Z fc - the thread

[Birna Rørslett]

The aperture ring rotates and sets the value directly. No need to lock at minimum and use a camera dial .....

By the way, at least with the 35/1.2 Nokton, apertures can be set in 1/3 steps, but the read-out allows intermediate settings to the nearest 1/6 of a stop. Thus you'll witness quite unusual f-numbers like 1.9 or  2.1 or 3.1 etc.

[Hugh_3170]

So if I am reading you correctly Birna, the Z-mount Nokton can encode the aperture that is set via the aperture ring on the lens itself, and the electronics of the Z-mount can then transmit the aperture value so chosen on to the camera itself? 

Also may the lens be operated where the camera can set the lens aperture as for a lens without an aperture ring?

TIA.

The aperture ring rotates and sets the value directly. No need to lock at minimum and use a camera dial .....

By the way, at least with the 35/1.2 Nokton, apertures can be set in 1/3 steps, but the read-out allows intermediate settings to the nearest 1/6 of a stop. Thus you'll witness quite unusual f-numbers like 1.9 or  2.1 or 3.1 etc.

[Kenneth Rich]

Greg, I bought the Urth Contax to F dumb adapter, and was initially Impressed with its smooth focus, but that soon disappeared, and I don't know if it is the 45mm Contax G or the Urth  causing the problem, so I will be interested in your Urth experience. In the G1 era, the 45 came in for some less than complimentary comments on its focussing, I believe.

[Birna Rørslett]

So if I am reading you correctly Birna, the Z-mount Nokton can encode the aperture that is set via the aperture ring on the lens itself, and the electronics of the Z-mount can then transmit the aperture value so chosen on to the camera itself? 

Also may the lens be operated where the camera can set the lens aperture as for a lens without an aperture ring?

TIA.

To the first question, the answer is a resounding YES.

To nest question, it "depends". The lens is 100% manual. Thus you cannot lock the aperture to a minimum value and use the camera dial to set the aperture. At least not with the Z fc. However, trying to operate the lens in such manner defeats its designated purpose You are meant to rotate the aperture ring on the lens to any desired setting; thus the Nokton has no similarity with a "G" Nikkor in that regard.

The Viltrox lenses, however, being AF, will work both with the aperture ring *or* the aperture dial on the camera, provided in the latter case you set the aperture ring to "A".

[Greg L]

Greg, I bought the Urth Contax to F dumb adapter, and was initially Impressed with its smooth focus, but that soon disappeared, and I don't know if it is the 45mm Contax G or the Urth  causing the problem, so I will be interested in your Urth experience. In the G1 era, the 45 came in for some less than complimentary comments on its focussing, I believe.

I have the 45mm f2 G lens and my experience with the contax g adapter is that it focuses well enough. Remember, these lenses were, in general,  not made to be hand focused. They don’t have any focus ring. There is a screw head on the lens that connects to a motor driven screwdriver on the Contax G camera body for autofocusing. The Urth has a screwdriver also and it is driven by turning the adapter focus ring by hand.

I believe any focussing criticisms in the past referred to Autofocus performance.

Manual focus is possible with the Contax G camera bodies but only by moving the small manual focus wheel on the front of the Contax G camera body. Most people just use autofocus mode for focussing and if at all use the manual focus wheel to make tiny adjustments.

This is all in contrast to the Nikkors and the Leica lenses where the adapters have no focus rings and you focus these MF lenses like you always do and continue to enjoy the buttery smooth actions. I would not expect  the Urth focuser to be anywhere near as nice of a feel as the Nikkor and Leica focusers which are an integral part of the lens itself.

So as I said above I find the Urth G adapter focus action “acceptable”. Not sure how bad yours is.

[Greg L]

Of course one could get one of these for the complete Contax G experience -  on a Z camera!

https://petapixel.com/2021/12/21/techart-releases-first-ever-contax-g-to-nikon-z-autofocus-adapter/

A bit pricey but I’m tempted.

[Snoogly]

It makes me weep that although all these third party adapters keep coming out, there is still no nikkor D to Z adapter.

Nikon have obviously said NO to it, and the complication of having to integrate a motor into the adapter obviously puts off third party companies - but still, it’s a shame :-(

But I know people like me are a for ever shrinking voice.

[Birna Rørslett]

I'm not joining --- the AF/AFD technology never enamoured me, and despite having several lenses of this kind, I always used them in manual mode.

[Ilkka Nissilä]

It makes me weep that although all these third party adapters keep coming out, there is still no nikkor D to Z adapter.

Nikon have obviously said NO to it, and the complication of having to integrate a motor into the adapter obviously puts off third party companies - but still, it’s a shame :-(

But I know people like me are a for ever shrinking voice.

I would also like to see AF Nikkors being supported by a separate adapter that includes the motor (it can be more expensive than the standard FTZ II). There are unique lenses of this type that could benefit from this. Previously I used to think this would not work well in a mirrorless camera but AF Nikkors work quite well on the D780 in live view so I've changed my mind about it. Nikon used to care about compatibility and customers' investment. Now they just want people to rebuy everything they already had. This is ecologically unsound.

[Kenneth Rich]

Well, I am wrong on one basic front at least!  I read again my initial reply, and it jumped out at me- I labeled my Urth  G adapter G to F, and it is a G to Z- clearly marked and my error!  It seems my eighty-two years old fingers and brain had a disagreement.  Thank you, Greg. However, that doesn't remove the less than smooth focussing. Techart seem to have produced a useful conversion adapter, but its primary purpose is regaining auto focus, rather than manual focus.  When I can no longer trust my eyesight to manually focus And if the new adapter lives up  to its claims I would be very interested, as the 45 f2 lens looks like it  belongs on the little Nikon body. Presently, I am still embracing Birna's judgement of the Voightlander/Cosina 35 f1.2 manual lens as the one to buy. And it looks/works even better on the Zfc camera.

[Birna Rørslett]

Do remember the 35mm f/1.2 is *strictly* manual-focus. However, you do have the help of a green dot/square  (depends on the settings) when focus is correct according to the camera's focusing brainpower.

[Kenneth Rich]

Birna, are you sure there is a green or red dot focus assist light? I cannot find it, There is no mention of this in the menu that I can see, not even in the menu item"Manual Focus."  I need some directions from you, please.  Df, for sure, but for Zfc, no as yet. I have been known to be wrong, many times. . . .Does the converter being dumb play a part in this mystery (for me)?

[Birna Rørslett]

My Z fc is set up with 'pin point' focus and I do get a green dot when using the Voigtländer 35mm f/1.2.  My Viltrox lenses 23mm f/1.4 & 56mm f/1.4, behave in a similar manner.

There is no converter/adapter as all the above lenses have native Z mount.

[Kenneth Rich]

Ah, of course, Birna, you are using native Z lenses, whereas I'm using adapted lenses. That is my problem.  When I get the f1.2 35mm lens, I too will get a focus dot. My  Df was designed to use F system lenses, so no problems there/no  adapter.

[Birna Rørslett]

By the way, I get the "green dot" with most of my own CPU-modified F lenses as well, even when they are put to use on Z cameras via the FTZ/FTZ II adapters.