GH2 Best line of vintage lenses for M4/3

J

Jester2138

Well-known member
Hey everyone, I just got my GH2 a few days ago (AMAAAZZINNNGGG!!!) with the 14-140 and I can immediately see the need for fast prime lenses (as expected). I'd love to get a few vintage pieces, from Nikon or Canon or Russia or whoever.

I'd just like to know what you guys would recommend for "future-proofing" my lens collection. I don't want to spend a lot on lenses and then be stuck with the M4/3 format if Nikon or Canon or somebody releases a new body that is much superior to the contemporary M4/3.

What do you think?
 
If you don't want to be stuck in micro 4/3 then I would exclude Canon FD and Minolta MD mounts. I would rather look for M42, Olympus OM, Pentax PK, Nikon, Contax Yashica etc. lens mounts.
Good luck
 
kostas said:
If you don't want to be stuck in micro 4/3 then I would exclude Canon FD and Minolta MD mounts. I would rather look for M42, Olympus OM, Pentax PK, Nikon, Contax Yashica etc. lens mounts.
Good luck
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I know that the Canon FD (and very likely the Minolta MD, too) can be adapted to the Sony F3 and upcoming NX35 camcorders. With those lenses, you're only excluding yourself from Canon EOS mounts at the moment.
 
FD lenses are nice and your best cheap choice. I have a few canons and 2 sigma zooms from the FD range.
Even the 50mm 1.8 ,which you can find everywhere, is an excellent lens.
The sigmas are not as sharp as the Canons but I got them for $10 and might use them somewhere. They look like memories.Dreamy.
 
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Contax Zeiss Primes if you're loaded - sure the 50mm f1.7 is a great lens and really cheap, but if you want a set, forget it! I moved over to FD from Zeiss for GH camera use recently because of the exorbitant cost of Zeiss primes.

Canon FD has the shortest focal flange distance in the film SLR camera lenses at 42mm, so it is great for anything except Nikon or Canon DSLR bodies, generally speaking. Consequently, you get bargains. If you think you'll go back to a mirrored camera, these aren't for you. If you think mirror-less is the future, these are THE bargains.

Nikon has the longest focal flange distance at 46.5mm, by contrast, so Nikon lenses go on everything with an adapter! It will be an issue if Nikon come out with the next super-camera, because only Nikon lenses will work - great for Nikon lens sales, but maybe not Nikon camera sales - we'll see, IF that ever happens.

Canon EOS is a good compromise at 44mm, but because all EOS lenses are autofocus and more importantly, electronically controlled iris, it means that using an adapter involves a bit of a fudge for aperture control, via the adapter. EOS have the biggest history and line-up of VDSLR cameras, so maybe they will continue to dominate????? Who knows.
 
Whoa, lots of great replies. So it seems the general consensus is that FD is great as long as you aren't trying to use them on Canon EOS or any Nikon cameras. But they can be used on pro Canon bodies?

EOS lenses are an interesting option with the proper adapter that has an aperture control. Would anyone recommend modern EOS over vintage Nikkor?

Nikon seems to get a lot of love. They'll work on pretty much everything? I'm leaning towards a set of Nikkors right now.

Postmaster, that website's amazing. Sure beats my manually searching around on eBay!
 
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