Zeiss ZF Lenses on Birger Canon Mount?

[Jeff Nielsen]

I have the Birger Canon mount on order, but it looks like it will be awhile. I really want to get a set of Zeiss ZF (Nikon mount) primes to use on the RED Nikon mount while waiting. My question is do you think these lenses would work on the Birger mount with the inexpensive screw on Nikon to Canon manual lens adapter that people use with their Canon still cameras? In other words I'd have the Birger Canon mount, then a screw on Nikon adapter, then the Zeiss lenses? If only the Birger mount would work with the IMS mount, I'd be one thrilled RED user!
Thanks!

 

[Nils J. Nesse]

My question is do you think these lenses would work on the Birger mount with the inexpensive screw on Nikon to Canon manual lens adapter that people use with their Canon still cameras? In other words I'd have the Birger Canon mount, then a screw on Nikon adapter, then the Zeiss lenses?

This will work, but you won't get any of the Birger electronic control. Functionality will be the same as the Red Nikon mount.

 

[Steve Sanacore]

I have the Birger Canon mount on order, but it looks like it will be awhile. I really want to get a set of Zeiss ZF (Nikon mount) primes to use on the RED Nikon mount while waiting. My question is do you think these lenses would work on the Birger mount with the inexpensive screw on Nikon to Canon manual lens adapter that people use with their Canon still cameras? In other words I'd have the Birger Canon mount, then a screw on Nikon adapter, then the Zeiss lenses? If only the Birger mount would work with the IMS mount, I'd be one thrilled RED user!
Thanks!

It should work fine. I am planning on doing the same thing with my Nikon, Leica and Zeiss lenses until the Birger is available and proven to work.

 

[Joel Kaye]

In other words I'd have the Birger Canon mount, then a screw on Nikon adapter, then the Zeiss lenses? If only the Birger mount would work with the IMS mount, I'd be one thrilled RED user!
Thanks!

I've got Canon to Nikon adapter sitting here waiting for when my Birger shows up. I'm just planning on using it for specialty lenses I can't get in Canon EF though. If you're building a whole kit around the Zeiss why not just get the RED nikon mount? Or better yet, buy mine used in a week or two when my Birger gets here.

 

[Jeff Nielsen]

My RED is coming this week with the Nikon mount pre-installed. The reason I want the Birger is for the electronic controls and to use my current canon EF "L" lenses, but in the meantime I'd love to get some primes, and the Zeiss ones look like good bang for the $. In an ideal world everything would be shipping now and I'd go straight canon, but since I have no idea when the Birger mount will ship, I'm making plans otherwise.

Thanks all for the feedback.

 

[Joel Kaye]

In an ideal world everything would be shipping now and I'd go straight canon, but since I have no idea when the Birger mount will ship, I'm making plans otherwise.

Yeah, I've gotten a lot done with Nikons while waiting for the Birger. Good plan.

 

[Michael Hastings]

I have the Birger Canon mount on order, but it looks like it will be awhile. I really want to get a set of Zeiss ZF (Nikon mount) primes to use on the RED Nikon mount while waiting. My question is do you think these lenses would work on the Birger mount with the inexpensive screw on Nikon to Canon manual lens adapter that people use with their Canon still cameras? In other words I'd have the Birger Canon mount, then a screw on Nikon adapter, then the Zeiss lenses? If only the Birger mount would work with the IMS mount, I'd be one thrilled RED user!
Thanks!

They should work fine. I used Zeiss contax/yashica mount (which are basically the same as the zfs) for months on a prototype birger mount with the C/Y to EOS adapter and used a couple Nikons with a nikon to eos adapter as well.

 

[Mike Prevette]

Yes it will work, but it's never going to be as good as the true Nikon mount. I've owned a few of the Nikon>Canon Ef converters and found them to add a lot of additional slop to the mount. While this is tolerable on a still camera it could kill on a Motion camera. Every time you reverse focus direction you will get a noticeable flop, or decentering of the image.

 

[David W. Jones]

Yes it will work, but it's never going to be as good as the true Nikon mount. I've owned a few of the Nikon>Canon Ef converters and found them to add a lot of additional slop to the mount. While this is tolerable on a still camera it could kill on a Motion camera. Every time you reverse focus direction you will get a noticeable flop, or decentering of the image.

I'm not a huge Nikon user, but I have never experienced any slop using a Nikon to Canon EF mount converter. All of the lens mount adapters that I use are very well machined.

 

[Mike Prevette]

I've used several brands, and almost all of them developed slop in the locking mechanism over time. What brand were you using?

 

[Alexander Christ]

Zeiss are adding a new mount this month: http://www.zeiss.com/photo. Chances are that it will be for Canon EOS. If these lenses have electronics they should work like EF lenses on the Birger mount! As always we have to wait.

 

[Nils J. Nesse]

I doubt they will have electronics. Zeiss' ZF/ZK/ZS (Nikon, Pentax and M42) lenses are identical except the mount, and none of them have electronics.

 

[Paul Leeming]

Actually I read a rumor that in fact it is going to be for the Sony Alpha line (sadly). I'd love to be wrong though....

 

[Nils J. Nesse]

Zeiss are already making lenses for Sony Alpha, the only current Zeiss lenses with auto focus. E.g the 85/1.4 is already in SA mount with AF. Link to Zeiss ZA. So it seems kind of strange to release Another line of Sony Alpha lenses?

Maybe the new mount will be PL mount ... At ZF prices ...