Top critical review
3.0 out of 5 starsExpected Better From Celestron, But This Does The Job
Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2014
Just received this in the mail yesterday and already used it on my 7D and 5D MkIII.
I'd rate this 2.5 stars if I could, but 3 for benefit of the doubt.
The ring feels strong and lightweight. Attaching it to your camera is a little scary at first, as it has such a tight fit it feels like you might be forcing it. Normal lenses usually twist on freely until they click and lock into place. As long as you line up the dot to your normal red dot on the body, you're good. Once I realized it has a firm fit I felt good about it, as that meant it wouldn't be wiggling around as some of these bayonet adapters tend to do. It connected to my 5D pretty easily and clicked into place. It does the job as described, but there seems to be a little bit of play between the ring and camera body when it's attached to my telescope. It's not a loose type of play. You have to use a twisting motion with light pressure to see it move about 1mm. It's not a big deal since it's not freely wiggling and you normally don't touch the camera again once you lock the settings and start shooting with a remote. Up to this point, it was a 4-star.
Taking the mount OFF, however, made me worry a bit. With a normal lens, you push the button and twist counterclockwise. This is usually a smooth action and the lens rotates freely as mentioned earlier, then when it stops twisting (about 1/4 turn) the lens readily disengages from the body. Easy peasy. Not this adapter. You push the button and it still has that firm fit, which is just what you want so you know your camera won't be falling of the telescope. Except that there is no stop to let you know to stop twisting. You can spin this adapter freely counter clockwise (and sometimes in the case of my 7D, clockwise - more on that in a second). Don't do this. Be very careful when you twist it off so you don't over-twist. This could potentially damage the mount or contacts on your camera if you start twisting it wildly. When the dots line up, the adapter doesn't pop out. You almost have to force it, sometimes putting a finger on the INSIDE edge of the ring which put you dangerously close to the mirror and sensor of your camera. This is terrifying. I appreciate a solid connection, but this feels sloppy.
Regarding my 7D, occasionally for some unknown reason, the ring doesn't lock when twisting it on. Another user mentioned he often twists the ring 1 or 2 full rotations before getting the approving 'click'. I would not do this just for safety's sake. If something isn't lined up properly, you could wear out the components of the mount on your body, resulting in loose connections to your lenses.
All-in-all: Okay adapter. It's firm which is good, but too firm which can be bad if you're not careful.There's still a tiny amount of play if you give it a little pressure.
Pros:
- Seemingly solid build
- Firm connection
Cons:
- Too firm of a connection
- Sometimes doesn't engage the lens lock
- Small amount of play
