I sold my Sony A7 III but I am keeping the Zeiss Loxia 21mm E-mount. “The Little Hand Grenade” as I like to affectionately call it. It’s a wide angle manual lens that’s very compact and made of metal and glass. The build quality is top notch. I also love the images that come from this lens. The first time I shot landscape photos with it I just stared at the back of the camera, amazed at the colors, sharpness, and micro contrast.
Loxia 21mm adapted to Nikon Z6 II
When I was packing up all things Sony to sell (Here’s Why}, this little guy was in my hands and I couldn’t let it go. It just feels solid, which triggers memories of the operational experience it gives me. The focus control has this dampening when turned just feels right to me. No, I couldn’t let it go. How could I keep it? I looked into adapters that would fit E-mount to Z-mount. I found an adapter called “FotodioX Lens Adapter for Sony E-Mount Mirrorless Manual Focus Lens to Nikon Z-Mount Mirrorless Camera.” It costs $30, which is pricey for what it is. Simply, a flat metal ring that allows you to connect a lens built for Sony E-mount and connect it to a Nikon Z camera. Perfect. Not exactly.
FotodioX lens adapter attached to Loxia 21mm
I emailed FotodioX to make sure the lens would be functional with the Z6 II. The reply: “Thank you for reaching out. Yes, our adapter will work with your Loxia 21mm lens. The contacts on this lens are simply for transmitting EXIF data to the camera and the lack of connection should not affect functionality. Please note that you will no longer have lens EXIF data recorded on your images when using this lens with our adapter as it is manual without electronic connections.” I got the adapter and connected it to the lens, then that lens assembly connected to the Nikon Z6 II. Note: There are no instructions included. The test images I took look great with no issues with the adapter. However, you get no aperture setting information from the lens. The camera will show the shooting info as 1/125, F--, ISO 100.
The lens electronics are disconnected physically in that regard. You do see exposure changes (brightness and darkness) when changing the aperture, shutter speed, and ISO while looking at the EVF/LCD. The images in Adobe Lightroom will not show the aperture info in the EXIF data either. If you used to shoot film you had to write all that info down in a notebook and with this adaptor, it’s the same, except only for the aperture.
I removed the lens assembly from the Nikon body and I went to remove the adapter from the lens, but it is stuck. I did discover there is a little tab release button that you press to remove the adapter, but that did not work either.
Highligted area showing release tab.
Looking further into why it is stuck, I believe the rubber weather gasket on the mount of the Loxia is maybe causing a strong seal on the metal adapter surface, and/or the metal on metal is too tight. I can’t find anyone else who might have had this issue. I think my lens is permanently going to be a Z-mount lens. I’ll just need to get a Z-mount rear cap for the adapter. I did see videos of other brand lenses that were adapted, and they came off quite easily.
The blue ring is the weather gasket of the Loxia 21mm.
FotodioX made a solid piece of metal to adapt the Loxia 21mm to my Z6II. It did get stuck (perhaps my fault) and it does not give you F-stop data. The images out of the Nikon with this adapter are just as good as the Sony A7 III. I will keep trying to remove the adapter, but since I need this lens to be Z-mount anyways, I will try not to worry too much about it.