Help mounting vintage lens to DLSR

[CognacBrown]

Hey guys!

So I have a Canon EOS 1100D(Rebel T3) and was looking to mount a Helios 44-2 onto there - which outside of an adapter I can do, no problems.
But as my 1100D(Rebel T3) is a crop sensor I wanted to get an focal reducer to make the most of the lens but I am struggling to find one - I'm new to this sort of thing so unsure if I've come across it already and was just unaware or that the EF/S mount just wont work and I'd need to buy another adapter.

Any help on this would be great!

 

[Box Brownie]

Hi and welcome to TP

I have never heard of a focal reducer, so had to look it up. The only reference I could find was it's use with adaptions associated with telescopes.

So I am unsure what your requirement is?

As you say you can get an M42 to Canon EF mount adaptor to attach the lens to the 1100D, so just where in the light path would you expect to fit a focal reducer?

PS I have cross referenced and found that the Metabones Speedbooster meets the role so perhaps talk to them?

Metabones®

www.metabones.com

Though a quick look did not reveal an M42 to EF mount version?

 

[CognacBrown]

Focal reducer/ speed booster would go between the lens and the body of the camera - yeah they are used to aid in making telescopic lens but in this case it will allow me to alter the crop factor of my 1100D so my sensor can perfectly line up with the 35mm vintage lens.
The pipeline I believe would go: lens - converter - focal reducer - converter - body
I am exploring this all fresh myself so I am unsure if my method is right.

Here is the article that bought this all to my attention:

How To Get The Film Look With A Digital Camera With No Post Processing Or Presets

Film look is something that is loved by most viewers mostly because we think film is what shaped the photography field long before digital came into the industry. Since digital cameras are easily available, affordable and are cost effective compared to film, most photographers are looking for a...

www.lightstalking.com

Here is a lil' something on the focal reducers:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvKySaO2RSY&ab_channel=wolfcrow

 

[LeeRatters]

The M42 to EF adapter is too thin to physically allow a speed booster type adapter. It is literally a 1mm thick adapter.

I would imagine speed boosters are only available for mirrorless.

 

[Stephen L]

The M42 to EF adapter is too thin to physically allow a speed booster type adapter. It is literally a 1mm thick adapter.

I would imagine speed boosters are only available for mirrorless.

 

[goinggreynow]

And could I add (as an ex Canon 80D user), I decided not to try to use legacy lenses on the 80D. quite honestly, I saw too many difficulties ahead of me - some of the biggest obstacles I faced were certain (but not all) legacy lenses having no chance of fitting due to flange distance issues (I.e. no adapter would work) and the crucial, but sometimes overlooked issue, of really needing to Focus with an EVF. For me personally, in-body IS was also a factor.
I appreciate this is probably not want you want to hear but the main reasons for selling my DSLR and initially going micro 4/3 was a) Optical VF v EVF and b) in-body IS. I had both a Panny G80 and an Olympus OM10 mk2. Along the way I acquired a focal reducer which I had great fun with. It wasn’t a “Speedbooster” but it did a great job. Up until the point I decided to embark on my journey with legacy lenses, I was a long standing and very happy user of Canon kit.
I’ve since moved on to Sony FF but the principles are the same.
As a fairly experienced user of legacy lenses on a digital body (I have 15 lenses), I can honestly say that I would not be without the ability to magnify the view in the viewfinder and use focus peaking. I have neither the eyesight nor ability to hold the camera steady enough (without IS) to be able to manually focus accurately using an optical viewfinder. That said, I do appreciate that some will find this easier than others. And I’m sure that on some DSLRs, things like split prism focusing screens make things a whole lot easier. My 80D didn’t offer me this option, though.
Good luck. legacy lenses can be real fun to use and I know the Helios 44-2 reasonably well. I think I may be correct in saying that Olympus OM Zuikos can also be adapted to Canon EOS?

 

[the black fox]

I have used legacy glass on both DSLR cameras and mirrorless MFT bodies with the correct adaptors , that includes Nikon/ canon/ Olympus o.m to MFT or various mounts to canon or Nikon crop bodies .
Reading between the lines I think your trying to get to a 50mm = 50mm eliminating the crop factor . If so then basically your on a hiding to nowhere as it won’t improve the image in any way ..
The whole idea of using legacy glass on digital is to get a different effect or Bokah that you can’t replicate with modern super sharp lenses .. in your case just get a lens to canon adaptor one with a focus confirm chip might help ? And stop reading stupid u.tube vids from people with hidden agendas

 

[woof woof]

And could I add (as an ex Canon 80D user)I think I may be correct in saying that Olympus OM Zuikos can also be adapted to Canon EOS?

You are indeed correct

I briefly used them on my Canon DSLR's before deciding that it really wasn't a great idea. You can use hyperfocal/zone techniques but manually focusing an unaided DSLR with the OVF often isn't ideal. They're just not really built for it.

I also used film era lenses on MFT and now use them on my Sony A7. I don't know off the top of my head how many lenses I have but I have about a dozen or more 35mm's and maybe more 50mm's and then there are all the other primes

 

[goinggreynow]

You are indeed correct

I briefly used them on my Canon DSLR's before deciding that it really wasn't a great idea. You can use hyperfocal/zone techniques but manually focusing an unaided DSLR with the OVF often isn't ideal. They're just not really built for it.

I also used film era lenses on MFT and now use them on my Sony A7. I don't know off the top of my head how many lenses I have but I have about a dozen or more 35mm's and maybe more 50mm's and then there are all the other primes

Hi Alan
Thanks for confirming my thoughts.
Also good to hear that I’m not alone in deciding that manually focusing a legacy lens through an OVF is not an ideal way to go. For “having a play” and seeing what all the fuss is about - it’s fine. For me though - with 15 legacy lenses and only one Sony AF lens - I simply couldn’t manage without the EVF and, to a lesser extent, the in body IS (althoughI appreciate that you don’t have IS on the A7).
Regards
Stuart

 

[AndrewFlannigan]

You can use hyperfocal/zone techniques but manually focusing an unaided DSLR with the OVF often isn't ideal. They're just not really built for it.

I've used manual focus lenses on Canon 10D, 40D, 1DS II and 5D without any problems. I currently use them on a Nikon D600.

It works for me.

 

[Petrochemist]

Focal reducer/ speed booster would go between the lens and the body of the camera - yeah they are used to aid in making telescopic lens but in this case it will allow me to alter the crop factor of my 1100D so my sensor can perfectly line up with the 35mm vintage lens.
The pipeline I believe would go: lens - converter - focal reducer - converter - body
I am exploring this all fresh myself so I am unsure if my method is right.

A focal reducer shortens the focal length, so is not used in making a telescopic lens (that implies increased focal length). Teleconverters are historically far more common than reducers and they do extend the focal length (and increase coverage).
Teleconverter need the lens to be further away from the sensor than when used without the additional optics (not a problem) but focal reducers need the lens to be mounted CLOSER than the unmodified lens. As several of the comments above they are only practical for mirrorless cameras, or perhaps for medium/large format lenses.
IIRC my focal reducer for MFT is about 10mm shorter than a ordinary adapter.

 

[woof woof]

I've used manual focus lenses on Canon 10D, 40D, 1DS II and 5D without any problems. I currently use them on a Nikon D600.

It works for me.

Good.

However good your eyesight is you have no aids other than the lens markings. I found that although deliberate focus accuracy may be fine for relatively small pictures and uncritical nit picking viewing it's difficult to reliably achieve focus that'll stand up to pixel peeping or maybe even just a close look particularly at wide apertures. At smaller apertures DoF can cover a lot but there's still only one plane of focus and if you look closely you'll see where it is or where it isn't. With mirrorless if you have the time to manually focus your pixel peeping hit rate should be very high.

With mirrorless MF is a dream as you can call up the magnified view and accurately focus on detail that would be invisible when using an unaided OVF and have it stand up to pixel peeping at 100%. If you have the time to do this I'd say it's the most accurate way to focus. You can also use the magnified view to look around a composition and fine tune your zone / distance / hyperfocal type settings. These things aren't possible with an OVF equipped DSLR.

 

[AndrewFlannigan]

These things aren't possible with an OVF equipped DSLR.

As I'm simply not obsessed with sharpness, the screen on my Nikon works for me. Your mileage may vary...

 

[LeeRatters]

Good.

However good your eyesight is you have no aids other than the lens markings. I found that although deliberate focus accuracy may be fine for relatively small pictures and uncritical nit picking viewing it's difficult to reliably achieve focus that'll stand up to pixel peeping or maybe even just a close look particularly at wide apertures. At smaller apertures DoF can cover a lot but there's still only one plane of focus and if you look closely you'll see where it is or where it isn't. With mirrorless if you have the time to manually focus your pixel peeping hit rate should be very high.

With mirrorless MF is a dream as you can call up the magnified view and accurately focus on detail that would be invisible when using an unaided OVF and have it stand up to pixel peeping at 100%. If you have the time to do this I'd say it's the most accurate way to focus. You can also use the magnified view to look around a composition and fine tune your zone / distance / hyperfocal type settings. These things aren't possible with an OVF equipped DSLR.

This ^^ This is what I love when shooting in the woodlands. Makes the shot much more accurate & takes any guesswork out of things.

I wouldn't say I'm overly obsessed with sharpness as such but I get VERY annoyed with myself if the focus isn't accurate on the subject.