Saturday, May 3, 2008

Lensmate and Canon Adapters for the G9

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The Canon G9 has a non-interchangeable zoom lens without threads for attaching filters. What? I thought … Yes, there are accessory lens and filters for the G9. These accessories are attached to a simple tubular adapter that fits over the lens as shown here. The G7 and G9 use the same adapter, Canon LA-DC58H. To attach the adapter, first remove the decorative ring which covers and protects the connection at the camera. The adapter has standard 58mm filter threads so anything that has 58mm threads can be attached (even a reversed lens!). Popular accessories are filters, especially polarizing filters , and lenses. Canon makes wide angle, telephoto and macro accessory lenses.

In addition to Canon, there are third party manufacturers for adapters, lenses and other accessories. One of the most popular is Lensmate. A U.S. company, Lensmate makes adapters for many different Canon cameras and also sells compatible lenses and filters to match its adapters. The Lensmate web site is an excellent source of information including comparisons of many different attachment lenses and filters: wide angle, telephoto and macro.




Shown above are the Canon and Lensmate adapters for the Canon G7/G9. The adapters are very similar except that the Canon adapter is made of hard plastic and the Lensmate adapter is made of anodized aluminium.

The Lensmate adapter comes with a protective end cap and can be ordered with a cover as shown here. Both the Canon and Lensmate adapters work very well and protect the lens while making the G9 even more versatile. I first used the Canon but now keep the Lensmate version in my bag after a filter got stuck on the Canon version. (The filter probably became stuck because of thermal expansion. Later, it unscrewed easily with no damage to filter or adapter.)

There is a wealth of information on the Lensmate website, including Richard Franiec’s line of accessories. Well worth checking out!

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10 comments:

Anonymous said...

How much heavier than the Canon is the Lensmate adaptor?

Gordon Buck Jr. said...

I haven't weighed them because each is so light that it didn't matter. In fact, I'd never thought about the weight!

marion said...

i have a 52mm circular polarizer, is there some way that i could use it on the required 58mm adaptor fo the canon G9?
marion

Gordon Buck Jr. said...

Marion, you need what is called a "step down ring" to adapt the smaller filter. It will work fine at modest to max telephoto but will vignette (make shadows in the corners) when the G9 is near maximum wide angle. You should be able to get a step down ring for $8 or $10.

Unknown said...

Hi Gordon, residing in Singapore i find it difficult to get either a Canon or Lensmate adapter and got an emolux instead.

After i placed it on my G9 i feel that it doesn't hold tightly to the G9 body (if i rotate it counterclockwise it'll move slightly).

Does this happen with your Canon/Lensmate adapter also?

I feel a bit disappointed and tried to compare it with the original Canon ring with the same result (not 100% tight).

Kindly share your opinion. Thanks.

Gordon Buck Jr. said...

Mozilla, I hope the answer to your problem is simply that the adapter is not tightened enough. The little release button for the decorative ring should pop up again when the adapter is properly tightened.

Unknown said...

Hi Gordon, thanks for the prompt reply.

I've tried to tighten it but unfortunately i found out that some other emolux user also have the same problem as i am.

Well, in that case i should search for a replacement (which i'm sure's gonna be difficult since Canon has discontinue the production of the particular adapter) and Lensmate's out of stock.

Thanks for your help Gordon.

Cheers.

Unknown said...

if you have a g9 visit lensmate great great products.ivan,England

99999999999 said...

does the lensmate [with a filter attached] allow the zoom to fully extend, without the lens hitting the filter?

i'm thinking of getting one and fitting a skylight filter to protect my G10's lens from dust & sand, when in locations where these might be a problem - but i'm finding the info on the lensmate site a bit confusing as to just whether just the basic lensmate part A is suitable without further adaptors.

Unknown said...

The problem with these lens adapters, is that they interfere with the use of the viewfinder. I intend to try out a third party viewfinder on the hot shoe, to see whether its higher position eliminates the problem. One that has parallax compensation wd be best. Canon ought to introduce an add-on viewer, that did not disable flash function.
Colin