6 FANTASTIC VALUE Vintage Lenses You SHOULD BUY!
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- Опубликовано: 13 янв 2024
- Not all vintage lenses are created equal. I've shot hundreds of vintage lenses, and these are my picks for top value and top performance. They will give you quirky, characterful images like no others, and for a great price too.
Not all vintage lenses are great, but ALL of these will make great, characterful and quirky images on your mirrorless camera, or indeed on film!
I've shot hundreds of vintage lenses, and these are the best I've used.
Try at least one - I guarantee you won't be disappointed!
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1.- 40mm F1.8 - AR mount - Konica Hexanon 2:26
2.- 58mm F2.0 - M42 mount - Helios 44 KMZ 6:22
3.- 50mm F3.5 - M39 mount - Industar-10 FED 11:26
4.- 50mm F2.0 - M39 mount - Jupiter-8 KMZ 15:55
5.- 50mm F1.8 - M42 mount - Carl Zeiss Jena DDR MC Pancolar 20:04
6.- 35mm F2.4 - M42 mount - Carl Zeiss Jena DDR MC Flektogon 24:00
Thank you for sharing them Nigel!
Might be nice to also see chapters listed in a near 30 minute video ?
I want you to know that you are a good person for doing this :)
Thank you @lukebessell8830 for your kind words! Your support and encouragement inspire me. It's people like you who make the world a better place.
Thank you 🙏
Thank you, @infinityfabric
the way you speak about lenses just gives me peace and joy. I am 33 years old and i owe every konica lens but the 35mm f2 and i love them! if i had to keep a lens set i would take the konicas haha
Initially FED cameras, as copies of Leika, were maiden by orphans in Kharkiv, Ukraine (in that time - USSR), in an orphanage named after Feliks Edmundvich Dzerzhinskiy (that is meaning of FED), led by famous educator Anton Makarenko. Those kids really put their soul on what they did.
I own them all apart from the Industar. In addition, I have the silver Jupiter 8, the 44-2 Zebra, the Pancolar 50/2 and the Flektogon 35/2.8 - among many others which I also rate like my Meyer-Optik Gorlitz collection.
I totally agree with your reviews of the lenses you showcased. However, if you love the 'vintage' look I highly recommend buying the older Pancolar f2 and the Flektogon f2.8. They're very 'dreamy' in output while retaining the sharpness and colour rendition of their more clinical younger siblings - in the right, bright conditions. Try them out in the 'golden hour' when their character changes completely. The soft light brings out something special.
As ever, thanks for your thoughts. It's always a pleasure listening to you.
I have that Flectogon 35mm f2.8, silver version. Totally agree, great lens anout shrpness and color rendition which is amazing. Do uou know mybe what is the differnce, if theres any, between Pancolar Zebra 50mm f1.8 and Pancolrar latest version? 🤔
Recently I've been watching a lot of youtuber's reviews of some cameras I'm thinking of buying -- possibly a Fuji or Olympus or Sony model. I haven't decided yet. What confounds me is that when they edit in their sample photos, it's the most boring pictures I've ever seen. Boring pictures of their families, boring pictures of their cats, cowardly street photography, and boring architecture. Worst of all, the cringey wedding gig photos. However, your sample photos are always so interesting. I like your eye for photography, especially your street photography. You have a picture of a rock which elicits emotion when I view it. Keep making great videos, we need someone out here like you who "gets it."
Depends what you are looking for. Pentax has an excellent lineup and many of the older lenses work on the newer models as well. I have the pentax sf-10 35mm with a couple of lenses and tripod i got free. Waiting funds so i cAn use film and process. They aslo have some great digital ones as well water resistant and great reviews.
I also like James Popsys. I dont watch him for gears infos though. But just photography (style?) in general.
Thank you so much for sharing. I agree with another mate I've read here, your photos are so interesting and misterious, and really enjoy the pace of your story.
My favourite vintage lens is my Pentax 50mm f1.7, everything about it is wonderful from the way it feels and works to its amazing sharpness and colour rendition. Almost every shot I take with this I like (sometimes I can't even explain why, I just like what it does.).
My second favourite is my Konica Hexanon 40mm f1.8, small in size and sharp as a tack.
My third favourite is my Minolta Rokkor 58mm f1.4. Beautiful bokeh and colours. A little soft fully open (but not too soft, especially for portraits) and really sharp at f5.8-f11 for landscapes. It does need a lens hood though to prevent flare even if the sun is to the side a bit.
The more of these videos come out the more prices go up because there starts to be a demand. I keep seeing videos with "cheap" vintage lenses and then go and look for them online I see them for $250+
Another superb video, I'm totally absorbed, I'm thinking the Helios is on my shopping list. Way back when I used to shoot a Zenith with a KMZ Helios on it, wish I'd kept it.
Regards Rob.
Brilliant video and happy new year nigel
I’d like to extend my thanks to you. Sometime ago I watched a video where you discussed the CZJ Flektogon. On the back of this I bought one for my Leica SL2s and quite honestly it’s made me fall in love with the lens and a camera I was not particularly fond of. Thank you.
Great ... wonderful collection and analysis ... thanks for sharing experience
Great collection of lenses all good performers all have their own unique properties for the look you want.
Great video, thanks! You're always bringing new and welcomed ideas. I want to add something to Konica: I own also the 40/1.8 which you speak so highly of and you're absolutely spot on. Konica in general are very good lenses anyway. But about sharpness, I just compared the 40/1.8 with the Konica M Hexanon Lens 50mm F2 and the latter is even substancially sharper! Agreed, more expensive also, but as you often say, one has to be patient and with time there's often a bargain around the corner...
Hello Nigel my friend! Very useful video about some fine vintage lenses! Thank you! Imagine I purchased a vintage lens also worth every penny - the Minolta MD Rokkor 8.0/100-500 mm. What a behemoth! If you wish I can send you some pictures as soon as possible. Best wishes, Ralf
Amazing video! Thank you I’ve purchased one of Konica Hexanon 40mms and excited to try it.
Have you found anything similar in a longer focal length? Like an 85 or thereabouts?
Haven't tried my Flek 35.f2/4 on ,My A7ii yet great on M4/3 and APSC , have you tried any Topcor lenses ? recently converted a Kowa 50mm f 1.8 from a fixed lens SLR , lovely clear images too .
Another great video Sir.
Have the helios 44-2 kmz, the pancolar and the flek. I want the konica now, felt like it had so much depth in your shots… Thanks for the content!
I have the Helios-44 and I agree that it's a very nice lens. Literally the only reason I haven't shot more with that is that I own a 50/1.4 Minolta that's an absolute treasure.
I have a fine collection of lenses, from vintage to modern. I agree the Helios stands out. Just something about it. I'm on my second one now. My first was the one with the 13 blades, but after one year, the blades became just soaked with oil. So I trashed it. I paid $45 for it. My second copy, I purchased from a Lens Tech. It was $75 US. The tech had CLA'd the lens and regreased it with modern silicone-based lubricant. We worth the extra money IMO.
Can you do a video on how to best focus on human subjects with wide and 50mm plus focal length lenses? I find it hard on non wide lenses to focus perfectly on eyes even with focus peaking
My 2 favourite lenses at the moment are for those magic photographic hours that we all love so much.
For the "Golden Hour" I love the colours given by my Super Takumar 50mm f/1.4, the radioactive one, and my copy has a wonderful warm tint to the glass that I have no intention of "correcting", in my eyes it's what makes the lens so fabulous.
and
For the "Blue Hour" I have my Nikkor-S Auto f1.4 50mm Nippon Kogaku silver nose, one of the early AI lenses. Nikon glass is notoriously cool in its rendition and this lens is no exception.
These 2 lenses cover pretty much all shooting conditions seen throughout the day - it's a bit overcast? warm it up with the Pentax, midday sun too yellow? cool it down with the Nikon, then just wait for those magical gold and blue hours and enjoy beautiful colours SOOC without fiddling around with White Balance.
The right lens for the right job.
George
Nigel, can you use peaking and magnification together on your A7? When I magnify with my A7ii, I lose peaking when I activate magnification. Thanks!
interesting stuff,right up my street,love experimenting with vintage glass
Hi! Not a longtime watcher or anything, just wanted to say you look like the Home Alone kid as a grown fellow. Have a nice day
My favourite out of this lot is the Fed. I really like the look of the photos. I think if someone such as one of the . . . Artisan companies made a lens these days giving the same look they'd be very popular.
Excellent recommendations!!!great thanks!!❤❤❤
hello and thanks for your advice. This is exactly why I wanted to ask you for specific advice. I'm looking for a vintage very wide 10/14/16 lens from Canon or Olympus to mount on my Sony A7 R3. I wouldn't know where to find it in good condition and at a fair price. do you have any advice on this? Thanks in advance and have a nice day. (N.B.: I have the Canon and Olympus adapter ring
) Stefano
Well now. I took your advice and went straight from this video to ebay to look for a Fed 10 50mm f3.5 as it looks like something I'd really enjoy. Found and ordered, but too quickly maybe, as it seems it's a 50's/60's version with coated optics. But... it looks like it has 10 (or possibly more) aperture blades. I'm still excited either way.
By the way, the Canon EF 2.8/40 mm pancake is also really nice lens which works very well with the Fringer adapter on the Nikon Z6
Canon 40mm is a lovely sharp lens works well on my Canon T4i but maybe could adapt it... to another body....?
@@philhodgkinson1460 Yes, with a Fringer smart adapter.
I'm enjoying your videos and I know that you love the Pancolar .. and so do I.
But I can highly recommend two similar lenses which you may not have tried yet ?
The Fujinon 55mm f1.8 EBC an the Fujinon 50mm f1.6 .. both M42 mount but the f1.6 version is quite rare. I got both for under £30 each and they both produce vibrant colours and 3D pop.. You would like them I think 😁
I have a helios 44m_4 58mm f2 from Zenit I want a 40mm f2 to go with it, I love the Bokae these lenses give wide open I just need to learn how to use my camera with them.
Perhaps you've done so already, but I'd love a video on value zooms. The first one I'd nominate is the Nikon Series E 75-150, readily available for fifty bucks on this side of the pond. My go-to tele zoom over a decade of travel journalism. Love that lens.
Hi, what camera / lense did you use to produce this video? I like it
Out of your list, I only have the Flektogon, but I also love my CZJ Sonnar 135mm f3.5, Takumar SMC 50 f1.4 and (maybe I have a good copy) the Chinon AUTO 55mm f1.7.
Hi Nigel, you usually rate theOM 50mm and Canon 50mm FD. Highly. Would you rate them above or below the six here or is it not important anyway. After all they are all good!
Hi great videos info. I have pentacon 50mm f.1.8 and chinon 55mm f 1.4. Meyer gorlitz 135mm f2. 8. Best regards James in Scotland.
16:20 i like the render of Jupiter-8 but the extremely light focus, without resistance is a bit a problem for me. a gentle touch an rhe barrel and you lost the focus.. i would like a litte more resistance.
love the shots taken from your Konica 40mm lens. always wanted something around that focal range, unfortunately, AR mount is one of the few SLR mounts not adaptable to Canon. i really like the thin adaptors you can use with Canon for adapting lenses. doesnt add any to the barrel length/ergonomics of the setup.
Which canon are you shooting with?
It's adaptable to the rf mount
Konica 40mm is a decent lense, one of few Konica lenses made by Tokina.
The pancolar 50mm is too hyped for what it is, instead you may want to consider the Nikon pancake (either the series E, the JP pancake or the mk3) or the Nikon 50mm long nose. Cheers.
Thank you. You are SO bad for my budget! BTW, the lens that has been shocking me lately is a Pentacon 50mm f/1.8. Of the over a dozen 50mm lenses I have, including various vintage and modern, I can't find one that is more crisp and contrasty, without looking overdone. I have some from a shoot this last week (in a howling 8c 50kph snowstorm) that were just stunning. I haven't played with bokeh bubbles with this inexpensive lens - but the shots of bridge structure mist and snow are utterly magical.
Definitely not the "old school" delicate vibe - but what a little powerhouse lens.
Agreed, wide open it's very painterly, beyond f4 it's amazingly sharp (even more than a Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar), and bokeh is nice, it swirls a little bit
Hello Nigel,
It's funny..... I've had more than 50 Helios lenses. All versions, different examples and different manufacturers. I've kept only one. It's a 44m Valdai version. I've tested them against each other. The Valdai version maybe is not so good build like the KMZ versions. But in my experience, the Valdai versions are the best in image quality. Always the sharpest. But this is only my experience and I would only buy Valdai-made again.
Greetings from Berlin,
Denis
Is there a difference between an Asahi and Pentax? I see some lenses witj Asahi, some with Pentax and some with Asahi Pentax.
None, they're all the same.
I have what I am sure is a prewar FED 10 lens 3.5,4.5,6.3 etc.Serial number 3838,this number is in raised charachters,like it was hand written in weld.
Great lenses. I can vouch for the Pancolar 50mm f1.8, Flek 35 f2.4, and the Helios 44. Got these lenses for cheap in Germany. There is a zoom lens that I have never seen any reviews on…The SMC Takumar 45-125mm f4. My goodness! If anybody ever stumbles on that lens for a good price, don’t hesitate.
ruclips.net/video/SGcDDUsbpTQ/видео.html
Well, i so much liked this episode, that I thought of maybe buy a Biostar lens. Well, fine. BUT THEN, i found out that Meyer makes new reincarnation of the Biostar 58, at a rather high price compared. Now, the thing is... Ta da da, they also make the Biostar 75 mm II. Now I got confused... Have you tested the original 75 mm Biostar? If I should choose between 58 and 75 mm (without thinking of the price difference) for my MFT OM-1 camera. I want to use it for flower portrait, human portrait, animal portrait mostly. Should you prefere the 75 mm II over the 58 mm II? As I can read, the 75 mm is optically better kind of, but what will be nicer for a smaller sensor? And as original, the Biostar 75 is way more expensive to buy than the 58, mostly due to small production, but this question is about optics feelings and the Biostar character.
I just want large aperture, it's so annoying to find large aperture optics because they always list the focal ratio as aperture so for each and every listing I have to find the focal length and do the math to get the real aperture.
Any difference between 44 and 44.3
which digital camera do you suggest for M42 mounts ? i am still shooting with my Zenit-E camera, but would like to switch to full digital.
Depends on your budget, but generally speaking any mirrorless camera will do the job. Older DSLRs can do the job too, if they have clearance. Canon EF cameras do, Nikon not so easily.
As skipful says, but also try to get a full frame sensor. A crop sensor will not give you full pot with the vintage lenses. If your pocket is thight, I would recomend the canon 5D mk2. Big, heavy, and beautiful rendering. If you can, I would still ho for a mirrorless fullframe. Got the sony A72, and can confirm it's easier to take sharp pictures on vintage lenses, due to inhouse stabilization, and focus peaking. Picture quality is more or less the same at both these cameras. Also it's possible to fit a lot more lenses to a mirrorless, due to shorter flange focus distance, and no risk of mirrorslap.
@@sidekickbob7227 googled the canon eos 5D mk2 and i cant see that this one has a m42 screw mount on the camera. so do i need an adapter?
@@marcelfrehse Yes. You will not find any dslr with M42 mount (as I know about). But there's a lot of adapters you can buy for M42-EF. This sort of adapter is without lenses, and will not alter the optics of the lens in any way. If you buy the cheapest chinese ones, you might find them a bit loose on the EF connection. If this happends, there's possible to thighten it up a little, by shimming it with a little tape (makes it thighter). You can get away with only one adapter for all your lenses, but I gound it easier to have one adapter per lens. If you go for the Canon 5D mk2, then you can download the free "magic lantern" software, put it on the memory card, and you will have access to a lot of extra/more advanced features in a "new" meny. I did it on my 5D, and found it helpful. There's a lot of good cameras you can use, but make sure it's a full frame sensor. Otherwise your investment will not make sence in my consideration. The 5D is solid as a tank, but a bit heavy. Picture wise, it's good.
@@sidekickbob7227thank you! i consider to go for the Canon 5d mk2. that sounds reasonable for me. i am still film photo guy, but sometimes i would change to digital.
That Duff Jupiter 8 .(1966?) I think I have it lol.
9mm nex 39 abapter no good for it. But the 1mm nex to 42, and a 39 ring and it almost focuses. Looks like a tidy clean lens (apart from 1 Phillips screw and declicked) short setup has nice proportion. .clean optics but of the wrong shape,nothing obvious missing damaged.its not like there is space for the helicoid to be 8mm out of adjustment. Very curved focal plane. It's so terrible it had to wait 40 years for a camera to be able to use it. Love the orrible lil thing.
What was last lens pls the 35mm don't think you said its name Nigel??
Wonder bar video BTW.....
Oh iHave a jupiter 8 and lost it in the house if I buy another it's bound to turn up.... Ha
have you - or anyone who reads this ever tried the M42 lenses from Voigtländer? - they were sold with VSL1 TM cameras from Voigtländer/Rollei and were actually western Zeiss lenses. Zeiss had a colaboration with Rollei at the time and Rollei was the owner of Voigtländer. Confusing and nonetheless and I have the feeling those lenses never really made their way out of west germany at the time.
I have the hexanon 40 1.8 and 50 1.7. The 40 1.8 stays mounted on my GFX body most of the time - it makes a compact walkaround setup, and the performance is rather nice, especially from 2.8 onward. The 50 does slightly better, but not by much, and isn't as compact.
How is the coverage of the 40mm on the GFX sensor?
@@braybone8661 It covers completely - there's a bit of vignetting and loss of sharpness around the perimeter, depending on what I'm shooting, that's all just part of the overall look.
Thanks for the info!@@jameslevine6137
Weren't Helios the kit lenses on Zenith cameras? I remember when you could buy a new kit for about £20.
Those were the days, eh?
'Not magic, just optics' There's your T-shirt slogan ( :
Be careful with the Industar/FED and Jupiter lenses (or any Soviet L39 lens), if you’re not adapting it to a digital camera: While they fit all L39 cameras like Zorkis, FEDs and Leicas, the focus patch will be misaligned on non soviet rangefinder cameras since they‘re calibrated to a different standard than western screw mount rangefinders.
It is possible to mod the lenses to focus correctly on a Leica or simply focus via the distance scale on the lens.
Or - you know - just get a soviet rangefinder. They’re cheap, surprisingly durable and oftentimes you get a Zorki 4 or similar with Jupiter-8 or Industar-10 for the same price as just the lens…
I have a question. Have you ever compared Flektogon and Mir 1-B? Another knock off, but I have seen reviews that put the Mir as improved model
I have both and they are in great condition. Mir is good but the Flek is way way better.
Tair-11A 135/2.8 is really nice, same as Mir-24M 35/2. Jupiter-9 85/2 is not so good as for me (too soft), Helios 40-2 85/1.5 is much better in the same focal. Also great are Helios 77M-4 50/1.8 and Kaleinar-5H 100/2.8 MC. Jupiter-37A 135/3.5 MC is also pretty interesting. For telephoto is cool Jupiter-21A 200/4. Have all of them, use on my Canon DSLR via M42-EOS adapter with chip. Small tip for USSR lens enthusiasts - look for export models, where lens name is in English transcription and "Made In USSR" marked. They are usually better in build and image quality. And just FYI, first 2 digits of USSR lens serial is year of lens production (i.e. 822160 = 1982)
Helios 44 series much more expensive in the US. we need somebody from EU to bring a few hundred to the states lol.
Alert, stupid question time. Can i use a vintage lens with a m42 adaptor on my d7200 and d750 bodies
With nikon the adaptor needs a lens inside and the result it is not so good. The Nikon body is wider than rest of cameras.
With nikon the adaptor needs a lens inside and the result it is not so good. The Nikon body is wider than rest of cameras.
With nikon the adaptor needs a lens inside and the result it is not so good. The Nikon body is wider than rest of cameras.
With nikon the adaptor needs a lens inside and the result it is not so good. The Nikon body is wider than rest of cameras.
12:02 You mean Leica copes, not FED copies, right? FED factory is here in Kharkiv, Ukraine. I worked in that factory for several years manufacturing parts for helicopters and military vehicles.
You should update your pricing. The Helios 44 lenses are nowhere near what you're quoting anymore. The one and only 13 blade KMZ version I saw is priced over $400, and even the Valdai copies are selling for over $200 thanks to all the RUclips publicity. The majority of these heavily-promoted vintage prime lenses are now all going way up in price to over $100 apiece. I haven't found a single one of them featured in your or Simon utak's videos that is selling even near the prices for which you picked them up. Sounds like you might have bought up the last remaining cheap KMZ Helios lenses.
I grew up with a Helios 44M-7 that came with my Soviet Zenit XP12 my parents got me for my birthday after having nagged them for years about wanting an SLR camera - it's a very heavy and clunky package for the basic SLR functionality it gives (but I didn't care and was ecstatic to get it); USSR-built like a tank, takes a beating, and it does what it says on the tin. Biggest limitation was that 58mm is a rather awkward focal length for an only lens. But that was all I had and felt lucky to have it. Other kids who did have cameras had compact point and shoots so I felt privileged to have a "real" camera (even though it was probably cheaper and less practical than their point n shoots). I must say I don't miss the Zenit or the Helios. Very happy with my Japanese optics these days, both vintage and a bit more modern.
Are radioactive lenses dangerous?