The ultimate guide to Vintage Glass

Great thread Tijmen! +k

My lens setup, now that I gave my sister my 18-55, is now all MF, and mostly vintage.

-SMC Takumar 50mm f/1.4

-SMC Takumar 28mm f/3.5

-Super Takumar 135mm f/3.5

-Opteka/Rokinon 6.5/8mm f/3.5

I'll also be getting a Rokinon 35mm f/1.4 soon.

I'd love to get more into vintage glass, and branch out from my takumars a bit...

Any ideas? I'm running a T3i, so APS-C sensor means no need for anything over 135 really...
 
The 35mm Rokinon is an AMAZING lens. I absolutely LOVE mine.

You got a nice setup right there.

Two focal lengths you might want to add are sub-20mm and an 80-85mm.

For a sub-20mm the 17mm Tokina RMC (also sold under the Vivitar brand name. Make sure you get the 67mm filter thread size and not the version with the 77mm filter thread; that one blows) is a GREAT lens. I've had a couple copies. They go for around 200$ on ebay I think.

For a 85mm, the Nikon 85mm f/2 is a GREAT lens. I think those go for around 150-200$. If you want the speed, the Samyang/Rokinon 85mm f/1.4 is really hard to beat though. Such a great lens for the price.
 
Which ~50mm lens should I get? I was originally thinking about the takumar 50 1.4 s-m-c, but now I'm kind of leaning towards a helios because of the awesome bokeh. Have you tried either of them?
 
Get the SMC, it's wonderful!Seriously nicest manual portrait lens on a crop, as well as one of the best normals on a full frame.

I love mine!
 
Yeah. I had them both. 50mm isn't my favorite focal length, so I ditched them.

If you don't need the speed, the Super-Takumar 55mm f/2 (with the yellow letters) is AMAZINGLY sharp. It blows anything I know straight out of the water. The only thing that's better is the Leica 50mm Summicron. The coating isn't as good as the SMC versions, but it's much sharper (and costs almost nothing).

The Helios is a nice lens, but the bokeh isn't something I'd use in action sports.

The Olympus Zuiko 50mm f/1.8 (get an MC version, so not the F.Zuiko version, just plain 'Zuiko') is a great lens for the money I think. Produces neutral tones and costs like 25$.
 
Holy shit dude! That's an amazing price. I have a Super Wide 28mm. Great little lens too.

Prepare for having the smoothest focus ever. Might even be smoother than Takumar lenses (say what?)
 
ebay auction bro, think i got lucky, but i had another one on my watch list that went for like £38 or something i think..
 
Just picked up some fd glass for my gh2.

canon 24mm 2.8 scc

Canon 50mm 1.8 sc (got it for 15 bucks why not?)

Canon 50mm 3.5 macro (my first macro lens so fun!)

Canon 135mm 1.5

Stoked on these lenses. i Really love my 24mm
 
So my sigma super wide ii arrived, and it doesn't fit the current om to EOS mount I have, I think it might be that it the one I have doesn't have the af confirm on it, can anybody assure me this is why it won't fit? i don't want to have to buy an adapter and find it doesn't work.

If this isn't the reason, what is most likely gone wrong?
 
I'm not familiar with af confirm, but I'm sure you'd be able to tell if the af confirm chip was getting in the way.

Other than that maybe it was mislabelled and isn't OM? compare it to something else you have? if you post a pic of the mount I'm sure somebody will know.
 
You bought an OM-EF adapter, correct?

Where doesn't it fit? Does the lens not fit in the adapter ring, or doesn't the adapter ring fit the EF mount of your camera?

If the lens doesn't fit in the mount, try using different slots. With OM lenses, there's 3 different ways you can mount the lens - 2 of them will still allow for the lens to fall out of the mount. The third (and correct way) will just snap into the ring, locking it.

If the ring doesn't fit the camera there's not much you can do (granted you're 100% sure you bought the correct adapter). The red dot on the adapter ring should line up with the dot on your camera and it should just slide in smoothly.
 
Yep, the circumference of the adapter ring is literally just too small for the lens. I think the seller has written the wrong mount. It isn't the an ais mount because I have an adapter for that it doesn't fit that either, isn't ef because obviously it doesn't fit my cam, I'm wondering whether it might be a Minolta mount, which will suck massively because they don't adapt?
 
New to vintage glass, so if someone could help me out that would be excellent. Looking for a WA vintage prime lens (around 18-24mm range) that can be adapted to a 5dii. I currently have a sigma 24mm 1.8 and find myself only using it for video, so I figured I'd sell it and put money elsewhere, and fill the gap with a cheap MF prime. any suggestions?
 
Come on, do a little research, read through this thread (yes, the one you are in right now), and THIS thread.
 
Also, for my current vintage prime setup...

Tokina 17mm f3.5 RMC - free.99

Vivitar 28mm f2.0 (Komine build) - 65$ from 1337

Pentax S-M-C (M) 50mm f1.7 - 25$ from some Belizian dude on C-list

Chinon 135mm f2.8/Nikkor AI-s 135mm f2.8 - 9$ from goodwill

I eventually want to add a faster 50mm, but I can't really come up with a great reason to ditch the Pentax, as I JUST got it last week, along with the Tokina and the Nikkor 135.

I also have access to the Rokinon 35mm t1.5 that I used to own, but sold to my buddy a month ago (didn't make a whole heap of sense, being that I have the 28mm to cover that focal length for way cheaper, and I never do iris ramping like I thought I would - plus that thing was stupid heavy and obnoxious to film with, and I like a lighter rig)

I usually just use these for video, but I take some photos with them from time to time.

I love that it gives me these effective focal length options on aps-c...

28mm f3.5

50mm f2

80mm f1.7

200mm f2.8

adding a 85-90mm lens would be nice to give me an effective 135ish option, in order to finish out the range, but I can't entirely justify it yet, as I rarely use that focal length, and the 135mm is fine as that length anyways, for portraits...

 
If you're looking for a faster 50mm I could recommend the Olympus Zuiko 50mm f/1.4. The S-M-C/SMC Tak 50mm's are great, but give a slight yellow cast (nothing dramatic), but not something I really like. I must admit I'm a Olympus glass fanboy, but still, I really the colors and how the lens handles.
 
I would definitely get one, if I could also get an OM body to go with it. Zuiko glass is sexy as fucking hell. Made so damn well. But... as of right now, the 1.7 pentax will be just fine.

 
I forget why exactly they do this, but its is easily fixed by exposing the glass to UV light for a while, that will remove the yellowing of the elements
 
Minolta Rokkor-x 58 1.2 converted to EOS

Or Canon 55 1.2 FL converted to EOS
 
oh I was just saying those are probably the two best 50's out, the minolta being the better of the two
 
Hey, I have a vintage glass question I found this deal on cragislist for $85, would it be a good deal for my t2i? Pentax ME super 35mm film camera

smc Pentax-A 1:2 50mm lense

Tokina SD 70-210mm 1:4

Tamron-f Tele-converter 2x

Thanks!
 
Sorry for double post but I also found this: Minolta X-9 with 5 lenses,as Minolta celtic 200mm 1:4 , Rokkor-X 50-135mm 1:35 , Rokkor- X 1:1.4 F=50mm, Soligor 50-105 mm 1:35 Saitex 28mm 1:2.8 Exc. cond

Any input?

Thanks!
 
Correct. That's Thorium, a non-harmful radioactive substant in the glass. Like Thomas said: just put it in sunlight and it will clear right up, but even then, Asahi-Takumar glass tends to be a bit warmer.
 
It is. As MANY different brands actually:

Samyang (the manufacturer), Rokinon, Bower, Wallimex, Vivitar, Pro-Optics and Falcon (and maybe even more).

The Rokinon's tend to be the cheapest in the US.
 
The Pentax glass will work on your Canon camera. Just get a K-EF or PK-EF adapter and you're good to go. You'll have to set your aperture manually, but that's no biggie.

The Minolta glass, however, won't fit on your Canon body, at least not with an optical adapter, which GREATLY reduces the image quality (ergo, not worth it).
 
Hi,

I recently got a Nikon AI/AF adaptor ring for Canon 5D. I do not have great knowledge about old lenses although I am very interested to use old glass on quite modern sensors (I experiment more film cameras).

So basically, with the adaptor I bought, 10euros, what glass can I get ?

Thanks you very much !

I posted this in the unthreadworthy thread...
 
Well, your kitlens is probably a 18-55. What you have there are a fast 50mm prime and a telephoto zoom lens - so it doesn't overlap with your kit lens.

Despite what everybody on NS says: the kitlens is a great piece of glass; don't let anyone else tell you otherwise.
 
Yes, sorry, I should have said much sharper then my kit lense, I do really like the kit but after a year and a half of shooting with it I am ready to start investing in some better glass. Basically I just want to make sure I am getting a decent deal on some decent glass, haha
 
Well, I wouldn't pay that kind of money for that Pentax glass.

If I were you, I'd get something a little more quality of ebay. Just decide what focal length you want and get something I recommended in the OP.
 
What is the best FD to EF adaptor? I've seen some for like 15 bucks and some for 40. What's the difference?
 
Also talking to this guy on Craigslist about some older canon stuff. I'll give you guys the email he sent me. Let me know if there's anything decent in here.

Logan,

Here is a listing of my Canon equipment:

Cameras-

     AE - 1 Program    I have three of them  -  one doesn't work

     FTb

     AT - 1

Flashes

     Speedlite 177A

     Speedlite 188A

Filters

     Tiffen  52mm   

     Sears  52mm

     Sears  52mm  +4

Lenses  

     Make          Power                  Lowest aperture 

      Rokinon      200 mm                 4.5

      Vivitar         75-205 mm             3.8

      Canon        100-200 mm            5.6

      Canon        35 mm                    2.8

      Tokina        28 mm                    2.8

      Canon        50 mm                    1.8       I have three of them

      Canon        Macro                     3.5

      Canon        28 mm                    2.8

      Samyang   100-500 mm             5.6

Extension tube

2 x converter

All the lenses are the FD mount which attach to the above cameras.

Thanks for your interest,

Dan

I'm really looking at the prime lenses. Let me know what's good and not so good. And if any of you want anything I could pick it up and ship it to you if you Paypal me whatever it costs. Haven't asked him on prices yet, hoping you guys can help me with that. Give me your advice NS
 
Quad post

Flashes-

Speedlite 177a

Speedlite 188a

Lenses-

Rokinon 200mm f4.5

Vivitar 75-205mm f3.8

Canon 35mm- f2.8

Tokina 28mm f2.8

3x canon 50mm f1.8

Canon macro f3.5

Canon 28mm f2.8

Samyang- 100-500 mm f5.6

Hanimex 135mm f2.8

Extension tube 2x converter

And a few filters
 
Don't waste your time with FD glass on Canon EF camera's. You need an adapter that uses glass, eg: the quality will be shit.

Look at other brands instead.
 
Buddy of mine has one. It's fun, but folders are pretty hard to use I've found. I've got a 6x4.5 (that can be converted into a 6x9) and it's fun, but hard. Rather take the M645 if I want to shoot that format.
 
i was kinda guessing it wouldn't be easy. basically i want to start fucking around with 120 and don't really want to lug around a TLR, so I was looking at rangefinders but those are all so damn expensive. the folding viewfinders do seem like kind of a bitch with sub-par lenses, but more portable (and cheaper). who knows.
 
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