens I got is a very old vintage lens; pre-automatic functions. It is a Sakar MC 135mm f/2.8 Macro lens. I tested the stop-down metering issue you mentioned today with this lens and my Digital Rebel. My combination does not exhibit the problem you mentioned. I tested at f/2.8, f/8, and f/22. All of the shots where correctly metered and exposed. I'm wondering if the lens you are using have any special lens elements . . . What combination do you have?

Chieh Cheng
Sun Apr 3 04:03:58 PDT 2005

Hi Maurice,
Ok so I saw your comment: "Btw, the manual Nikon you got probably is pre-AI, the way that the EOS-Fmount adapters are made, they require at least AI mounts, if I'm not mistaken. With pre-AI, we're taking Nikon F vintage lenses, from the 70's."

I have several(5) great 1960's and 70's pre-AI Nikon F lenses that I want to keep and use. I am looking go digital and buy the Canon 20D because I thought I could by the Novoflex converter ring and shoot in manual mode. Are you saying that my lenses will not work? Do I have any options left to use these great vintage lenses I love on a digital SLR camera?

Confused,
Harley Bergsma

Harley Bergsma
Tue Apr 12 12:24:27 PDT 2005

Would an AF300 2.8 lense work with adaptor on a canon 20D body and would the novaflex adaptor let me use the auto
exposure?

naru
Thu Apr 14 17:06:31 PDT 2005

Sorry it is a Nikon 300 2.8AF lense to a canon D20 body

naru
Thu Apr 14 17:08:07 PDT 2005

Will pre AI nikon lenses work with the Novaflex adapter?

DWOOD
Mon Apr 25 00:21:10 PDT 2005

I just purchased a Canon Rebel XT and would like to use my Nikon Lenses - F Mount. Will this Novoflex Work? Thanks.

Joe G
Thu May 19 07:32:25 PDT 2005

Please let me know if the Canon 20D can meter with Nikkor AI and Ais lens.
Thank you

An Nguyen
Thu May 26 12:11:33 PDT 2005

Hello,
I am looking at getting a Rebel XT but want to use my Nikon lenses.
I am in Canada - does anyone have a suggestion as to where I can find the Novoflex or something similar nearby?

Thanks!

Nik
Thu, 9 Jun 2005 13:24:50 -0700

Hi Harley,

This reply is much late in coming, but I have to retract my earlier comment: I don't think the novoflex and other EOS to F-mount adapters are AI dependent - i.e., you can use AI, pre-AI, etc. with these adapters (I've gotten the Nikkor-Q version of the 50/1.4 to work before - I forgot that I'd done that). I think Chieh's problem with the older third-party F-mount lens was that it was third-party - not made to the exact same specs as the Nikkors, the few fraction of a millimeter difference in the three-sided bayonet makes a difference, I think, because I also had a difficult time getting a JC Penney 135mm to work with the adapter.

So - Harley - you have nothing to fear with getting the 20D and the Novoflex (or cheaper variants from eBay - which is what I would get). Btw, the 20D has a larger viewfinder area (~97 or 98% I think), and a brighter matte screen that helps with manual focusing somewhat. Have fun!

maurice chung
Sat, 25 Jun 2005 17:11:41 -0700

This thread is getting a bit long with a lot of different talks concerning different adapters for different lens and different cameras. So I have started a new forum specifically for discussion of lens adapters. Messages in this thread that are not pertaining directly to the EOSNIK adapter will be moved to respective threads in that forum. The forum is located at Lens: Adapter

Chieh Cheng
Wed, 29 Jun 2005 10:23:29 -0700

O.k. guys hope you can help me out here i've got a lot of questions...years ago i used to work as a photographr until moving to japan and being put off by all the electrical wires but i still have my old nikons and a few lenses left. The other day a friend turned me on to a canon eos kiss (that's the name in japan, i believe it's the 300d or something elsewhere)and he's assured me that should i purchase this digital camera , I could , with this novoflex adapter use my old nikkor lenses (a55mm 2.8 micro, a 105mm 2.5, and a24mm 2.8)on this canon digital camera. this can happen? Can I get full use of the eos light meter by setting the camera to manual and then fooling with the aperture ring on my lenses (can i set a shutter speed on the camera in the manual mode. If all this is possible it's got me really wanting to perhapos get out there and see what this digital business is all about thanks in advance for all your hlep and advice

ken
Wed, 6 Jul 2005 09:00:43 -0700

Ken, I am quite sure your Nikkor lenses will work just fine with the Novoflex adapter. If the lenses fit on today's Nikon SLR cameras, then they should work.

One exception, Nikon has recently introduced the G-series lenses. These lenses were designed for the new Nikon digital camera. I have heard from others that teh G-series lenses will not work on the Novoflex adapter, though I haven't tried myself.

Chieh Cheng
Thu, 7 Jul 2005 19:38:48 -0700

Novoflex or any of these adapters wont work with Nikon G lenses, since the aperture is completely closed down in a G lens, there is no way to manually open up the aperture.

Mahendra
Wed, 27 Jul 2005 13:12:51 -0700

I feel that I need to comment about one part of your web page:

"Mounting the Novoflex adapter to a Nikon lens is relative simple and
effort-less . . . as long as you realize to rotate the lens
counter-clockwise. Nikon's non-conformance to industrial standards
created by other manufacturers had always baffled me. The lens
counter-clockwise rotation is just one of the many nit-picks that Nikon
had tried very hard to be different from other camera manufactures.
Perhaps Nikon felt that they had to compete with others on all levels.
But it is really the users, or their customers, that lose in this
competition."

In answer to this, I have to suggest that Nikon did not originate that lens mount direction choice.

Nikon started by producing a clone of the Zeiss Contax rangefinder camera line, and that also had the clockwise to remove, CCW to install bayonet mount.

So, I believe that Nikon simply continued to use the direction to which their rangefinder users were accustomed.

FWIW, Cannon also started by making a clone of a German camera -- the Leica, which had a screw-mount lens, so clockwise to mount that made sense.

I apolozize for the awkward line lengths in the quoted section, as it was cut-and-paste from another window, and I don't have my reformatting tools here as I do in usenet and e-mail. Yet another reason why I don't like posting to web-based fora.

Enjoy,
DoN.

Donald Nichol
Thu, 11 Aug 2005 11:07:11 -0700

Thanks for the history lesson, Donald. I appreciate you clearing it up for us.

Chieh Cheng
Fri, 12 Aug 2005 18:44:40 -0700

Hi
I am glad I found this page. It seems possible to use Nikon lenses on Canon bodies. I consider to buy a Canon 350D, or Rebel XT (US) but I was not happy having to replace my nice Nikon lenses (used along with my X90S Nikon body).

Is the Novoflex the most "original" adapter on the market?

Regards, Thomas

Thomas Hansen
Fri, 21 Oct 2005 13:22:00 -0700

when you use the adapter, doesnt the quality decrease, since you moved the fixed ratios?

Alaa Taher
Thu, 5 Jan 2006 06:32:12 -0800

No, Alaa, the adapter places the Nikon lens at the same register as the Canon lenses. So focal distances do not change.

Chieh Cheng
Thu, 5 Jan 2006 11:12:10 -0800

Get DVD TECHNIK Adapters which are made more better then the chinese stuff. i am using NIKON AIS 300 f2.8 with this adapter.Its very tight on the lens which i feel is good and is easy also to remove with help of small tool which is provided. All adapters will have some play between the adapter and camera body when you mount.

Sanjay
Sat, 11 Mar 2006 06:24:56 -0800

Hi all,

great thread, very informative stuff here, which I'm very grateful for. My question may be a bit redundant here, but I want to ask something specific to my set-up. I'm coming from using a Nikon FM2 like all my life and now I have to upgrade to the digital revolution, because I'm a uni student, and film prices and development are just getting to be too pricy (with the money I spend per year on film, I could get a new lens or camera body ~ 1200$) My lenses are a 135mm Nikon AI, a nikkor 50mm AI, and a nikon 28mm AI, as well as a new Sigma APO 70-300 AF. Will my older, e-series nikon AI lenses work, using the novoflex adapter, on the Canon eos 20d? Most importantly, will they allow for TTL metering rather than having to do any stop down b.s.? How much light metering capability will they have? I don't care about manual focus or manually changing aperature. hahaha, seriously, if you don't even adjust these for yourself sometimes, you're just lazy ;)

Daniel Baxter
Tue, 21 Mar 2006 05:47:12 -0800

Daniel, I believe you e-series Nikon AI lenses will work with the novoflex adapter on the 20D. And I believe they will meter TTL at any aperture.

I've done TTL metering through pinhole lenses on EOS cameras. I think the idea is the same when you use the Novoflex adapter.

Chieh Cheng
Tue, 21 Mar 2006 11:16:21 -0800

Can the cheap Chinese EBAY adapters cause any damage to either the EOS body or the Nikon lens?

J Ray
Sat, 13 May 2006 10:20:22 -0700

As far as 3rd party cameras goes, Fuji makes the S2, S3 that use Nikon lenses.

Also, with the new Sony Alpha dSLR, it uses almost any KM lense manufactured after 1985.

Derek
Tue, 25 Jul 2006 14:34:28 -0700

Not a single third party camera manufacturer? Haven't heard of Kodak or Fuji? Both make F-mount cameras.

Christopher Matthews
Fri, 11 Aug 2006 08:48:59 -0700

Hello
Guess you already heard this but the lenses they talk about in the warning to the adaptor is those old super wide angle where you ahve to manually lock up the mirror before even mounting the lens. Look at Nærfoto Bjørn Rørslett: Professional Nature Photographer, Bjorn mentions them there.

Björn Lundquist
Tue, 15 Aug 2006 13:00:40 -0700

Is the EOSNIK adapter (Chinese version) available in Singapore (retail). Any information where this can be purchased in Singapore.

Atul
Mon, 25 Sep 2006 05:49:35 -0700

I have just received one of the chinese $25 adaptors.
It is quite good fully machined with bright finish.
Unfortunately I tried it out on the first lens I picked up - It fits snugly enough - but has no release lever and I cannot work out how to get it of. I presume I need to push back some sort of spring loaded clip with the blade of a screwdriver but cannot find one that moves and lets the lens rotate.
Can anyone help.
The device was in a plain box and works fine on both mounts although manual only of course.
PJF

Peter Fry
Thu, 21 Jun 2007 22:34:29 -0700

Selfmade pin to adjust the aperture:
Nikon lens on Canon body: Setting the aperture

Thomas Krueger
Wed, 25 Jul 2007 17:06:19 +0000

Hello,
I've got a Nikon Lens E-Series, and I'm looking for a nice adapter. So that i can fit the lens on my Canon EOS 350D.
Have you got any suggestions?
Thank you,
Quirijn Stuyt

Quirijn
Thu, 01 Jan 2009 14:31:01 +0000

Holy Hell! did i have a time trying to figure out the cheap version of the nikon -> eos adapter! Anyway, i got my version from ebay from kawaphoto, the whole deal cost me 16$ shipped but an hour of confusion and panic. However, with some patience, jiujitsu grip, and most importantly LUCK, I was able to figure it out and they work great! I've got some old AI/AIS Nikkor Lenses (50mm 1.2, 24mm 2.8) that adapted just fine and metered quite well on my 40D. However, I think once you start venturing in the smaller apertures; the metering gets a bit thrown off; can't say for sure though. I'll have to check and post more about that later. Anyhow, if you decide to purchase this fantastic deal and get confused along the way; i'll definitely give you my 2 cents on how to trouble shoot you're way out of a dreadful time.

Dae Hans
Thu, 28 May 2009 01:14:36 +0000

Hi,
I`m a Brazilian photographer trying to figure out what`s the best way to use AF Nikkor lenses with a 5D mark II body. At the internet (e-bay and similars) it is possible to find dozens of adapters at different prices. As many people said in this forum the NOVOFLEX works well, right? Can I be sure that Novoflex works using a AF nikkor lenses (F mount) with a 5D mark II?

ak

Andre Kobashi
Wed, 14 Oct 2009 22:24:16 +0000

has anyone tried the adapters with the chip on it? it's from the same seller kawaphoto. thanks

ivan
Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:35:51 +0000

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