Question about Lens Adapters

[Edward Forbes]

Hello there
Time to put your camera expert brains to work.
I am currently using an Olympus e-500 camera.
I am currently saving up to buy either a canon or Nikon camera.
But that purchase is still a ways off.
I am looking new lens and the Four Third style has been discontinued. Thus I am looking at the canon and Nikon lenses that I could use on a newer camera in the future.
Now my understanding is because the mount is different I would require an adapter. So my question is what adapter and lens would you recommend.
I am looking at a 75-300+ mm as well as something wide angle.
Thanks in advance.

 

[nokk]

you'll need to provide a camera brand and model first. not too familiar with nikon lens mounts, but with canon if you get a dslr with a crop sensor you could look at ef or ef-s lenses. if you get a full frame dslr you can get ef lenses. if you go for the r series camera then the rf lenses will be what you want and if you buy an m series camera then i think it's ef-m or something like that. the canon dslrs and r series cameras have plenty of lens options to choose from. once you've chosen your camera you can focus on the lenses.

i've used a few adapters. as long as you get one that does a decent job with autofocusing then they're all pretty much the same. i've used techart (canon lens to fuji body) and sigma (canon lens to sony body). the techart worked fine for basic stuff, but had some issues trying to engage autofocus when i was focusing manually. but there weren't many adapter choices at the time and it worked fine 75% of the time. i wouldn't not recommend techart, but i was using a weird combo of cameras and lenses. no issues at all with the sigma. the autofocus seemed about as speedy on the sony body as it did on the canon body. fringer and kipon also make adapters for a lot of combinations.

consider looking at the fuji x-series cameras as well as the canon and nikons. i traded my canon 5d mk ii for the x-pro 1 when it came out and have been with fuji since. kept canon for a few years, even ended up with a gently used 6d and 7d mk ii, but fuji was always my go to camera.

 

[Edward Forbes]

camera brand and model? I thought I had done that

 

[ntz]

If the budget is important for you I dare to say that the best path to go is Nikon F-mount .. you will soon realize, that camera body is far less important than lenses and within the other gear and equipment the camera body is just the fraction of the overall price in its full picture

I was planning an upgrade before I joined this forum but thanks to thephotoforum (I like you guys, you're great) I could save a lot of money and nerves and I am still sticking with my D7200 and planning future upgrade probably to D850 ..

obvious advantage of Nikon F-mount is that the mount is probably the most widespread - so miriads of used gear all around for a good price and also Nikon uses same mount on beginner/enthusiasts/semi-pro and pro cameras FX/DX so I can easily build my lenses portfolio and it will work on future body ..

ps. NO, I am not thinking about mirrorless Nikon Z stuff

 

[Edward Forbes]

nyz

Yeah I am leaning heavily towards the f mount lenses

 

[petrochemist]

The older 4/3 DSLR mount was never particularly mainstream. It has a very short registration for a DSLR (only 38.67mm), such that 4/3 lenses can't be adapted to any DSLR, but it does adapt to most mirrorless systems.
Fotodiox only make one adapter for mounting 4/3 lenses on other cameras - which is to the micro four thirds mirrorless system - this adapter retains AF.
I was surprised to see they do 9 adapters for other lenses to 4/3 DSLRs but these are all older manual focus only mounts - however Canon & Nikon are not included!
A quick check on e-bay shows Roxsen sell one for Nikon F mount lenses & there's another to the old Canon FD mount.

There will no doubt be other manufacturers who cover some mounts Fotodiox don't do, but they make a wide range & their website allows easy checking of options. I think I remember an AF 4/3 adapter model by an other supplier to Sony-e mount.

 

[ac12]

As @petrochemist said, your only options (for Canon and Nikon) are the Canon R (and maybe the M) series or Nikon Z series mirrorless cameras.

You could go to a m4/3 camera, either Olympus or Panasonic. But a GOOD 4/3 to m4/3 adapter is not cheap nor easy to find.​

Next you have to check to see IF an adapter is made to go from 4/3 to Canon-R or Nikon-Z.

From what @petrochemist said, this may not exist, so that is the end.​

Next you have to check if that adapter will support data communication from camera to lens, or if it a dumb MANUAL adapter.

With a dumb adapter, you loose autofocus and any ability for the camera to control the aperture.
Example the Nikon-F to m4/3 adapter is a dumb adapter; no autofocus, no VR, no aperture control, and on the AF-P lenses no manual focus.​

So it looks like no, there isn't an adapter for 4/3 to Canon-R or Nikon-Z.
You will have to start the system from scratch. Just as I had to do when I went from Nikon-F to m4/3.

 

[nokk]

camera brand and model? I thought I had done that

i didn't mean the camera you already have, i meant the camera brand and model that you want. there's no sense in us suggesting a nikon f mount lens when you end up buying a canon r camera or vice versa. if you're leaning towards nikon f mount then that's a crucial piece of info that we need.

maybe i'm reading your post wrong, but are you asking what canon or nikon lens to buy that would fit a future camera (either canon or nikon) but could be adapted to your current m43 camera? you're not looking to adapt m43 lenses to a future unknown make and model camera.

 

[ntz]

in my opinion adapters are just only annoyance .. you really need to decide a which way you'll go and execute your plan ... sell your olympus, buy an used enthusiast range of desired brand and stick with that ... if budget is important for you (don't go for Nikon Z but) go for Nikon F-mount ... (if you love Peter McKinnon go for Canon)

if I may go even further and suggest a camera, go for used D7100 or D7200

 

[petrochemist]

in my opinion adapters are just only annoyance ..

That's an opinion many share, while others of us find they add hugely to our enjoyment of photography.
I use a wide range of camera systems & adapt lenses on all of them - when I first got my NEX 6 I didn't have a native lens to fit it for more than half a year.

 

[stk]

It seems like you can only adapt Nikon F to 4/3 if the lens has an aperture ring, that means you can only use older Nikon lenses with no built in focus motor. I belive that means no auto focus.

I found no adapters for Canon to 4/3.

My recommendation is to not waste money on this. Use what you have and make the switch when you have saved up enough money.