Techart TZM-02 Leica M to Nikon Z Autofocus Adapter Review

 


The second-generation Leica M to Nikon Z AF lens adapter TZM-02 from Techart will be officially released soon. I am fortunate enough to borrow this engineering sample for testing, let’s see how the autofocus performs.





    Specification:

    • Weight: ~150g
    • Diameter: ~68mm
    • *Compatible with all the latest Nikon Full Frame & APS-C camera models (Z9, Z7II, Z7, Z6II, Z6,Z5, Z50, Zfc, Z30, etc)
    • *not applicable to LTM/M mount lenses with a infinity lock button near the lens mount

    In-Body Image Stabilization (IBIS) Settings

    By adjusting the aperture value, we can change the focal length value transmitted to the camera to obtain better image stabilization. The relationship between the aperture value and the focal length value transmitted is shown on the following table:
    Aperture Value(F)1.01.11.21.41.61.82.02.0
    Lens Focal Length(mm)13590857555504030
    Aperture Value(F)2.52.83.23.54.04.55.05.6
    Lens Focal Length(mm)2825242120181612
    Lens Focal Length(mm)*300200180150

    * 20mm to 12mm and 300mm to 150mm share the same aperture values, you need to adjust the aperture to F8 and press the shutter button to switch between the two sets of value.

    The aperture value of the camera body does not affect the metering of the camera, aperture value will affect the camera IBIS setting and the focal length value in the EXIF. If the focal length of the lens is not in the above list, we can choose a value closest to the focal length of the lens. For example, you can choose F1.1(90mm) for a 100mm lens and so on.

    Position of the Adapter when Power Off

    Adjust the aperture to F6.3 and press the shutter button, the adapter will remain in place when the camera is turned off.

    Adjust the aperture to F7.0 and press the shutter button, the adapter will automatically retract to the infinity position when the camera is turned off.

    Build and Design

    The lens mount adopts a similar design to the LM-EA9 adapter introduced earlier. The autofocus is achieved by pushing the lens back and forth. Compared to the first-generation adapter TZM-01, this second generation adapter is more compact by removing the bulge at the bottom.

    Focus Distance

    Since the AF adapter itself acts as a variable extension tube, the minimum focus distance of the lens will change when the adapter is in operation. The following table summarizes the change in minimum focus distance of the commonly used lenses.

    Lens Focal LengthLens Focused at (Meter)Minimum Focus Distance with TZM-02 (Meter)
    35mm0.7<0.35
    35mm (無限遠)<0.45
    50mm1~0.5
    50mm (無限遠)<0.8
    90mm1~0.75
    90mm (無限遠)<2.3
    Techart TZM-02 + Nikon Z 7II

    Focus Speed (Stills Mode)





    The focusing speed and stability of Techart TZM-02’s on the Nikon Z 7II is significantly improved over the previous generation. Please refers to the following test videos:

    The following video tests the focus speed when AF-C is used at different apertures:


    Focus Speed (Video Mode)


    Because four small servo motors were used instead of one in the previous generation, the autofocus performance on video mode was greatly improved. The following video was shot with a 55mm F1.2 lens. For such a shallow depth of field, you can still focus accurately on most part of the frame. When the lens is out of focus, the adapter can re-focus the cat’s eyes very quickly.


    Conclusion

    I found the TZM-02 on the Nikon Z 7II has a larger focus area compared to the LM-EA9 on the Sony A7IV. In Video Mode, such autofocus performance will allow many Leica M mount lenses used for video without any modification. If you have any questions on this Techart TZM-02 adapter, feel free to leave a message.

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