RF to PL... with /i data support?

[Glen Powell]

Not sure if this has been covered in the numerous threads - I couldn't seem to find anything.

Is there an RF to PL lens mount adapter, that can transfer (Cooke) /i data to the Komodo body? Is it even possible? It's not a dealbreaker for me; I've already got a 'dumb' RF/PL adapter and a Komodo on order.

But if it was possible I'd buy a smart RF/PL adapter that passed along /i in a heartbeat! I have a bunch of /i lenses and really like the lens info on screen when shooting, and being able to call it up in post from the meta data. So any electronic lens tech wizards out there willing to tackle this?


G.

 

[John Marchant]

We’ve got a design for this in CAD- but it’s meaningless unless Red can re-purpose the RF pins in camera firmware to speak the right protocol. We did ask about this early on, but obviously there are higher priorities, regardless of whether there are any roadblocks in the hardware or not. Not conceptually impossible, at least on the lens adapter side.

 

[Glen Powell]

Thanks John!

The 'dumb' RF/PL mount that I bought... is the KipperTie version, and I'm about to order a second. So if the firmware grows to allow communication; put me down for two!

 

[Jacek Zakowicz]

I don't think Red will re purpose the RF pins- that would nullify the RF lens communication. The proper way to do that would be electronics inside the adapter that will "translate" the i-data to the Canon protocol. I don't think the market size warrants the investment. I could be wrong...

 

[Tommaso Alvisi]

Canon is finalizing their version of the PL to RF adapter with Cooke /i Tech pins for their C70 and future CXX/CXXX RF-mount based cameras...

RED could just add fw support for it...

And then someone (John! Jacek! Krzysztof!) should make a bracket to lock it in place on the Komodo ;-)

On their cameras it will use the 4 locking screws like the Canon EF to RF SpeedBooster on the C70 to help supporting the weight and stop rotation.

 

[Jacek Zakowicz]

That's a good point Tommaso, Canon is in the Cine game and for them it is a walk in the park to do that. That is great news!!!!

 

[Glen Powell]

Canon is finalizing their version of the PL to RF adapter with Cooke /i Tech pins for their C70 and future CXX/CXXX RF-mount based cameras...

RED could just add fw support for it...

And then someone (John! Jacek! Krzysztof!) should make a bracket to lock it in place on the Komodo ;-)

On their cameras it will use the 4 locking screws like the Canon EF to RF SpeedBooster on the C70 to help supporting the weight and stop rotation.

Thanks for the info - I'll keep my eyes open for that.

 

[Michael Hastings]

I don't think Red will re purpose the RF pins- that would nullify the RF lens communication. The proper way to do that would be electronics inside the adapter that will "translate" the i-data to the Canon protocol. ..........

Even if the translation is inside the adapter - wouldn't this require RED to reverse engineer the camera side protocol?

Given that RED so far does not support RF lenses and as far as I can tell no timeline or OFFICIAL statement that it definitely will be supported in some relatively near time frame - that might not be so easy.

 

[Jacek Zakowicz]

Even if the translation is inside the adapter - wouldn't this require RED to reverse engineer the camera side protocol?

Given that RED so far does not support RF lenses and as far as I can tell no timeline or OFFICIAL statement that it definitely will be supported in some relatively near time frame - that might not be so easy.

They cracked the EF they will crack the RF. I have no doubt

 

[Michael Hastings]

They cracked the EF they will crack the RF. I have no doubt

But when? Would like to see some OFFICIAL announcement or timeline from RED.

Might have had some help on EF :wink5:.

EF was around for over 20 years before and was cracked by multiple others already well before RED and was presumably beyond patent and may not have been encrypted or protected.

Has anyone cracked RF on the camera side?
Might it be better protected?
Would there be a patent issue?
Is there enough water on the moon?

There might be more reason for Canon to protect the protocol and/or enforce related patents/trade secrets since they now have their own Cinema cameras that use the mount and that could be a differentiating feature.

 

[Mike P.]

But when? Would like to see some OFFICIAL announcement or timeline from RED.

Might have had some help on EF :wink5:.

EF was around for over 20 years before and was cracked by multiple others already well before RED and was presumably beyond patent and may not have been encrypted or protected.

Not only that, but RF is supposed to be vastly more featureful/futureproof/complicated than EF... And RED's EF support (while exponentially better than their Nikon support) still wasn't the greatest.

On the flip side, isn't i/Data only focal length and aperture? And Canon will likely do the conversion in the adapter (so it can easily be used with all their current/future RF cameras), which means the camera side should be able to read it no problem.

 

[Phil Holland]

i/Data only focal length and aperture?

/i allows for T-Stop, Depth of Field, Focus Location.

Zeiss's XD builds on this passing through Lens Distortion and Shading Characteristics as well.

On the topic of electronic RF support, don't know what's going on or what the plan is but RF is so new that not everything the mount protocol does is even known.

More than that though, i'd say it's early days in regards to RF mount.

 

[Michael Hastings]

Not only that, but RF is supposed to be vastly more featureful/futureproof/complicated than EF... And RED's EF support (while exponentially better than their Nikon support) still wasn't the greatest.

On the flip side, isn't i/Data only focal length and aperture? And Canon will likely do the conversion in the adapter (so it can easily be used with all their current/future RF cameras), which means the camera side should be able to read it no problem.

Well, I was avoiding criticism of the RED EF support but you're right.

It may be that Canon will do the conversion in the adapter but it wouldn't be EF code so still questionable if RED can read it if they haven't cracked the RF camera side protocol.

Canon still has an incentive to encrypt the I/data translation/pass through to protect their own RF mount Cinema cameras. CANON has RF cinema and hybrid cameras in the same price range. Support for what appear to be some of the finest 35mm FF lenses ever made could be a deciding factor that Canon may want to protect.