Adapter for V lenses on Mamiya AFD

[iandonald]

Hi,

As a forum "lurker" for the last few months I thought it about time that I become a little more involved in this interesting community. I noticed that Marc Williams is including an adapter for using V lenses with the Mamiya AFD11 that is a part of the impressive Aptus/Mamiya AFD package he has for sale in the CI classifieds on this site. I would be interested if Marc - or anyone else who has used one - would be prepared to share their experience in using V lenses with the AFD via one of these adapters. I think I have seen similar adapters that were sourced from Russia(?) and Japan(?) on the web (probably "fleaBay") - at prices as low as $100 in some cases. I also noticed that Mamiya, which at last seems to be coming back to life now that their relationship with Phase is about to take off, has announced that they are about to release one themselves ( at around $400 ) which seems like a smart way to encourage long-time Hassy V users to test the Mamiya/Phase waters now that Imacon is concentrating on the H system.

Over the years my work has changed and I have found myself accumulating an increasingly diverse collection of equipment and my Hasselblad stuff has been used less and less. Anything that can enable me to make more effective use of this Zeiss glass is a big plus in my book.

This section of the forum seems to be where the action is - but moderators are free to move it to the Mamiya section if they feel it belongs there.

Thanks for any input,

Ian Donald
http://www.iandonald.com

 

[fotografz]

Ian, where did you see that Mamiya was introducing a Hasselblad to Mamiya adapter?

Experience using the H to M adapter that I show in my classified ad:

This adapter is almost exactly the same experience that I had with my Hasselblad to Contax adapter (MAM-1, if I recall correctly) ... which was actually branded by Hasselblad. Both the Contax and Mamiya 645AFD-II are focal plane shutter 645 cameras with top shutter speeds of 1/4000th and flash sync speeds to 1/125th. So the experience is different than the H series cameras which are leaf shutter cameras to 1/800th that sync at all speeds.

The advantage comes to the forefront in that many of the faster lenses like F and FE optics can be used in brighter lighting condition wide open ( like the 110/2 @ f/2) to isolate the subject from the background. Plus in both the Contax 645 and the Mamiya 645AFD the camera provides in viewfinder focus confirmation. In this regard the Mamiya is superior to the Contax due to a more sensitive AF system and focus assist built into the camera. The Mamiya also uses readily available AA batteries in the grip and is less power hungry than the Contax which is notorious for devouring it's expensive batteries.

These adapters are dumb ... they transmit zero data between lens and body. As a positive consequence one can use any V lens ... including the Zeiss F lenses which are less expensive than the FE versions. All C, CF, CFi and CFE optics can be used in the same manner that you would use them on a 200 series camera ... you set them to disengage the leaf shutter. There is no way to use them as leaf shutter lenses.

The other consequence is that you have to stop down meter and shoot. With practice, okay if working in the wide open to f/5.6 range while shooting action ... of no consequence when shooting static studio or field work on a tripod ... just focus wide open and remember to flick the stop down button prior to metering and shooting. The cameras can be used in Manual or Aperture Priority modes.

There is little to go wrong with these dumb adapters since most are made as one piece. I once purchase a Novaflex MF adapter that was made in multiple modular pieces to fit many cameras ... which promptly fell apart and I sent it back.

I also have a Hasselblad to Canon adapter which further enhance the use of all V lenses. I can take a Canon 1DsMKIII body as back-up to the MF digital backs and use the same lenses.

So, with an H body & CF adapter, a Mamiya or Contax 645, and a Canon EOS digital ... one could use one set of lenses ... all their C, CF, CFi or CFE optics : -)

 

[iandonald]

Thanks for the prompt response Marc.

A link to the Jan 10, 2008 Mamiya Press Release is here:

http://www.mamiya.com/news-events-press-releases-mamiya-introduces-lens-adapters-for-hasselblad-lenses.html

The only photo I have seen of one was a screen grab that was included in a post over at the Luminous Landscape Forum - I think that is where I got the $400 price reference from also.

As the new adapters are to be made by Mamiya, or at least made to their specs by an outside contractor - presumably in Japan, I would assume that the finish, materials used, quality control standards and machining tolerances will be good, and the ability to focus at infinity will not be compromised. For that reason I think I would feel more comfortable with an adapter from Mamiya - despite the new "Phase One" pricing structure! Although I would still be interested in any user opinions on how the currently available adapters stack up in those areas - no sane person wants to run the risk of damaging an expensive lens or electronic camera body mount by using a shoddily-made adapter from a hole-in-the-wall machine shop somewhere.

Regards,

Ian Donald

 

[evanjoe610]

I guess that Ian is referring to this following passage on the Mamiya website.

Copied from http://mamiya.at/
-----------------------

Tuesday, Decembers 18, 2007, 05:21 PM
The new Mamiya of adapter rings HBB NR404 (black) and HBW NR405 (chrome) makes the use of Carl Zeiss for objectives possible of the series C, CF, Cfi, CFE, F and FE for the Hasselblad v-system, in connection with the Mamiya 645 AFD II and the 22 MP digital camera Mamiya ZD.
Characteristics
The bayonet adapters guarantee the correct edition measure, and permit in such a way those
Use of the different objectives from close range to infinite. The adapter rings are in such a way laid out that they fit not only to the current Mamiya of camera models, but also to the Mamiya 645 manual focus row.
As exposure variants - depending upon equipment of the camera - alternatively those stand
Automatic timer, or manual exposure during stopped-down metering for the order. The year ago 1960 built C of objectives possess no dip lever, and could therefore in principle only with open screen be used. In order to adapt the Zeiss of objectives not only mechanically, but also optically, there is the bayonet adapter in black and chromfarbener execution. Owners of Zeiss objectives so the entrance becomes into the Mamiya camera system on more similar
as also digital basis makes possible.

---------------

Upon a visual inspection in short of handling the real item, it appears to be a very well made lens adapter. Very similar to the Pro-Line adapter made by Fotodiox. I use the Fotodiox Pro-Line adapter on my Mamiya 645 with my Hasselblad lenses. Its strictly a manual lens with stop-down aperature metering as Marc stated.


There are also several other Japanese lens mount adapters that sell quality made adapters.

I included one below.


http://elefoto.hp.infoseek.co.jp/ENGLISH/index.html
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