Choose DSLR lenses for your mirrorless camera

Sunday 10 November 2024, 13:13 by Nando Harmsen | 3,258 views | 10 comments

This article was translated from Dutch with the help of AI. Read the original.

The entire photography world has been taken over by the mirrorless camera system. That is not surprising, as this technology offers some useful advantages. Consider using your old DSLR lenses, as they can work perfectly.

Mirrorless cameras no longer have a mirror, hence the name, which means that the cameras can be made 'thinner'. However, this has consequences for the lenses. A lens made for a DSLR cannot simply be used, as it sits too close to the sensor.

For that reason, lenses have been specially made for mirrorless cameras. If you switch from a DSLR to a mirrorless camera, it can become an expensive exercise if you also have to buy new lenses.

An adapter ring does nothing more than put the back of the lens at the correct distance from the sensor.
Fortunately, there is a simple solution: an adapter ring. This spacer, specially developed for this purpose, ensures that a lens made for a DSLR sits at the perfect distance from the sensor. This means you can continue using your 'old' lenses with your new mirrorless camera.

Do you still have DSLR lenses? Use them with an adapter ring. That saves you a lot of money.

The big advantages

With an adapter ring, there is no need to replace all your lenses when switching to a mirrorless camera system. You do not lose any light and the quality does not suffer. But there are more advantages.

Autofocus also works without problems with DSLR lenses, especially when you use lenses from your camera brand. This is almost always seamless, and the speed and accuracy of the autofocus are maintained.

A Nikon lens on a mirrorless camera via an adapter ring. This works perfectly. There is no need to buy a new lens.
Are you looking for a new lens, or a newer version of a lens you already have? Choosing a DSLR lens for your mirrorless camera system can save you a lot of money. They are often cheaper.

Because everyone eventually switches, or has already switched, a large second-hand market for DSLR lenses has emerged. Many photographers want lenses for the mirrorless camera system and then sell their old lenses. They are often almost in mint condition.

There are no tilt-shift lenses for the Canon mirrorless camera system yet. But an adapter ring makes it possible to continue using the excellent TS-E lenses.
This makes it possible to get a top-class lens at a reasonable price. Your photos will not suffer, nor will the speed and accuracy of the autofocus. You just need to invest in a good adapter ring.

A few minor disadvantages

Of course, there are disadvantages too. These are the result of needing an adapter ring. It makes the lens a little longer. But perhaps it is better to say that your camera becomes just as 'thick' as your old DSLR.

You do not need to remove an adapter ring if you mainly or exclusively use DSLR lenses. If you switch between these and lenses for the mirrorless camera system, it can sometimes be a little awkward.

The cameras and lenses I use for my weddings. I still use the old DSLR lenses because they produce good results. Nothing has changed there. Sometimes it is difficult because I also have RF lenses, which do not need an adapter ring. I need to pay attention when changing lenses.
Third-party lenses can sometimes cause problems. Think of lenses from Sigma and Tamron, which may not work optimally with an adapter ring. If you use lenses from these brands, check whether you can expect any problems.

Usually, third-party lenses are not a problem, but forewarned is forearmed. Lenses from the camera brand itself will never cause problems.

Less image quality and speed?

Because you are using an older lens, its speed and image quality may not match those of the latest lenses for the mirrorless camera system. In almost all cases, this is not noticeable.

Bear in mind that the latest lenses are built using the most recent developments in autofocus and optics. It makes sense that they are marginally faster and sharper. In practice, you really have to use and compare both lenses side by side to notice it.

Either you spend 1500 euro on the new RF macro lens. Or you buy an EF version second-hand for 600 euro. They both work perfectly. You will not notice any difference.
If the best speed and image quality are very important to you, you will need to invest in the latest lenses. You probably did that already when mirrorless camera systems were not yet on the market.

Choose an original adapter ring

The adapter ring needed to mount DSLR lenses on a mirrorless camera is nothing more than an empty tube. It contains no glass. This may give the impression that you do not need the expensive original adapter ring from the camera brand.

An original adapter ring is a good investment. Do not be tempted to buy a cheaper version from another manufacturer.
My advice is: do so. Choose the original adapter ring from your camera brand. Then you can be sure that all lens information is passed on correctly, the autofocus continues to work perfectly, and there is no play in the connection.

You may spend more money on an adapter ring than on a third-party adapter. But it still saves you a great deal of money because you do not have to switch to different lenses.

Do you use your old lenses on your new mirrorless camera? Tell us about your experiences in a comment below this post.

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About the author

Nando Harmsen has been photographing for more than 40 years. He specialises in wedding photography and landscape photography. Nando also gives talks, workshops, masterclasses and photo trips, and regularly reviews new and interesting equipment.

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10 comments

Kees Verwaard wrote on Tuesday 12 November 2024 at 10:40 | reply
Thanks Nando, This is a very useful article for when I switch to a mirrorless camera. My Canon Eos 6D Mark2 is still quite new. The idea of having to buy new lenses would certainly be an extra obstacle to switching.
Kind regards,
Kees
Translated from Dutch.

Nando wrote on Wednesday 13 November 2024 at 10:39 | reply
If you don't (yet) need the advantages of mirrorless (mainly the various autofocus options), and you're happy with the EOS 6D2, I would continue using it for a very long time.
Translated from Dutch.

Liesbeth Verkade wrote on Tuesday 12 November 2024 at 13:46 | reply
A very clear and above all useful article! Thanks.
Translated from Dutch.

Jef Langenaeken wrote on Tuesday 12 November 2024 at 14:42 | reply
I was also able to use the Sony lenses from my DSLR for quite some time on my new Sony A1 mirrorless camera, and in the meantime I have gradually switched to Sony's new lenses.
Translated from Dutch.

Pau wrote on Tuesday 12 November 2024 at 17:20 | reply
This:
"The autofocus also works with SLR lenses without any problems, especially when you use lenses from your camera brand"
Is a bit of an oversimplification. If the lens doesn't have its own motor(s), it isn't a given that autofocus will work with an adapter ring.
Translated from Dutch.

Nando wrote on Tuesday 12 November 2024 at 22:36 | reply
Isn't this a Nikon thing? They do have lenses without their own motor, so a motor in the camera has to be used, right?
This is then not specific to mirrorless, but it also applies to Nikon's DSLR, which doesn't have an AF motor built into the body.
But nevertheless, lenses without a motor, just like with the DSLR, also don't have AF with mirrorless.
Translated from Dutch.

Paul wrote on Wednesday 13 November 2024 at 12:25 | reply
Of course, it was already a compatibility issue with Nikon DSLRs as well. But I thought it was worth pointing out that this hasn't been resolved in the adapters, something that could have been done in itself
Translated from Dutch.

Nando wrote on Wednesday 13 November 2024 at 12:58 | reply
You're right, I could have included that.
Translated from Dutch.

Paul Laarman wrote on Wednesday 13 November 2024 at 14:18 | reply
Dear Nando, my old analogue Olympus OM1 has a beautiful 1.4 50 mm lens. If I put it on my OMD EM 10 mk IV via an Olympus adapter, the autofocus no longer works, only the light metering. This corresponds to what is stated in the manual of my camera in the chapter "lens and camera combinations". So apparently your story does not apply to all brands. Too bad for me.
Translated from Dutch.

Nando wrote on Wednesday 13 November 2024 at 14:34 | reply
Dear Paul,

You’re talking about an old 50mm from the analogue era, if I understand correctly. Does it have autofocus? Or is it a manual lens?
In my article I’m talking about the more recent autofocus lenses from digital SLR cameras that are used on mirrorless cameras. Not about using old lenses from analogue cameras.
Translated from Dutch.

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