Vintage Lenses: Any Advise?

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Albi86

Albi86

Apr 24, 2012
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#1
I would like to get a setup of old, possibly all-metal, manual focus fast primes.

I am a child of the AF generation, so I'm very little experienced in this sense and I don't know which ones are worth having nowadays.

I'm interested in 20-28mm, 30-40mm, 50-60mm, 85-100mm and 135mm. A standard setup.

Please share your opinions with me. Doesn't matter about brands, as long as they can be adapted and that it makes sense to buy them price-wise.

Thank you!
 
#3
risc32 said:
I don't have any frist hand exp, but i would imagine some older F mounts might be a good idea. If that's not trick enough, you could get some Leica R mounts.
Click to expand...

Yes, I've been reading too that old Nikon AI-S lenses might be quite interesting. I find harder to identify which specific models though...

What about Canon FD lenses?
 
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#4
Canon FD lenses cannot be mounted on an EOS (EF mount) body without corrective optics OR modifying the lens mount using the EDMIKA lens mount changing kits. For EDMIKA you need to check for which FD lenses they have created the kit and selling it (or plan to make), as (if I remember correctly) all FD lenses are not adaptable. The corrective optics adapter will however reduce the image quality. Nikon F mount, Pentax K and Screw Mount, Olympus OM can be adapted with a simple adapter without the need of corrective optics.
 
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#5
Nikon Ai-S lenses are awesome manual metal lenses. You can buy cheap adapters to mount on EOS.

I'd look into the 28mm f/2.8 (it's considered one of their "sharpest" lenses ever), and the 105mm f/2.5 (a classic Nikon portrait lens) to start. I don't think you can go wrong with any of the old Nikon glass. You can find good deals on ebay- even if they are beaten and scratched to hell, they still perform great.
 
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#6
There is a lot of decent M42 mount stuff available at reasonable prices. My favorite is the Pentax 1.4 Super Takamur. A beautiful lens, and as sharp as anything around. What you can mount to your body varies, there are lots of guides on the internet on what works with what.
 
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#8
I've found few old lenses that can match even a 50mm f/1.8 for sharpness and color. The resolution was not needed for film and except for the higher end lenses that are difficult to find, its not there.
I have several adapters for Nikon, M42, OM, and even Hasseblad. I have a ton of older lenses of many makes. They are fun to play with, but most of them (not all) are not up to digital standards.
 
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#9
I've got Olympus/Zuiko adapters, Nikon adapters, and M42/Pentax/Takumar adapters, along with an EdMika adapted Canon 55/1.2 FL and a Jim Buchanan adapted Minolta 58/1.4. They all work great on crop bodies, not sure about full frame as sometimes there is mirror interference.

I highly recommend the Canon 55/1.2 FL, the micro-Nikkor 55/2.8, and the Super-Takumar 50/1.4 or SMC-Takumar 50/1.4. The SMC-Takumar is very slightly sharper than the Super-Takumar, but not much. Of these, the Canon is the most expensive and the Super-Tak the least. If you need razor thin DOF, the Canon is the tool of choice. If you need macro, the micro-Nikkor is stupid sharp and focuses to 1:2 without the extension tube adapter. Takumars are plentiful and relatively inexpensive. All of these are built like tanks and a joy to work with.

Feel free to PM me for more info.
 
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#12
Albi86 said:
risc32 said:
I don't have any frist hand exp, but i would imagine some older F mounts might be a good idea. If that's not trick enough, you could get some Leica R mounts.
Click to expand...

Yes, I've been reading too that old Nikon AI-S lenses might be quite interesting. I find harder to identify which specific models though...

What about Canon FD lenses?
Click to expand...
Might not help you to choose which ones are good, but at least you'll be able to identify them (and know which models exist):
http://www.photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/serialno.html
 
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#13
Thank you all for your advise!

I'm not interested in video. I want a setup of old - sharp - primes to use on modern digital FF bodies. I was wondering which ones of them is up to today's standard and can be cheaply purchased.

The idea occurred to me because I have a 25-years-old Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 MK1, which is better built and easily sharper than any MK2 I've seen. And it also focuses more consistently.

So, back in those days in the 70's and 80's when lenses were extremely expensive and most people used to have only a 35mm or a 50mm, lenses were also better built. Mechanically they're better than most mass-produced lenses around today, and if they keep up optically as well, then I've found my inspiration.

I've seen that old Zeiss Contax lenses have quite high prices in the used market as well. Are they better or just Zeiss-branded?
 
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#14
Zeiss Jena 35mm f/2.8 or f/2.4 are both good and i really dig the colors on mine (2.8 zebra edition). Super Takumar 50mm 1.4 is also really nice, make sure its the multi coating version. Vivitar 28mm f/2.5 soft wide open but its still nice :) I think most old m42 lenses are quite good.

Oh and dont worry about the focussing :) I got no af confirm chip and just using my standard 1100D viewfinder and i get as many keepers as with my AF lenses. But i also dont shoot speedy things! Just people in normal pace etc.
 
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#15
As much as I "love" Canon...

Maybe going with another brand for this project would be better suited.

Case in point, I was thinking of pick up a Pentax K30 dslr. Nothing too fancy, but with the native ability to mount most, if not all, Pentax lenses from the beginning, and the in-body IS, sound a bit more fun.

John
 
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#16
jfretless said:
As much as I "love" Canon...

Maybe going with another brand for this project would be better suited.

Case in point, I was thinking of pick up a Pentax K30 dslr. Nothing too fancy, but with the native ability to mount most, if not all, Pentax lenses from the beginning, and the in-body IS, sound a bit more fun.

John
Click to expand...

I was thinking to mount them on a D600 ;)

Anyway I've seen there are very few - but yet available - Canon FD L lenses. What about the 50/1.2 and the 85/1.2?
 
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#17
Hi,
I also have a handful of old manual focus lenses. All of them are seldom in use but they were rather cheap, except for my Arsat 55mm f4.5 shift lens (cost me with EOS tilt adaptor more than 500Euro). I can recommend the M42 lenses. There are lots of them. The adaptors are readily available and cheap. The autofocus confirm chips don't work that well for me... but you can give them a try.

For 135mm I can recommend the Auto Vivitar Telephoto 135mm f2.8. The manual focus works very smooth, the bokeh is OK and focus to infinity works (albeit a bit soft). The Carl Zeiss Jena (CZJ) 135mm f3.5 is also OK. I have the Prakticar version with PB mount, which is identical to CZJ M42 except for the different mount. Like the Vivitar it's all metal but a bit small and light weight.

The old CZJ lenses are often a bit more expensive than the other M42 lenses, at least here in Europe. This has more to do with the name with the quality of the lens. The above mentioned lenses are at least equal and I actually prefer the Vivitar, which is better build.

BTW, be aware that the adapts work different on full format and crop bodies. The PB mount works great on crop but on ff the lens' end hits the mirror. I had to manually modify the original lens mount to fit it onto my 5DII. Now it works without a problem.

Be aware that some of the decades old lenses produce a slight yellow color cast, which comes from the ancient lens coating. Some used a weak radioactive coating and with its decay, the yellow color cast develops. The coating is the weakest point of these lold lenses. My Arsat is very sturdy build, has great resolution and is reasonable sharp but the coating is terrible, although it is just a 12 years old Ukrainian medium format lens. But try to show me any affordable 50mm or 55mm shift lens...
 
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#18
RobertG. said:
...

For 135mm I can recommend the Auto Vivitar Telephoto 135mm f2.8. The manual focus works very smooth, the bokeh is OK and focus to infinity works (albeit a bit soft).
...
Click to expand...

Great! I picked up one of these on Friday because it came in a kit with a Mamiya/Sekor 55mm f1.4 that I wanted to try. My adapters should be here tomorrow.
 
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#20
Albi86 said:
I would like to get a setup of old, possibly all-metal, manual focus fast primes.

I am a child of the AF generation, so I'm very little experienced in this sense and I don't know which ones are worth having nowadays.

I'm interested in 20-28mm, 30-40mm, 50-60mm, 85-100mm and 135mm. A standard setup.

Please share your opinions with me. Doesn't matter about brands, as long as they can be adapted and that it makes sense to buy them price-wise.

Thank you!
Click to expand...

Contax-Zeiss Primes have less issues being fitted to EOS camera than the FD lenses. Plus, They're awesome.
 
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