Canon 8-15 F4 with Tokina TA-019 AF on Sony A1 works great - 180mm glass and manual focus?

[RomiK]

I am happy to report that Tokina TA-019 adapter provides flawless AF in both photo and video with canon 8-15 F4 fisheye zoom lens and Sony A1. Not at the same time as there is Photo and Video mode switch on the adapter but in respective modes AF works fine. Even subject recognition Animal Bird and Human work fine in Photo mode.

 

So my question is, if I was to use this setup with Kenko 1.4x teleconverter, is there an option for manual focusing 8-15? Nauticam's chart does not offer focus ring for 1.4x combo, only a zoom ring. Is there perhaps 3D printed solution or could be regular focus ring adapted?

 

One workaround would be to shoot video in M mode and always focus before starting recording video but I would prefer having control of focus during recording too. (Imagine whale shark flyby 🤣). When Tokina adapter is in Photo mode the focus does not work at all both during video recording in any mode and when camera is in video mode.

 

If I was to shoot video only on a dive I could switch the Tokina adapter to Video mode before the dive and then AF works flawlessly for video. But I can't take pictures as the AF will not work for taking pictures. Obviously there are better lenses for UW video so preferred modus operandi would be a photo mode with occasional video if desired. So that's that...

 

Second Question I would ask is whether picture quality would be satisfactory with 180mm glass as I would be using the lens effectively in 12-21mm focal lengths...

[Chris Ross]

1 minute ago, RomiK said:

I am happy to report that Tokina TA-019 adapter provides flawless AF in both photo and video with canon 8-15 F4 fisheye zoom lens and Sony A1. Not at the same time as there is Photo and Video mode switch on the adapter but in respective modes AF works fine. Even subject recognition Animal Bird and Human work fine in Photo mode.

 

So my question is, if I was to use this setup with Kenko 1.4x teleconverter, is there an option for manual focusing 8-15? Nauticam's chart does not offer focus ring for 1.4x combo, only a zoom ring. Is there perhaps 3D printed solution or could be regular focus ring adapted?

 

One workaround would be to shoot video in M mode and always focus before starting recording video but I would prefer having control of focus during recording too. (Imagine whale shark flyby 🤣). When Tokina adapter is in Photo mode the focus does not work at all both during video recording in any mode and when camera is in video mode.

 

If I was to shoot video only on a dive I could switch the Tokina adapter to Video mode before the dive and then AF works flawlessly for video. But I can't take pictures as the AF will not work for taking pictures. Obviously there are better lenses for UW video so preferred modus operandi would be a photo mode with occasional video if desired. So that's that...

 

Second Question I would ask is whether picture quality would be satisfactory with 180mm glass as I would be using the lens effectively in 12-21mm focal lengths...

The issue with the 180mm dome is it is not a fisheye dome and it only covers the field of a 16mm lens with the entrance pupil at the dome centre of curvature.  This means you have to place this lens well forward in the dome to avoid vignetting and it will not be as sharp as it would be if properly placed and the filed of view will change somewhat. 

 

Fisheyes are more tolerant of incorrect placement compared to rectilinear lenses,  there will be some image degradation but without actually testing it hard to predict how much and if it's acceptable.  You see vendors like Ikelite offering shallower 8"domes than the 180mm for use with the 8-15 for CFWA work and it still works and produce fairly decent images.  I would expect the 180mm dome to be close to this in performance.  THis link has some test shots which will give you some idea:  https://www.ikelite.com/blogs/buying-guides/when-to-use-a-compact-8-dome-port-underwater?srsltid=AfmBOoq7cYAIaQzEIVTEl0zBJ5dC71nshLjTj2nHBSLCxy_wFBWMEuqy

[RomiK]

43 minutes ago, Chris Ross said:

The issue with the 180mm dome is it is not a fisheye dome and it only covers the field of a 16mm lens with the entrance pupil at the dome centre of curvature.  This means you have to place this lens well forward in the dome to avoid vignetting and it will not be as sharp as it would be if properly placed and the filed of view will change somewhat. 

 

Fisheyes are more tolerant of incorrect placement compared to rectilinear lenses,  there will be some image degradation but without actually testing it hard to predict how much and if it's acceptable.  You see vendors like Ikelite offering shallower 8"domes than the 180mm for use with the 8-15 for CFWA work and it still works and produce fairly decent images.  I would expect the 180mm dome to be close to this in performance.  THis link has some test shots which will give you some idea:  https://www.ikelite.com/blogs/buying-guides/when-to-use-a-compact-8-dome-port-underwater?srsltid=AfmBOoq7cYAIaQzEIVTEl0zBJ5dC71nshLjTj2nHBSLCxy_wFBWMEuqy

Thanks Chris ... and do you remember anything re: manual focusing with 1.4x coming across your eyes in the past?

 

[Architeuthis]

1 hour ago, RomiK said:

I am happy to report that Tokina TA-019 adapter provides flawless AF in both photo and video with canon 8-15 F4 fisheye zoom lens and Sony A1. Not at the same time as there is Photo and Video mode switch on the adapter but in respective modes AF works fine. Even subject recognition Animal Bird and Human work fine in Photo mode.

 

So my question is, if I was to use this setup with Kenko 1.4x teleconverter, is there an option for manual focusing 8-15? Nauticam's chart does not offer focus ring for 1.4x combo, only a zoom ring. Is there perhaps 3D printed solution or could be regular focus ring adapted?

 

One workaround would be to shoot video in M mode and always focus before starting recording video but I would prefer having control of focus during recording too. (Imagine whale shark flyby 🤣). When Tokina adapter is in Photo mode the focus does not work at all both during video recording in any mode and when camera is in video mode.

 

If I was to shoot video only on a dive I could switch the Tokina adapter to Video mode before the dive and then AF works flawlessly for video. But I can't take pictures as the AF will not work for taking pictures. Obviously there are better lenses for UW video so preferred modus operandi would be a photo mode with occasional video if desired. So that's that...

 

Second Question I would ask is whether picture quality would be satisfactory with 180mm glass as I would be using the lens effectively in 12-21mm focal lengths...

 

Is it known how AF is in comparison to the Metabones V and Sigma MC-11 adapters?

 

I have A7R5 and use Canon 8-15mm with Metabones V, mostly for photo (there is no switch for photo/video on this adapter, but a confusing switch between "regular" and "advanced" mode (Metabones says C-AF&tracking should work with this lens also in video mode, when set to "advanced")) and can report about this combo: C-AF&tracking works well with the pure lens and also with Kenko 1.4x/2x TCs, as well as with Sony 2x TC (I do not have so far a Sony 1.4x TC; with 2x TCs AF sometimes hunts, I guess because the widest aperture is f/8). I have very little experience with video, but remember that I do occasional refocusing by the dumb during the recording and this also works well (cannot remember now whether this is with or w/o TC)...

 

Regarding the second question, I cannot say about FF but was using the Canon 8-15mm on MFT (Oly EM1II and EM5II) both with Nauticam 140mm fisheye domeport and with Zen DP170mm (non-fisheye for rectilinear WA; to some extent similar to the Ikelite 8" "compact" domeport that Chris was linking): IQ in center and corner was pretty similar in practice, MAYBE even a small tick better with DP170. This indicates that positioning is not really critical with fisheye lenses and the larger radius more than compensates for the wrong positioning (the 140 domeport is, however, much more handsome UW)...

=> The situation, especially in the corners, may, however, well be different when using the larger FF sensor (but see the Ikelite description)...

 

 

Wolfgang

Edited January 10 by Architeuthis

[RomiK]

28 minutes ago, Architeuthis said:

 

Is it known how AF is in comparison to the Metabones V and Sigma MC-11 adapters?

 

I have A7R5 and use Canon 8-15mm with Metabones V, mostly for photo (there is no switch for photo/video on this adapter, but a confusing switch between "regular" and "advanced" mode (Metabones says C-AF&tracking should work with this lens also in video mode, when set to "advanced")) and can report about this combo: C-AF&tracking works well with the pure lens and also with Kenko 1.4x/2x TCs, as well as with Sony 2x TC (I do not have so far a Sony 1.4x TC; with 2x TCs AF sometimes hunts, I guess because the widest aperture is f/8). I have very little experience with video, but remember that I do occasional refocusing by the dumb during the recording and this also works well (cannot remember now whether this is with or w/o TC)...

 

Regarding the second question, I cannot say about FF but was using the Canon 8-15mm on MFT (Oly EM1II and EM5II) both with Nauticam 140mm fisheye domeport and with Zen DP170mm (non-fisheye for rectilinear WA; to some extent similar to the Ikelite 8" "compact" domeport that Chris was linking): IQ in center and corner was pretty similar in practice, MAYBE even a small tick better with DP170. This indicates that positioning is not really critical with fisheye lenses and the larger radius more than compensates for the wrong positioning (the 140 domeport is, however, much more handsome UW)...

=> The situation, especially in the corners, may, however, well be different when using the larger FF sensor (but see the Ikelite description)...

 

 

Wolfgang

Thanks for reminding me I already have Sony TC2x ! 🙈🤣 Okay I thought I would test it out but sadly Tokina's opening towards the camera does not allow me to insert the TC2x there 😐... So the next step is to test MC11 which I know it lacks focus in video period. I will post my findings once I get it.

 

Then it will be 16-30mm focal length so 180mm will be OK! 👍

 

[Architeuthis]

33 minutes ago, RomiK said:

Thanks for reminding me I already have Sony TC2x ! 🙈🤣 Okay I thought I would test it out but sadly Tokina's opening towards the camera does not allow me to insert the TC2x there 😐... So the next step is to test MC11 which I know it lacks focus in video period. I will post my findings once I get it.

 

Then it will be 16-30mm focal length so 180mm will be OK! 👍

 

 

I have put some images taken with Canon8-15mm/2x Sony TC into this tread, also with links to DPReview, for full resolution pixel peeping (see October 7th, 2024):

=> Although IQ with Sony 2x TC seems o.k. for me, I think it is, more or less, comparable to WACP-C/Sony 28-60mm, I am reluctant to use it and have ordered the Sony 1.4x TC now...

 

 

 

 

[RomiK]

30 minutes ago, Architeuthis said:

 

I have put some images taken with Canon8-15mm/2x Sony TC into this tread, also with links to DPReview, for full resolution pixel peeping (see October 7th, 2024):

=> Although IQ with Sony 2x TC seems o.k. for me, I think it is, more or less, comparable to WACP-C/Sony 28-60mm, I am reluctant to use it and have ordered the Sony 1.4x TC now...

 

 

 

 

I will thank you twice 🙂. I found Your answers in an earlier thread on route to a camera store 

 

 

and so for now I end up buying there Kenko 2x. I also tested MC11 and while stills AF was fine the video AF was nonexistent. And also Sony 2x wasn’t compatible with MC11 either. 
 

so for now I will try to replace WWL1 with this setup where appropriate. 
 

the last missing pieces are to order proper 120 port extension and zoom ring 3D printing. I will appreciate any heads up where to get one or plans for it. 🙏🙏

[Giancarlo M.]

On 1/10/2025 at 4:05 PM, Architeuthis said:

Is it known how AF is in comparison to the Metabones V and Sigma MC-11 adapters?

 

Curious about this adapter, I got it on Amazon 2 days ago. 

It works well, although I must report that compared to the Metebones V it is slightly less responsive.

Tested with Sony A1 and Canon 8-15, Canon 60 macro and Canon 100 macro L lenses .

I will be returning the Tokina today

[Chris Ross]

On 1/11/2025 at 3:57 AM, RomiK said:

 

the last missing pieces are to order proper 120 port extension and zoom ring 3D printing. I will appreciate any heads up where to get one or plans for it. 🙏🙏

The Sony TC is 7mm longer than the Kenko 1.4x which 20mm thick, so this means the zoom gear needs to be 7mm longer.  It's probably possible to adapt the design of the adapter ring used for the Canon 8-15 on m43 developed by Wolfgang and use it with the Nauticam zoom gear for the 8-15 plus 1.4x.  If I recall correctly that one moved the zoom gear back by 5mm, so only needs a minor design adjustment.  The Nauticam zoom gear for 8-15 plus 1.4x is 19538.

Otherwise the other thread on the 2x plus 8-15 mentioned a zoom gear printed by our member Gudge.

[RomiK]

19 hours ago, Chris Ross said:

The Sony TC is 7mm longer than the Kenko 1.4x which 20mm thick, so this means the zoom gear needs to be 7mm longer.  It's probably possible to adapt the design of the adapter ring used for the Canon 8-15 on m43 developed by Wolfgang and use it with the Nauticam zoom gear for the 8-15 plus 1.4x.  If I recall correctly that one moved the zoom gear back by 5mm, so only needs a minor design adjustment.  The Nauticam zoom gear for 8-15 plus 1.4x is 19538.

Otherwise the other thread on the 2x plus 8-15 mentioned a zoom gear printed by our member Gudge.

Thanks for heads up. In the meantime I bought Metabones V which does accept Sony TC 2x which I already had and is shorter than Kenko (40mm vs 27mm). 
 

Then I had to decide on the zoom ring. The problem in adapting Nauticams Kenko version is that it utilizes focus knob on the 100-120 adapter which then creates problem when quickly removing camera from housing for battery change and pictures review.
 

So I utilized my existing Nauticam’s zoom ring for 20-70 and adapted it for now using 75mm waste piping system as shown on my prototype pictures. Works flawlessly, the union is rock solid and so I can pull out the camera quickly in between the dives. Later on I will design some kind of 3D printed extension for this solution as I want Nauticams aluminium barrel with cogs and not plastic 3D printed one. 
 

 I am ordering 140mm dome as it is clear to me that due to curvature I would always have CA problem with 180mm dome. 
 

All in all I am beginning to think that I am building nice, travel friendly and versatile system around Sony N100

 

N100/120 + 20mm + 180mm for 16-35 PZ F4

 

N100/120 + 35mm + 180mm for 20-70 F4

 

N100/120 + 20mm + 35mm + 140mm for 8-15 F4 adapted as 16-30 F8 Fisheye (think travel friendly FCP1 🙂

 

N100 + macro port for 90mm and EMWL

 

WWL1 will probably go. 
 

I will wait for 140mm to arrive and publish some tests and comparisons afterwards. Cheers.