Published: June 15, 2016
Vello Nikon F to Sony E-Mount AF Lens Adapter ($369 from B&H Photo) finally offers an autofocus solution to use Nikon lenses on Sony E-mount mirrorless cameras – but with a few major caveats.
To test how well this adapter performs, I headed to B&H Photo in New York to test EVERY lens I could get my hands on. HUGE THANKS to Abe Curland who once again helped me out during a very long day of testing! These tests would not be possible without support of Abe and the great folks at B&H Photo, so show them some love!!!
If you think you’ve seen this adapter by another name, you’re right. The Vello Nikon to Sony E adapter is a licensed re-badge of the Commlite CM-ENF-E Nikon F Lens to Sony E-Mount AF lens adapters. It’s worth noting that Gradus Group products (Vello’s parent company) rarely re-brand straight off-the-rack without input into the design process and North American buyers may prefer to purchase Vello since it’s sold and supported by B&H Photo in New York.
Nikon lenses are enormously complicated to adapt. Unlike Canon, which switched to EF-mount when they introduced AF, Nikon remained committed to F-mount. But that commitment came at a price. Nikon AF lenses have more variations than wardrobe changes at a Lady Gaga concert. For that reason, results vary greatly – but a pattern begins to emerge.
What Works?
Please Note: These tests were using Firmware v3 before updated fw v4 was available so it’s possible that certain lenses perform better with the updated adapter firmware.
• Sony a7II (with FW 2.00 and later)
• Sony a7RII
• Sony a7R III
• Sony a9
• Sony a6300
• Sony a6500
• Nikkor E-Type lenses
• Nikkor G-Type lenses
What Doesn’t Work?
• Nikkor D-Type lenses: Forget about AF with Nikkor D-Types lenses.
• Sony a7/a7R/a7S/a7SII/a6000/a5100/a5000 & NEX cameras – any Sony E-mount camera other than a7RII, a7II or a6300 will struggle with AF (or have none at all) since those are the only Sony cameras that provide Phase Detection AF with third-party lenses.
Firmware Used in Testing:
• Vello Nikon F to Sony E-Mount AF Lens Adapter (Firmware 3.00)
• Sony a7R (Firmware 3.10)
• Sony a7RII (Firmware 3.20)
• Sony a6300 (Firmware 1.00)
Adapter Firmware is Upgradeable
Contrary to reports I’ve read elsewhere, I can say with 100% certainty that the firmware IS absolutely upgradeable. While this adapter ships with firmware version 2.0, I tested using firmware 3.0 which I am told will be posted on the Vello website very shortly. I did not compare the two versions, but I’m told version 3.0 is a significant upgrade. I will post the upgrade link here just as soon as it’s available.
UPDATE: This adapter is now shipping with firmware version 4 installed.
PLEASE NOTE: There is no USB port in the adapter, so you mount the adapter on a Sony mirrorless camera body and connect camera to a computer via the Sony USB cord to run updates.
EXIF Data
In my tests using firmware 3.0, EXIF data was accurately recorded to the images.
Image Stabilization
Sony a7 Mark II camera users please note that camera menu SteadyShot settings will be “grayed-out” when using a Nikkor VR lens with a physical VR On/Off switch. That is normal. It simply means that menu settings cannot override a physical switch. The switch on the lens will control SteadyShot. In my tests using FW 3.0, SteadyShot appeared to function correctly with lenses with and without VR.
THE TESTS:
• a7RII/a6300 results should be indicative of performance of a7II (running FW 2.00 and later)
• a7R results should be indicative of performance with a7, a7S, a7SII, a6000, a5100, a5000 and NEX
My focus speed ratings make sense to me, but if I had to rate them on a scale of 1-5 with native Sony E-mount glass as a 5, “Fast” is anything 4 or above; “Moderately Fast” is a 3; “Moderate Speed” is a 2; “Sloooow” is a 1; and “Painfully Sloooow” is less than 1.
E-Type Nikkor Lenses
Similar to Canon EF glass, the latest Nikkor lenses feature an electromagnetic diaphragm mechanism in the lens barrel to provide electronic diaphragm or aperture blade control when using auto exposure during continuous shooting – unlike conventional D/G type lenses where the diaphragm blades are operated by mechanical linkage levers.
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR Lens
a7RII/a7II/a6300: Moderately Fast and accurate AF-S & AF-C Wide, Center, Flexible Spot. No Video AF.
a7R + others: Slooooooow AF-S for stills. No Video AF.
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR Lens
a7RII/a7II/a6300: Painfully slooooow AF-S & AF-C Wide, Center, Flexible Spot for stills. No Video AF.
a7R + others: No AF for stills or video – but adapter can control aperture and transmit EXIF data.
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/4E PF ED VR Lens
a7RII/a7II/a6300: Moderately Fast and accurate AF-S & AF-C Wide, Center, Flexible Spot. No Video AF.
a7R + others: No AF for stills or video – but adapter can control aperture and transmit EXIF data.
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 400mm f/2.8E FL ED VR Lens
NOT TESTED
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/4E FL ED VR Lens
NOT TESTED
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR Lens
NOT TESTED
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 800mm f/5.6E FL ED VR Lens
NOT TESTED
Nikkor E APS-C Lenses:
APS-C lenses will NOT cover fullframe a7 Series sensors but they can be used in crop mode.
Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 16-80mm f/2.8-4E ED VR Lens
NOT TESTED
PC-E Nikkor Tilt-Shift Lenses
Nikkor PC-E Tilt-Shift lenses are the most confusing subset of lenses. Technically they are D-type (notice the “D” in their name after the aperture). First off, these are manual focus lenses and nothing change that. Like other D-type lenses, PC-E lenses have a working aperture ring – BUT the aperture ring transmits aperture settings to the body electronically like an E-Type lens.
Nikon PC-E NIKKOR 24mm f/3.5D ED Tilt-Shift Lens
This is a Manual Focus lens and the adapter does not change that but it does provide electronic aperture control and EXIF data not possible with non-electronic lens adapters. HOWEVER…as of firmware version 4.0, while it’s possible to control the aperture using this adapter, you can only shoot wide open.
PLEASE NOTE: This combination is NOT RECOMMENDED. I suggest adapting Canon TS-E lenses instead.
Nikon PC-E Micro-NIKKOR 45mm f/2.8D ED Tilt-Shift Lens
This is a Manual Focus lens and the adapter does not change that but it does provide electronic aperture control and EXIF data not possible with non-electronic lens adapters. HOWEVER…as of firmware version 4.0, while it’s possible to control the aperture using this adapter, you can only shoot wide open.
PLEASE NOTE: This combination is NOT RECOMMENDED. I suggest adapting Canon TS-E lenses instead.
Nikon PC-E Micro-NIKKOR 85mm f/2.8D Tilt-Shift Lens
This is a Manual Focus lens and the adapter does not change that but it does provide electronic aperture control and EXIF data not possible with non-electronic lens adapters. HOWEVER…as of firmware version 4.0, while it’s possible to control the aperture using this adapter, you can only shoot wide open.
PLEASE NOTE: This combination is NOT RECOMMENDED. I suggest adapting Canon TS-E lenses instead.
G-Type Nikkor Lenses
Nikkor G-type lenses do not have an aperture control ring and are intended for use on Nikon DSLRs that allow the lens aperture to be adjusted via the camera’s command dial. G-type lenses relay subject-to-camera-distance information to the camera, where it is used to help determine ambient and flash exposure. Like E-type lenses listed above, G-Type Nikkor lenses lack an aperture control ring. However the F-Type lens aperture is controlled manually – not electronically – using a mechanical coupling on the lens mount.
Nikkor G Fullframe Lenses:
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED Lens
a7RII/a7II/a6300: Slow-Good and accurate AF-S & AF-C Wide, Center, Flexible Spot. No Video AF.
a7R + others: Slow AF-S for stills. No Video AF.
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 16-35mm f/4G ED VR Lens
a7RII/a7II/a6300: Fast and accurate AF-S & AF-C Wide, Center, Flexible Spot for stills. No Video AF.
a7R + others: Slooooooow AF-S for stills. No Video AF.
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5G ED Lens
NOT TESTED
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED Lens
a7RII/a7II/a6300: Moderately Fast and accurate AF-S & AF-C Wide, Center, Flexible Spot. No Video AF.
a7R + others: Slooooooow AF-S for stills. No Video AF.
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR Lens
NOT TESTED
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4G ED VR Lens
a7RII/a7II/a6300: Moderately Fast and accurate AF-S & AF-C Wide, Center, Flexible Spot. No Video AF.
a7R + others: No AF for stills or video – but adapter can control aperture and transmit EXIF data.
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR Lens
a7RII/a7II/a6300: Painfully slow to non-existent AF-S & AF-C Wide, Center, Flexible Spot. No Video AF.
a7R + others: No AF for stills or video – but adapter can control aperture and transmit EXIF data.
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II Lens
a7RII/a7II/a6300: Moderately Fast and accurate AF-S & AF-C Wide, Center, Flexible Spot. No Video AF.
a7R + others: No AF for stills or video – but adapter can control aperture and transmit EXIF data.
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/4G ED VR Lens
a7RII/a7II/a6300: Moderate Speed and accurate AF-S & AF-C Wide, Center, Flexible Spot. No Video AF.
a7R + others: No AF for stills or video – but adapter can control aperture and transmit EXIF data.
Nikon AF-S VR Zoom-NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED Lens
No AF for stills or video – but adapter can control aperture and transmit EXIF data.
Nikon AF Zoom-NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4-5.6G Lens
NOT TESTED
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR Lens
a7RII: AF-S & AF-C never lock in. No Video AF.
a6300: Very Slooooow AF-S & AF-C for stills. No Video AF.
a7R + others: No AF for stills or video – but adapter can control aperture and transmit EXIF data.
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-400mm f/4G ED VR II Lens
a7RII/a7II/a6300: Painfully slow AF-S & AF-C. Works better when set to Wide Focus Area than to Flexible Spot. No Video AF.
a7R + others: No AF for stills or video – but adapter can control aperture and transmit EXIF data.
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 20mm f/1.8G ED Lens
a7RII/a7II/a6300: Fast and accurate AF-S & AF-C Wide, Center, Flexible Spot for stills. No Video AF.
a7R + others: No AF for stills or video – but adapter can control aperture and transmit EXIF data.
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24mm f/1.4G ED Lens
a7RII: Fast and accurate AF-S & AF-C Wide, Center, Flexible Spot. No Video AF.
a6300: No AF for stills or video – but adapter can control aperture and transmit EXIF data.
a7R + others: No AF for stills or video – but adapter can control aperture and transmit EXIF data.
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24mm f/1.8G ED Lens
NOT TESTED
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 28mm f/1.8G Lens
a7RII/a7II/a6300: Fast and accurate AF-S & AF-C Wide, Center, Flexible Spot for stills. No Video AF.
a7R + others: No AF for stills or video – but adapter can control aperture and transmit EXIF data.
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 35mm f/1.4G Lens
NOT TESTED
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G ED Lens
a7RII: Moderately Fast and accurate AF-S & AF-C Wide, Center, Flexible Spot. No Video AF
a6300: This Lens and adapter could not make an electronic connection with this camera.
a7R + others: This Lens and adapter could not make an electronic connection with this camera.
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4G Lens
NOT TESTED
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G Lens
a7RII/a7II/a6300: Moderately Fast and accurate AF-S & AF-C Wide, Center, Flexible Spot. No Video AF.
a7R + others: Slow AF-S for stills. No video AF. Adapter can control aperture and transmit EXIF data.
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G Special Edition Lens
NOT TESTED
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 58mm f/1.4G Lens
NOT TESTED
Nikon AF-S Micro-NIKKOR 60mm f/2.8G ED Lens
a7RII/a7II/a6300: Moderate Speed and accurate AF-S & AF-C Wide, Center, Flexible Spot. No Video AF.
a7R + others: No AF for stills or video – but adapter can control aperture and transmit EXIF data.
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.4G Lens
a7RII/a7II/a6300: Fast and accurate AF-S & AF-C Wide, Center, Flexible Spot. No Video AF.
a7R + others: No AF for stills or video – but adapter can control aperture and transmit EXIF data.
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.8G Lens
a7RII/a7II/a6300: Fast and accurate AF-S & AF-C Wide, Center, Flexible Spot. No Video AF.
a7R + others: Good AF-S for stills. No Video AF.
Nikon AF-S VR Micro-NIKKOR 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED Lens
Manual Focus Only – but adapter can control aperture and transmit EXIF Data.
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200mm f/2G ED VR II Lens
a7RII/a7II/a6300: AF-S & AF-C Wide, Center, Flexible Spot is good in bright, high-contrast light but painfully slow in flat light. No Video AF.
a7R + others: No AF for stills or video – but adapter can control aperture and transmit EXIF data.
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/2.8G ED VR II Lens
a7RII/a7II/a6300: Moderately Fast and accurate AF-S & AF-C Wide, Center, Flexible Spot. No Video AF.
a7R + others: No AF for stills or video – but adapter can control aperture and transmit EXIF data.
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/4G ED VR Lens
NOT TESTED
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4G ED VR Lens
NOT TESTED
Nikkor G APS-C Lenses:
APS-C lenses will NOT cover fullframe a7 Series sensors but they can be used in crop mode.
Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED Lens
NOT TESTED
Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-NIKKOR 12-24mm f/4G IF-ED Lens
a7RII/a7II/a6300: Moderately Fast and accurate AF-S & AF-C Wide, Center, Flexible Spot. No Video AF.
a7R + others: No AF for stills or video – but adapter can control aperture and transmit EXIF data.
Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR Lens
a7RII/a7II/a6300: Moderately Fast and accurate AF-S & AF-C Wide, Center, Flexible Spot. No Video AF.
a7R + others: No AF for stills or video – but adapter can control aperture and transmit EXIF data.
Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-NIKKOR 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED
a7RII/a7II/a6300: Moderately Fast and accurate AF-S & AF-C Wide, Center, Flexible Spot. No Video AF.
a7R + others: No AF for stills or video – but adapter can control aperture and transmit EXIF data.
Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR Lens
NOT TESTED
Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR II Lens
a7RII: No AF for stills or video – but adapter can control aperture and transmit EXIF data.
a6300: Lens and adapter failed to communicate when mounted on camera.
a7R + others: Lens and adapter failed to communicate when mounted on camera.
Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR Lens
a7RII/a7II/a6300: Moderately Fast and accurate AF-S & AF-C Wide, Center, Flexible Spot. No Video AF.
a7R + others: No AF for stills or video – but adapter can control aperture and transmit EXIF data.
Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR Lens
a7RII/a7II/a6300: Moderate Speed and accurate AF-S & AF-C Wide, Center, Flexible Spot. No Video AF.
a7R + others: No AF for stills or video – but adapter can control aperture and transmit EXIF data.
Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II Lens
a7RII/a7II/a6300: Moderate Speed and accurate AF-S & AF-C Wide, Center, Flexible Spot. No Video AF.
a7R + others: No AF for stills or video – but adapter can control aperture and transmit EXIF data.
Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR Lens
a7RII/a7II/a6300: Moderately Fast and accurate AF-S & AF-C Wide, Center, Flexible Spot. No Video AF.
a7R + others: No AF for stills or video – but adapter can control aperture and transmit EXIF data.
Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3G ED VR Lens
a7RII/a7II/a6300: AF-S & AF-C nearly impossible for stills. No Video AF.
a7R + others: No AF for stills or video – but adapter can control aperture and transmit EXIF data.
Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR Lens
a7RII/a7II/a6300: Moderate Speed and accurate AF-S & AF-C Wide, Center, Flexible Spot. No Video AF.
a7R + others: No AF for stills or video – but adapter can control aperture and transmit EXIF data.
Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED VR II Lens
NOT TESTED
Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-NIKKOR 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED Lens
NOT TESTED
Nikon AF-S DX VR Zoom-NIKKOR 55-200mm f/4-5.6G IF-ED Lens
NOT TESTED
Nikon AF DX Fisheye-NIKKOR 10.5mm f/2.8G ED Lens
NOT TESTED
Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G Lens
NOT TESTED
Nikon AF-S DX Micro-NIKKOR 40mm f/2.8G Lens
NOT TESTED
Nikon AF-S DX Micro NIKKOR 85mm f/3.5G ED VR Lens
NOT TESTED
D-Type Nikkor Lenses
Nikkor D-type lenses relay subject-to-camera-distance information to Nikon DSLRs that feature 3D Color Matrix Metering (all versions), 3D Matrix Metering, 3D Multi-Sensor Balanced Fill-Flash and i-TTL Balanced Fill-Flash. Many D-Type lenses have an aperture control ring and can be used on older Nikon SLR cameras that allow for manual control of the aperture, as well as on DSLRs-especially useful for adjusting aperture while recording D-Movies on higher end models.
When used on Smart Adapters, the aperture control ring needs to be locked at the smallest possible aperture (generally designated in orange) so that the aperture can be controlled by the camera.
Nikon AF NIKKOR 14mm f/2.8D ED Lens
NOT TESTED
Nikon AF Fisheye-NIKKOR 16mm f/2.8D Lens
NOT TESTED
Nikon AF NIKKOR 20mm f/2.8D Lens
Manual Focus Only – but adapter can control aperture and transmit EXIF Data.
Nikon AF NIKKOR 24mm f/2.8D Lens
Manual Focus Only – but adapter can control aperture and transmit EXIF Data.
Nikon AF NIKKOR 28mm f/2.8D Lens
Manual Focus Only – but adapter can control aperture and transmit EXIF Data.
Nikon AF NIKKOR 35mm f/2D Lens
Manual Focus Only – but adapter can control aperture and transmit EXIF Data.
Nikon AF NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4D Lens
Manual Focus Only – but adapter can control aperture and transmit EXIF Data.
Nikon AF NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8D Lens
Manual Focus Only – but adapter can control aperture and transmit EXIF Data.
Nikon AF Micro-NIKKOR 60mm f/2.8D Lens
Manual Focus Only – but adapter can control aperture and transmit EXIF Data. Max aperture: F4.5
Nikon AF DC-NIKKOR 105mm f/2D Lens
Manual Focus Only – but adapter can control aperture and transmit EXIF Data.
Nikon AF DC-NIKKOR 135mm f/2D Lens
Manual Focus Only – but adapter can control aperture and transmit EXIF Data.
Nikon AF NIKKOR 180mm f/2.8D IF-ED Lens
Manual Focus Only – but adapter can control aperture and transmit EXIF Data.
Nikon AF Micro-NIKKOR 200mm f/4D IF-ED Lens
Manual Focus Only – but adapter can control aperture and transmit EXIF Data. Max aperture: F4.5
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/4D IF-ED Lens
a7RII/a7II/a6300: Very Sloooooow AF-S & AF-C Wide, Center, Flexible Spot. No Video AF.
a7R + others: No AF for stills or video – but adapter can control aperture and transmit EXIF Data.
Nikon AF-S Zoom-NIKKOR 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED Lens
a7RII/a7II/a6300: Moderate Speed and accurate AF-S & AF-C Wide, Center, Flexible Spot. No Video AF.
a7R + others: No AF for stills or video – but adapter can control aperture and transmit EXIF data.
Nikon AF NIKKOR 24-85mm f/2.8-4D IF Lens
Manual Focus Only – but adapter can control aperture and transmit EXIF Data. Max aperture: F3.2
Nikon AF Zoom-NIKKOR 80-200mm f/2.8D ED Lens
Manual Focus Only – but adapter can control aperture and transmit EXIF Data.
Manual Focus Nikkor Lenses
You can use Nikkor Manual focus lenses with this Vello adapter, but it’s overkill since it will still be manual focus, manual aperture and with no EXIF transmission. Unless you are using manual focus lenses in combination with AF lenses, save yourself some money and pick up a basic Nikon F to E-Mount manual lens adapter.
The Bottom Line:
Vello Nikon F to Sony E-Mount AF Lens Adapter finally adds AutoFocus for most Nikon G-Type and E-Type lenses when used on Sony a7RII, Sony a7II & Sony a6300 and other PDAF cameras. For previous Contrast AF E-mount cameras – not so much…
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82 thoughts on “Gear Review: Vello Nikon to Sony E-mount AF Lens Adapter”
Thank you Brian for all of your ever useful reviews. They’re always a world of help in figuring out what to purchase and are very much appreciated!
There are a bunch of negative reviews on the B&H website. Perhaps the issues are related to the firmware, as the users did not yet have access to the firmware update.
I would definitely recommend updating to firmware 3.0 as soon as it is available as well as noting which cameras and lenses perform well and which don’t.
thanks for sharing !
and what about Sigma ART lens in Nikon Mount ?
i’m using Nikon D800 with sigma art 20, 35, 50… and i’d like to be able to use them alongside with canon pc lenses…
It took over 8 hours to test the lenses listed here which was all I had time to do before my flight home…
Thanks for this. I have access to far fewer lenses than you did for this review, and the earlier firmware of course, but my experience with the adaptor is very similar to what you describe. You may like to know that the 50mm 1.4G that you were unable to test works very well, much the same as the 85mm 1.4G that you did. Thanks again, a very useful reference, now and for the future.
Really informative article. Thanks for doing this, very helpful.
Thanks for the test data. What about the Sony a6000? Will it work similar to the a6300? I ordered a Commlite and discovered it would not fit my NEX-6 or a6000 very well..too tight. When I finally got it mounted, everything was out of focus, on every Nikon lens I tried, one of which was the DX 18-300. I want an adapter, but did not know if it would be worth trying this one again. Thanks
Nope, a6000 performance is listed as “a7 + others”
Will this adapter work with a Zeiss Makro-Planar T* 50mm f/2 ZF.2 Lens for Nikon F-Mount cameras and with a Sony AR7II camera to “transmit EXIF data” and “aperture control” (this is a manual focus lens)?
No. Zeiss ZF.2 Lenses operate just like other Nikon F manual focus lenses listed at the very end of this post.
I have tried the the following Sigma Art lenses 20mm, 35mm, 50mm and 24 -105 on my A7ii on 3.1 firmware on the original commlite version on firmware 4.0.
The Af on the prime Art lenses were even faster than my Nikon 28mm 1.8G and 85mm 1.8G but just a tad slower than on my D750 but close.
But somehow,the Art 24-105 always has a 1+ sec pause before focussing and even then still a little off with1/3 of the shots. Exactly like the Nikon 24-85G VR.
“Nikon PC-E Micro-NIKKOR 45mm f/2.8D ED Tilt-Shift Lens
This is a Manual Focus lens and the adapter does not change that but it does provide electronic aperture control and EXIF data not possible with non-electronic lens adapters.”
My PC-E 45mm does NOT stop down. Did you actually see this work, or are you going by the Vello PDF?
Thanks!
My tests were hands on tests with firmware 3.0 as stated at the opening of this post and yes, the aperture stopped down properly when adjusted by the camera.
It’s very possible your adapter shipped with firmware 2.0 and needs an update.
Hey, thank you for your tests. Does the adapter give stabilization to the lenses listed above using sony video cameras like FS-7, FS-5? Thank tou
I didn’t test any video cameras but IS functioned properly with Nikon VR lenses on E-mount still cameras. You won’t get AF with Sony video cameras using this adapter.
Great overview, thanks!
a6300 owner. I was hoping to use the commlite for video with my nikon lenses, but throughout your tests it seems video is basically not having auto-focus at all. The commlite prodcut description page is actually empty on the video sheet (although that they do have a video sheet to begin with would indicate something is coming: http://www.commlite.com/en/product_show.php?id=205&img_sl_lm1=upimg/2015112012350794.jpg&title_lm=Lens%20Accessories&title=CM-ENF-E(1) ). Did v4 firmware add any video AF or do you have any secret insight as to future firmware updates will add video AF capabilities?
I use the USA-version branded as Vello, but the adapters are identical. The v4 update adds improved AF performance for stills with a number of the lenses that I tested – but don’t hold your breath on ever getting video AF from Nikon lenses on E-mount cameras.
Thanks vm for this extensive and comprehensive test.
Unfortunately some of my lenses aren’t the best performers with the adapter or not show in the compatibility chart of the manufacturer, particularly one that you refer as not focusing besides being an AF-S lens. I refer to the 70-300mm VR zoom.
Do you know if there is any particular reason for that or if we can expect it to have a different behavior with this adapter in a future firmware update or version, please?
Thanks very much again
The adapter was tested with fw 3.0, so it’s possible that the current version fw 4.0 (or a future update) will be better with that lens, but don’t count on it.
anyone tried the sigma art 24mm 1.4?? 🙂
Thanks for this useful review! I´m just going crazy over so many difficulties to adapt my lenses to my new A6000 camera.
Any solution to use my AF-S MicroNikkor 105 mmm 1:2,8G with my A6000??
I don´t mind using the manual focus but, can I anyhow get the the data and control the aperture?
Thanks very much.
See the results listed in this post: “Manual Focus Only – but adapter can control aperture and transmit EXIF Data.”
What about focus tracking and face detection? Are those maintained with this adaptor?
No, not with any Nikon adapters.
I have tested 24-70, 85,70-200, all G lenses and none of them AF properly, neither on contrast nor on phase.
I have tested them on your settings as well but very much hunting and takes forever to lock on accurate focused. Very disappointed on this adapter totally useless for A/F using nikon G lenses and 4.0 Vello adapter, will return it.
The results listed here are what I found with the lenses tested n this review.
Would the Internal AF in Sony a6500 be functional with nikkor lenses? What about the Internal image stabilisation system in the same camera, would that be functional with nikkor lenses?
Sony a6500 will perform similar to the results listed here. EXIF is communicated for all electronic lenses, so SteadyShot will work in the automatic setting with electronic lenses.
FWIW, I attempted to use v4 of this adapter on an A7RII (FW 3.20) with an 85mm F1.8 G and the adapter constantly rebooted, failed to AF, while only intermittently functioning.
Adapter seems to work, albeit with very slow AF, with the 1.4 version of the same lens, though it has rebooted a few times as well.
Works great with the 20mm F1.8 G – fast AF and no reboots.
Vello Nikon to Sony Autofocus adapter
On two Nikon VR lenses using Sony A7R2, the VR does not work properly and is useless. Neither does the Vello allow you to use the internal steady shot facility of the A7R2. The VR engages after the photo is taken and the button is released. It stays engaged for a few seconds and then disengages. On the Nikon 300mm 1:4E PF ED there are two settings for VR, normal and sport. In the normal mode the VR disengages after about 1 second. In the sport mode the VR stays engaged for about 4 seconds. If you try to take another picture while the VR is engaged, it immediately disengages when the button goes halfway down. So the VR is never engaged when the picture is taken and the VR does not perform its intended function. On the other lens I tested, the 70-200mm 1:2.8 GII Â ED, there is only VR on and off. The VR disengages in about 1 second and has no effect because it only engages after the photo is taken. I have version 04 in the Vello firmware and 3.30 in the Sony firmware. It’s really quite frustrating.
I STRONGLY advise truning off in-lens VR. It sucks way too much power away from AF.
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Brian, great review, thanks. I have both the Vello Nikon F to Sony E-Mount AF Lens Adaptor and the Metabones F to E mount adaptor and I am wondering if its worth keeping both? All my MF lenses are at least AI versions.
You would not need to keep the Metabones adapter if you have the Vello AF adapter
Thanks
Has anyone yet tested with the FS7? Would like to know if aperture control is present on the 200-500.
Has any one try to shoot movie with the a6500 and sony lens? then AF works?
Doubtful. As you can see from these still photography lens tests, Nikon lenses are a challenge to adapt for stills and video AF is much more difficult.
Hi Brian, just wonder what you would suggest to get an PC-E lens working on a A7ii ? Would a manual adapter work? Thx greg
Not unless you want to shoot wide open. Manual adapters can’t control the aperture.
So no way to get a pc- e lens working properly. Sad, thanks anyways for your swift reply and the articles! Cheers
None that I’ve found, unless once again, your definition of “normal” is “wide open.”
If you’re not already invested in Nikon PC-E glass, I highly recommend Canon TS lenses instead. They work flawlessly using EF-E adapters.
No, wide open is not an option. I already own the 45 and 24mm. Currently i am evaluating if it make sense to get a sony a7ii for travelling. It would have been nice to use this glass. However it is not necessarily a show stopper. Thanks again for your reply!
Brian,
Thank you for your testing on the adapter. I have the 24-70 2.8 G, 85 1.8 G, 50 1.8 G, and the Tamron 15-30 2.8 and Tamron 70-200 2.8 (not the brand new one). I know your results indicate that the nikkor lenses I have should work well with the Vello, do you have any idea about the Tamron ones? They work fine on my D750, just wondering if they will work at all on my Sony a7r2 or a6500 with the Vello.
Also, do you know of any other adapter in the works that might give better results and so be worth waiting for rather than buying the Vello?
Thanks,
Todd
Nikon AF is tricky to adapt including third-party lenses, but like Nikon lenses, the newest Tamron Nikon-mount lenses perform better than the older ones.
All the Nikon AF adapters are made by Commlite, but the latest firmware V05 is only available in the Commlite version at this time.
I did buy and have received the Vello adapter. Mixed results. I am very pleased with the Tamron 15-30 f2.8, it autofocuses promptly and works well. The Tamron 70-200 f2.8 doesn’t work.
The Nikon 24-70 f2.8 has been perplexing. When I first tried it, seemed to focus pretty well, though not as well as the 15-30 Tamron. I tried it again a few days later and the 24-70 didn’t work at all! I was in room light, it wasn’t dark, but not especially bright, perhaps that mattered, but my experience was the lens would not autofocus at all. I then tried other lenses, and retried the 24-70. This time it worked again. Not especially fast on autofocus, but it did work.
Long story short, I tried the Nikon 85 G 1.8 and sometimes it would autofocus and sometimes it would not. I know the 85 1.8 is not among the list of lenses that are said to work, and unfortunately it doesn’t work consistently.
I looked on the vello website and found the software link, it is still version 4. I hope version 5 will become available soon.
So, only one real winner among my lenses, the Tamron 15-30, and the rest seem to work on and off, which is not good. Very disappointed about the Tamron 70-200 not working at all, and now finding the 24-70 seeming to be unreliable. Was almost ready to send the adapter back to BH, but I’ll hope that the firmware updates will continue and hopefully improve the adapter’s usefulness.
Adapting Nikon for AF is tough. The best analogy I can make is that every year or two Nikon changed the dialect of there AF so sometimes you can understand it and sometimes not so much. It seems that third-party lenses followed along…
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Hi Brian Smith,
thank you very much for this list!
Even though you don’t recommend the combination with the ‘Nikon PC-E NIKKOR 24mm f/3.5D ED’ Lens, this is the one i have.
I don’t understand your last sentence in the review: “HOWEVER”¦as of firmware version 4.0, while it’s possible to control the aperture using this adapter, you can only shoot wide open.”
Does the second part of the sentence not contradict the first part? Does the aperture control work with this adapter or not?
I have tried the Commlite ENF-E1 without success. The firmware update does not cover that specific Lens. Is the Commlite not identical to the ‘Vello Nikon F to Sony E-Mount AF Lens Adapter’?
Thank you for your help,
best wishes from Germany.
Jonas
As I said, the adapter CAN control the aperture…BUT the shutter will only release wide open.
So does that effectively mean I can never shoot an image with f8.0 in this combination?
In my tests, I’ve found it’s only possible to shoot WIDE OPEN with PC-E adapted lenses. So that would be a “no” to F8.
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After reading your site I took the risk and bought the Commlite for my A7R3. I am using it for my Sigma 150mm 1:2.8 APO MACRO DG HSM. The AF is working, albeit very slow and rather inaccurate.
I’m seeing one big issue with the combination: when this lens is focusing to closeby (macro) the amount of light decreases. Unfortunately this is not detected. This causes the close ups to be very underexposed. Any idea how I could get this fixed?
Light loss is absolutely a normal effect of extreme close-up and the longer the lens the more pronounced that becomes.
Thanks. I’ve seen the effect indeed on my Nikon D700. It surprised me at first, but was ok. The issue I have is that the A7R3 doesn’t see it, leading to well exposed pictures at infinity and to 3 stops under exposed at close up.
You need to be in Aperture Priority
I found something interesting. When using the lens wide open the aperture on the camera goes from 2.8 (infinity) to 5.6 when focusing closeby. In this case the pictures look well exposed. Unfortunately the pictures are heavily underexposed when focusing closeby with setting a higher F-number. (Both in A as well as P)
I’ll see if I can troubleshoot it further one of these days.
Try assigning Center Button to ‘Aperture Preview’ and hold that Button during exposure.
Based on your hint I have done some further experiments. My conclusion is that this lens adapter combination really doesn’t work 🙁
A summary (in case anyone reads this later):
When doing the aperture preview I can see the lens is closing the aperture (and I can see the increased depth of field. What does not happen is that the camera notices the different exposure required.
On a Nikon camera it can be observed that the camera shows F2.8 – F4 – F5.6 when focusing closer by. Apparently this signal doesn’t get sent through with this adapter.
The only way I could find to make it all work is changing exposure compensation when focusing closer by. Approx +1 at 1meter, +2 at 0.5m and +3 at 0.38m. Making it rather difficult to see anything in the viewfinder as it looks highly over exposed. My conclusion is: unworkable (did I mention that auto focus worked very dodgy as well?)
Luckily I still had the predecessor macro lens, a Sigma APO Macro 180mm 1:3.5D. Here the exposure problem does not exist. Exposure works as expected. Auto focus doesn’t work. The feature I will be missing most is the lack of peaking display.
All in all I will be waiting for someone to come up with a native mount macro lens in the same range because the adapter is no success in my view.
Can the V4 adapter be firmware updated? I believe you wrote about updating a V3. I want to know if I can bring my V4 up to the current 2019 firmware, V6. Thanks.
There was a physical hardware change beginning with v5. I believe the first version is only compatible up to v4 firmware.
An update to this: yes, you can update the older adapters to V6 firmware. I received this email back from Vello/Gradus Group:
To update your LAE-SE-NFV4 lens adapter to version 6, use the following link: http://www.vellogear.com/product/10504/Vello-LAE_SE_NFV4-Select-Nikon-F-Lens-to-Sony-E_Mount-Camera-Auto-Lens-Adapter-(Version-4)
Once the page has loaded, navigate to the “Support” tab in the middle of the page, and then click on “Drivers”. Once there, you’ll see the firmware update files.
That’s good news. Just bear in mind that v05 (and later) adapters include a physical change which fixes incompatibilities with certain Nikkor lenses. I believe the issues were limited to several Nikkor 105mm lenses.
Hi Brian, thanks for your research. I’m looking at getting an A7Rii and I’d like to use some 3rd party wide angle lens (all Nikon F mount). Does the adaptor have to be used in crop/apc mode or can you still shoot full frame? Are there any adaptors which would retain metering/autofocus in full frame mode on the camera?
Thanks
There is no loss of lens coverage. Fullframe lenses still cover fullframe and APS-C lenses still cover APS-C.
Metering works with ALL adapters. Period.
AF depends on the lens. The newest Nikkor lenses adapt fairly well the oldest Nikkor AF lenses will be manual focus only.
Fantastic, thanks for your reply.
I intend to buy Sony 6500 if A6700 does not happen.
I have AF-S Nikkor 17-55 f2.8 G-ED and would like to use with A6500.
-will IBIS work?
-will AF work – I think you said it will
-will auto aperture work (fully open to view, closed to req. f to take pic?
Thanks G
I have not tested the Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED Lens but a6500 IBIS works on ALL LENSES EVER MADE and Auto Aperture works on the current series of Nikon lenses such as this.
As for AF, “probably” since it’s one of the newer Nikkor lenses with Silent Wave Motor..but I’m no longer testing adapted Nikon glass.
I felt brave and gave this adapter a go on a Sony a6000.
It does work with a few lenses like the Nikkor 35mm and 50mm 1.8.
The way it seems to work is by doing a wide focus in and out before making micro adjustments.
Autofocus is a bit slow though and this would only be useable if speed is not critical.
Yup, that’s Contrast AF.
I guessed as such.
This probably has to do with lack of support for PDAF on 3rd party that you mentioned.
At least there’s EXIF and this can still be used for studio, landscape and architecture.
P.S: Unless mistaken, the adapter/camera combo does not detect manual switch on supported lenses.
I have a Sony A7III and 3 Sony lens , BUT I still own a Sigma 150-600 Contemporany mount Nikon , my doubt is about this adapter with the Sigma lens.
Can you please, tell me your opinion about this combination? I am thinking about Vello or Commlite adapter.
Thanks in advance. Best regards.
They are the same adapter – just different badges. Read my last reply. Not advised.
THANKS for your help !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’ve tested this adapter for a while and imho it’s not up to the task.
Prime lenses should work fine but the adapter damaged a Nikkor 16-85 lens.
I would say it is better to look into Canon lens to Sony adapters.
If commlite and vello are same thing would it then work to upgrade Vello LAE-SE-NFV5 to Commlite ENF-E1 Pro latest firmware like v08?
Here is the Vello v08 firmware link (Windows only)
Click Support. Then click Drivers.
hi, i have a SONY AR7 IV with VELLO LAE-SE-NFV5. AF seems not work with any Nikon or Sigma lens. tried with AF-S AF-C and AF-A. with or without phase contrast or back button. It only changes the iris. Suggestions? thanks in advance
The lenses I was able to test and their performance is listed here. As explained in the review, older F-mount lenses are not supported.
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