Fotodiox sells a wide range of adapters for using lenses and cameras of different mounts, but one particular adapter is causing a major headache for both photographers and the company. At least two photographers are claiming that their Sony mirrorless camera was ruined by the Fotodiox Fusion SmartAF Nikon to Sony adapter.
The adapter in question is the Fotodiox Fusion SmartAF for adapting Nikon G mount lenses to Sony E mount cameras. Features include full electronic aperture control, EXIF data recording, high speed autofocus, and powered VR stabilization (all for Nikon AF-I and AF-S lenses). The adapter costs $370 from Fotodiox’s website.
On November 24th, photographer Jason Lanier published a blog post and video saying that using the adapter on his Sony A6300 broke his camera.
Lanier says that after testing the adapter and finding that it failed to deliver its promised features and draining the battery of his Sony a7R II, he attached it to his A6300, and that’s when “the unthinkable happened.”
“It fried the camera,” Lanier writes. “This is a camera that I’ve taken all over the world. It’s survived all of my adventures and exploits… but it’s poor sad end was at the hands of a freaking Fotodiox Adapter. […] It will no longer power on at all.”
Yesterday, photographer Eric Rossi published a video reporting that he experienced the exact same problem: the Fotodiox adapter killed his new Sony a7 II.
Fotodiox says it’s aware of the reported issue and is investigating to figure out why the adapter is bricking cameras.
“We’re still in the process of determining what is happening with this specific adapter/lens combo — Nikon AF-S VR Micro 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED + Fotodiox Nikon to Sony E Mount FUSION adapter — as that is the apparent link between the two incidents,” Fotodiox tells PetaPixel. “For now, we advise our customers to avoid that combo until we know more, which should be a matter of a few hours or days.”
In the meantime, if you already purchased a FUSION adapter for your camera and are worried about it, Fotodiox says that you’re “welcome to return it, no questions asked.”
Sourse: petapixel.com
That’s the inherent risk of bleeding edge technology. Early adopters are basically beta testers.
Link broken, “was ruined by the Fotodiox Fusion SmartAF Nikon to Sony adapter.” points to : http://$369.95
I’ve seen two Fotodiox EF to NEX adapters break when mounted between an Sony A7 and A7s and two different Canon 50mm f1.4, mine and a colleague’s.
Fotodiox refused to service the adapters in both cases. We just threw the 150$ CAD adapter in the garbage and swore to never buy Fotodiox anymore, it’s junk.
I’m not buying Fotodiox products anymore either. An M39 lens couldn’t infinity focus on a Fotodiox M39-NEX adapter, but the same lens could on a Fotasy adapter. I could never get various Fotodiox EF adapters with AF confirm chip to work right. The Fotasy adapters I have bought haven’t been perfect, but I find them way more likely to fit and work properly than Fotodiox.
sony keep on updating so fast due to the fact they are not pro cameras they will break after a year or two
The aperture opens and closes rapidly in the lens when the body mode dial is turned to MOVIE mode on my A7RII.
The same crap happens with the original Commlite adapter, as well the Fotodiox.
I was afraid that it would hurt my body or/and lens, and hence I returned the Commlite. I figured I’d try the Fotodiox when it came out later – hoping that it would do better. But, no such luck. By then, I realized that it was running the camera in MOVIE mode that was causing the weird behaviour in my case, so I stopped doing that.
I have seen random lock ups in the body as well, where everything had to be removed and powered down, before working again.
It’s really a Commlite problem. What’s really stupid about this is that anyone who spends any amount of time with these adapters would know that quality is lacking. How they released this crap as a “product” is beyond me.
Hehe, the aperture flickering was happening on my Fotodiox adapter, it was the first sign of its eventual death.
I’m Surprised Sony hasn’t jumped all over this already extolling the virtues of buying totally into the Sony Ecosystem and avoiding these 3rd party converters to use non Sony mount lenses.
They are busy selling that nice sensor to cellphones…
The other adapters work (for Canon, etc.).
Wouldn’t a good 3rd party converter make them a ton more money in the form of Nikon users switching over to Sony bodies without giving up their lenses?
maybe, but, Sony would also prefer users to spend the $$$ on the proper Sony mount glass, and not use such adapters. I do not think Sony would license the code for their systems to companies who will make products that do not encourage using Sony Glass. So if the Software that runs the converter is only reverse engineered what is missing that they couldnt figure out?
Is this the Commlite adaptor, rebranded? I use one in MF with a 14-24 for the lens correction metadata. Terrifying……
Yes. I thought maybe Fotodiox would at least rev the firmware to work out the Commlite kinks, but they left that crap at v4. Same crappy behaviours.
They better refund those poor humans and pay for their camera repair.
If they don’t they are going to have a lot of angry people smashing their doors in and crushing their business. I think Fotodiox owes them new cameras, a huge apology and a massive recall. And I think a lawsuit should be in order to remind FD that if they create a product they better make it work and not kill cameras or there will be hell to pay.
No excuse for this at all. Shame on FotoDicks for their poor quality control and obvious aim for money not caring if their products ruin something.
I will reconsider ALL of my FD products now and I have a ton. Thankfully none use any electronics to share into back and forth. If they bricked my Fuji, I’d be in their eyes like onions and they’d never forget my name.
I was thinking Fotodiox was in China, but their website has a USA address, so people should be in with a chance of a refund, but I suspect they are a long way from accepting liability.