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Hardware hacking wire-focus m43 lenses
  • We know the BMCC will be coming out with a micro 4/3rds mount, but without the electronics. I wonder how hard it would be to hack together a shim that sits in front of the camera mount, but which includes a simple electronic controller, that can then be coupled to a large knob mounted on a cage, to provide a focus-by-wire FF kit.

    Surely there is a Chinese company with the nous to try something like this? Could it work? I would certainly pay $150 for something like this. It could enable great FF usage with all sorts of m43 lenses, even if the camera has electronic focus. It could also include a simple wheel to select iris too. Forget auto-focus -- I'm just thinking electronic FF and iris adjust. This would be perfect for the BMCC.

  • 8 Replies sorted by
  • OK, now let's do some realistic thinking -No one would develop such product for 150$ not even for 300$... even if they could sell thousands of them -I can't think of any M4/3 lens that is so great that it would be worth that effort

  • My guess is that someone could do a reverse Metabones adapter and charge around $450 for it. Probably what the market would bear.

  • "Dummy mount to begin with, full operability likely with firmware update later."

    This implies that the hardware is already in place and that it is just an issue of licensing.

  • @QuickHitRecord This is really good news, if true. It means many more MFT lenses may be used in future. I will be shooting tomorrow with my new Olympus f1.8 75mm, and can't wait to see how it performs on a BMCC.

  • If you put something between a Micro Four Thirds mount and a Micro Four Thirds lens, you lose infinity focus.

  • @balazer Exactly, which would be an especially big issue for wide angles since they often get used for master shots of scenic vistas (as well as the usual tight corridors etc. that are more forgiving of that issue).

    Here`s hoping for an active adapter (or for a re-done no electronics 7-14).

  • +1 For a manual 7-14 weather sealed lens.

  • I did a lot of research into bmc modification (contacting vendors etc) and what I found in general is that it won't be worth it.

    The fact of the matter is that by the time all the R&D has been done it is simply to expensive. If you want to work in zoom world you would be better off purchasing a sigma 8-16 and a nikon 17-35 with nikon g to m 4/3 adapter to change aperture (only for 8-16 the 17-35 has a manual aperture).