Changing lens mounts

[Dave Humphries]

Hi all,

If I buy a third party lens (e.g. Sigma, Tokina, Tamron) with say, a Sony mount now, could I buy a Nikon, Pentax or Canon mount sometime in the future if I changed DSLR brand? (So I don't lose the lens investment)

I suppose the loss IS functionality with some of those brands is going to be a drawback.

Thanks,

[crisscross]

What is described as a 'mount' is an integral part of the lens, so no you can't change later. There are some mount converters, but it is usually impossible to fit one in the hole which does not alter the distance from the 1st piece of glass to the sensor, so still other problems. There may also be problems with losing one or more contacts and their function.

This is why it is so important to choose camera and lens package together (and I would add PP software package).

However I am only going by gleanings from blogs & especially Canon>Nikon (which has a very small hole)

[McQ]

could I buy a Nikon, Pentax or Canon mount sometime in the future if I changed DSLR brand? (So I don't lose the lens investment)

Herein lies the reason Nikon & Canon camps (and others) are so deeply entrenched . Once you make the plunge, you really have to stick with the brand. This is why I always emphasize choosing your camera not just based on the particular model, but also based on the range of lenses available for that mount, and on the longer term road maps of that particular camera company. After all, the set of lenses you accrue over time is often worth many times the value of your camera body.

In some rare situations you can buy a converter for a given lens, but this is the exception rather than the rule, and often times you lose some functionality by doing so (such as distance information or autofocus).

[Dave Humphries]

Thanks Chris,

Just shows how out of touch I am, in my 35mm days, I'm sure this was possible, but I guess it was mechanical only n those days (that dates me).

Fairly certain I did it with a Tamron 38 - 100mm which I bought for a Pentax screw mount and then put on my Nikon EM, unless my memory is going too.

Thanks Sean too.

Cheers,

[john w revie]

Hi Dave

You may find this of interest
http://www.bobatkins.com/photography...focus_EOS.html
The way I use my old Pentax mount lenses on canon EOS camera was to change the rear mount on a Pentax 2X tele convertor to a canon EOS mount allowing me to use my 28 mm f2.8 macro and 50 mm f1.4 as 56 mm f5.6 macro and 100 mm f2.8. As the lenses them self
were not converted I can still run film through my old Pentax ME
John