What is everyone's favorite vintage prime? I have about 1k to spend on a couple lenses (hopefully), and am thinking about investing in some more vintage glass. I have a Jupiter 8 50mm on the way and am pumped to try it out. Thinking of definitely getting a nikkor 50mm.What is everyones personal recommendation? I have seen some pretty awesome stuff shot on vintage Minolta glass, will have to look more into that as well. Id like to hear about older, more obscure brands as well that might not be well known but are still amazing today.
GH2 Best vintage lenses?
- Thread starter L1N3ARX
- Start date
Jaime Valles
Veteran
Canon FD 50mm f/1.4 looks gorgeous on a GH2. I bought mine on eBay for $80.
There is a stupid amount of choices.
Some favorites from my collection, but largely only because they're in my collection:
SMC Macro-Takumar 100/4
Micro Nikkor 55/3.5 (the newer 55/2.8 is better)
Carsen OM mount 135/2.8. Even with fungus.
Leica Summicron-R 50
Favorite olde-timey zooms:
Nikon 70-210 4-5.6
Sigma 50-500 (AF-S version)
Some favorites from my collection, but largely only because they're in my collection:
SMC Macro-Takumar 100/4
Micro Nikkor 55/3.5 (the newer 55/2.8 is better)
Carsen OM mount 135/2.8. Even with fungus.
Leica Summicron-R 50
Favorite olde-timey zooms:
Nikon 70-210 4-5.6
Sigma 50-500 (AF-S version)
Minolta MDs are said to have been within the sharpest lenses of their time, that´s why I got mine anyways.
They indeed are supersharp and give nice bokeh. There are also some 16mm primes on ebay for a few hundred bucks. A 50mm 1,4 is around 80$. The 35mm is my personal favourite.
They indeed are supersharp and give nice bokeh. There are also some 16mm primes on ebay for a few hundred bucks. A 50mm 1,4 is around 80$. The 35mm is my personal favourite.
Minolta MC/MD and Rokkor glass, Canon FD (especially SSC) are good and cheap because they cannot be adapted to Canon EOS or any other DSLR. There really aren't many duds, but just keep in mind you're buy 20, 30 or even 40 year old glass that may have been abused and neglected. Dust, fungus, oil and damage would make much more of a difference than anything else.
My recommendations, in order:
Voigtlander 25mm f4 snapshot skopar - had one and sold it (big mistake).
Any Canon FD lens (I bought a 50mm f1.8 for 20 or 30 bucks - produces great low light pictures for not a lot of money)
Any Nikkor (I took a 28-80mm f3.5 off my wife's old Nikon N70 - high quality glass)
I've had old Minolta, Konica and Vivitar glass - but my best results have come from Canon FD, Nikkor and Voigtlander.
Voigtlander 25mm f4 snapshot skopar - had one and sold it (big mistake).
Any Canon FD lens (I bought a 50mm f1.8 for 20 or 30 bucks - produces great low light pictures for not a lot of money)
Any Nikkor (I took a 28-80mm f3.5 off my wife's old Nikon N70 - high quality glass)
I've had old Minolta, Konica and Vivitar glass - but my best results have come from Canon FD, Nikkor and Voigtlander.
Vintage..... in 1975 I bought with a Mamayia MSX500 used a Asahi Pentax 300/4 SMC M42.... and now since 1 year in use on the GH1/GH2 with impressive performance for wildlife in photo and video as well
in 1983 I bought the Carl Zeiss C/Y 28/2,8 50/1.7 135/2,8 just checked the 135C/Y against the Lumix G14-140 .... the vintage lenses reach the resolution of the modern lens.. but a different world!!
The tightness and especially that there will be NO light leaking at the adapter is VERY essential... caused me some troubles with the C/Y untill i found the leak
examples at youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8N9d2NGHIOM
in 1983 I bought the Carl Zeiss C/Y 28/2,8 50/1.7 135/2,8 just checked the 135C/Y against the Lumix G14-140 .... the vintage lenses reach the resolution of the modern lens.. but a different world!!
The tightness and especially that there will be NO light leaking at the adapter is VERY essential... caused me some troubles with the C/Y untill i found the leak
examples at youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8N9d2NGHIOM
Got any advice for a cheap constant aperture zoom? Going to use outdoors, so it doesn't not need to be fast, but would prefer it be at least 3.5 so I can afford to stop it down.
Vivitar and Contax have some super cheap ultra low contrast zooms.
I've got a Yashica 70-210/4 right by my wrist (use it as a paperweight) and it looks great on Canons and Gh2. Again, super low contrast, as well. I've also got a 100-300/5 Macro, I think it's Vivitar.
Either lens cost like 30.00 in great condition. Actually, one was a gift.
Most of this video is 7D + 100-300/5, including the indoors stuff.
Nice, thanks!
Would a slight variation in F-stop be noticeable as a zoom with something like this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-VIVITAR-SERIES-1-28-90mm-1-28-3-5-MACRO-FOCUSING-ZOOM-LENS-28606074-/150730582669?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item23183e2a8d#ht_2207wt_1037
(Basically, seems a difference of 2.8 to 3.5 from wide to far)
It seems the different from each end of the zoom is pretty minimal, however the image will get slightly darker as I zoom in. Still, probably won't be anywhere near as bad as what the kit lens does!
You wouldn't notice it as much as you'd notice say a 14-140, because it's not the camera telling the iris to stop down in increments. It would be a pretty smooth transition as you zoom through the range.
But, you will notice it for sure. You could actually cure it in post by applying an exposure adjustment mix with keyframes in whatever program you finish in, or just use a 4 throughout the range and you'd be fine, if not right where it needs to be (4~5.6) to be of any use in the "sharpness' department.
But, you will notice it for sure. You could actually cure it in post by applying an exposure adjustment mix with keyframes in whatever program you finish in, or just use a 4 throughout the range and you'd be fine, if not right where it needs to be (4~5.6) to be of any use in the "sharpness' department.