The Vintage Lens Thread

Just won the Nikon 24mm 2.8 ais for $115. Hopefully I got it for a good price. It was listed in good condition - good everything. Anyone else use this lens with t2i or 7d? I'll be using it on t2i. Thanks Perrone for the link to Ken Rockwell's site. It's a treasure chest. He says the 28mm is a bit sharper but I couldn't find one under $200 on ebay.
 
Just won the Nikon 24mm 2.8 ais for $115. Hopefully I got it for a good price. It was listed in good condition - good everything. Anyone else use this lens with t2i or 7d? I'll be using it on t2i. Thanks Perrone for the link to Ken Rockwell's site. It's a treasure chest. He says the 28mm is a bit sharper but I couldn't find one under $200 on ebay.

The 28mm will be fine. I don't own one, but used one years ago in news. Rockwell knows his stuff on these lenses. If you are going to be building up a Nikon set, become familiar with the MIR site as well:

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/nikon/nikkoresources/24mmnikkor/index.htm

Also, if you are going to be buying Nikon lenses, try to compare optics between the non-AI, AI, and AIS versions. The AIS versions often had some cost cutting done, as well as shorter focus throws in some cases. Better for photography, worse for video. I am building up a set of non-AI glass as much as I can. I'll fill in some AI where I have to. The older glass optically is often the same, or occasionally not as good, but it's consistent, and very high quality. The older stuff (pre-1970) is all metal. No plastic, no rubber. There's nearly nothing to wear out, fade, etc. And I prefer the old-school look. :)
 
Thanks. I've seen that the non-ai seems to be popular. The guy I bought the 24mm from says he upgraded to the 28mm. Hopefully I can do the same some day. This is good enough to get me started for now. I have a 50mm 1.8 and the helios 44-2 and the kit lens 18-55.
 
I'd bet money that in video mode you'll never be able to tell the difference between the 24 and 28 if you weren't told. Please try to remember the level of glass you're buying. This was the WORLD standard of it's time. Like Canon L glass and Nikon ED glass is now. At 5k, you still won't find the limits of this glass on your crop sensor.

Honestly, if I didn't need faster glass or didn't plan on doing much focusing manually, I'd just stick with the kit lens. Worry about the focal lengths the kit doesn't cover first. Get your 85, 105, 135, and 200. Then come back and worry about the 24, 35, and maybe a 20. If you've got a stock 50mm Canon, you may want to look at trading that up. Not for optical quality as it's just fine, but for the ability to focus the thing.
 
contrats. i hope the lens is clean...from the pics displaying the glass (which isnt very good) it doesnt seem that way. hope i am wrong. I see many more helios 44-2 with better pics. I try to get lenses with good pictures showing alot of the glass.
 
I got the adapter for the yashica (28mm f2.8) today. From initial idle shots i will say...i'm luving it :). Expect some footage within the week.

on another note. that blasted kawa adapter was stuck on the camera for a little till i could get it off...and i was having a bit of trouble with it on the lens. I;ve figured it out now. i'll use it for now and look for a better one in the meantime. it has a bit of play which is not a big bother....but it being stuck on the camera scared the heck outa me!
 
yeh its weird. cuz when i press the lens release and turned... the Lens actually just slipped off quite easily from the adapter leaving the adapter on the body. trust me...i was worried. so when i finally got it off the camera body and tested the adapter with just the lens alone, the lens would not lock in tight at all...kept slipping off with a slight turn. then i noticed a pin or lever or whatever inside that is supposed to lock the lens wasnt locking it properly so what i have to do now is manually push that lever down even more with my finger so it will lock the lens properly and not just slip off. I hope that made sense. anyway its fine now...but i will be looking for another one in the meantime. I leave for Belize on Saturady so it doesnt make sense for me to order one now cuz it wouldnt reach me in time.
 
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I have recently received a russian Mir 24 n 35 f2.0 lens to use on the t2i but apparently it is the only lens that doesn't work well with my M42 to EOS (Focus confirm) adapter. Because of the slightly protruding aperture lever on the back, the aperture ring doesn't close the iris when the lens is on the adapter and -worst- the lens doesn't focus to infinity. When the focus ring is on the infinity mark the lens focuses at about 1.5 metres. It appears that the lens should be screwed further on the adapter, hence closer to the sensor, to get the focus right, however it cannot go further.
This adapter works flawlesly (apart from some exposure flickering, but that's another story) with all my other M42 lenses.
Anyone can suggest a good adapter that would work with this lens?
Thank you in advance.
 
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Hey guys,

I just picked up a Vivitar Series 1 90mm 2.5. I know very little about lenses and next to nothing about vintage lenses.

Seems sharp and has beautiful bokeh:

Sharp example

Bokeh 1

Bokeh 2

I've been reading and I'm interested in getting a Tair-11A. Anyone know where I should look and what I can expect to pay?

Thanks,

Herb
 
I have recently received a russian Mir 24 n 35 f2.0 lens to use on the t2i but apparently it is the only lens that doesn't work well with my M42 to EOS (Focus confirm) adapter. Because of the slightly protruding aperture lever on the back, the aperture ring doesn't close the iris when the lens is on the adapter and -worst- the lens doesn't focus to infinity. When the focus ring is on the infinity mark the lens focuses at about 1.5 metres. It appears that the lens should be screwed further on the adapter, hence closer to the sensor, to get the focus right, however it cannot go further.
This adapter works flawlesly (apart from some exposure flickering, but that's another story) with all my other M42 lenses.
Anyone can suggest a good adapter that would work with this lens?
Thank you in advance.

My Mir 24 is a Nikon mount, but my Helios 44-4 is an M42. I have been using Fotodiox adapters, but when I tried one on the Helios 44-4 it did not press down the iris pin, so the lens stayed wide open. With the help of Chris Watson I order a different M42 to EOS adapter that has a wider flange which holds down the iris pin. Here's the link.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150133492455&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT
 
I have recently received a russian Mir 24 n 35 f2.0 lens to use on the t2i but apparently it is the only lens that doesn't work well with my M42 to EOS (Focus confirm) adapter. Because of the slightly protruding aperture lever on the back, the aperture ring doesn't close the iris when the lens is on the adapter and -worst- the lens doesn't focus to infinity.

Kosta my friend. Would you please let me (et al) know when you solve this? Thanks!
 
Hi Dave,
yes I will definitely post the solution when I have it. But for the moment I am stuck. I will try some other adapter (that I got without chip confirmation to avoid annoying exposure flickering), but feedback from people with this lens may be more helpful.
 
I was wondering if anyone has any comparisons between the super takumar 50/1.4 and contax zeiss planar 50/1.7 T*? yes the zeiss is a zeiss. But strictly for video use, which do you prefer and why? I can get my hands on the zeiss but for budget reasons I would need to part with my takumar to get that zeiss.

I currently have a T2i with the takumar 50/1.4, takumar 55/1.8, yashica ml 28/2.8, and zenitar 16mm. To zeiss or not to zeiss?
 
I was wondering if anyone has any comparisons between the super takumar 50/1.4 and contax zeiss planar 50/1.7 T*? yes the zeiss is a zeiss. But strictly for video use, which do you prefer and why? I can get my hands on the zeiss but for budget reasons I would need to part with my takumar to get that zeiss.

I currently have a T2i with the takumar 50/1.4, takumar 55/1.8, yashica ml 28/2.8, and zenitar 16mm. To zeiss or not to zeiss?

I have owned a Takumar 50/1.4. Nice lens, but I didn't get the yellowing fixed, so it was a pain to redo the white balance everytime I changed lenses to and from the Tak.

I also have a Zeiss 50/1.4. It's my favorite lens. Yes, it cost about $300 compared to the Tak at around $75, but just the feel of the Zeiss is worth it to me. I no longer own the Tak, so I am unable to give you a side by side visual comparison. Sorry.

I don't know if there is a great difference between the two lenses when it comes down to video. Maybe someone has a side by side comparision and in the end, it really comes down to personal preference.
 
See he's already showing signs of denial..."After i aquire these i'm going for broke and go for A leica summicron set next year (appr $2500)and chill after that"..lol their will never be a chill point.LBA claims another one!! lol
 
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