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Yes this is cool! First Canon FD autofocus test from Dirk Westermann!

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[/shoplink] [shoplink 47935 ebay]Canon FD 500L[/shoplink] + [shoplink 47939 ebay]FD to M adapter[/shoplink] + Techart M to E adapter on the A6300.
Image by Dirk Westermann on Facebook.

The first batch of the new Techart PRO Leica M autofocus adapter is now shipping. SAR reader Dirk Westermann got the adapter and he is the using it to “add autofocus” on [shoplink 47938 ebay]Canon FD lenses[/shoplink]!
Above you can see his picture of his huge [shoplink 47935 ebay]Canon FD 500L (here one Bay)[/shoplink]. He used two adapters to add autofocus on the A6300: The [shoplink 47939 ebay]FD to M adapter[/shoplink] and then the Techart Leica M adapter.  It’s really amazong that your old (and still high quality) Canon FD lens can now autofocus on Sony E-mount cameras!

This is what Dirk writes:

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1. First of all I still find it amazing that I now have auto focus on my manual FD lenses. I have been using FD lenses with manual focus for some years, and the keeper rate for birds with focus peaking was like 20%, because the feather details and the harsh crops that are often necessary are very unforgiving if the focus is not exactly right. Now, with this fantastic new adapter, the keeper rate is about 80%!! as far as I can estimate this after the 5 days that I have had it.
When using my great portrait lens [shoplink 47941 ebay]Canon FD L 85mm f1.2[/shoplink], AF accuracy is crucial due to the little DOF. Also there, the adapter does a great job and even with f1.2 it is easy to get the eye EXACTLY in focus!

Here is a sample image that I took with the Sony A6300, TECHART PRO adapter and my [shoplink 47942 ebay]Canon FD 300F4L lens[/shoplink].
The AF really nails it most of the time, fantastic work, Techart people!
Image by Dirk Westermann on Facebook.

2. I prefer CAF at that time, especially with the longer lenses. This enables me to change the manual focus when I have half pressed the shutter, and the adapter then constantly adapts the AF. With my big lenses (CANON FD 500mm and FD 300mm) the range where the adapter can auto focus is quite small and the accuracy of the manual pre focus is more important, so with this method I can manually narrow the focus to the area where the AF then works.

3. I would prefer an adapter position somewhere in the middle when I turn on the camera. Now the adapter is at the far end and can only adapt to one direction. I prefer to do a quick and rough pre focus, and then half press the shutter and the adapter does the AF fine tuning from that position, into one or the other direction, thus a middle position would be more helpful. But it also works as it is now.

4. It is tricky to find the right [shoplink 47939 ebay]Leica M to FD adapter[/shoplink], because the available models are too large in their diameter. I modified a cheap M to FD adapter DIY and now it fits perfectly.

Hope this helps!

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Thanks Dirk!

 

 

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