Commlite EOS to E-Mount AF Adapter - Initial Impression

I ordered the Commlite from eBay early this month and got it yesterday.  The cost was $80 with free shipping from China.  At the time I ordered, it was one of the cheapest AF adapters available.

The adapter is very well made and heavy, and it comes with a detachable tripod mount. Unfortunately, the tripod mount is not Arca Swiss compatible, which is a real downer. On the Canon lens mount side, the fit is nice and tight, but there is a slight play on the camera side of the mount, but it's better than the original Sony lenses. The Sony lens mount on the A7 seems to have too much tolerance on the locking pin; it's a bit too small than the locking pin slot, causing the lens to move with a twist. This is the same problem with Canon camera/lenses. I heard that Sony has fixed this on the A7 II.

Canon EF 85mm f1.2L II with Commlite Adapter on Sony  A7

So far, I have tried the following lenses:

• EF 16-35mm f2.8L II (works ok)
• EF 35mm f1.4L (works ok)
• EF 40mm f2.8 STM (very fast and accurate)
• EF 50mm f1.2L (shows maximum aperture as f1.3)
• EF 85mm f1.2L (shows maximum aperture as f1.3)
• EF 100mm f2.0 (very fast and accurate)
• EF 100mm f2.8L IS Macro (would not achieve focus and IS does not seem to work.  Also it does not stay in Aperture priority (A) mode and in fact, it seems to be in P mode because it seems to change either or both the shutter speed and aperture when light changes)  
• EF 135mm f2.0L (Focus is less sure than other lenses)
• EF 70-200mm f4.0L IS (IS seems less effective than on Canon body  

I still have the EF 135mm f2.8 Soft Focus and the EF 180mm f3.5L macro lens that I haven't tried.  So far the only lens that refuses to AF is the EF 100mm f2.8L IS Macro, but I expect them to work fine as they are older.  The other minor issue is that the two f1.2 lenses were reported as have a f1.3 maximum aperture.  Not a big deal, but not sure why that is.  The adapter records most exif information of the lens, except the lens model.  The lens is always shown as "DT 0mm F0 SAM". Not a huge deal, but it would have been nice to report the correct lens model.

One surprise is the 40mm f2.8 pancake lens with STM motor.  This lens is by far the fastest focusing and most accurate.  Perhaps lenses optimised for contrast detect works better with the adapter. Can't verify this as I don't have another STM lens to test.

Took the Canon EF 100mm f2.0 lens with me today for some light shooting. The result was mixed. In most cases, the lens focuses pretty accurately, but occasionally it would mis-focus. The speed of focus does not seem to improve significantly in bright daylight than indoors.  Other lenses may be different though. I will update on the adapter as I shoot more with it.

Parking Lot - Canon EF 100mm f2.0 & Sony A7 with Commlite Adapter.

Skating on thin ice - Canon EF 100mm f2 & Sony A7 with Commlite Adapter

Canon EF 100mm f2 USM - Samples Pictures

The Canon 100mm f2 is one of my favourite lenses, especially on full frame.  It is an underrated lens, overshadowed by the 85mm f1.8, and the 100mm f2.8 macro.  Most people who consider the 100mm focal length, would most likely go for the 100mm f2.8 macro, as it's a much more versatile lens, though one stop slower.  Personally, I think the one stop makes a difference, as f2 can be a working aperture.  Truly a great lens to own and use.

I used the 100mm f2 lens with the Canon T2i.  I originally owned this camera for a few months after it was introduced, but didn't like image quality and sold it..  Now that I have a chance to use it again, I miss how responsive the camera performs; more so that the Sony NEX-5N, especially on image playback.  Still, the sensor in the NEX-5N is much better than the T2i with lower noise and more dynamic range.

Maple Leaves - Canon T2i & EF 100mm f2 @ f2.2. Click for larger. 

In the Rain - Canon T2i & EF 100mm f2 @ f2.2. 

Stop - Canon T2i & EF 100mm f2 @ f2. 

Under Construction - Canon T2i & EF 100mm f2 @ f4.