Love it Ben! Very helpful to see the side by side comparisons. Also a huge fan of long format youtube videos! Bravo on the effort, execution and delivery!
Very informative video even if I only shoot stills. But with a new mirrorless camera I'd like to use adapters and shoot movies with my old FD and Nikon manual lenses. Question: Why is Canon FD so popular for shooting video while Nikon manual focus lenses are not? And, of course I'd like to see the FD 24/1.4L, and the still cheap to get 50/1.4 SSC in a comparison like this. The last is one of my favorite lenses, even if I have the L-versions of the 24, 50 and 85mm.
The Price most likely. Canon lenses are not that great as can be seen here. Plus there were gazillions of them made. It just happens to be what this guy owns. In fact, all the lenses happen to be what they own. These are three young guys comparing their lenses. I don't even know how scientific the comparisons are as they appear to be making changes in lighting destroying a direct comparison. If I look at these 3 frame sections it would apear to me that the Leica R has a blue green tint to it... or they adjusted the lighting. The FD guy refuses to clear the yellow from his lenses. So then what does this all mean?
My god, this is such an amazing video. I've never seen anyone compare these three "vintage" lenses back-to-back-to-back like this. These are arguably the "big three" of vintage glass (at least at present). Just an excellent, excellent video from beginning to end. HUGELY inspiring, Ben and Jack. So grateful for your work on this.
Your video is quite mesmerizing. Its like watching TV documentary, and fashion show, and nice things. I have to watch this twice because I forget to listen. Nice narration too.
Until recently, I owned nearly all the Contax primes including some of the rarer models and several zooms - all of which are vastly underrated. I loved them all but the documentary world does not wait whilst you change lenses so I sold most of them to finance a pair of stunning Sony 18-110mm servo zooms for my FS5 and FS7. The one Contax prime I kept is the coveted 21mm Distagon F/2.8 which when adapted to S35 via a Speed Booster, sees about F/1.9 at the sensor. IMO, the 21mm Distagon is one of the best wide angle lenses ever made. Little if any breathing, a 90 degree AoV with zero distortion and a front glass that does not rotate so perfect for a light weight matte box. Note also that the Contax 50mm F1.4 is soft wide open so smart money would buy the cheaper F1.7 and use a Speed Booster.
This is the best and most informative video I’ve ever watched on this topic on RUclips! I’m just starting out with GFX cameras and mainly focus on photography, but this video has been an absolute game-changer. The wealth of information and fascinating history about these top-notch camera makers is truly incredible. I feel so inspired and excited to dive deeper into the world of GFX cameras (with vintage lenses) thanks to this fantastic video. Keep up the amazing work!
Just a small correction to the Zeiss name: It is correct that before the war all Zeiss lenses were named "Carl Zeiss Jena". However, after Germany was divided after the war, the manufacture in East-Germany continued to use the "Carl Zeiss Jena" name and kept producing lenses. A new factory was established in West-Germany in the town of Oberkochen under the name of "Carl Zeiss", dropping the Jena as they were no longer located in the town of Jena. But after reunification in 1990 the Carl Zeiss AG took over the East German factory in Jena. Everything is just Carl Zeiss since then.
Also there is a noticeable difference between the Western German and Jena lenses (the non-Jenas are considered by most to be superior and are worth much more).
@@BenandJackStudio TOOOO late for that. Already biten by the Takumar, Leica, Rollei, Tomioka, Pentax, Minolta, ....vintage bug. Its what my internet time is spent on now....😥
Great video, mate! As a photographer who has beed using CONTAX Carl Zeiss for years, it's good to see the brand get the recognition it deserves. But not too happy seeing the prices for the lenses shoot up because we are competing with film makers now for the limited supply of great lenses. 🙂 Glad I picked up my stable of lenses years ago. Appreciate your effort. Keep up the GREAT WORK!!!
Contax I believe are still very well priced for what you get. It really is subjective and it depends what you are looking for but Contax are the least expensive of the big three and in my opinion the best all rounders
Vintage...artisinal...organic... even when I say it, I have to roll my eyes. ... but I love these. Vintage lenses have given me back my passion for photography, after 20 years of pro shooting, and it's basically all I talk about on my channel now! Great video. Really like the comparisons.
I have been waiting for this video for so long thank you so much!! A master class in true vintage glass! Love it.. Please bring more of this to your channel.
This video is a hidden gem. There is nothing as good as this on RUclips. Appreciate the effort. I want to build my first vintage set for video work but I can't really afford the Leica R/Zeiss and I can't find any Canon FD wide lenses in my local market. Can you recommend a good budget frendly set for video? let's imagine there was no Canon/ Leica/ Zeiss option... what would be on your list ?
Oh goodness. There’s a lot to choose from. If you are really looking for a bang for your buck I would possibly be looking at some of the Soviet lenses. Maybe have a look at iron glass!
Awesome video! Beautifully shot and written, great humour and wryness! After a 30y break in photography (film), I'm discovering 'vintage' lenses on mirrorless, and addictive is the right word! Although I seem to be at the cheaper end at this time...
@Ben and Jack Studio Thank you so much for this video! I always get back to it and learn new things. I was wondering, if there a particular focus rings of good quality that you recommend for the canon FDs. Looking at many options, but would love to get your insight on this!
What an amazing video. Appreciate the effort. Simply the best review of these lenses I've seen. Just getting into the vintage lens market and this was invaluable. Even the candid commentary at the last section was brilliant. Massive thank you from Australia.
Excellent work here. Very much watched the whole thing. The honesty, intelligent feedbackm and the hard work of all the research, with the dead pan humor mixed in (the vintage hair shot) were appreciated. All worth the effort to educate a beginner like myself. Thank you.
Great video guys, it’s helped me so much in picking which vintage lenses I wanted to buy! I was just wondering which version of the 24mm Canon FD was used in the video? I haven’t got one myself yet and I was hoping it might be the F2 🙏
@@BenandJackStudio mad respect, I am upgrading from my sony a7sii 8-bit to a Panasonic s5 10bit, and I know I need good glass, so this was wonderfully done, again much love!! and I will check out those footages as well
Thank you so very much for putting this together! This is unbelievable and your analysis is absolutely incredible! Thank you for everything you do for filmakers and enthusiastic alike! The history as well is absolutely amazing!
In my young days I bought an Angenieux 180mm 1:2.3 for my F1n, the colour quality blew me off my feet, taking pictures parallel with my FD 300 2.8 SSC the slides where 2-3 stops better exposed at the same time setting, fully opened evening in the opera house, crazy good. When printing on my Fuji minilab, the colours of the Angenieux where so stable, one could shift magenta, cyan, whatever, the picture never got color biased, so stable. Somehow the Leica R grade colors with the Zeiss contrast if I had to describe it.
This video is amazing!!!!!! Such high quality, I absolutely love it! However, there's one thing to keep in mind. At the end of the video, you compare the lenses. I definitely understand the choice to go f4 on all of them, BUT... I've heard many big cinematographers say that the real character of a lens is at full wide open. I've even heard some state that "every lens is the same starting at around f4-f5.6". So comparing then wide open or close to wide open would've shown their true character better I think. That being said, I really love this video and I'm so grateful you guys made this, don't take any of my critique as a common negative view on this video Cheers!
Thank you very much for watching! Of course, critique is welcomed! I agree with you. Wide open is where the magic is, but f4 is wide open for that Contax glass so it would be totally unfair to compare them at different apertures I would agree that all of the lenses are sharp at f4 but you can still see the difference in the flares colour renditions etc Anyway, more importantly, which ones did you like best?!
36:00 Carl Zeiss Jena: You're totally wrong, it's the opposite! Carl Zeiss founded his company in Jena. AFTER WW2 Germany was divided and some employees were moved to the soviet union while some others moved to the american sector of Germany, what later became Carl Zeiss in Oberkochen. There was a long battle about trademarks and branding. In the end the western new company took the original name carl zeiss and the original company (still in the founding place Jena) had to add Jena in their branding.
Carl zeiss did not found Jena . Jena was stolen plans and machinery from pre war .. russian crap , ya they have character , if fall off , aberrations and distortions are your bag
You are amazing for making this an educational yet practical and truly a fun to watch video. Can’t thank you enough and excited to see more of these. 🤟🏻❤️
Great work. Thank you for taking the time to do this. Thanks to your mates as well for contributing. I’m at the beginning of my vintage lens journey. I decided that I want lenses to bring a little something more to the party than just sharpness. I appreciate your insights. Very helpful.
I have been very much enjoying your videos since I found your channel. I appreciate your vibe and vision, and the way you share your process with the viewer in this interesting first person fov. Would you mind sharing some of the thing you are doing in post to get your video footage to match the look and feel of the film shots? The bloom and halation effects look really good.
Thank you. This is all in the lenses! However, I definitely recommend that you check out dehancer. It’s far and away the best film emulation tool there is. And we can get you a discount :) Dehancer BJSTUDIO10 Thanks again for the comment 🙏🏼♥️
More of this, PLEASE! Phenomenal video. Loved every second of it. Incredible to see the side-by-side comparison of all three classic lenses. Never seen that before. And so expertly done. If you could do something with Mamiya-Sekor lenses, that would be freaking amazing. Thank you for this dope ass video.
Love hearing cinematographers discuss whether the Contax AE or MM is better. Trying to decide which 85 1.4 to get...do I want perfection/ more contrast or that old school flare/slight softness?
This was the video that put me on the addicting hunt for Leica Rs. I’ve just completed a set finally. 19v2, 24, 35, 50, 90, 135, and now the 28-90mm. The prices even since this video have exploded much higher. Imagine how many people are coming for these now with the future of lidar autofocus. I feel I’ve just slipped under the gate before it closed. Thanks Ben.
I’ve had ALL those lenses on Leica R bodies. The 90 was the only stellar one. Also the 19, but it mechanically failed on me. The rest aren’t that special. I’m now on Canon using the full kit of Zeiss lenses. I’ve even got it converted Contax Zeiss 24- 85 with full EOS coupling.
@@magiccarpetrider4594 I use the 90 and 19 mostly. The 50 I’m actually not a fan of. The later 35s are really nice. But we’re talking about using these on digital here
@@HiddenOaksMedia come to think of it, I had the 60mm (macro?) and 35 f2. The 24 was good I suppose, but I sold them all off for child support. 😖 I learned after that, that I’m a 28 and 50 lover. The Zeiss 28 is the closest you’ll find to the Hollywood. 35, to me, is boring as can be. The Zeiss 25 and 15 are the best architectural lenses ever, maybe next to the Hasselblad SWC. 50 love is the right lens design; the classic 50 1.4 ZE was horrid, with the same jittery bokeh up close and wide open, but the Milvus fixed that. The 50 and 100 makro planars are stellar beyond any Leica lens I ever had.
Absolutely incredible video. Beautiful, informative, and you're a great host. Came here for the Leicas, stayed for all of it. Silly question, what cases do you use to store and transport lens?
Thank you for watching :) Konica is included in the intro. In terms of comparisons, we don't have any Konicas, have never used them and therefore can't really compare or comment on them If I had the money we would own a set of all of the big name vintage lenses and I would do nothing but comparisons! Sadly, we are not there yet
Great video! Thank you for taking the time to give us that valuable information. I recently purchased a Contax Zeiss 28mm 2.8 and had it cine modded. I absolutely love it. I'm looking at picking up the 35 & 50 in 1.4.
I just found a 35-105 FD for $45 bucks at a local antique market! No haze, no fungus. I'm freaking out! I also have way too many vintage lenses. I use them on my corporate taking head work and the client loves it more than I do. For any youths reading this wanting a 2k+ modern autofocus lens, think again and put that money towards lighting.
@@LolitaRibeiro I'm not a lens technician but from what I understand, when the lens is wide open, the blades are in their safest position. When at infinity, the glass elements inside the lens are furthest away from each other which again is the safest position for them. I would really look into this though and ask someone who knows though as I am just telling you what I have heard!
What is your opinions on the Nikon NON-AI? Everyone talks about the Ai and ais but no mention of the non-ai, i have a few and i find them quite beautiful, they seem to be a bit sturdyer in build quality as well and that's saying much, the ai and ais are built like tanks.
@@BenandJackStudio I´m based in Europe (Germany). I own a set of Super Takumars (28mm 3.5, 35mm 2.0, 50mm 1.4, 85mm 1.9). It`s not too easy to declick them, so I´m not really sure to do it by myself.
Great video!! I love my FD set! I don't have the unicorns but the mid range and the cheap 55 F1.2 . It is just amazing and I shot a 48H short film with it last weekend. Even used the 135 F2.5 wide open 😍
Genius video. I wish I could get hold of a sony-zeiss 50mm f1.4 ZA for FE. I mean it's around 5 years old, doesn't that make it ..vintage already? But for a true timeless modern classic lens, a zeiss 135mm apo sonnar is technical perfection in a silky metal body. I don't have any older zeiss or leica lens, but I do have a very bashed up FD 300mm f2.8L. That one is the extent of my actual vintage "collection".
Very eye opening. I'm trying to put together a set for a low budget feature and I think I might go with a combination, as certain ones are definitely stronger at different focals (the 50mm contax blew me away). They seem very able to be matched together for the most part
I think I heard you say that someone had recommended you put your yellowed lens out in the sun to deyellow it. DON'T. That will heat up your lens and cause the grease in the lens to begin to outgas which will forever fog your lens. Heat is bad for your lens. Around here I do silk screening of front panels. I use a UV lamp to expose the emulsion through a negative. I have a lot of radioactive lenses. For the lenses, what I did without hurting a lens was get a step ladder, hang a brooder lamp through the middle with a CFL UV lamp in it. This was in my garage where it is cool. Then get a mirror out and lay it on the ground facing up. Then get your first lens, check that the rear lens does not extend to a point where it will allow the lens to touch the mirror. If it does you will scratch the coating on the rear lens. Then face the lens up toward the light as you lay it down on the mirror. Adjust the brooder lamp with the power cord, so that it is about 8 inches above the lens. You will not need to turn the lens over. The mirror will reflect the UV back up into the lens. You can keep an eye on the temperature of the lens using a thermometer gun. For me it took about 10 hours, but this depends on your setup. Keep in mind that sometimes the lens coating might goldish and look like yellowing. There should be an area between the lens and the CFL that will let air flow and keep things cool. Use a mirror, not aluminum foil, as the mirror will be smooth and flat. If you have any questions, message me back.
Tin foil is not flat and can scratch the coating if you are not careful. Take that mirror you use for your drugs and clean it off and use that instead of the foil. If you scratch the coating on your 1970s lens you will be saying, "man, this lens came to me all across time and I scratched it." Of course, then you will try to hide the lens with the damage from your friends there. Ooh the shame. Oh the shame.
Outstanding video , so glad I stumbled on this, beautifully filmed and entertaining - I am a Leica R stills guy and really enjoyed this - would love it if you could offer more info on the guy who made the lens adapters and caps thank-you
Inspiring stuff, Ben, thank you. I was very happy with my Contax Zeiss lenses but now you've got me Jonesing for some Leica R glass. Will this obsession ever end...
@@BenandJackStudio It was that outdoor shot you took with the blonde actress - the way the Leica glass renders the blacks and caresses the skin tones....
Love this!! I went the canon FD route, 24, 35, 50, 55 and 85 with the 35mm f2 being the only one that isn't ssc but nFD. I always wondered how the compared to Zeiss and Leica and being able to see them side by side was awesome!! Correct with the EF modding. My 24, 35 and 50 were done at The Lens Doctor in 2020, the 55 and 85 will be the kit mount version through Simmod in collab with Ed Mika, which I have purchased this week, so eagerly awaiting the kits!!
Just fyi: all of the nFD lenses have the S.uper S.pectra C.oating, except for the nFD 50mm f/1.8 If you want a better way to distinguish between the newer and the older fd lenses, most people refer to the older lenses (non-nFD) as breach-lock.
... dammit I was happy with my contax zeiss set. But deer god and his majestic antlers, I... I think I might need a set of Canon FD's. All gorgeous, gorgeous lenses, but for the price I'm pretty much sold. Thank you for doing such an in depth test! You've earned a subscription from me sirs.
@@BenandJackStudio I purchased my own plastic caps, focus gears & front rings from Country Star Productions. I'm very happy with the service and products. Thanks for featuring them.
Brilliant! Well thought out, immensely informative with a dash of humour too. You’ve made the obsession worse. Great to see Canon FD’s holding their own almost unique in their flare. Thank you 🎥 🌅
Question about the Contax Zeiss: is it noticeable to spot the difference between Plannar, Distagon or Sonnar when shooting? I am thinking about starting a collection so I would love to know. Thanks!
the Contax are incredible lenses Loic, great choice. Those names are just names for the designs of the lenses. The Contax aren't like the FDs for example which can look vastly different from lens to lens. In my experience they are consistent and VERY nice to look at! You should go along to the Contax Facebook page and ask in there, it is where I did almost all of my research, particularly from a chap called Yiorgos, who knows everything there is to know about these lenses!
The Contax Zeiss Distagon 3.5 T* is the same as the Leitz/Leica Super-Elmar R 15mm 3.5 and the Rollei Carl Zeiss Distagon HFT 15mm 3.5 for Rolleiflex SLR Cameras, I do not think that you knew that !?
Wow this is worth watching 👍👍👍. Love the Leica 19mm 35mm and 50mm. That's 7K U.S. dollar . But looks like 50mm to start with or 35mm. What do you think ?
Hi Ricci. The Leica's are beautiful. They have gone a bit mad with the pricing so I suppose start with what you can afford! The 50mm and 135mm are probably the cheapest Leica's around at the moment :) Let us know how you get on!!!
You do get ninja stars on some of the yashica lenses. Perhaps not surprising as they came out of the same factory as some of the contax lenses. The zeiss contax you are reviewing are the Contax / Yashica (C/Y) manual focus lens mount, there were also separate lens lines for the G series AF rangefinders, and Contax 645 AF Medium Format SLR, and the N series AF SLR's.
@@BenandJackStudio I did toy with the idea of doing a video on the Contax / Yashica lenses that ninja star, number of stars different degrees of it etc. I suspect that is a bit beyond my video skills, and there are rather a lot of them.
Amazing stuff. I'm just curious why I don't normally see equivalent discussions or content for older Nikon's. Are they inferior or just not as sought after compared to these other three brands given their role in more film and video productions? Because personally I love my Nikkor AIS lenses for video work. I guess part of my question is also - is it risky to build up a set of nice Nikkor primes for video work as I move into higher end work? Are companies just that much more inclined to hire on for Leica, Zeiss or Canon FD?
Fantastic job. I appreciate it very much. I have a set of Contax Zeiss which I mix it at times with Yashica ML's. I have to say that I'm really surprised about how well they match. Do you have any experience to share about it? Given the shared story between both brands, it doesn't surprise me. Have you ever compared Leica R's and Minolta Rokkor's? I've heard rumors that some focals are almost the same in terms of sharpness and colour rendition. Again, any experience about it?
The Minolta 35-70/3.5 and the Minolta MC 24/2.8 (not MD!) are identical to the corresponding Leica R lenses. Leica might have changed coatings but the optical calculation is the same.
Minolta had a sharing agreement with Leica, the Minolta 35-70 3.5 is a sonar design while Leica R 24mm 2.8 is a copy of Minolta 24mm 2.8 MD2. Minolta also used Leica body design for their MD3 range of lenses.
As for de-clicking Contax primes: I did them all myself then ended up 're-clicking' them all. Why? Answer: Sony's FS5, FS7 Mk II and FX6 with their unique 'floating' internal electronic ND filter: simply choose each lens' sweet spot - say, about F8 then let the camera's ND set your exposure whilst you worry about focus & framing.
Love it Ben! Very helpful to see the side by side comparisons. Also a huge fan of long format youtube videos! Bravo on the effort, execution and delivery!
Thank you Mark. Not sure how much more long form we will do, but I agree in principle! :)
First time here!
Side is the only way I can notice the nuances.
Very informative video even if I only shoot stills. But with a new mirrorless camera I'd like to use adapters and shoot movies with my old FD and Nikon manual lenses.
Question: Why is Canon FD so popular for shooting video while Nikon manual focus lenses are not?
And, of course I'd like to see the FD 24/1.4L, and the still cheap to get 50/1.4 SSC in a comparison like this. The last is one of my favorite lenses, even if I have the L-versions of the 24, 50 and 85mm.
The Price most likely. Canon lenses are not that great as can be seen here. Plus there were gazillions of them made. It just happens to be what this guy owns. In fact, all the lenses happen to be what they own. These are three young guys comparing their lenses. I don't even know how scientific the comparisons are as they appear to be making changes in lighting destroying a direct comparison. If I look at these 3 frame sections it would apear to me that the Leica R has a blue green tint to it... or they adjusted the lighting. The FD guy refuses to clear the yellow from his lenses. So then what does this all mean?
My god, this is such an amazing video. I've never seen anyone compare these three "vintage" lenses back-to-back-to-back like this. These are arguably the "big three" of vintage glass (at least at present). Just an excellent, excellent video from beginning to end. HUGELY inspiring, Ben and Jack. So grateful for your work on this.
thank you very much for watching and even more for such a lovely comment :)
60 second film school making 60 minute videos. This is so well written and presented.
Went a bit over my allotted time with this one 🤪
Your video is quite mesmerizing. Its like watching TV documentary, and fashion show, and nice things. I have to watch this twice because I forget to listen. Nice narration too.
Until recently, I owned nearly all the Contax primes including some of the rarer models and several zooms - all of which are vastly underrated. I loved them all but the documentary world does not wait whilst you change lenses so I sold most of them to finance a pair of stunning Sony 18-110mm servo zooms for my FS5 and FS7. The one Contax prime I kept is the coveted 21mm Distagon F/2.8 which when adapted to S35 via a Speed Booster, sees about F/1.9 at the sensor. IMO, the 21mm Distagon is one of the best wide angle lenses ever made. Little if any breathing, a 90 degree AoV with zero distortion and a front glass that does not rotate so perfect for a light weight matte box. Note also that the Contax 50mm F1.4 is soft wide open so smart money would buy the cheaper F1.7 and use a Speed Booster.
very wise, thanks for the tips :)
Thank you. Great comparison. Love that you left the shots long enough to really see the images and not a bunch of quick flashy cuts.
No point doing it otherwise! Thanks for watching 🙏🏼
when the video ended at 1:03:10 I didn't wanted it to end, that was absolutely amazing work. highly appreciated.👍
Amazing, thank you for sticking through the whole thing! Much appreciated :)
One of the best equipment videos I've seen. Well done 👍🌟🌟🌟
That's very kind, thank you. The kit speaks for itself though :)
This is the best and most informative video I’ve ever watched on this topic on RUclips! I’m just starting out with GFX cameras and mainly focus on photography, but this video has been an absolute game-changer. The wealth of information and fascinating history about these top-notch camera makers is truly incredible. I feel so inspired and excited to dive deeper into the world of GFX cameras (with vintage lenses) thanks to this fantastic video. Keep up the amazing work!
Amazing! Let me know how you get on
I am actually looking to get a GFX 50R, just need to sell some vintage lenses to fund it!
BTW you should check this one out too ruclips.net/video/mnXujc4SZhI/видео.html
Just a small correction to the Zeiss name: It is correct that before the war all Zeiss lenses were named "Carl Zeiss Jena". However, after Germany was divided after the war, the manufacture in East-Germany continued to use the "Carl Zeiss Jena" name and kept producing lenses. A new factory was established in West-Germany in the town of Oberkochen under the name of "Carl Zeiss", dropping the Jena as they were no longer located in the town of Jena. But after reunification in 1990 the Carl Zeiss AG took over the East German factory in Jena. Everything is just Carl Zeiss since then.
nice, thanks for the info :)
Also there is a noticeable difference between the Western German and Jena lenses (the non-Jenas are considered by most to be superior and are worth much more).
Also - it's pronounced Yay-ner, not Jenner. Wetzlar is Vetzlar.
As I said ‘I’m no expert’
I'm a Carl Zeiss fanboy, I own the Contax, gorgeous lenses
Holy shyte, this is the most comprehensive guide to the vintage lens world.
Haha. Don’t buy too many!!!!
@@BenandJackStudio TOOOO late for that. Already biten by the Takumar, Leica, Rollei, Tomioka, Pentax, Minolta, ....vintage bug. Its what my internet time is spent on now....😥
@@damiendehorn6350 yep, same!
Great video, mate! As a photographer who has beed using CONTAX Carl Zeiss for years, it's good to see the brand get the recognition it deserves. But not too happy seeing the prices for the lenses shoot up because we are competing with film makers now for the limited supply of great lenses. 🙂 Glad I picked up my stable of lenses years ago. Appreciate your effort. Keep up the GREAT WORK!!!
Contax I believe are still very well priced for what you get. It really is subjective and it depends what you are looking for but Contax are the least expensive of the big three and in my opinion the best all rounders
Wonderfully witty instructional video. Love it!
Thanks ben! Loved how there are no overstatements in this video at all, very hands on from actual professionals. Instead of some youtube gearheads.
Vintage...artisinal...organic... even when I say it, I have to roll my eyes. ... but I love these. Vintage lenses have given me back my passion for photography, after 20 years of pro shooting, and it's basically all I talk about on my channel now!
Great video. Really like the comparisons.
Thank you, glad you enjoyed it
Will check out the channel :)
I love vintage lenses I’m currently rocking an FD set.
Yes! FDs are fantastic
I have been waiting for this video for so long thank you so much!! A master class in true vintage glass! Love it.. Please bring more of this to your channel.
Roger that boss. More on the way 👍🏼
This video is a hidden gem. There is nothing as good as this on RUclips. Appreciate the effort. I want to build my first vintage set for video work but I can't really afford the Leica R/Zeiss and I can't find any Canon FD wide lenses in my local market. Can you recommend a good budget frendly set for video? let's imagine there was no Canon/ Leica/ Zeiss option... what would be on your list ?
Oh goodness. There’s a lot to choose from. If you are really looking for a bang for your buck I would possibly be looking at some of the Soviet lenses. Maybe have a look at iron glass!
This was really insightful & a feast for the eyes, many thanks for making it from Cape Town South Africa
You are most welcome :)
Awesome video! Beautifully shot and written, great humour and wryness! After a 30y break in photography (film), I'm discovering 'vintage' lenses on mirrorless, and addictive is the right word! Although I seem to be at the cheaper end at this time...
Enjoy 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼♥️♥️♥️
@Ben and Jack Studio Thank you so much for this video! I always get back to it and learn new things. I was wondering, if there a particular focus rings of good quality that you recommend for the canon FDs. Looking at many options, but would love to get your insight on this!
USA - Simmod
Europe - Precisious
UK - www.countrystarproductions.com/shop
You're welcome BTW :)
@@BenandJackStudio Thanks mate!
In your opinion, what is the most beautiful vintage lens?
Couldn’t possibly say as only used a fraction!
I appreciate this video in so many levels
🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
I really enjoyed this. Well done and thanks for posting.
@@dogsgowoofwoof23 well done for watching :)
What an amazing video. Appreciate the effort. Simply the best review of these lenses I've seen. Just getting into the vintage lens market and this was invaluable. Even the candid commentary at the last section was brilliant. Massive thank you from Australia.
You're welcome, thank you for watching and good luck building your set!!!!
Excellent work here. Very much watched the whole thing. The honesty, intelligent feedbackm and the hard work of all the research, with the dead pan humor mixed in (the vintage hair shot) were appreciated. All worth the effort to educate a beginner like myself. Thank you.
We are all beginners really! But thank you and we are very happy that you enjoyed it :)
That was deeeeep!… Was hooked all the way through!… Gwaaanmyooots! ✊🏿
Thank you for watching it. Glad we managed to keep it entertaining
Great video guys, it’s helped me so much in picking which vintage lenses I wanted to buy! I was just wondering which version of the 24mm Canon FD was used in the video? I haven’t got one myself yet and I was hoping it might be the F2 🙏
24 f2 👍🏼
@@BenandJackStudio great news, thanks mate. You’ve just saved me 10 grand 😂
Gentlemen, really appreciate this, helping me to make a decision , its the cannon for me
Awesome. Hit me up on email. Got loads of canon footage you can check out hello@benmarlow.com
@@BenandJackStudio mad respect, I am upgrading from my sony a7sii 8-bit to a Panasonic s5 10bit, and I know I need good glass, so this was wonderfully done, again much love!! and I will check out those footages as well
Thank you so very much for putting this together! This is unbelievable and your analysis is absolutely incredible! Thank you for everything you do for filmakers and enthusiastic alike! The history as well is absolutely amazing!
You’re welcome Patrick. Glad you enjoyed it and got something out of it :)
Dope footage at the start. Great lineup
Thank you, that was from a bunch of different cinematograpohers who very kindly gave their footage to this project :)
Great video. I just acquired 2.8/50mm Silver Jena, 2.8/45 mmTessar, 2.8/28mm Distagon and I can't wait to try them out and even hunt for more.
Sounds awesome Gil, enjoy the hunt!!!
Excellent video. Very informative with lots of interesting insights even for stills photographers.
Thank you for watching Terry, glad you liked it :)
hey, great one hour content, very inspiring, thx!
thanks very much :)
In my young days I bought an Angenieux 180mm 1:2.3 for my F1n, the colour quality blew me off my feet, taking pictures parallel with my FD 300 2.8 SSC the slides where 2-3 stops better exposed at the same time setting, fully opened evening in the opera house, crazy good. When printing on my Fuji minilab, the colours of the Angenieux where so stable, one could shift magenta, cyan, whatever, the picture never got color biased, so stable.
Somehow the Leica R grade colors with the Zeiss contrast if I had to describe it.
Sounds incredible, we would love to get our hands on some Angenieux lenses!
So much useful information in one place, and entertaining to boot! Thank you!
Thank you! Nice to know you enjoyed it!!!
This video is amazing!!!!!! Such high quality, I absolutely love it!
However, there's one thing to keep in mind. At the end of the video, you compare the lenses. I definitely understand the choice to go f4 on all of them, BUT... I've heard many big cinematographers say that the real character of a lens is at full wide open. I've even heard some state that "every lens is the same starting at around f4-f5.6".
So comparing then wide open or close to wide open would've shown their true character better I think.
That being said, I really love this video and I'm so grateful you guys made this, don't take any of my critique as a common negative view on this video
Cheers!
Thank you very much for watching! Of course, critique is welcomed! I agree with you. Wide open is where the magic is, but f4 is wide open for that Contax glass so it would be totally unfair to compare them at different apertures
I would agree that all of the lenses are sharp at f4 but you can still see the difference in the flares colour renditions etc
Anyway, more importantly, which ones did you like best?!
36:00 Carl Zeiss Jena: You're totally wrong, it's the opposite! Carl Zeiss founded his company in Jena. AFTER WW2 Germany was divided and some employees were moved to the soviet union while some others moved to the american sector of Germany, what later became Carl Zeiss in Oberkochen. There was a long battle about trademarks and branding. In the end the western new company took the original name carl zeiss and the original company (still in the founding place Jena) had to add Jena in their branding.
Sorry 🙏🏼
Carl zeiss did not found Jena . Jena was stolen plans and machinery from pre war .. russian crap , ya they have character , if fall off , aberrations and distortions are your bag
Well done gents... Very much enjoyed it!
Thank you Scott. Glad you enjoyed it :)
Super video. I love the FDs.
thank you!!!!
You are amazing for making this an educational yet practical and truly a fun to watch video. Can’t thank you enough and excited to see more of these. 🤟🏻❤️
You are amazing for watching it! Thank you we’re very pleased you enjoyed it
Great work. Thank you for taking the time to do this. Thanks to your mates as well for contributing. I’m at the beginning of my vintage lens journey. I decided that I want lenses to bring a little something more to the party than just sharpness. I appreciate your insights. Very helpful.
So pleased you found it helpful Robert, good luck with the set building!!!
Oh well I guess my addiction is coming back.. Thanks for the great content!
We do our best not to enable. Sometimes it is unavoidable. Thank you for watching :)
Great work, and a very nice video! I've seen a lot of lens comparisons, but this one stands out.
Amazing, great to hear, glad you enjoyed it :)
05:13 is it a vintage kettle?
Good spot, Phillipe. it certainly sounds like a vintage kettle!
I have been very much enjoying your videos since I found your channel. I appreciate your vibe and vision, and the way you share your process with the viewer in this interesting first person fov.
Would you mind sharing some of the thing you are doing in post to get your video footage to match the look and feel of the film shots? The bloom and halation effects look really good.
Thank you. This is all in the lenses!
However, I definitely recommend that you check out dehancer. It’s far and away the best film emulation tool there is. And we can get you a discount :)
Dehancer
BJSTUDIO10
Thanks again for the comment 🙏🏼♥️
Great piece of work! I used a Leicina Super super 8 for a while. Now i have a Canon 1014 and i wish i could take off the 7-70mm and put it on my C100
where there's a will, there's a way :)
More of this, PLEASE! Phenomenal video. Loved every second of it. Incredible to see the side-by-side comparison of all three classic lenses. Never seen that before. And so expertly done. If you could do something with Mamiya-Sekor lenses, that would be freaking amazing. Thank you for this dope ass video.
I'll get hunting! Thanks Allen
Trying my hand at Mamyia glass now. Which would you recommend?
Thank you for the great video. Do you know of anywhere in the UK selling DIY Canon FD to EF conversion kits?
Love hearing cinematographers discuss whether the Contax AE or MM is better. Trying to decide which 85 1.4 to get...do I want perfection/ more contrast or that old school flare/slight softness?
I know what I would choose but its a personal taste. The AE set of Josh's are absolutely beautiful
1:50 awesome shot!, What the FD lense used there?
Thanks!!! It was a very long time ago so I can’t be sure but I have a feeling it may even have been an old Vivitar FD 24mm
This was the video that put me on the addicting hunt for Leica Rs. I’ve just completed a set finally. 19v2, 24, 35, 50, 90, 135, and now the 28-90mm.
The prices even since this video have exploded much higher. Imagine how many people are coming for these now with the future of lidar autofocus. I feel I’ve just slipped under the gate before it closed. Thanks Ben.
I totally agree. We did the same, bought up FDs, Leica's (same ones as you!) and Contax. Will be storing them safe and occasionally using them!
I’ve had ALL those lenses on Leica R bodies. The 90 was the only stellar one. Also the 19, but it mechanically failed on me. The rest aren’t that special. I’m now on Canon using the full kit of Zeiss lenses. I’ve even got it converted Contax Zeiss 24- 85 with full EOS coupling.
@@magiccarpetrider4594 I use the 90 and 19 mostly. The 50 I’m actually not a fan of. The later 35s are really nice. But we’re talking about using these on digital here
@@HiddenOaksMedia come to think of it, I had the 60mm (macro?) and 35 f2. The 24 was good I suppose, but I sold them all off for child support. 😖 I learned after that, that I’m a 28 and 50 lover. The Zeiss 28 is the closest you’ll find to the Hollywood. 35, to me, is boring as can be. The Zeiss 25 and 15 are the best architectural lenses ever, maybe next to the Hasselblad SWC. 50 love is the right lens design; the classic 50 1.4 ZE was horrid, with the same jittery bokeh up close and wide open, but the Milvus fixed that. The 50 and 100 makro planars are stellar beyond any Leica lens I ever had.
Excellent video, guys, but I wonder why they didn't include the Helios 44-2 in this video, being a lens that has been used in many movies?
Because it was a zeiss contax, Leica r and FD comparison
There is some helios footage in the video but that’s not the focus of the comparison
you are the best and the cutest man I have watched review from. God bless you
Thanks for watching. This is the best and cutest comment :)
Absolutely incredible video. Beautiful, informative, and you're a great host. Came here for the Leicas, stayed for all of it.
Silly question, what cases do you use to store and transport lens?
We still need to get our cases made, but the plan is to have a peli case with inserts for each of our sets. We use case-design.co.uk
enjoying the infos and, collateral damage...
your video!
what a beautiful lightning!
Thanks Roberto, mostly down to Paul Cook re the lighting. Amazing DOP
Hola, buen video, una consulta ¿Que cámara usaron para grabar las tomas al final del video?
Gracias
usamos sony a7s3 para el comienzo y RED para la comparación
Realli liked the video. I became really interested in these lenses because of the
CREAMY RENDERING
hahahaha, glad it wasn't just me!!!!
Lovely, thank you. Any idea why Konica is always kept out of the scope for content like this?
Thank you for watching :)
Konica is included in the intro. In terms of comparisons, we don't have any Konicas, have never used them and therefore can't really compare or comment on them
If I had the money we would own a set of all of the big name vintage lenses and I would do nothing but comparisons! Sadly, we are not there yet
Thanks for taking the time . . very helpful : )
You are very welcome, glad it helped :)
Great video! Thank you for taking the time to give us that valuable information. I recently purchased a Contax Zeiss 28mm 2.8 and had it cine modded. I absolutely love it. I'm looking at picking up the 35 & 50 in 1.4.
Nice! The contax lenses are beautiful. Good luck with the hunt!!!!
I literally had no prior knowledge of lenses of any type, but I very much enjoyed watching this video! 👍
They’re game changers. Which were your favourite?
this is incredible. Exactly what I was looking for. Subbed and looking forward to your next stuff! btw which camera was used?
Thank you for watching. It was a RED Raven :)
Amazing. Thank you for watching. 🙏🏼
I just found a 35-105 FD for $45 bucks at a local antique market! No haze, no fungus. I'm freaking out! I also have way too many vintage lenses. I use them on my corporate taking head work and the client loves it more than I do. For any youths reading this wanting a 2k+ modern autofocus lens, think again and put that money towards lighting.
100%!!!!
that is beautiful !!! thanks for taking the time to make this
Thanks for taking the time to watch it!!!!
@@BenandJackStudio of course. Watched it while browsing eBay to get me some contax haha
39:07 “Please set all lenses to infinity before closing case”
Hi Lolita. It is to prevent damage in transit.
@@BenandJackStudio Does it have to do with the mechanisms inside the lens? I'd love to know the "how" now that I know the "why" :)
@@LolitaRibeiro I'm not a lens technician but from what I understand, when the lens is wide open, the blades are in their safest position. When at infinity, the glass elements inside the lens are furthest away from each other which again is the safest position for them. I would really look into this though and ask someone who knows though as I am just telling you what I have heard!
Thank you for the great video. Learned a lot. In your view, what is the most useful Leica R focal length on your Komodo, besides the 19mm?
We do t really use the 19 all that much. The 35 is beautiful. And the 90. They’re the two we’ve used the most for sure
@@BenandJackStudio Enjoyed your channel a lot. Thank you for sharing all these.
Amazing work! Thank you so much for this and the comparisons. Contax vs Leica is a tough choice!
Yeah the poor little FDs don't really get a look in. I still love them but the Contax and the leicas are just a cut above! Thank you for watching :)
What is your opinions on the Nikon NON-AI? Everyone talks about the Ai and ais but no mention of the non-ai, i have a few and i find them quite beautiful, they seem to be a bit sturdyer in build quality as well and that's saying much, the ai and ais are built like tanks.
I am really sorry, I haven't used them personally. I have seen a couple of clips on RUclips and they look great :)
Paul out here rocking the adult themed shirt 😝
54:15 FD looks amazing!
Great video.
Big shoutout for this comparison. Wish you had the Pentax Takumar series, too. Do you have a good address for cinemodding FD-lenses?
I wish we had takumars too!!! Where are you based?
@@BenandJackStudio I´m based in Europe (Germany). I own a set of Super Takumars (28mm 3.5, 35mm 2.0, 50mm 1.4, 85mm 1.9).
It`s not too easy to declick them, so I´m not really sure to do it by myself.
@@aybee5908 ok, send me an email. I will let you know your options hello@benmarlow.com
Wonderfil video! Thanks for the effort
Thanks for watching it. That’s true effort!!!
Great video!! I love my FD set! I don't have the unicorns but the mid range and the cheap 55 F1.2 . It is just amazing and I shot a 48H short film with it last weekend. Even used the 135 F2.5 wide open 😍
Sounds like an incredible set of lenses! Let us know where we can see the film :)
Genius video. I wish I could get hold of a sony-zeiss 50mm f1.4 ZA for FE. I mean it's around 5 years old, doesn't that make it ..vintage already? But for a true timeless modern classic lens, a zeiss 135mm apo sonnar is technical perfection in a silky metal body. I don't have any older zeiss or leica lens, but I do have a very bashed up FD 300mm f2.8L. That one is the extent of my actual vintage "collection".
any collection is better than none!
The Zeiss lenses are absolutely beautiful :)
Very eye opening. I'm trying to put together a set for a low budget feature and I think I might go with a combination, as certain ones are definitely stronger at different focals (the 50mm contax blew me away). They seem very able to be matched together for the most part
The contax are beautiful 😻
I think I heard you say that someone had recommended you put your yellowed lens out in the sun to deyellow it. DON'T. That will heat up your lens and cause the grease in the lens to begin to outgas which will forever fog your lens. Heat is bad for your lens. Around here I do silk screening of front panels. I use a UV lamp to expose the emulsion through a negative. I have a lot of radioactive lenses.
For the lenses, what I did without hurting a lens was get a step ladder, hang a brooder lamp through the middle with a CFL UV lamp in it. This was in my garage where it is cool. Then get a mirror out and lay it on the ground facing up. Then get your first lens, check that the rear lens does not extend to a point where it will allow the lens to touch the mirror. If it does you will scratch the coating on the rear lens. Then face the lens up toward the light as you lay it down on the mirror. Adjust the brooder lamp with the power cord, so that it is about 8 inches above the lens. You will not need to turn the lens over. The mirror will reflect the UV back up into the lens. You can keep an eye on the temperature of the lens using a thermometer gun. For me it took about 10 hours, but this depends on your setup. Keep in mind that sometimes the lens coating might goldish and look like yellowing. There should be an area between the lens and the CFL that will let air flow and keep things cool. Use a mirror, not aluminum foil, as the mirror will be smooth and flat.
If you have any questions, message me back.
It was the suggestion that UV light comes from the sun. The best way to do it is with a UV lamp and a bit of tin foil :)
Tin foil is not flat and can scratch the coating if you are not careful. Take that mirror you use for your drugs and clean it off and use that instead of the foil. If you scratch the coating on your 1970s lens you will be saying, "man, this lens came to me all across time and I scratched it." Of course, then you will try to hide the lens with the damage from your friends there. Ooh the shame. Oh the shame.
@@jimmoss9584 ok 👌🏼
Outstanding video , so glad I stumbled on this, beautifully filmed and entertaining - I am a Leica R stills guy and really enjoyed this - would love it if you could offer more info on the guy who made the lens adapters and caps
thank-you
Of course. Email Gary, he makes exquisite caps info@countrystarproductions.com
Inspiring stuff, Ben, thank you. I was very happy with my Contax Zeiss lenses but now you've got me Jonesing for some Leica R glass. Will this obsession ever end...
DO IT DO IT DO IT !
You’re entering the vortex - don’t worry, there are a few of us in there already...
@@BenandJackStudio It was that outdoor shot you took with the blonde actress - the way the Leica glass renders the blacks and caresses the skin tones....
@@Scriptfella when it comes to flattering skin tones, the leicas are in pole position I think
@@smallbrownfox594 see you there 👌🏼
Love this!! I went the canon FD route, 24, 35, 50, 55 and 85 with the 35mm f2 being the only one that isn't ssc but nFD. I always wondered how the compared to Zeiss and Leica and being able to see them side by side was awesome!! Correct with the EF modding. My 24, 35 and 50 were done at The Lens Doctor in 2020, the 55 and 85 will be the kit mount version through Simmod in collab with Ed Mika, which I have purchased this week, so eagerly awaiting the kits!!
Just fyi: all of the nFD lenses have the S.uper S.pectra C.oating, except for the nFD 50mm f/1.8
If you want a better way to distinguish between the newer and the older fd lenses, most people refer to the older lenses (non-nFD) as breach-lock.
Pretty sure the nfd have the SSC coating :)
Look forward to seeing your results with the FDs!
... dammit I was happy with my contax zeiss set.
But deer god and his majestic antlers, I... I think I might need a set of Canon FD's. All gorgeous, gorgeous lenses, but for the price I'm pretty much sold. Thank you for doing such an in depth test! You've earned a subscription from me sirs.
The contax are beautiful though
Wow, great reviewzzzzz. So funny, fun & fascinating.
thanks for watching!!!!
Zeiss looked the best for me, joint third for canon and Leica
So which one was second? :)
Amazing. The time the research and the effort to put this together! Incredible! Thank you
The effort to watch the whole damn thing is incredible, so thank you!!!!
Great video and comparisons, but I just have one tiny question. Did you guys go for the plastic or aluminium custom caps from CSP? Thanks!
The CSP ones are plastic. Of course they aren't as sturdy, but I'm cool with that
@@BenandJackStudio I purchased my own plastic caps, focus gears & front rings from Country Star Productions. I'm very happy with the service and products. Thanks for featuring them.
@@jackd4575 Amazing, Gary is great, as are the caps :)
Brilliant! Well thought out, immensely informative with a dash of humour too. You’ve made the obsession worse. Great to see Canon FD’s holding their own almost unique in their flare. Thank you 🎥 🌅
thank you for watching! Glad you found it useful :)
Question about the Contax Zeiss: is it noticeable to spot the difference between Plannar, Distagon or Sonnar when shooting?
I am thinking about starting a collection so I would love to know. Thanks!
the Contax are incredible lenses Loic, great choice. Those names are just names for the designs of the lenses. The Contax aren't like the FDs for example which can look vastly different from lens to lens. In my experience they are consistent and VERY nice to look at! You should go along to the Contax Facebook page and ask in there, it is where I did almost all of my research, particularly from a chap called Yiorgos, who knows everything there is to know about these lenses!
The Contax Zeiss Distagon 3.5 T* is the same as the Leitz/Leica Super-Elmar R 15mm 3.5 and the Rollei Carl Zeiss Distagon HFT 15mm 3.5 for Rolleiflex SLR Cameras, I do not think that you knew that !?
whats the name of that instrumental in the begining of video?
🎧
@@makeitlastmedia I honestly don't know but it was from soundstripe.com
Wow this is worth watching 👍👍👍. Love the Leica 19mm 35mm and 50mm. That's 7K U.S. dollar . But looks like 50mm to start with or 35mm. What do you think ?
Hi Ricci. The Leica's are beautiful. They have gone a bit mad with the pricing so I suppose start with what you can afford! The 50mm and 135mm are probably the cheapest Leica's around at the moment :)
Let us know how you get on!!!
You do get ninja stars on some of the yashica lenses. Perhaps not surprising as they came out of the same factory as some of the contax lenses. The zeiss contax you are reviewing are the Contax / Yashica (C/Y) manual focus lens mount, there were also separate lens lines for the G series AF rangefinders, and Contax 645 AF Medium Format SLR, and the N series AF SLR's.
I love me a ninja star ⭐️
@@BenandJackStudio I did toy with the idea of doing a video on the Contax / Yashica lenses that ninja star, number of stars different degrees of it etc. I suspect that is a bit beyond my video skills, and there are rather a lot of them.
@@contaxpaulharrison942 would be great to see 😍
This will be a resource for me
glad to hear it :)
I love this video, thank you!
Loves you too ❤
@@BenandJackStudio just got the FD 24 2.8 yesterday because of this
Amazing stuff. I'm just curious why I don't normally see equivalent discussions or content for older Nikon's. Are they inferior or just not as sought after compared to these other three brands given their role in more film and video productions? Because personally I love my Nikkor AIS lenses for video work.
I guess part of my question is also - is it risky to build up a set of nice Nikkor primes for video work as I move into higher end work? Are companies just that much more inclined to hire on for Leica, Zeiss or Canon FD?
If I had a set, I would have done!
They are definitely not inferior! And probably a fair bit cheaper!
Fantastic job. I appreciate it very much. I have a set of Contax Zeiss which I mix it at times with Yashica ML's. I have to say that I'm really surprised about how well they match. Do you have any experience to share about it? Given the shared story between both brands, it doesn't surprise me.
Have you ever compared Leica R's and Minolta Rokkor's? I've heard rumors that some focals are almost the same in terms of sharpness and colour rendition. Again, any experience about it?
The Minolta 35-70/3.5 and the Minolta MC 24/2.8 (not MD!) are identical to the corresponding Leica R lenses. Leica might have changed coatings but the optical calculation is the same.
Minolta had a sharing agreement with Leica, the Minolta 35-70 3.5 is a sonar design while Leica R 24mm 2.8 is a copy of Minolta 24mm 2.8 MD2. Minolta also used Leica body design for their MD3 range of lenses.
Awesome, thank you! I would love to get my hands on some! Maybe one day...
Were gimbals used in the test shots?
Yes, Movi :)
As for de-clicking Contax primes: I did them all myself then ended up 're-clicking' them all. Why? Answer: Sony's FS5, FS7 Mk II and FX6 with their unique 'floating' internal electronic ND filter: simply choose each lens' sweet spot - say, about F8 then let the camera's ND set your exposure whilst you worry about focus & framing.
Awesome work!!!!
Where did you get those lovely lens caps from?
Look up country star productions. Gary will look after you 👍🏼
I have a chrome nose 50mm FD that I picked up last year and I love the pastel look I get in the bokeh.
We love a chrome nose. Jack particularly. Enjoy!