Adapters: Olympus E-1

4/3 Lens Adapters for Nikon SLR, Olympus OM, Contax / Yashica (RTS), Leica R, Pentax K, Pentax M42, Minolta MD, Exakta, Topcon, Rollei SL Lenses

The digital 4/3 system replaced the Canon EOS system as the thinnest body interchangeable lens Digital SLRs. This means the 4/3 system can be adapted to more SLR lenses (without using an image degrading glass element) than any other digital SLR System. Various 4/3 Mount Digital cameras are manufactured by Olympus, Panasonic, and Leica.

Olympus produced the first 4/3 adapters for Olympus OM lenses, strangely providing the adapters free in some markets, and not providing adapters even as an option in other markets. Mounted here is an 85/2 Zuiko. The photographer controls lens aperture by manually opening or closing the lens using the lens aperture ring. Like the other 4/3 adapters, you can leave the adapter on the camera and change lenses. OM lenses with pre-set diaphragms are not usable.

The Nikon to 4/3 Four Thirds adapter works with virtually all Nikon SLR mount lenses, except lenses requiring mirror lock up, and the G series lenses which have their aperture controlled by the camera body. The vast majority of all Nikon F, AI, AIS, or the various AF Nikkors will work properly with this adapter. The photographer controls lens aperture by manually opening or closing the lens using the lens aperture ring. Mounted here is a manual focus 105/1.8 AIS Nikkor. Like the other 4/3 adapters, you can leave the adapter on the camera and change lenses.

The Pentax Screw Mount M42 to 4/3 Four Thirds adapter works with virtually all M42 mount lenses, except lenses requiring mirror lock up. The vast majority of all M42 lenses will work properly with this adapter. The photographer controls lens aperture by manually opening or closing the lens using the lens aperture ring. Mounted here is the rare Soft Focus 85/4 Fujinon made for the Fujica 801. Like the other 4/3 adapters, you can leave the adapter on the camera and change lenses.

NOT PICTURED FOR THE TIME BEING: The Pentax K Mount to 4/3 Four Thirds adapter works with virtually all K / KA mount lenses, except lenses requiring mirror lock up. The vast majority of all the various K mount lenses will work properly with this adapter. The photographer controls lens aperture by manually opening or closing the lens using the lens aperture ring. Like the other 4/3 adapters, you can leave the adapter on the camera and change lenses.

The recently (2004) manual focus Contax / Yashica lenses have become increasingly in demand by many photogs who believe these Zeiss lenses are among the best lens systems ever. The Contax / Yashica adapter is for manual focus Zeiss mount lenses which fit the Contax RTS and similar mount SLRs, not the later autofocus Contax SLRs, or the Contax 645 or Contax G series. The photographer controls lens aperture by manually opening or closing the lens using the lens aperture ring. Mounted here is the Yashica 55/2. Like the other 4/3 adapters, you can leave the adapter on the camera and change lenses.

The Leica R to 4/3 Four Thirds adapter works with virtually all Leica R lenses, except lenses requiring mirror lock up. The photographer controls lens aperture by manually opening or closing the lens using the lens aperture ring. Mounted here is an earlier 50/2 Summicron R. Single, double, or triple cam R lenses all work with this adapter. Spectacularly excellent lenses, the R lenses are surprisingly inexpensive in the used marketplace due to the not so great popularity of the various Leica R bodies. Like the other 4/3 adapters, you can leave the adapter on the camera and change lenses.

The Topcon lens to 4/3 Four Thirds adapter is unique, as it is the only route for Exakta nuts to go digital and still maintain full infinity focusing. There is an Exakta lens to Canon EOS adapter, but it is does not have full infinity focusing. So far as I know, any internal mount Exakta lens will work. Depending upon the lens, the aperture is controlled either by the aperture ring, or the external "auto" diaphragm mechanism. As the only game in town for the time being, this is the way for Exakta fans to go digital. Mounted is the Steinheil 55/1.9, one of my favorite Exakta lenses. Like the other 4/3 adapters, you can leave the adapter on the camera and change lenses. Wow, to use Exakta lenses from even from the 1930's on digital cameras ....

The Topcon Super D mount is based on the earlier Exakta mount, though not quite the same in all respects. However, as far as the 4/3 Four Thirds adapter is concerned, they are alike and work the same. The photographer controls lens aperture by manually opening or closing the lens using the lens aperture ring. Mounted is the rare US Navy 50/1.8 Topcor with infinity lock. Just like Exakta, the 4/3 adapter is so far the Topcon lens fan's only route to the digital world. Like the other 4/3 adapters, you can leave the adapter on the camera and change lenses.

NOT PICTURED FOR THE TIME BEING: The Minolta MC / MD to 4/3 Four Thirds adapter works with virtually all manual focus Minolta SLR mount lenses, except lenses requiring mirror lock up. The photographer controls lens aperture by manually opening or closing the lens using the lens aperture ring. Like the Exakta and Topcon adapter, the Minolta 4/3 adapter is presently the only route to use these manual focus lenses on a digital SLR. Like the other 4/3 adapters, you can leave the adapter on the camera and change lenses.

Due to the very limited amount of space available between the Minolta lenses and the 4/3 bodies to bring the lenses into correct focus, the Minolta to 4/3 adapter was difficult to produce without an image degrading glass element. The solution to keep the adapter as thin as necessary was found by using an Allen hex screw to lock the adapter into the camera body. The Allen wrench is included with the adapter. You mount the adapter on the camera, lock the adapter onto the camera body using the Allen wrench to tighten down the hex screw, and then proceed to mount and unmount your Minolta lenses. To unmount the adapter, first use the Allen wrench to loosen the hex screw. Please note only the Minolta 4/3 adapter requires Allen hex screw lock down, due to the very limited space available for the adapter between the Minolta lenses and the 4/3 bodies. While not as convenient as using an adapter which locks into the camera mount, it works well in practice and gives you a digital option with your Minolta manual focus SLR lenses.

IMPORTANT: As time goes on, more and more 4/3 cameras are introduced by different manufacturers, so far by Olympus, Panasonic, and Leica. Take note the interior light chambers of 4/3 cameras do vary, even though all are 4/3 mount. On top of that, Minolta SLR lenses vary with design how much much they project into the cameras. The length and size of the aperture levers can also vary a bit. As a result, to mount your Minolta lenses on SOME 4/3 cameras, you will have to grind off about .3mm from the tip of the aperture lever. Other 4/3 owners take a different route and remove a bit of the light chamber to mount their favorite Minolta lenses. Obviously this is not an ideal solution, but remember your Minolta lenses were not designed to work with any digital camera, nor were the 4/3 cameras designed to work with Minolta lenses. Real world, this is what you may have to do to enter your Rokkor optics into the brave new digital world. For instance the adapter and lenses work without modification on the early E-1 camera, but require modification on the E-300. Due to the ever increasing number of 4/3 cameras and the variety of the Minolta lenses themselves, there is no comprehensive list of Minolta lens and 4/3 cameras. More info at http://www.rokkorfiles.com/olympus.htm .

"Hello Stephen,

I recently purchased your Minolta MC/MD to 4/3 adapter and am using it with an Olympus E-500. In case you have any inquiries and fyi I did need to modify the aperture pin on the two lenses I'll be using with it - Minolta MC 100mm macro and Minolta MC 400mm telephoto. On a 50mm lens I was willing to sacrifice I used a Dremel tool to grind down the pin bit by bit until the lens would work with the E-500. I then used a vernier caliper to measure the length of the pin from the tip to the lens mounting surface and applied that measurement to the remaining lenses I wished to use with the adapter. The amount of material I had to remove from the aperture pin varied somewhat with each lens but in every case it was pretty minimal. All the lenses are still fully functional with my Minolta bodies. Interestingly, at least one of my Minolta lenses, a MD 24mm, is useable without modification - the pin is short enough to clear the obstruction in the E-500 light box.

I'm very pleased with your adapter and grateful for your development work.

Regards,
Greg Tensmeyer"

Revised: April 12, 2008 . Copyright ©2005-2007 Stephen Gandy. All rights reserved. This means you may NOT copy and re-use the text or the pictures in ANY other internet or printed publication of ANY kind. Information in this document is subject to change without notice. Other products and companies referred to herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies or mark holders.

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