Any Leaf AFi II user left in the forum

[yashima]

Theodoros, that's actually quite incredible news. As from what I know, Rollei lens interface is proprietary and yet anyone is able to crack it. Will this be from Steel Chen also?

You don't happen to know how to add focus offset function on Contax 645 body also do you ;-) ? As much as I love the Contax, Hy6 is a more modern, advanced camera.

[Theodoros]

Theodoros, that's actually quite incredible news. As from what I know, Rollei lens interface is proprietary and yet anyone is able to crack it. Will this be from Steel Chen also?

You don't happen to know how to add focus offset function on Contax 645 body also do you ;-) ? As much as I love the Contax, Hy6 is a more modern, advanced camera.

No... it won't be from Steel Chen, it will be from a new European company I am involved with, focus offset is a function dedicated to Rollei bodies and associated with the focusing system of the camera, it isn't related with Rollei lenses... this means that it is not compatible with C645 focusing system.

[yashima]

Yes Theodoros, of course I know that, just joking with you.

Love to hear more about the adapter. How far is it in development? Have you been able to test a prototype?

[JV]

Congrats on your choice... Just one thing to add that you may find useful to know... In less than 6 months, there will be a Rollei lens to Contax 645 adapter in the market that will allow full interface communication for both aperture and leaf shutter between lenses and body (Contax does have leaf shutter compatibility provision through the CPU contacts). The adapter will have an "aperture" ring on it, which will allow (electronic) use of aperture for the Rollei lenses that don't have aperture ring and an extra "lock" position for the lenses that do have one, so that their aperture ring will be functional... All AF (for AF lenses only) and modes will work on the Contax too... Another adapter for Rollei lenses on Leica S and another for Hasselblad H bodies is highly considered.

Would the adapter for the Leica S work on all models of the S (S2, S006 and S007)?

Owning a Leica S2 but also 12 Rollei lenses I am for sure interested.

[yashima]

And this also pave the way for using leaf shutter lenses on FF (35mm) cameras with full automatic control. It sounds too good to be true at the moment Theodoros, but I'm hopeful.

[Gigi]

Great news. Alpa has figured out the Rollei lens code, and have an adapter (shifting) for their FPS cameras. Reportedly, there is some variation in the electronics over the different Rollei lenses, making this somewhat difficult for them.

[EricWHiss]

Yes this is interesting news, Theodoros, especially if the lenses can be adapted non reversibly.   I've seen many different adaptations of the the fantastic Rollei glass to pentax and also hasselblad but most destroy the lens for use on Rolleiflex cameras by removing the shutter and electronics or damaging the aperture solenoids.

To add to what Geoff has hinted at, I spoke with the engineer who worked on the Alpa Rollei adapter while at Photokina and he said this was a much bigger job than originally planned for since there were so many changes in wiring and electronics of the Rollei lenses over time.   To make an adapter that was truly compatible like theirs for the FPS is was just very difficult.   Another bit of information - this was actually also done by Rollei for Rollei-metric for the Aerial Cameras and in fact also by someone who made the controller boxes for the traffic violation cameras for RedLight which also used 80 and 150mm Rollei lenses. Probably there are also others, but what I am saying is some of the engineering work has already been done...

[Theodoros]

For one to make an adapter for Rollei lenses, does require extra complexity than other adapters due to the different ways that Rollei has introduced through the years as to control the aperture. Rollei, practically moved the aperture ring to a control wheel on the body with the later versions of the body, this requires an aperture ring on the adapter itself that: 1. Will replace the control wheel of the camera body when a lens without aperture ring is used & 2. Will have an extra "lock position" (extra click) that the user must select when a lens with an aperture ring on the lens is used.... The "lock position" gives the order back to the lens own aperture ring, there is no modification what so ever with any of the lenses.

As far as compatibility of the leaf shutter with cameras that have a focal plane shutter is concerned (like Canon or Nikon DSLRs), it all depends on whether the camera has the provision to follow the "close the leaf shutter - lift the mirror - open the focal plane shutter - open the leaf shutter - close the leaf shutter - close the focal plane shutter - return the mirror - reopen the leaf shutter" sequence or not... All C645, Leica S and Hasselblad H can do the sequence (the Hasselblad H replaces the focal plane shutter order, with an order that directs the light blocking leafs that block light from hitting the sensor) as they have provision to work with leaf shutter lenses, but I doubt (although it hasn't been examined) if 35mm DSLRs can do the same sequence.

[ynp]

Very interesting news! Thank you, Theodoros. The Leica S adapter will be very welcomed. I still have a 55mm.
 tilt and shift lens and we will be happy to use it on our Contax and S2.

Please PM or email me if you need any help with the project from us.

Yevgeny


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Wim van Velzen]

Thanks for the info on Rollei lens adapters. I didn't know these are so much harder to design. Pity about the Pentax 645.

[Theodoros]

Very interesting news! Thank you, Theodoros. The Leica S adapter will be very welcomed. I still have a 55mm.
 tilt and shift lens and we will be happy to use it on our Contax and S2.

Please PM or email me if you need any help with the project from us.

Yevgeny


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

PM sent Yevgeny... Its always good to talk with old trusty friends