Blackmagic Forum

Hi everyone,

I'm new to using PL lenses and a friend mentioned they're adaptable to various systems. After doing some research, I learned that using a PL to EF adapter might affect infinity focus, and I'm unsure how it would impact the measurement markings on the lens.

Question for experienced PL lens users: When purchasing a PL lens, do you need to ensure compatibility with your camera's specific PL mount, or are all PL mounts standardized?

Currently, do any of you use PL lenses that don't achieve infinity focus, and have you encountered issues with inaccurate measurement markings?



My goal: I want to use PL lenses on my various cameras, including the Red, Blackmagic, and Canon C300.

Seeking advice: What's the best approach for achieving this without removing the EF mount?

I'm considering DZO or NISI prime lenses.

Not a good idea. EF mounts are notoriously bad regarding precision of their flange distance and the grip of the mount. They were developed for photography, where it doesn't matter much, not for film.

Pl mount was intended for film from the start. Even if you had true PL mounts on all your cameras, you'll need to have them all shimmed correctly and your lenses collimated for what you want to achieve.

First: REMOVE THE EF MOUNT!!!

EF is a still photography standard. It has nothing to do with Cinema. I wish the DSLR revolution had never happened and EF had never become a part of video production. Sadly, we can't fix that massive mistake. So the best course of action is to just shun EF Mount.

Get the native PL Mount for the URSA Mini 4.6K, Pro G1 & G2 & 12K. Make sure you shim it correctly.
Get the PL Mount for the Arri, Red, Canon, Sony, and make sure it is shimmed correctly.

Toss the EF Mount in the trash, where it belongs.

as to adapter:
Read Carefully:
https://fotodioxpro.com/products/pl-ef-p

There are two lenses I use much with my URSA Mini Pro 12K which are only available with EF mounts. A Cannon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6l is ii usm and a Zeiss Otus ZF.2 28mm f/1.4 Apo Distagon (modified by Duclose with EF-mount.) I have other lenses (Sigma, Tokina, Irix, SLR Magic - all PL-mount) and enjoy the Otus the best with the 12K. Needless to say the 12K keeps on its BMD EF-mount.

The MUST with the EF-mount is that the camera, the adapter and the lens must be tied down to a good rod system. I use titanium rods. I have no issues with the EF-mount used this way. However, I do not like that I have to change the camera mount to to use my PL lenses as none of these will fit as described in the above article.

I would very much appreciate if BMD would make a replaceable LPL-mount or similar for the camera as this would allow for adapting to both EF and PL lenses.

Thank you!

Uli Plank wrote:Not a good idea. EF mounts are notoriously bad regarding precision of their flange distance and the grip of the mount. They were developed for photography, where it doesn't matter much, not for film.

Pl mount was intended for film from the start. Even if you had true PL mounts on all your cameras, you'll need to have them all shimmed correctly and your lenses collimated for what you want to achieve.

Thanks for the great information!

timbutt2 wrote:First: REMOVE THE EF MOUNT!!!

EF is a still photography standard. It has nothing to do with Cinema. I wish the DSLR revolution had never happened and EF had never become a part of video production. Sadly, we can't fix that massive mistake. So the best course of action is to just shun EF Mount.

Get the native PL Mount for the URSA Mini 4.6K, Pro G1 & G2 & 12K. Make sure you shim it correctly.
Get the PL Mount for the Arri, Red, Canon, Sony, and make sure it is shimmed correctly.

Toss the EF Mount in the trash, where it belongs.

Thank you!

Jeffrey D Mathias wrote:as to adapter:
Read Carefully:
https://fotodioxpro.com/products/pl-ef-p

There are two lenses I use much with my URSA Mini Pro 12K which are only available with EF mounts. A Cannon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6l is ii usm and a Zeiss Otus ZF.2 28mm f/1.4 Apo Distagon (modified by Duclose with EF-mount.) I have other lenses (Sigma, Tokina, Irix, SLR Magic - all PL-mount) and enjoy the Otus the best with the 12K. Needless to say the 12K keeps on its BMD EF-mount.

The MUST with the EF-mount is that the camera, the adapter and the lens must be tied down to a good rod system. I use titanium rods. I have no issues with the EF-mount used this way. However, I do not like that I have to change the camera mount to to use my PL lenses as none of these will fit as described in the above article.

I would very much appreciate if BMD would make a replaceable LPL-mount or similar for the camera as this would allow for adapting to both EF and PL lenses.

I love the notion of dumping my EF mount on my BMPCC 6k Pro to go to PL mount. I have a set of Athena Primes and they look fantastic on my BMPCC 6k. But the PL Mount version of these lens move backwards some and I'm wondering if anyone has done the Wooden switch out and used the Athena Lenses?