I am manual focussing 80% if the time. Owning M lenses and Pentax Takumar, I use them most of the time on modern bodies. I also shoot video - all manual of course.
Five years ago I saw a picture of an old Canon FD lens mounted on a Fujifilm X-Pro2. I decided to do the same with my old Nikkor 50mm and X-Pro2. I loved it. Next thing I knew I resurrected my old film cameras and have hardly used my digital cameras in 4+ years.
I am a Pentax user and I have a Cosmicar/Pentax-A 28mm f/2.8, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.7, Pentax-m 50mm f/2 on my Pentax K1000, and Pentax-m 40mm f/2.8 and they are all great. I use the 28mm and 40mm (40mm crop factor and 60mm crop factor on my Pentax K-3) the most. I'm looking forward to these videos!
After I dug out my old film lenses from the 70s, I bought adapters (about 2 years ago) and paired them up with my MFT cameras. The "soft" edges the lenses gave me with my old film cameras are now "cropped out" with the crop sensor. I'm now addicted to old Zeiss, Contax and Yashica lenses that use the old c/y mount. Most of the old gold that's available are using the M42 screw mount. I'm tempted to get the adapter and buy some. Since I learned using an old manual SLR, manual focus is easy. The old muscle memory is there. Peaking is essential though. Some old lenses will achieve infinity focus a bit "early" depending on your adapter. Since it takes me back to teenage and 20 something photography styles, I'm having a blast with it. I'm really going to enjoy this content.
Great tips Ted. This video is bringing your channel back it it’s roots. Enough techhy geartographer talk and back to basics exploring the roots of our craft! MF is something that needs to be talked about more. 👏 Great job
right on my lens stocks, I have the Mamiya 80mm macro, 50mm m42 Carl zeiss jenna, Pentax 50mm super takuma, mamiya 50mm , schneider 50mm..beautiful lenses...
So many people who have for some time moved onto digital photography have completely forgotten the actual joy of taking photos (forget film for now) and using old manual focus lenses in the digital era, or with old film cameras is one of the most fulfilling parts of moving in for the shot. Moments pass us by daily, that we don't often get a chance to see whats around us. Its something my father said to me back in the 70's - 'Photography is the only medium that allows us to trap and capture time in the fragments of the moments we've lived.' I loved this video, thanks and cheers.
Very cool to hear you talk about this topic now. I'm also new to the manual world and recently got that Voigtlander APO-Lanthar F2 for Sony. Fantastic lens and a so much fun!
@@SauravDasGuptaIN Ah! yes, the 50mm. Got into manual lenses for their compactness for street photography, and I'm loving the quality! How do you like the 110?
@@GEOMATTH the 110 is not compact at all unlike the 50 :) However it excels at what it was built for. In Macro capabilities it edges the Sony 90 which is a great lens itself. The MF wheel is smooooooth, well dampened and has a long throw. Absolutely no CA whatsoever. A bit too sharp for portraits but by modern days standard its quite good. Excels in landscape as well. Sometimes bokeh can be a bit uneasy compared to the 90 but most of the times its great. Inspite of being a bit heavy, I usually carry it on a trip. Combo of CV 21 3.5, 40 1.2 and 110 2.5 works pretty well for me although I must admit the 40 stays on most of the time due to the FL
Doing mainly landscape and architecture photography, I have been using manual lenses more and more recently. In my case, these are no vintage lenses, but current models which I prefer over my AF lenses because they have a much better handling (among other reasons). The new Canon EOS R5 and R6 models have a focus guide that is brilliant for focusing manually - just like the old split-image rangefinders in SLRs before the AF age, only much better. I prefer that over the focus peaking (that is also available in case you like that better). As far as adding metadata in Lightroom when using vintage lenses via adapter is concerned, you could also use any other metadata field where text can be entered (like a description field). Since I am using the Negative Lab Pro plugin, I can use the metadata fields that come along with that plugin - one of which is named “Lens Model”. A smart collection can use those fields as well, so while I can’t edit the “real” lens metadata field in Lightroom (which I would, of course, prefer to do), this one does the job for me and saves me from using external tools (which is also no big hassle; but the plugin just makes life a little easier, I guess).
Here's a very strong benefit when using manual focus, and one that I have not heard spoken of: You are not limited to focus on a specific area at a time within your frame, meaning you don't have to change focus points, or even worse, focus and recompose. With practice this is overall faster then auto focus. Of cause auto focus is faster at one given point, but if you want to have a more fast flexible control over where you focus, manual focus wins. Just my experience with it. Thanks for the episode.
This is so interesting that I have decided to go back to Manuel focus, but I have taken it a up a notch. I have choses to go with polaroid and have notice it has become my new favorite way in which to take photos. It is crazy in how it has become popular once again.
I learned on Manual. I often use manual even on my Sony, turning auto off, and have a lot of old Minolta MD glass that I adapt onto my Sony. But you are right, many adaptors are terrible. I had to take apart and modify mine to get it to work right.
I still shoot large format regularly. Still do wetplate with a 1861 Voigtlander Petzval. Side note, I love my Nikon Z7, ordered a Novoflex Leica lens adaptor last week.
Errr I have been taking photos since 1957, we called it focusing. In the 1990s I got AF on my Nikon F601 and it wasn't worth using so, carried on focusing. AF is really a recent digital thing, i focus now and then but no, I dont consider manual focusing under normal conditions; I am glad to see the back of it - winks
I enjoy using manual focus lens. The only native full frame lens I have for my A7III are Zeiss Loxia 35mm and 50mm. I also have a Nikon D700 & D800 that I have been buying Nikkor AI and AIS lens for. Now I really want a D850 so I can have focus peaking on live view!
I will never be the one to buck advances in technology but I spent my entire early years focusing manually, autofocus was a luxury that did not exist for the Pentax K1000 I shot with. I still do enjoy manually focusing and often while holding the focus preview button on the Canon 5D4 to see what I am going to get.
Prefer manual over autofocus in a lot circumstances. Using a KamLan 50m F1.1 II and 1.4 27mm. The focus throw on both is excellent, it has just right amount of control. Manual lenses have many strengths, not just their great price.
Good info about using exif editor on Mac. I use exiftool to "import" new photos from memory card to different folders on external storage. Mostly just date/time of pictures. I have a nice canon fd 50mm 1.4 on my Sony a7 III and like the look but missing meta data makes it sometime difficult to find "all" of the pictures shot by de fd lens. Hope soon to read/see the video about the older lenses and tricks/tips.
I always use manual focus unless I'm chasing down fast moving objects. I can usually nail focus pretty well and quickly when in manual as I'm practicing with it all the time.
I only shoot manual focus. I even purchase 35 to 40 year old lenses and use them on my DSLR because I’ve gotten lenses for $60 that the modern version would start at $1500 because so many don’t know how to shoot manual or set the focal length for the old lenses.
I use Linux, but I found ExifTool, it's a line command program. but there it available to Windows and Mac and someone made a GUI called pyExifToolGui. It's really handy.
Great video, and thanks for the tip for the Sony...I shoot an infrared converted a6000, so this can come in handy. When you change the EXIF data and apply the lens info, I can't imagine that it allows you to select the lens profile for that lens, applying the changes needed to adjust for distortion, etc. As it is, I go and find a nikon lens that's close...or in the range of a modern zoom (e.g. either a 50mm 1.8 for the 55 f/3.5 Micro AI lens, or a 24-70 f/2.8...). How do you deal with lens distortion?
This was a great video... I have question for you Ted, I recently purchased the Petzval 55 mm 1.7 for my Sony a7iii (fantastic lens by the way!!) but one problem I face is whenever I want to tether using Capture One Pro 20, the images do not upload to the machines, and the camera crushes. If i remove the cable everything goes normal again. I have tested the cable with other lenses and it works perfect. Any idea?
I often turn the autofocus off because I do a fair amount of shooting in low light and cold temperatures and the autofocus likes neither of those conditions.
I shoot Pentax (amongst other brands) they haven't changed their mount since the K1000 I have loads of classic glass, that quite frankly is better than some of the newer stuff.
SUPER TAKUMAR lenses .. Rule. The Schact Ulm 90mm 2.8 is killer , the Canon 0.95 50 mm , some of the Meyer Optic glass is superb. Russians and Zeiss too.
I use the LensTagger plugin in Lightroom for this task (you also need to have exiftool installed for it to properly work). I also shoot a black image (lens hood attached) after switching lenses, setting the exposure time to 1 / focal length (i.e. 1/50s when putting on a 50mm) so that I remember at home which lens I used. That does the trick.
I don't have bad eyesight by age, but from birth. I'm just happy that I finally have a camera that helps me to use manual focus for subjects where it is the better option (woodland for instance). The big thing for me is focus peaking. And I love how it is implemented on my Nikon Z.
Best part about learning photography on film is the necessity to learn manual focus which means that I can save a ton of cash on lens selection by using vintage lenses. That Nikkor-S is such a beautiful lens by the way! I've got that lens parked on my Nikkormat FTn on any given day, and is one of my go-to's for when I throw Nikkor glass onto my NEX-6!
At 12:54 (Files in Finder) - how do you come up with black & white ARW-Files? I mean, .jpeg, sure. but e.g. _A730125.ARW seems to be already in grey tones in the raw-file; wish I could not do so with my Sony A7iii - how did you make those shots?
As a Leica user, all lenses are MF of course. The same with the Nikkors on my F2. No problem with the Leica using zone or with the lenses for the F2. In fact, I would never use AF again. I will probably be shot down for this, but I firmly believe that MF is quicker.
Buying a $250 adapter to mount a $50 lens is bad? I strongly disagree. Pay any kind of money for whatever makes you achieve the images you want to achieve.
Love manual focusing. It's almost all I use. Being able to use vintage lenses, and some of the unique art lenses out there is so much fun. I've shot video with it, too. Great subject and video, Ted! Thank you!
I love my Old glass , the TAKUMAR shoots like nothing else. Nothing can touch the Vintage 1960's or 1970's all metal lenses. Try the M mount or M42 , for tight fit ..compact L39 and M mount to mirrorless. True Joy.
The Voigtlander Apo Lanthars are amazing. They are all incdibly sharp, have almost no chromatic abberrations and are mechanically extremely well made. However these are very "technical" lenses with a very neutral charactersitics. I would definitively recommend to try also the Noktons - especially the Nokton 50mm 1.2 (and mostly also the 40mm 1,2 and 35mm 1.2). These lenses have got a romantic "vintage look" that I like a lot. They've got also a very beautiful bokeh (which many of the old lenses did not have!). All of them are a lot of fun to use. They are a bit dreamy betweeen f1.2 and f2 and then get very sharp at f8. And yes, they also deliver exif metadata.
K&F adapters are perfect for the money! Metabones and Novoflex are great but I am not sure does they deserve the money all the time. Especially for some cheap lenses...
I’ve been using the old Contax Zeiss primes with an adapter on my A7rii. They’re great lenses and super affordable. The manual focus has made me better at shooting documentary because even though I take less photos, I concentrate on the moment more.
Vintage-lens binging is a sickness... ... ... that creeps up on me every few years. I think I am up to 35 vintage lens to date. A small army of 50mm - 58mm/1.4's-1.8's-2.0's, from Canon, Pentax Takumar, Konika, Nikon, Jupiter, Helios, are my typical go to lenses. Hardly ever take the setup off Aperture Priority on my Olympus and Lumix mirrorless 4/3rds. Sometimes coupled with a decent focal reducer, these gems are all special in their own way. When not in use, I store upright in a glass display in the office...always a nice discussion inducing display. Of course, the exposure to light keeps those nasty fungi away from their precious coatings.
guess what mf lens I am using with my Sony A7r ii 42mp e mount ?? a Contax CP, medium format 28-85mm Carl Zeiss Vario Sonnar 3.3-4.0 82mm filter lens... no problem with infinity, very sharp & good colors . same lens, I also bought the adaptor for Fuji GFX medium format camera, in case I have enough money to buy it in near future...
I hate manual focus. I love C-AF, especially when Helicopter spotting. Coming from Olympus E-PL3, the "blasting fast" AF of the Sony A6300 was mind blowing in 2018. Now I feel like my A6300 acts slow compared to A6600 or A7RIV, A9 or Nikon Z9... Manual focus isn't what I want, even during Streetphotography...
I have taken a more modern approach to manual focus glass ,recently I added the Nikon ZF and Zfc to my collection of cameras. I have several DSLR's and mirrorless cameras that have that style of body, but I added the Fujifilm XT5 and a slightly used XT3 and really enjoyed the dials for shutter speed, ISO and exposure compensation, when the ZF was released I felt like this is the Nikon camera that would complete my camera collection, I purchased the Voightlander 4omm f1.2 and 15mm f4.5 and then the Zfc with a Voitelander 23mm f1.2, all manual focus old school glass with modern day electric connections that relay focus conformation, focal length and aperture that make manual focus more easily used. These are all Nikon Z mount glass and the 15mm is a MKIII model that is more expensive than the original but oh so good, along with the Voightlander glass I have a few Viltrox lens, even though they are auto focus they have the aperture ring and with the ZF and Zfc bodies can be used on both cameras. The Voightlander manual glass looks as if it was made for the ZF and Zfc.
One note on 'sony didnt have a good selection of lenses' Sony had a great selection of lenses on A-mount. Maybe not so many Sony brand lenses as Nikon or Canon, but they had exclusive support from Zeiss (albeit expensive) and Sony-A moutn was fully supported by Sigma, Tamron and other 3rd party lense manufacturers. Also huge advantage for Sony (at least against Nikon, dont have Canon to test it), because of their shorter flange (at least compared to Nikon) you had a large selection of old M42 lenses with simple 5$ metal adapter. Many other camera mounts from film lenses can be comfortably adapted to Sony-A mount too. On Nikon you can focus to maybe 3m from what I have tested, but Sony works absolutely perfectly, its not like Sony-E opened this door. Lens selection was good back there, only problem is that DSLR dont have meaningful assists for manual focusing, but then sony had SLT camera line, which are Sony-A mount and have EVF with all the focus assist you are talking about (both magnification and highlight of contrast)
DSLR users: There are 2 equipment to improve manual focusing.. one is a Focus Screen (look up on Google how it splits unfocused images), the second is a Periscope Viewfinder Zoom that zooms your viewfinder by up to 2.5x. Both combined allows extreme precision work with focusing! -Available on AliExpress
So I discovered a problem with old lenses VS new. Maybe you came across the same issue? Loxia 50mm VS Canon 50mm 1.4 ssc. Problem at hand....DETAIL. Try doing a comparison of your subject from 10ft, then shoot it at 30ft away. Repeat this with the old lens and see the comparison. Seriously having second thoughts on mirrorless cameras with using a multiple of older lenses with expensive adaptors.
I use mainly M mount lenses or M42 and some Alpa glass. Have also the Voightlander and LOVE them , the Zeiss BATISE lenses , and then use some G lenses like 55mm 1.8 Sony. Have a 24/70 GM and I never use it. Funny the GM was bought for travel , but I shoot more with manual rangefinder glass. I must be insane.
Anyone who has never used manual focusing on a vintage or modern manual focus lens is missing out on a huge part of the photographic experience. It’s not only the arrival but process of getting there.
I like your videos Ted. I'm kind of mad because everyone keeps spoiling the secret of buying old film lenses causing the prices to rise. My only real problem with this video is that you said you get what you pay for when comparing $250 posh adapters to $10 cheap amazon adapters, but you also said you get full functionality from the cheap adapters. I switched to Sony mirrorless specifically because I had a bunch of old glass from shooting film. These adapters are essentially a metal spacer that correct the focal plane distance and mate the non-native lenses and body's to each other. I'm sure the Novoflex are more precisely engineered to a certain extent, but with the current technology available in manufacturing I just can't believe that they are so much better than some of the cheaper alternatives. Also, there are typically numerous adapters to choose from on Amazon and elsewhere ranging from dirt cheap $10 adapters to $30 - $50 adapters that usually have better tolerances, tighter and more secure fit, and better reviews. As one example, It does not seem like these adapters are the same as ND Filters where the Price to Performance is tangibly noticeable (color shift, flaring, etc.) when comparing the cheap vs. expensive choices. Ted, could you elaborate on why you think these adapter so special that they are worth spending the money on them?
Hi Ted, I was wondering if you do anything to get rid of the ghosting that happens on film lenses when it's wide open. I have a 1.4 Pentax lens and at 1.4 it makes distorted ghosting fogs around the subjects but at 2.0 it disappears. Do you also have this issue with other lenses? How do you get rid of them?
Check out the" Classic Lenses Podcast" (and facebook group) on your nearest podcast player. Several years of excellent classic manual lenses discussion. Simon Forster, Johnny Sisson and Perry Ge discuss anything and everything pertaining to Classic lenses with some fantastic guests, Check them out!
I'm shopping for a macro lens for an R5. Its boiling down to the RF 100 Macro which has some issues with focus shift, and a fully manual Laowa 90 Macro. Most of my use will be flowers, insects, etc. Not studio set ups. Generally outdoors. I grew up in the day of manual focus and generally I am enjoy manual focus as long as I can see what is going on the view finder. Will I be able to see well enough to focus with a fully manual lens and the R5? That is what I am worried about with the Laowa.
I have Nikon 50 mm, 28mm, 24 mm manual focussing lens and an old nikon FM2 . Sometimes they give me amazing results... But you have to consider the fact you will shoot slower .
I own Takumar, Rokinon, Samyang, Chinar and Tru/ five Manuel focus lenses with my Pentax cameras. I don't need focus peaking because I have focus confirmation and get a green dot when the camera is in focus
well, I do not know what you all are playing with - AF wise. 90% of the best lenses in the world - Leica, Zeiss, Voigtlander, older Nikkors are manual. The rest 10% are some nikkors and wildlife lenses.
Hi, very interesting (and useful) video but whatever happened to the follow-up videos that you said were coming "in the next few weeks"? I would have been *really* keen to see them - or have I just missed them in the list?
Lol… majority of “new photographers “ barely can use center focus and complain about the eye autofocus, I can’t even imagine people using manual focus and god forbid vintage lens LoL
Cheap adapter wobles more. And that is. Nothing more. Good adapter can cost 30€, but no need to cost above that. And no way to pay 200€ for simple adapter.
Sometimes or many times I miss focus when only useing focuspeaking without zooming in on the image.. but when zooming I loose my composition untill I zoom out again. Many times the focuspeaking lights up but it's not sharp. I know that there Is settings for low, medium and high, I noticed that low and medium only lights up smal details I think and high everything very much so maby low setting Is more finetuneing?
I use focus peaking with Voigtlander Leica M lens on A7C and I find extremely inaccurate especially with lens wide open it often hi light the wrong point if you double check with magnification
I really just don't like autofocus. However, it is has its uses. If you want to take pictures of kids or just general photography that documents an event. Still, I like turning the lens.
Honestly, I've found $5 adapters work absolutely perfectly well. Would never even consider a $250 one. They might require a little adjustment, but they're solidly built (all metal), and do the job. Of course, with speedboosters there's a difference, but here we're talking a simple metal ring, that has absolutely no effect on image quality.
I heard you say so many times 'you do get what you pay for', in regards to adapters... So if the more expensive one's are 2-10x more expensive than the cheaper ones, have you had them last that many times longer than the cheaper ones? Or did the cheaper ones got stuck into your camera or lens, or broke something related to it? Because in my case, I didn't have any problems with the cheapest adaptors, and I really see no point on spending more on a more expensive one, unless the inside of the adapter is better done and doesn't produce reflections, flare or something the cheaper ones may or may not do so in the first place.
My go to lenses are old manual focus Super Tak lenses, absolutely love them. I use an adapter for my Fuji XT100 and I use the focus peaking also. Super helpful.
I own the Voigtländer 21mm 1.4, the 50mm 1.2, and the Leica 90mm 2.5....just need a 35 and the Zeiss zm 35mm 1.4 distagon is on the list. Shoot a Leica SL.
I’m almost exclusively manual focus these days - got bored with auto focus some time ago now - some days my eyes aren’t what they used to be but it makes photography so much more stimulating creatively to me and sometimes the ‘schoolboy errors’ are happy ones.
What would be really good is if one could zoom into magnify view and still see the composition in a smaller window and what part is magnified. Like how it works in Play mode but when shooting.
I enjoy using vintage lenses and other manual focus lenses now that I use fujifilm cameras and their manual focus assist makes it so easy. I have more manual focus lenses than I have auto focus.
Good video, particularly as I've renewed my interest in manual focus work. One other thing I did on my A73 is assign peaking color to a button so that in cases where my peaking color is the same or similar to the subject I'm trying to get critical focus on I can quickly change it to another color.
Love my Konika pancake 40/1.8. The Konika's are very sharp for vintage and well built. The 40/1.8 does make a slight sound when you shake it about...but those are small bearings moving normally inside their tracks...so no worries about that either.
Thats amazing. Wildlife with MF is tough and most people now don't even bother dealing with the hassle and uncertainties. I have a 100-300 zeiss c/y. Amazing lens but real tough for wildlife. Would love to see some of your work
As an old school manual exposure inanimate object shooter,, manual focus meets my particular needs better than auto in much of my works. I use my Fujifilms for Fujinon auto shooting & a Sony A7 II for my full frame vintage lens manual focusing shooting. Using beautifully built, smooth as butter vintage lenses such as my heavenly focused Pentax Takimsrs, for example, also adds additional satisfaction to the shooting experience, by the way..... in my opinion, of course.
I am manual focussing 80% if the time. Owning M lenses and Pentax Takumar, I use them most of the time on modern bodies.
I also shoot video - all manual of course.
Five years ago I saw a picture of an old Canon FD lens mounted on a Fujifilm X-Pro2. I decided to do the same with my old Nikkor 50mm and X-Pro2. I loved it. Next thing I knew I resurrected my old film cameras and have hardly used my digital cameras in 4+ years.
I am a Pentax user and I have a Cosmicar/Pentax-A 28mm f/2.8, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.7, Pentax-m 50mm f/2 on my Pentax K1000, and Pentax-m 40mm f/2.8 and they are all great. I use the 28mm and 40mm (40mm crop factor and 60mm crop factor on my Pentax K-3) the most. I'm looking forward to these videos!
After I dug out my old film lenses from the 70s, I bought adapters (about 2 years ago) and paired them up with my MFT cameras. The "soft" edges the lenses gave me with my old film cameras are now "cropped out" with the crop sensor. I'm now addicted to old Zeiss, Contax and Yashica lenses that use the old c/y mount. Most of the old gold that's available are using the M42 screw mount. I'm tempted to get the adapter and buy some. Since I learned using an old manual SLR, manual focus is easy. The old muscle memory is there. Peaking is essential though. Some old lenses will achieve infinity focus a bit "early" depending on your adapter. Since it takes me back to teenage and 20 something photography styles, I'm having a blast with it. I'm really going to enjoy this content.
My favorite lens now a days is a Minolta MD 50 mm f/1.4. And it’s a manual focus lens!
Great tips Ted. This video is bringing your channel back it it’s roots. Enough techhy geartographer talk and back to basics exploring the roots of our craft! MF is something that needs to be talked about more. 👏 Great job
right on my lens stocks, I have the Mamiya 80mm macro, 50mm m42 Carl zeiss jenna, Pentax 50mm super takuma, mamiya 50mm , schneider 50mm..beautiful lenses...
I would like it if you gave a shout out to the other channels who have been talking about vintage lenses for years. Seems like the honorable move.
I have a Zeiss Distagon 21mm for my camera. It's easily the best lens I have and it's one of the most expensive lenses I have.
So many people who have for some time moved onto digital photography have completely forgotten the actual joy of taking photos (forget film for now) and using old manual focus lenses in the digital era, or with old film cameras is one of the most fulfilling parts of moving in for the shot. Moments pass us by daily, that we don't often get a chance to see whats around us. Its something my father said to me back in the 70's - 'Photography is the only medium that allows us to trap and capture time in the fragments of the moments we've lived.' I loved this video, thanks and cheers.
Exactly ; hunting or chasing Light , and being a Time Theif .. a good life.
thanks for the awesome comment, that inspired me to give it a try
agreed i adapt my lenses and limit myself to manual focus and its so fun and amazing and inspiring
What about real work with photography. Everyone will be doing AF...@@loui.e0241
Very cool to hear you talk about this topic now. I'm also new to the manual world and recently got that Voigtlander APO-Lanthar F2 for Sony. Fantastic lens and a so much fun!
Which one? 50 or 65. I have the APO lanther 110. Really good
@@SauravDasGuptaIN Ah! yes, the 50mm. Got into manual lenses for their compactness for street photography, and I'm loving the quality! How do you like the 110?
@@GEOMATTH the 110 is not compact at all unlike the 50 :) However it excels at what it was built for. In Macro capabilities it edges the Sony 90 which is a great lens itself. The MF wheel is smooooooth, well dampened and has a long throw. Absolutely no CA whatsoever. A bit too sharp for portraits but by modern days standard its quite good. Excels in landscape as well. Sometimes bokeh can be a bit uneasy compared to the 90 but most of the times its great. Inspite of being a bit heavy, I usually carry it on a trip. Combo of CV 21 3.5, 40 1.2 and 110 2.5 works pretty well for me although I must admit the 40 stays on most of the time due to the FL
Doing mainly landscape and architecture photography, I have been using manual lenses more and more recently. In my case, these are no vintage lenses, but current models which I prefer over my AF lenses because they have a much better handling (among other reasons). The new Canon EOS R5 and R6 models have a focus guide that is brilliant for focusing manually - just like the old split-image rangefinders in SLRs before the AF age, only much better. I prefer that over the focus peaking (that is also available in case you like that better).
As far as adding metadata in Lightroom when using vintage lenses via adapter is concerned, you could also use any other metadata field where text can be entered (like a description field). Since I am using the Negative Lab Pro plugin, I can use the metadata fields that come along with that plugin - one of which is named “Lens Model”. A smart collection can use those fields as well, so while I can’t edit the “real” lens metadata field in Lightroom (which I would, of course, prefer to do), this one does the job for me and saves me from using external tools (which is also no big hassle; but the plugin just makes life a little easier, I guess).
Here's a very strong benefit when using manual focus, and one that I have not heard spoken of: You are not limited to focus on a specific area at a time within your frame, meaning you don't have to change focus points, or even worse, focus and recompose. With practice this is overall faster then auto focus. Of cause auto focus is faster at one given point, but if you want to have a more fast flexible control over where you focus, manual focus wins. Just my experience with it. Thanks for the episode.
This is so interesting that I have decided to go back to Manuel focus, but I have taken it a up a notch. I have choses to go with polaroid and have notice it has become my new favorite way in which to take photos. It is crazy in how it has become popular once again.
I learned on Manual. I often use manual even on my Sony, turning auto off, and have a lot of old Minolta MD glass that I adapt onto my Sony. But you are right, many adaptors are terrible. I had to take apart and modify mine to get it to work right.
I still shoot large format regularly. Still do wetplate with a 1861 Voigtlander Petzval. Side note, I love my Nikon Z7, ordered a Novoflex Leica lens adaptor last week.
Great - thanks. Looking forward to further videos on vintage lenses!
Errr I have been taking photos since 1957, we called it focusing. In the 1990s I got AF on my Nikon F601 and it wasn't worth using so, carried on focusing. AF is really a recent digital thing, i focus now and then but no, I dont consider manual focusing under normal conditions; I am glad to see the back of it - winks
I enjoy using manual focus lens. The only native full frame lens I have for my A7III are Zeiss Loxia 35mm and 50mm. I also have a Nikon D700 & D800 that I have been buying Nikkor AI and AIS lens for. Now I really want a D850 so I can have focus peaking on live view!
I will never be the one to buck advances in technology but I spent my entire early years focusing manually, autofocus was a luxury that did not exist for the Pentax K1000 I shot with. I still do enjoy manually focusing and often while holding the focus preview button on the Canon 5D4 to see what I am going to get.
Prefer manual over autofocus in a lot circumstances. Using a KamLan 50m F1.1 II and 1.4 27mm. The focus throw on both is excellent, it has just right amount of control. Manual lenses have many strengths, not just their great price.
Good info about using exif editor on Mac. I use exiftool to "import" new photos from memory card to different folders on external storage. Mostly just date/time of pictures. I have a nice canon fd 50mm 1.4 on my Sony a7 III and like the look but missing meta data makes it sometime difficult to find "all" of the pictures shot by de fd lens.
Hope soon to read/see the video about the older lenses and tricks/tips.
Unfortunately is not available in the App Store in the Netherlands. But the tool looks very useful.
I always use manual focus unless I'm chasing down fast moving objects. I can usually nail focus pretty well and quickly when in manual as I'm practicing with it all the time.
I only shoot manual focus. I even purchase 35 to 40 year old lenses and use them on my DSLR because I’ve gotten lenses for $60 that the modern version would start at $1500 because so many don’t know how to shoot manual or set the focal length for the old lenses.
I use Linux, but I found ExifTool, it's a line command program. but there it available to Windows and Mac and someone made a GUI called pyExifToolGui. It's really handy.
Also take a close look at the Voigtländer 65mm 2.0 APO Lanthar ;) Totally agree, Novoflex adapters are the best.
Could you still do a more in depth review of the voigtlander 50 APO?
The cameras should have exif data writer app, or even better a chip mounted on the adapter that tells the exif :)
Great video, and thanks for the tip for the Sony...I shoot an infrared converted a6000, so this can come in handy.
When you change the EXIF data and apply the lens info, I can't imagine that it allows you to select the lens profile for that lens, applying the changes needed to adjust for distortion, etc.
As it is, I go and find a nikon lens that's close...or in the range of a modern zoom (e.g. either a 50mm 1.8 for the 55 f/3.5 Micro AI lens, or a 24-70 f/2.8...).
How do you deal with lens distortion?
This was a great video... I have question for you Ted, I recently purchased the Petzval 55 mm 1.7 for my Sony a7iii (fantastic lens by the way!!) but one problem I face is whenever I want to tether using Capture One Pro 20, the images do not upload to the machines, and the camera crushes. If i remove the cable everything goes normal again. I have tested the cable with other lenses and it works perfect. Any idea?
love them !
Manual focus and manual control almost always!
Never left
I often turn the autofocus off because I do a fair amount of shooting in low light and cold temperatures and the autofocus likes neither of those conditions.
I shoot Pentax (amongst other brands) they haven't changed their mount since the K1000 I have loads of classic glass, that quite frankly is better than some of the newer stuff.
SUPER TAKUMAR lenses .. Rule. The Schact Ulm 90mm 2.8 is killer , the Canon 0.95 50 mm , some of the Meyer Optic glass is superb. Russians and Zeiss too.
@@chrisloomis1489 Ive got a few of those that are Radioactive!!!!!!!!
I rarely use auto focus. No matter how accurate it is, I always second guess it.
I use the LensTagger plugin in Lightroom for this task (you also need to have exiftool installed for it to properly work). I also shoot a black image (lens hood attached) after switching lenses, setting the exposure time to 1 / focal length (i.e. 1/50s when putting on a 50mm) so that I remember at home which lens I used. That does the trick.
My favorite manual is my Minolta 58mm Rokkor PF 1.4f lens. I use it on my Sony A7rIII and A7rIV.
I've definitely found a new appreciation for manual focus now that I'm doing more video haha.
I don't have bad eyesight by age, but from birth. I'm just happy that I finally have a camera that helps me to use manual focus for subjects where it is the better option (woodland for instance). The big thing for me is focus peaking. And I love how it is implemented on my Nikon Z.
Best part about learning photography on film is the necessity to learn manual focus which means that I can save a ton of cash on lens selection by using vintage lenses.
That Nikkor-S is such a beautiful lens by the way! I've got that lens parked on my Nikkormat FTn on any given day, and is one of my go-to's for when I throw Nikkor glass onto my NEX-6!
I actually have started to prefer manual focus. Have an FD on an old Fuji X-E2
I'm using an entry level Fuji X-T100 and have started using manual focus as well. It's great
I live for my minolta 1.2 50 mm on my Sony. And the other lenses I have from my grandfather.
At 12:54 (Files in Finder) - how do you come up with black & white ARW-Files? I mean, .jpeg, sure. but e.g. _A730125.ARW seems to be already in grey tones in the raw-file; wish I could not do so with my Sony A7iii - how did you make those shots?
As a Leica user, all lenses are MF of course. The same with the Nikkors on my F2. No problem with the Leica using zone or with the lenses for the F2. In fact, I would never use AF again. I will probably be shot down for this, but I firmly believe that MF is quicker.
Buying a $250 adapter to mount a $50 lens is bad? I strongly disagree.
Pay any kind of money for whatever makes you achieve the images you want to achieve.
Yeah that's a ridiculous price for a lens adapter. How strong do you need it to be? Unless you're using the lens as a hammer.
Love manual focusing. It's almost all I use. Being able to use vintage lenses, and some of the unique art lenses out there is so much fun. I've shot video with it, too. Great subject and video, Ted! Thank you!
I love my Old glass , the TAKUMAR shoots like nothing else. Nothing can touch the Vintage 1960's or 1970's all metal lenses. Try the M mount or M42 , for tight fit ..compact L39 and M mount to mirrorless. True Joy.
most of my best lenses are manual focus.
The Voigtlander Apo Lanthars are amazing. They are all incdibly sharp, have almost no chromatic abberrations and are mechanically extremely well made. However these are very "technical" lenses with a very neutral charactersitics. I would definitively recommend to try also the Noktons - especially the Nokton 50mm 1.2 (and mostly also the 40mm 1,2 and 35mm 1.2). These lenses have got a romantic "vintage look" that I like a lot. They've got also a very beautiful bokeh (which many of the old lenses did not have!). All of them are a lot of fun to use. They are a bit dreamy betweeen f1.2 and f2 and then get very sharp at f8. And yes, they also deliver exif metadata.
Great video, I have a D700 and use some old Nikkor lenses from my film days so your timing is great for me and this feature.
Using my Nikkor 19mm or 24mm PC-E I have no choice. But, it’s such a nice change from total automation.
wait what !!! there are actually some lenses with an automatic focus ???? 😛
K&F adapters are perfect for the money! Metabones and Novoflex are great but I am not sure does they deserve the money all the time. Especially for some cheap lenses...
I’ve been using the old Contax Zeiss primes with an adapter on my A7rii. They’re great lenses and super affordable. The manual focus has made me better at shooting documentary because even though I take less photos, I concentrate on the moment more.
Vintage-lens binging is a sickness... ... ... that creeps up on me every few years. I think I am up to 35 vintage lens to date. A small army of 50mm - 58mm/1.4's-1.8's-2.0's, from Canon, Pentax Takumar, Konika, Nikon, Jupiter, Helios, are my typical go to lenses. Hardly ever take the setup off Aperture Priority on my Olympus and Lumix mirrorless 4/3rds. Sometimes coupled with a decent focal reducer, these gems are all special in their own way. When not in use, I store upright in a glass display in the office...always a nice discussion inducing display. Of course, the exposure to light keeps those nasty fungi away from their precious coatings.
guess what mf lens I am using with my Sony A7r ii 42mp e mount ?? a Contax CP, medium format 28-85mm Carl Zeiss Vario Sonnar 3.3-4.0 82mm filter lens... no problem with infinity, very sharp & good colors . same lens, I also bought the adaptor for Fuji GFX medium format camera, in case I have enough money to buy it in near future...
I hate manual focus. I love C-AF, especially when Helicopter spotting. Coming from Olympus E-PL3, the "blasting fast" AF of the Sony A6300 was mind blowing in 2018. Now I feel like my A6300 acts slow compared to A6600 or A7RIV, A9 or Nikon Z9...
Manual focus isn't what I want, even during Streetphotography...
I have taken a more modern approach to manual focus glass ,recently I added the Nikon ZF and Zfc to my collection of cameras. I have several DSLR's and mirrorless cameras that have that style of body, but I added the Fujifilm XT5 and a slightly used XT3 and really enjoyed the dials for shutter speed, ISO and exposure compensation, when the ZF was released I felt like this is the Nikon camera that would complete my camera collection, I purchased the Voightlander 4omm f1.2 and 15mm f4.5 and then the Zfc with a Voitelander 23mm f1.2, all manual focus old school glass with modern day electric connections that relay focus conformation, focal length and aperture that make manual focus more easily used. These are all Nikon Z mount glass and the 15mm is a MKIII model that is more expensive than the original but oh so good, along with the Voightlander glass I have a few Viltrox lens, even though they are auto focus they have the aperture ring and with the ZF and Zfc bodies can be used on both cameras. The Voightlander manual glass looks as if it was made for the ZF and Zfc.
One note on 'sony didnt have a good selection of lenses' Sony had a great selection of lenses on A-mount. Maybe not so many Sony brand lenses as Nikon or Canon, but they had exclusive support from Zeiss (albeit expensive) and Sony-A moutn was fully supported by Sigma, Tamron and other 3rd party lense manufacturers.
Also huge advantage for Sony (at least against Nikon, dont have Canon to test it), because of their shorter flange (at least compared to Nikon) you had a large selection of old M42 lenses with simple 5$ metal adapter. Many other camera mounts from film lenses can be comfortably adapted to Sony-A mount too. On Nikon you can focus to maybe 3m from what I have tested, but Sony works absolutely perfectly, its not like Sony-E opened this door. Lens selection was good back there, only problem is that DSLR dont have meaningful assists for manual focusing, but then sony had SLT camera line, which are Sony-A mount and have EVF with all the focus assist you are talking about (both magnification and highlight of contrast)
DSLR users: There are 2 equipment to improve manual focusing.. one is a Focus Screen (look up on Google how it splits unfocused images), the second is a Periscope Viewfinder Zoom that zooms your viewfinder by up to 2.5x. Both combined allows extreme precision work with focusing!
-Available on AliExpress
When I bought my first camera, the Sony A7ii, I got the 35mm Voigtlander F1.4. now I got the Loxia 21,35 & 50mm.
So I discovered a problem with old lenses VS new. Maybe you came across the same issue? Loxia 50mm VS Canon 50mm 1.4 ssc. Problem at hand....DETAIL. Try doing a comparison of your subject from 10ft, then shoot it at 30ft away. Repeat this with the old lens and see the comparison. Seriously having second thoughts on mirrorless cameras with using a multiple of older lenses with expensive adaptors.
I use mainly M mount lenses or M42 and some Alpa glass. Have also the Voightlander and LOVE them , the Zeiss BATISE lenses , and then use some G lenses like 55mm 1.8 Sony. Have a 24/70 GM and I never use it.
Funny the GM was bought for travel , but I shoot more with manual rangefinder glass. I must be insane.
Anyone who has never used manual focusing on a vintage or modern manual focus lens is missing out on a huge part of the photographic experience. It’s not only the arrival but process of getting there.
I want to get a fully mechanical (battery-less) slr and manual lens for wildlife. I’m thinking canon F-1 and canon 500mm 4.5
I like your videos Ted. I'm kind of mad because everyone keeps spoiling the secret of buying old film lenses causing the prices to rise. My only real problem with this video is that you said you get what you pay for when comparing $250 posh adapters to $10 cheap amazon adapters, but you also said you get full functionality from the cheap adapters. I switched to Sony mirrorless specifically because I had a bunch of old glass from shooting film. These adapters are essentially a metal spacer that correct the focal plane distance and mate the non-native lenses and body's to each other. I'm sure the Novoflex are more precisely engineered to a certain extent, but with the current technology available in manufacturing I just can't believe that they are so much better than some of the cheaper alternatives. Also, there are typically numerous adapters to choose from on Amazon and elsewhere ranging from dirt cheap $10 adapters to $30 - $50 adapters that usually have better tolerances, tighter and more secure fit, and better reviews. As one example, It does not seem like these adapters are the same as ND Filters where the Price to Performance is tangibly noticeable (color shift, flaring, etc.) when comparing the cheap vs. expensive choices. Ted, could you elaborate on why you think these adapter so special that they are worth spending the money on them?
Hi Ted, I was wondering if you do anything to get rid of the ghosting that happens on film lenses when it's wide open. I have a 1.4 Pentax lens and at 1.4 it makes distorted ghosting fogs around the subjects but at 2.0 it disappears. Do you also have this issue with other lenses? How do you get rid of them?
Check out the" Classic Lenses Podcast" (and facebook group) on your nearest podcast player. Several years of excellent classic manual lenses discussion. Simon Forster, Johnny Sisson and Perry Ge discuss anything and everything pertaining to Classic lenses with some fantastic guests, Check them out!
I'm shopping for a macro lens for an R5. Its boiling down to the RF 100 Macro which has some issues with focus shift, and a fully manual Laowa 90 Macro. Most of my use will be flowers, insects, etc. Not studio set ups. Generally outdoors. I grew up in the day of manual focus and generally I am enjoy manual focus as long as I can see what is going on the view finder. Will I be able to see well enough to focus with a fully manual lens and the R5? That is what I am worried about with the Laowa.
I have Nikon 50 mm, 28mm, 24 mm manual focussing lens and an old nikon FM2 . Sometimes they give me amazing results... But you have to consider the fact you will shoot slower .
Maybe the Fotasy adapters are different now than they were 3 years ago, but I have a PK to RF and it’s a pretty solidly built aluminum adapter….
I own Takumar, Rokinon, Samyang, Chinar and Tru/ five Manuel focus lenses with my Pentax cameras. I don't need focus peaking because I have focus confirmation and get a green dot when the camera is in focus
well, I do not know what you all are playing with - AF wise. 90% of the best lenses in the world - Leica, Zeiss, Voigtlander, older Nikkors are manual. The rest 10% are some nikkors and wildlife lenses.
Hi, very interesting (and useful) video but whatever happened to the follow-up videos that you said were coming "in the next few weeks"?
I would have been *really* keen to see them - or have I just missed them in the list?
Lol… majority of “new photographers “ barely can use center focus and complain about the eye autofocus, I can’t even imagine people using manual focus and god forbid vintage lens LoL
Cheap adapter wobles more. And that is. Nothing more. Good adapter can cost 30€, but no need to cost above that. And no way to pay 200€ for simple adapter.
Sometimes or many times I miss focus when only useing focuspeaking without zooming in on the image.. but when zooming I loose my composition untill I zoom out again. Many times the focuspeaking lights up but it's not sharp. I know that there Is settings for low, medium and high, I noticed that low and medium only lights up smal details I think and high everything very much so maby low setting Is more finetuneing?
My Nikkor 35mm f2 pre-AI might just be my favourite lens I own. It easily matches if not exceeds my modern Zeiss/Sony 35mm f2.8.
I use focus peaking with Voigtlander Leica M lens on A7C and I find extremely inaccurate especially with lens wide open it often hi light the wrong point if you double check with magnification
I really just don't like autofocus. However, it is has its uses. If you want to take pictures of kids or just general photography that documents an event. Still, I like turning the lens.
I don’t use anything but manual focus. Autofocus is awful.
Honestly, I've found $5 adapters work absolutely perfectly well. Would never even consider a $250 one. They might require a little adjustment, but they're solidly built (all metal), and do the job. Of course, with speedboosters there's a difference, but here we're talking a simple metal ring, that has absolutely no effect on image quality.
K&F adapters and gobe ones are best when it comes to price/quality. Paying 250 for adapter is bit silly
I heard you say so many times 'you do get what you pay for', in regards to adapters... So if the more expensive one's are 2-10x more expensive than the cheaper ones, have you had them last that many times longer than the cheaper ones? Or did the cheaper ones got stuck into your camera or lens, or broke something related to it?
Because in my case, I didn't have any problems with the cheapest adaptors, and I really see no point on spending more on a more expensive one, unless the inside of the adapter is better done and doesn't produce reflections, flare or something the cheaper ones may or may not do so in the first place.
My go to lenses are old manual focus Super Tak lenses, absolutely love them. I use an adapter for my Fuji XT100 and I use the focus peaking also. Super helpful.
Super Taks are really great lenses. My favourite ones are 50mm f/1.4 and 55mm f/1.8. I know that they are radioactive but I love them.
If you don’t have money to burn, do not get Novoflex adapters. Fotodiox makes good ones at reasonable prices.
I’ve gone all manual focus lenses. Leica and Voigtländer.
Some pretty nice glass under those brands!
Dont have the budget for Leica. But I use my Sony with Voigt 21/3.5, 40/1.2 and 110/2.5 APO Marco. Great lenses
I own the Voigtländer 21mm 1.4, the 50mm 1.2, and the Leica 90mm 2.5....just need a 35 and the Zeiss zm 35mm 1.4 distagon is on the list. Shoot a Leica SL.
I’m almost exclusively manual focus these days - got bored with auto focus some time ago now - some days my eyes aren’t what they used to be but it makes photography so much more stimulating creatively to me and sometimes the ‘schoolboy errors’ are happy ones.
Same here
What would be really good is if one could zoom into magnify view and still see the composition in a smaller window and what part is magnified. Like how it works in Play mode but when shooting.
Wow, as a beginner photographer starting out with a mirrorless camera and vintage lenses, this was extremely helpful. Thanks for the solid content.
I enjoy using vintage lenses and other manual focus lenses now that I use fujifilm cameras and their manual focus assist makes it so easy. I have more manual focus lenses than I have auto focus.
Good video, particularly as I've renewed my interest in manual focus work. One other thing I did on my A73 is assign peaking color to a button so that in cases where my peaking color is the same or similar to the subject I'm trying to get critical focus on I can quickly change it to another color.
I mostly do only manual, except for really high speed like in skate park for example.
I am using A7II but focus peaking is not accurate at all. May be newer one is better.
I've bought a Voigtländer 17.5mm f0.95, and it stays on my G9 ever since. I love it.
I always use manual focus I use my 1937 rolleiflex 3.5 quite a lot
Me who uses Leica: Mwihihihihi
I literally only use Pentax-M and Konica AR vintage lenses. Definitely check out the Konica 40/1.8... Might be the best retro lens for the price.
Love my Konika pancake 40/1.8. The Konika's are very sharp for vintage and well built. The 40/1.8 does make a slight sound when you shake it about...but those are small bearings moving normally inside their tracks...so no worries about that either.
I shoot wildlife with manual focus lenses. The results are amazing.
This is one genre I think I will struggle using manual lenses
Thats amazing. Wildlife with MF is tough and most people now don't even bother dealing with the hassle and uncertainties. I have a 100-300 zeiss c/y. Amazing lens but real tough for wildlife. Would love to see some of your work
@@SauravDasGuptaIN yes. I click a lot of photos of the same subject, and only a few come out fine. I use a Nikon 500 f4 P
As an old school manual exposure inanimate object shooter,, manual focus meets my particular needs better than auto in much of my works. I use my Fujifilms for Fujinon auto shooting & a Sony A7 II for my full frame vintage lens manual focusing shooting. Using beautifully built, smooth as butter vintage lenses such as my heavenly focused Pentax Takimsrs, for example, also adds additional satisfaction to the shooting experience, by the way..... in my opinion, of course.
That’s Takumars, of course..... couldn’t correct the misspelling afterwards.
My 1983 Minolta X-700 is my main camera so...
My 1946 Graflex is my main camera, so I feel you mate :D