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Need advice for a first vintage lens


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Ok first, I know absolutely nothing about old lenses, and  it's even worse when it comes to all adapters available  :blink:

 

That being said, I feel that this kind of lens would be really fun to use, make me learn about 'old photography' and give some unique pictures.

 

I own a Fuji X-T1 (comming from Nikon DSLR) and a few lenses so far (12mm f2, 35mm f2, 18-55, 55-200). While I was looking for a portrait lens (between 50 and 80mm), I started to think about that kind of lens. Portrait is not my main kind of photography, so I don't want to spend too much on that.... and my budget will go over a X-T2 and other Fuji lenses really soon.

 

So, my question, what would be your suggestion as a first entry in that world... my criteria:

- easy to use

- cheap... because I don't know if I will like this kind of lens

- great for portrait / flowers

- usable at its largest aperture

- I don't care about dimension and weight, I don't plan to bring that lens always with me, unless I fall in love with its character !

 

Other than ebay, is there a good specialized online store that you would suggest?

 

Thanks

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I have tried and owned several ( read this thread that I’ve started some time ago) vintage lenses. http://www.fuji-x-forum.com/topic/2599-new-bokeh-monsters-or-classic-cheap-adapted-glass/?do=findComment&comment=24193

 

 

Currently I have have reduced my adapted lenses to only a few, although I now also own and use the Petzval 85mm ( Canon version with focal reducer) and have adapted two Leitz projection lenses ( elmaron 50mm and colorplan 90mm). 

 

 

I have found that the focal lengths that are practical to use are de ones between 35mm and 135mm. I have never found good lenses among the several 28mm that I’ve tried.

 

For true wideangles I am completely satisfied in using the 12mm Samyang which is a lens made for modern digital cameras. The reason is contained in this interview.

 

 


According to Mr. Takashi Ueno in his interview given to the Fujifilm Blog he says the following:

 

http://fujifilm-blog...ull-frame-dslr/

 

“...Firstly, the angle of light that film and imaging sensors can receive differ from each other. Film can receive light at the slanted angle of up to 45 degrees without any problem, but in case of the digital camera, the light needs to be as perpendicular to the sensor as possible. Slanted angle light causes mixed colors and therefore the real colors sometimes cannot be reproduced. In order to receive the light perpendicular to the sensor, it is important to make the rear glass element on each lens as big as possible to put the light beams parallel from the outlet of the light to the sensor. Finally, the back-focus distance should be shortened as much as possible to eliminate the degradation in image quality..."

 

 

 

 

 

You can  certainly use longer focals but then I would recommend you to chose lenses with internal focussing (IF) because otherwise dealing with the long focus excursion will be a difficult thing to do, while internal focus makes that all the easier.

 

One of the best has to be the 300mm f4 nikon EF a champion in compactness and relatively cheap price for a lens of this quality.

 

 

The best and easiest to use and to find type of lenses are the many varieties of 50mm , which, as you know, have a so called “ focal equivalent “ of around 80mm when used on a aps-c sensor.

 

Most of these lenses will be rather soft open and get sharper as you close the aperture. You can buy one for little money and then buy an adapter.

 

Generally you spend very little for a 50 f2 and spend more as you go up to f 1.2  

 

Adapters come in many brands (or no brand) and prices but in my experience there is no need to spend the money that a Novoflex ( or the other premium brands) adapter costs.

 

I would recommend K&F as “ dumb" adapter, Kipon tilt and shift ( I own the tilt only) and Zhongyi lens Turbo II as focal reducer adapter.

 

You can spend more on adapters but you wouldn’t necessarily get a better product while spending less might give you some disappointing experience.

Edited by milandro
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Have been rather happy with the Takumars on my x-pro1: 50mm f4 macro and 105mm f2.8  (K&F concept m42-fx adapter is fine)

 

The 50mm is radioactive, so you do need to take care not to store it under a cradle.

 

Alternatively, there's some other threads on this forum on the helios 44.

 

These option should be well under $100 or even half that.

Edited by Florian
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Thank you guys for your comments, really appreciated. Andrea, as discussed I find your offering interesting. Would be an easy solution to enter in this world without headache. It seems that this lens is quite good staring at f2. The biggest issue being the flare but I could live with thisI will continue reading on this topic on the next days and will make a decision later about your lense, if it's still available.

 

 

I have also read good comments about Super Takumar 50 or 55 1.4 as well as some Minolta 1.7 in that focal range. But I was not aware of the radioactivity of some lenses :huh: I'll see. The big issue for me, it to buy a lens from ebay by making sure that 1) will fit on my Fuji (choosing the right adapter) and 2) it's in good condition.

 

Sebastien

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It kinda depends if you want to use a new manual focus lens (Samyang/Rokinon, Zonlai etc) or if you want to use an old lens for character. For the old lenses, as has been mentioned, the 50mm lenses are great - lots of variety both in price and manufacturers. The Industar 61-L/Z 50mm f/2.8 is nice and sharp, cheap, and comes with it's own extension tube to use for macro (below taken with the lens on a Canon body before I got the Fuji!):

 

32580855054_ef71ea751a_c.jpgbutterfly by Hugh Jones, on Flickr

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I went through the same journey looking for a cheap vintage lens after getting the fuji 18mm, 35mm and 55mm-200mm.

 

I originally planned on one or two lens, but ended up with a variety collection of vintage glass. Because they are so affordable. I have found to love each for different reasons. In general, most vintage glass for me can get soft wide open (which I don't mind at all as most of the edges will be bokehlicious), but are still sharp in the middle. From personal taste, I have found that my favorites are (have not used any takuma or nikkor...)

 

Jupiter 9 (85mm f2.0)

Zeiss Jena Tessar (50mm f2.8)

Helios 44-2 (58mm f2.0)

Zeiss Jena Sonnar (135mm f3.5)

Minolta MC (58mm f1.4)

Meyer Optik domiplan (50mm f2.8)

 

I used the K&F m42-fx dumb adapter and it's perfect.

 

I have a few vintage 28mm as well, but they never get used over my fuji 35mm...

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Great colletion atadpole13!

 

For sure I know that I will buy the Helios 58 f2 as a second vintage lens, for its special boken and to bring some creativity.

 

But for a day to day use, and capture great portraits and flowers and wide apertures, I'm now debating between a Canon FDn 50mm f1.4, a Minolta MC Rokkor-PG 50mm f/1.4, Pentax M 50mm f1.7 SMC and a Takumar SMC 55mm f1.8

 

I read somewhere that Canon might be usable at f1.4 (less soft than other models, also better contrast), but the Takumar has better bokeh and also really sharp at 1.8

Edited by sebas1430
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I just got the Takumar 55/1.8 and only had a chance to play with it a little.  I don't have the 56/1.2 Fuji so this was a cheap alternative.  So far, I'm quite happy with it.  It didn't come with proper lens caps or lens good, so I have (via ebay) ordered proper lens caps and a genuine Takumar lens hood.  When they arrive (hopefully in the next week), my Takumar 55/1.8 will be 100% genuine and complete.  

 

I've gotten all of my adapters off of Amazon and I think I have 3 different brands in total and they pretty much all seem to be built the same.  All were around $40 CAD delivered.

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Careful ... it can get addicting.   :)

 

I know!

 

And yesterday I have found this review: https://phillipreeve.net/blog/canon-fd-300mm-4-l-review/

 

I really want to get the Fuji 100-400 in the future (maybe late this year or early next year) to shoot wild life. This 300mm f4 lens could be a really good option too. Sure there is no AF or stabilization, but for the kind of animals I like to shoot (moose, fox, deer, bears), I think it could work great, using a monopod. For small birds in flight, it's a different story, but it's not my goal.

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Sebas, as the others already told you, it's plenty of great manual lenses out there.

The russians, or better some of them have a great quality and they're really sturdy. Otherwise are Zeiss copies. Also they're very cheap.

I just sold my Tair 3S, a great 300mm with a useful focusing system. The thing is you have to use it on a tripod, or anyways on a monopod since it's heavy compared to the camera body.

I have a preference for the Takumars that have an awesome quality, but it depends on your taste. The Asahi Pentax was the main camera for the pros in the '60s and early '70s before the arrival of the Nikon with its bayonet system.

Also, it's true that some lenses are radioactive (I have the 50mm f/1,4 which is awesome) but don't think it's alot. I mean, your cell phone is surely much worse. More, I don't think you'll be taking pics with a lens like that for hours and hours every day.

Anyways you have alot of lenses to chose from, and being the Fuji a 4/3 kind of system, you can also go for a 50 (which is a 75).

Check online, it's a good source to see samples of all kinds.

Every now and then I upload some samples on my Flickr page at Foto Fix. You'll be able to get an idea on the results of each lens.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I finally decided to buy the Canon New FD 50mm f1.4 and I can't wait to receive it!

 

I think my next lens will be the Helios 44-2, and I must admit that having a 85mm f1.8 is tempting B)

I think you'll like it. I use lots of FD lenses on my Fuji and my leica m240. The 1.4 is fantastic.

 

Be prepared to buy at least 2 copies of the helios. Also pick up a spanner wrench which can be used to take many vintage lenses apart and clean the lens elements.

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I think you'll like it. I use lots of FD lenses on my Fuji and my leica m240. The 1.4 is fantastic.

 

Be prepared to buy at least 2 copies of the helios. Also pick up a spanner wrench which can be used to take many vintage lenses apart and clean the lens elements.

Yes I really like it so far. And I also got a Canon FD 300mm f4 L which is pretty good! That last one was pricey so I will wait before buying other lenses.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I can warmly recommend the Minolta MC 55mm f1.7. It is the perfect focal length for manual non stabilized portraiture and quite usable at f1.7 (very creamy bokeh: https://goo.gl/photos/DhQeUU6bdBo9grLG6). At slightly higher apertures it gets pretty sharp (https://goo.gl/photos/L49FYyfCc24Wvd6c9). It gets soft near its closest focus though.

 

As it is one underappreciated Minolta lens it is pretty cheap. I shot it on my Minolta X-700 and now use it with my XE2. From standard lens to portrait lens :) I use the Minolta MD 50mm f1.4, 50mm f2 and 28mm f2.8 but I highly prefer the 55mm f1.7 for its rendering and rock solid build.

 

Here is a good review:

https://phillipreeve.net/blog/minolta-mc-rokkor-11-7-55mm-review/

 

and more samples:

https://goo.gl/photos/RrPdBbR8Jdhi8cdC9

https://goo.gl/photos/PVWcBctFbSKbnGZE8

https://goo.gl/photos/bQoNcpgzuC5EvS1u6

https://goo.gl/photos/37sq7wgmZoJoZnbVA

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If you already bought the FD lenses and adapter, should you get the helios or another M42, consider getting the cheap and thin M42->FD adapter, instead of a new M42->FX adapter.

 

Aside from saving weight, and likely money, another advange is FD is relatively short flange so you can also fit Nikon, etc to it.

Also, if you ever decide to get a speedbooster, you can get an FD->FX one, and have evertyhing go through the FD mount, native or adapted.

 

Cons would be:

- 2 adapters are more likely to mess with infinity focus, though not if they are both good and solid

- Not evertyhing can be adapted to FD (some have a shorter flange, but long enough that it would fit FX with a native adapter).

 

Anyhow, enjoy your lenses!

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Try the Super-Takumar lenses, as they all have character (instead of flaws). The Super-Multi-Coated TAKUMAR and (K-mount) SMC lenses are boring, as the coatings are too scientifically perfect.

 

Also, don't worry about the radio-active thorium coated lenses. The levels are lower than those emitted by a marble kitchen counter and the yellowing acts as a nice "warming" filter, that AutoWB compensates for rather well.

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  • 3 weeks later...

gotta add Contax G lenses to your list. I have the 45mm F2, and my, oh, my. there are two others in this trio - the 28mm and 90. I'm more of a wide angle person than a tele, but what I have been seeing from and reading about the 90mm on the X-trans sensor is nothing but awesomeness. they later came out with a 21mm and 35mm though not as sharp as the first three especially the 45mm.

 

they are are pretty small lenses and so are the adapters. next best thing to Leica M mount lenses and their adapters as far as overall size factor goes.

 

since you have the X-T2, they'd especially be great for video (from what I have been seeing).

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so I just picked up the Contax G 90mm. right away I could 'see' just how well images were looking as far as IQ goes, even wide open. I was able to check it out at B&H's used department before buying. I'm surprised it was considered an 8+. i got it for pretty cheap. I'm not much of a tele person, but given the price (much cheaper than the 21mm that I wanted next), its great optical quality and pocketable size (for a 90mm!!!), I just had to get it. I know it's out of your 50mm-80mm range, but I think it's still worth considering.

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