I love how using vintage lens slows your process down, forces you to think about your composition more, and shots have characters that modern lenses dont have.
I’m an aspiring hipster and I like to look “cool” in front of my friends….. No really, I’m a beginner and want to learn primes in my video work and, as you said they are cost effective and plentiful so it makes experimenting fun and easy on the wallet.
Man, you're the reason why I shoot with vintage lenses and don't spend my money on Sony Lenses even tho they're great. I first look for vintage glass before looking for a Sony Lens haha. I don't care de AF anymore. Greetings from Mexico Mark!
I shoot with them because I can buy them at auction, clean them up, shoot with them, keep the ones I really like and sell the ones I don't for a profit. Then I can reinvest some money in buying some more and put the rest towards the expensive Olympus M4/3 lens I just bought. I do need to stop keeping so many though :)
Whenever I try to explain to someone why I use vintage lenses I take the example of an old classic watch. Sure, I can check the time on my smartphone, but checking the time on a vintage Rolex around your wrist just feels different. Old lenses are a piece of jewelry, fine handcrafted jewelry to last a lifetime :)
I totally agree with you, I've done the same. Three Nikon Nikkor AI vintage lenses and two Pentax m lenses. Plus one Sony kit lens 28mm to 70 mm. I mainly shoot live theater. Love the results of the vintage lenses!
I've been diving into photography as a hobbyist for ~18 months, since my amazing wife surprised me with a Sony a6400 and a couple modern APS-C lenses to go with it. I found your channel shortly after I got started, and your passion for vintage lenses mirrors my passion for vintage computers. Inspired by your enthusiasm, I've steadily grown my collection of vintage glass, and I'm happy to report that many of my favorite pics I've shot were captured with lenses twice (or more!) as old as I am. I won't list them all here, but I count among my favorites my Carl Zeiss Jena Biotar 58mm f2, my Vivitar "Series 1" 70-210mm Macro Focusing Lens, and my Takumar Super-Multi-Coated Macro 50mm f1.4, which I'm 99% sure I only bought because you mentioned it in one of your videos. Thanks for taking the time to create and share this content, I *always* look forward to your next video!
Awesome - love to hear anyone who says they don't want to stagnate, life long learning keeps your mind sharp, whatever the practice. Thank you for another good video on vintage lenses - I have several FDs from the 1970s that are now seeing renewed use with my Sony 7S. Manual focus lenses slow you down and make you think more consciously about what you're capturing and how you want the end results to look. Love that level of thoughtful engagement. Liked & subscribed :-)
I have 92 vintage zeiss, takumar, nikkor, helios, gorlitz, voigtlander, minolta, yashica and minolta lenses- im selling off my new lenses i bought in jan22/ wish i known better back then… 6k later! I really like the takumars and zeiss ones ❤
@@MarkHoltze its the way to go! The vintages have stood the test of time m- where will a sony gm be in 50+ years? Ive been taking some chances on ones from Ukraine, lots going on there now but there still selling on ebay from Kiev- takes 2 months to arrive in missouri- the best takumars are from japan, not got burned once! Cheers … hav fun shooting
I'm so old I actually learned photography with manual focusing lenses, so I'm more comfortable with them than with autofocus. Unless you're shooting action all the time, there's no compelling reason to use AF. I'm also able to fine tune my focus much better with manual lenses. Since I've already acquired a collection of lenses back in the 80's, I don't even need to buy new ones, unless I need one of these nifty new 8mm ultra wide angles, which you couldn't even buy over the counter back in the 80's. Quality wise, I don't think there are any modern lenses that could compete with my Mamiya 645 lenses that wouldn't cost me at least 1000$ each. When I bought my second hand Mamiya, it came with three lenses and the whole package cost me less than 400$, so I'd say I got a real bargain. Since the image circle is so large, these lenses can be mounted on even the biggest sensors that are on cameras I'll never be able to afford, which means they're extremely versatile. By getting a focal length reducer, you can increase the versatility even more. Mechanically, old lenses are usually superior, because they're made of this stuff called metal, which can take a hit or two. If your camera bag falls off a cliff or gets mauled by a bear, your old lenses will probably still be in working condition, whereas your new plastic lenses will be beyond repair. Even if your old lens does break, the loss will only break your heart, not your economy. To replace the broken old lens, just find another old bargain bin lens, you'll still have money enough to pay the rent. Sometimes you run into rare lenses that used to cost a bag of money, but now are relatively affordable, so you can try a 40 year old tilt/shift lens or a Canon FD 300mm F2,8 L, which only the richest photogs could afford back in the day. You'll notice the oldies are still goldies and you didn't have to sell your soul to get them. So, I really can't see any reason not to have some old lenses.
I love shooting with my vintage lenses on a Sony A7r III because I noticed how each vintage lens has a unique bokeh look as well as the colors. Great video. 👍🏽
Great video Mark. I love vintage lenses and my Minolta MD Rokkor-X 28mm f2.8, 45mm f2 and 50mm f2 are used often on my Fujifilm kit. I love the way these lenses render especially when it comes to using various film simulations on my Fujifilm cameras. As an actual film shooter, I've thought some of these photos were film. My biggest problem with newer autofocus lenses is that they're too clinically sharp. That's problematic when trying to produce a filmic look from a digital mirrorless camera.
Great tips!. I'd say one of the biggest draws to vintage lenses, other than the neat unique aesthetics they can provide would be manual focus over FBW. It's something I really wish modern lenses would stick to rather than an endless spinning wheel.
Why do I use vintage lenses, wI have been shooting professionally for 3o years always trying something new or in this case old keeps me growing as a photographer. It also lets me make something that has a sense of uniqueness I can't get with a modern lens. It slows me down, and they just look cool. My 1938 Leitz lens on the front of my canon r5 is the weirdest best-looking thing you can imagine
Perfect Robert, thank you! That 1938 Leitz!!!!! I've started my own collection of Leitz, they had to be Canada lenses though as i want to bring them back to where they were made in Midland, just a few hours north of Toronto. Lots of hockey tournaments there growing up!
Thanks for these tips...I have a classic Nikkor 55mm-macro lens f/1.28 that I haven't used in a couple of years, but now I'm ready to fall in love with it once again! Again, thank you!
I bought two old Nikon lenses one was a longer zoom lens and another one was a I think it was 18 to 35 I'm not sure but the focusing on them those photos are so focused better than any new camera lens I've ever used I prefer a new body for a camera but old lenses that's what I mean
@@MarkHoltze I shoot only manual right now to try to get better you know but it's tough because when you look through the viewfinder you don't know if it's focused your eyes can't tell so sometimes you have to use live view to see what your focusing you know I I still like my lenses but I like I told you I bought these lenses that are 30 years old lenses for Nikon I think Nikon makes a damn good lens I like their Nikkor lens Nightcore lens
Sometimes I watch videos for bright shiny new cameras but the lenses are so expensive... and a vintage alternative although manual are fantastic if used right... I've got a load and contine to collect.. Love love love htem
Thanks to all the mirrorless camera systems we have now. Makes adapting old film SLR lenses easy. The film photography resurgence is also responsible for driving demand and prices for these vintage lenses too. If you read old photography forum posts from many years ago, people would literally find these lenses dirt cheap on eBay. I wished I bought some back then!
There's something tactile and rewarding shooting with vintage lenses - dialling in all the settings, controlling the metal and glass (that may have been produced in some far off factory in a country that no longer exists), to produce something beautiful - it's hard to describe!
AWESOME-SAUCE!!! That's why I agree, it's the awesome-sauce they add to everything. I know it's not scientific, but pffffft I'm sticking by it. Also that steam-punked 44-2 is a thing of destructive beauty... totally in love with it.
As an ex-CONTAX user, I had plenty of A1 Zeiss and Tamron SP glass. Now use Fuji X-H1 with Metabones Speed booster. However, would recommend professional service of any 20 year plus glass. As haze builds up on the optics over time as not weather sealed units. Then onced serviced they are A1 for another 20 years.
@@MarkHoltze You should try a speedbooster, I recently got my CONTAX 50.F1.7 back from service. With the Metabones, equates to a 35mm F1.2 so mm thin depth of field and pin sharp. Images just jump out, so 3D. Happy to share some images.
Hey Mark, you did manage to sneak in the Takumar yet again. Noticed the 8 Element too. My only gripe with your videos are that they end real fast...and that's a compliment! Great stuff mann
I took a chance on this random lensbaby muse lens at my local shop years ago.... completely not knowing how it worked. Used it for a few cosplay shoots realize the potential it had for making stills look like they're in motion without Photoshop. Best 30 bucks I've spent!
I purchased a couple of vintage lenses some 3 odd years ago, but they sat idle for a while. Only in the last few months have things changed. Now sold two Sony lenses to fund my current obsession, and loving it. Now have 21 lenses. Have to agree, much prefer the shorter focal lengths.
Another banger video as always! I started with vintage glass after watching Zenography's video on 135mm lenses. I realized I could buy a Minolta 135mm f/2.8 for like $35 and figured why not. it's been all downhill since then. Totally on point with growing with your lenses (though tbh if I didn't like some of the Jena/Pentax lenses I bought early, I might not have gotten as into it lol). That said I think I went in the exact opposite direction of yourself. Whereas you adapted vintage glass into your digital workflow....I started buying film cameras to use my vintage lenses with and that just goes deeper and deeper too lol.
Beautiful video! 👌 I usually like to arrive at work an hour before my shift to do a bit of photography around campus, and I think I'm gonna take just a couple of vintage lenses with me tomorrow. I've gotten too complacent with my modern kit and that line about "challenge the body and the body will respond" just gave me some much needed inspiration! Thanks! 😁 I'll be sure to tag you in what you've inspired me to take.
It's an old thing my kinesiology teacher would say to us. "challenge the body and the body will respond" but it's something that can really be applied to anything where learning and action reaction is usually applied. Thanks for stopping by Carlos
Within the last 30 years I have collected and only used almost every Arriflex cine lenses from Cooke, Zeiss, Schneider, Angenieux, Kinoptik and so on. Some month ago I purchased my first automatic lens, and I must say it's not as bad as expected. The automatic focus is a win in my opinion and it is often underrated by many users.
It was your videos that inspired me to look at these old manual lenses, I know have 7 of them, 4 of which are the fabulous Takumars, must get one of those hellos 44-2 lenses soon too. Thank you Mark, keep up the good work👍
When I got my Canon T3i I researched if old lenses could be adapted to modern digital SLRs. Thanks to Fotodiox I got my adapters for my Dads old Minolta lenses from the 70s and 80s and later an adapter for my Grandfathers old FD Canon lenses. It gave me more to use than just the 18-55mm kit lens. I know use a Canon R7 mirrorless and it's nice using them on that camera as well.
@@MarkHoltze well I 3D printed the Helios one from “mountain breeze studios” LOVE his channel. And unfortunately it screwed up ahha so I gotta sand that b*tch down to let me fit my Helios. It works flawlessly now and I use it for literally most if not all my shoots
I've really started to love vintage glass, so far a Helios 44-2 and a Canon FD ssc 50 F1.4. Now I'm liking the look of that 35 you showed and maybe the same brand 85
Interesting video Mark, and it makes it so much more fun to use old lenses. It slow down the experience of photography so one will have more time to actually see things in a different way when using manuel focus, and specially the way different lenses renders the picture, that's why I like to work with vintage lenses of different brands. Cheers from Kenneth in Denmark
I use them for artistic purposes. I like to go hiking and find rare/unique plants to photograph. Manual focus is no problem since I can take my time with nature photography. Now, if I was shooting moving subjects like sports and birds, I'd definitely want to use an auto-focus.
My top three don't match yours, but I'm ok with that- it means our passions are our own. Great video Mark, hopefully one day we can get on a Zoom meeting and learn from each other.
Loving the content Mark! I've been getting in the Vintage lenses world slowly but surely and have been loving the videos! Keep up the good work! From Quebec with love :D
Damn man you've been making videos for 3 years. I dont know when i subbed but you're so underrated and youtube algorithm needs to show your videos more to fellow creators. 👀👌
I like vintage lenses because they tend to be lighter and smaller than current lenses for the less than the 100mm focal range. Yes, they are a lot less expensive too. It's also fun to try out different camera and lens combinations. I shoot both film and digital, and it keeps my interest up.
Very well made video and you explained your thoughts very well. Recently I bought my first vintage lens for about 300 Euros, the so called "Bokina" and I love it. I think I am going to look for other old lenses as well, like a 35 mm or something wider. This can be fun, like some sort of treasure hunting :D
Before buying a vintage Leica Summicron Rigid for my Leica MD 262, I was using a Zeiss 50mm f/2 Planar ZM. The Zeiss was too sharp for my tastes and the Rigid hit the sweet spot for me...!
It’s an important disclaimer to put up moving forward. This space has become a giant advert for the will of brands and that’s fine, but that’s not going to happen here. :)
My favorite vintage lenses so far are from the Mamiya 645 system. They work amazingly well with my Fuji GFX 50R and in many aspects are on par with modern Fujinon GF lenses at a small fraction of the price. Like you, they allowed me to experiment with focal lenses I’d normally not try, such as a huge 500mm f/5.6 (1000mm with 2x adapter) that only cost me $250. And for repro work (digitalizing my early work), the Mamiya 120mm f/4 Macro N is perfect, I don’t even think about getting a modern GF macro lens.
They can add a more unique character to the shot too and the build quality is great.. I wish they made modern lenses like that. I think they are at their best when shot with a film camera though.
yeah it makes sense. Hunt the Leica R's. I'm going to start with the 28mm followed by the 35 and 50 (that's the focal lengths I shoot the most). to round the kit I'll hunt the 19mm. if I need something else then I'll have an educated guess.
Is there such a thing as having too many lenses? If so, then I do have too many lenses but being as they come for so much ‘less’ it means I can have so many ‘more’ without any sense of guilt over how much they’re all worth, I can keep them all and enjoy them all periodically without that sense that I ought to consolidate and downsize. They all come with their respective histories, both marque and example specific, and I find myself going through a takumar phase, followed by a Helios phase followed by a Minolta phase, or a Nikon one or hell, even a modern canon ef or sigma art phase, and it really doesn’t matter, just as long as I keep picking something up and enjoying the experience. Another sweet video Mister 👍🙌 thanks
I bought vintage camera + lens kits from the "market place" and resold duplicate cameras and lenses. I found myself after 3 weeks with 28 lenses from 11mm to 350mm and an income of $ 400 ... What I like: The quality of the optics and the metal finish. Their bokeh and the pleasure of use.
Always use vintage manual lenses whether Voigtlander,Nikko and Minolta.They give unique image results that you’ll love which often inexpensive and will save you money.And i am noticed that there are many cheap and good quality manual lenses into this market, would be interesting to compare these modern manual 50mm lenses vs vintage 50mm lenses like the TTArtisan and Voigtlander.
I use Tokina 400mm sd f5.6, and have a few Vivitar lenses.. first of all I use because of the price, but I love that vintage lenses made of aluminium, a totally different feeling. I really don't like new plastic lenses. Use manual lenses also feel more like I am more in the process in take pictures
your channel is dangerous ... in a good way tho bought a bunch of vintage lenses and i absolutely love it, the build quality, everything manual, the fact that if you throw it in someone you can cause some serious damage, learning curve is really quick and most of the lenses have really interesting history behind them - not just the production but also the past users
Valid points. My “vintage” lenses were hold-overs from my analog gear (couldn’t) stand parting with them - mirrorless gave ‘em new life. Really enjoy your channel’s unique and “loving” coverage of the topic not found elsewhere on YT - from Russian history to Japanese radioactive coatings. As for try B 4 U buy to assess a focal length, is renting a new lens more expensive than purchasing a vintage lens? BTW, suggest running spell check on vid thumbnail - or is that Canadian usage?😁
I shoot vintage lenses because I like shooting great lenses and most great lenses happen to be vintage. (Sonnar 50mm f1.5, Takumar 105mm f2.4, Summitar 50mm f2, …) Also, I like my lenses made just of glass and metal. :)
Thanks as ever for the informative and entertaining video. If you have a preference for the 35mm focal length, may I suggest a lens you may enjoy? The Meyer Optik Gorlitz Primagon 35mm f4.5 is a wee silver jewel. Minimum focus distance is a hefty 40cm but the colours… If you can ferret one out, I highly recommend it. Stay well.
I've been keeping an eye on primoplans on ebay.......the last one I checked was a 16mm C mount lens, but a little too much right now. I'll check your suggestion, thanks!
@@MarkHoltze I sold my Primoplan 58/1.9 on eBay to a guy in Japan just last week. VERY stiff focus so it was listed as spares/repair. A lovely lens if you manage to find a fully functioning copy. Mine kept unscrewing itself from the M42 adapter every time I tried to focus. Not ideal. My Primagon is nice and minty and a joy to use. Hope you find one.
I use them and am confused why so many photographers buy razor sharp expensive new lenses and then post process their images to make them look like they were shot on vintage lenses. I shoot more and post process less 😌
I like the variety and cost. I have a takumar family, a nikkor, Meyer optik, rokkor, Schneider, Zeiss and Russian grouping of helios and Jupiter and still others...all on my a7 and a7ii. All the variety with one operating system and many common mounts. What could be better for the purest? Throw in cheap SD cards vs film and processing costs, this is the estimate of both worlds, analog and digital.
Hi Mark hope you doing good I too love these vintage lens as you do But my question how do you manage to focus FD lens from a view finder where I get out of focus Thank you in advance
what camera? FD to EF you need an adapter that has a glass element to allow for proper focus resolution. I don't have any issues with FD on any of my mirrorless cameras. I did on my DSLR 6D mark ii (sold it)...so hence I had the glass adapted adapter. I did a video on it, using vintage lenses on a DSLR
Hi Mark - love your stuff as always. I found a Kowa anamorphic in a thrift store for ZAR120 (about $6) and I'm excited to stick it on a 44-2 or tree Tair 135mm. I think the 40 - 2 t is too wide a filter ring though so may look for a Jupiter for the 85mm. Any thoughts?
That was super awesome, Mark! Now I’m in a big dilemma 😁😭😁… I’ve been aiming to the Mike cinema lenses for my 6K pro, but I feel lost now watching this video, as vintage lenses will definitely give you that extra personality to your footage. Any thoughts about those new Meike S35 lenses?
Perhaps you forget one argument! With manual lenses you come down and spent more time for one shot. Great video .....eBay wins and a vivitar 35mm 1.9 m42 find hopefully the way to me
I want to buy a camera to mostly use with vintage lenses. It seems like a fun and cheap way to get better at photography. Out of interest, do you think sensor size and crop factor are important for using vintage lenses. I am trying to decide whether to get a more modern aps-c Fuji camera or an older FF Sony camera. Great video by the way :)
The lenses of film days are FF, these SLR lenses anyway. So a FF sensor will resolve the image as intended. Aps-c is fine; but just lose some light and need to factor in the crop factor. Some of the character of these older lenses won’t be as apparent. Some of the character is in the flaws of the lenses which are more obvious at the edges. Areas cut off by the crop. All that said I love the use of these on a crop and enjoy them on the c100 and Komodo. Get the best camera for you mate, fujifilm are outstanding cameras. Hope that helps mate
Like you, I have some vintage lenses because they are more affordable than modern, motorized lenses. I currently use a Canon FD 50mm f1.8 and an FD 135mm f3.5. I recently used these when I did some HS graduation shots of my daughter out in nature. I was just looking at one of the lenses you mentioned, the FD 70-210mm because I've been wondering if I can shoot sports with a vintage lens. Obviously it was done before AF existed. I'm old enough to remember that and learned back in the early 80s on a Ricoh X-RP which I still have. So, I just might give it a try. I have a Fuji X-T3 body that I use with the lenses and it's really a lot of fun. Do you have any suggestions for some vintage lenses that might work nicely for sports? Thanks for the info in this video. Have a great week!
Great video Mark! I have to ask, since you're a big fan of vintage glass, how come you have never acquired any of the Leica R? Would love to hear your thoughts on those and their current price/value.
I have actually, the 90 F2 should be arriving today. Got the 35 F/2 and 50 F/2 sitting at my desk now. I'm modding them so just waiting for the EF hard mounts and gears to come so I can mount them proper. Leica R's are kind of the pinnacle for video at least. I mean you really can't go wrong with them given every year that goes by they seem to get more expensive. I wouldn't ever buy a lens as a proper "investment" but if in 5 years these are worth more than I paid and I'm "done with them" .... I'd say not bad. I'll have to do some deep dives into those though, I want to compare them to the Contax lenses as well as the Takumars.
Mark: Can you do a video on the idea of how to MATCH divergent vintage lenses? Yes, a Canon FD being used to shoot a scene alongside a Minolta, etc. But in truth, I have mostly FD lenses in my collection (a collection I will mostly credit/blame you for! lol). But even then, I think the 50/1.4 is miles sharper and contrasty than then others. I would not call the 50/1.4 a natural match with the 28/2.8. You would be hard pressed to realize they come from the same line and company. Yet, the 24 and the 28 do match well. Plus, throw in a few other lenses, including the Lumix "kit" 12-60, a Rokinon or two, and even a few EFs. Imagine trying to match all that!
None of these lenses were ever meant to match so it’s tricky. FD’s especially didn’t have any strict quality control and many very wildly. It’s one of the reasons Contax and Leica r’s are so Wildly popular in the video world. Their super strict quality control is to thanks for that. Matching is part of the game unfortunately. Practice does make perfect especially when you factor in time with your lens. Older lenses with older optics etc are a little more high maintenance.
@@MarkHoltze I had never come across that info. I wish I had. I probably would have gone for something else, as I only got these for video. Very interesting, thank you Mark.
Lots of people collect FD’s they’re viable for video.I match Takumars and mix and match FD’s with Contax; it’s craft mate. You made the right choice, next step is to tame the beast. With modern cameras it shouldn’t be too hard. Are you shooting mostly wide open? Stopped down a bit I find the issues between them aren’t nearly as pronounced.
Such an amazing shots of the lens, lighting/angle & what not, just can't stop looping this particular segment 4:36 What lens did you use to shoot it? Thank you
That sequence was shot with the the Contax Zeiss 60mm Macro F/2.8. Lighting was simply two Nano tubes with blue RGB light and that just made the neon paint on the lens glow similar to what a UV/Black light does to neon colours. Kind of makes it look iridescent. Full Cyberpunk Helios review of that lens for MORE of that lol. Everything except my talking head bits are shot with one of my many vintage lenses,
the vintage lenses price/visual quality balance is surprising and, I personally prefer to use old cine-mod or rehoused glasses over some affordable cine lenses (but I would be very curious to test some lenses from Slr Magic). These days I'm about to build an Asahi Pentax Takumar's little arsenal and my choice for an S35/Aps-c sensor will probably be 20mm f4.5, 35mm f2, and 55mm f1.8. What do you think? Do you have any suggestions? Thanks for the hi-quality content as usual
the 55 1.8 is great, but the most radioactive so if you don't care cool, if you do care cool. Yellowing on that lens might be bad as well, F/2 35 can also be yellowed due to thoriated, but of course UV light exposure will reverse that clean away. The 20 is outstanding, you could go Auto Tak 55 F/1.8 (not radioactive) but not sure how well adapted that one will be for video, no hands on experience.
@@MarkHoltze Very interesting. I will look for some information on Auto Takumar 55mm f2.8, which by the way I would not use a lot (generally I prefer wide-angle and normal), it could be an interesting alternative. For some strange reason I have never looked for much info on Pentax K-Mounts, who knows that something interesting does not come up
I work as a sports photojournalist in Turkey. I have Canon FD, Nikon AI-S and D, Minolta MD Rokkor, Pentax SMC, Olympus OM Zuiko, Carl Zeiss Planar (24-28-35- 50 -135 mm.) lenses. I want to use them on Sony Alpha NEX 5 and NEX 6 with suitable adapters. Which is the most suitable (in mm) for video shooting? I'm waiting for your answer. Greetings from Turkey..
My reasons: Price, construction quality, and character. And they really aren't far behind the most modern lenses as long as you're not going ultrawide or super tele. Staying away from earlier zooms can also be good advice. 1:29 Personally, I think even 50$ is much for a vintage lens unless it's a rare or very fast example. Most of mine I've purchased for 10-30€ a piece. Often you can also very easily repair the primes yourself, so they can be had for even cheaper.
price is always relative, when you factor in time and knowledge to modify/clean/take apart a lens that adds up. The hunt for the best price is always something to get excited about for sure, but value to each one of us is very different. :)
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These are my reasons and i'm sticking to them. Why do YOU use old dusty lenses?
I use them because they produce a more particular and less "Digital" image
Yes I do, and I absolutely love their look!
I love how using vintage lens slows your process down, forces you to think about your composition more, and shots have characters that modern lenses dont have.
I’m an aspiring hipster and I like to look “cool” in front of my friends…..
No really, I’m a beginner and want to learn primes in my video work and, as you said they are cost effective and plentiful so it makes experimenting fun and easy on the wallet.
The workflow is very cinema prime too. Very good practice with that workflow. Brilliant mate
Man, you're the reason why I shoot with vintage lenses and don't spend my money on Sony Lenses even tho they're great. I first look for vintage glass before looking for a Sony Lens haha. I don't care de AF anymore. Greetings from Mexico Mark!
I sold my one and only Sony 16-35 F/4, it's all adapted now...I know it's crazy.
@@MarkHoltze What full frame D-SLR ideal with Pentax K Mounts?
I shoot with them because I can buy them at auction, clean them up, shoot with them, keep the ones I really like and sell the ones I don't for a profit. Then I can reinvest some money in buying some more and put the rest towards the expensive Olympus M4/3 lens I just bought.
I do need to stop keeping so many though :)
I shoot with them because it makes me look smart and older people and it helps me get more clients.
🙌
because variety is the spice of life!
it SO is! I like things spicy!
Whenever I try to explain to someone why I use vintage lenses I take the example of an old classic watch. Sure, I can check the time on my smartphone, but checking the time on a vintage Rolex around your wrist just feels different. Old lenses are a piece of jewelry, fine handcrafted jewelry to last a lifetime :)
Vintage Rolex? I’m interested 😆 but ya I totally feel that mate....absolutely
I totally agree with you, I've done the same. Three Nikon Nikkor AI vintage lenses and two Pentax m lenses. Plus one Sony kit lens 28mm to 70 mm. I mainly shoot live theater. Love the results of the vintage lenses!
You and Simon's utak are far and away some of my favorite channels to watch on RUclips.
That's an exclusive club Jeff, thanks. It's an honour to be a part of it!
I've been diving into photography as a hobbyist for ~18 months, since my amazing wife surprised me with a Sony a6400 and a couple modern APS-C lenses to go with it. I found your channel shortly after I got started, and your passion for vintage lenses mirrors my passion for vintage computers. Inspired by your enthusiasm, I've steadily grown my collection of vintage glass, and I'm happy to report that many of my favorite pics I've shot were captured with lenses twice (or more!) as old as I am. I won't list them all here, but I count among my favorites my Carl Zeiss Jena Biotar 58mm f2, my Vivitar "Series 1" 70-210mm Macro Focusing Lens, and my Takumar Super-Multi-Coated Macro 50mm f1.4, which I'm 99% sure I only bought because you mentioned it in one of your videos. Thanks for taking the time to create and share this content, I *always* look forward to your next video!
Since I started watching your channel, I've bought more than a dozen vintage lenses.
No regrets. Keep doing what you're doing!
Any that you recommend?
Awesome - love to hear anyone who says they don't want to stagnate, life long learning keeps your mind sharp, whatever the practice.
Thank you for another good video on vintage lenses - I have several FDs from the 1970s that are now seeing renewed use with my Sony 7S. Manual focus lenses slow you down and make you think more consciously about what you're capturing and how you want the end results to look. Love that level of thoughtful engagement.
Liked & subscribed :-)
Thanks mate, appreciate the kind words and happy you share my thoughts on this. FD"s are all the rage right now, enjoy their renewed use!
I have 92 vintage zeiss, takumar, nikkor, helios, gorlitz, voigtlander, minolta, yashica and minolta lenses- im selling off my new lenses i bought in jan22/ wish i known better back then… 6k later! I really like the takumars and zeiss ones ❤
I’ve sold most of my modern lenses to. Just use these old babies now ;) glad I’m not alone in that
Thanks for the like- i would like to know whats your favs? I know theres alot of variables. I like the wider fov for my work
@@MarkHoltze its the way to go! The vintages have stood the test of time m- where will a sony gm be in 50+ years? Ive been taking some chances on ones from Ukraine, lots going on there now but there still selling on ebay from Kiev- takes 2 months to arrive in missouri- the best takumars are from japan, not got burned once! Cheers … hav fun shooting
Thanks mate! Same to you!
I'm so old I actually learned photography with manual focusing lenses, so I'm more comfortable with them than with autofocus. Unless you're shooting action all the time, there's no compelling reason to use AF. I'm also able to fine tune my focus much better with manual lenses. Since I've already acquired a collection of lenses back in the 80's, I don't even need to buy new ones, unless I need one of these nifty new 8mm ultra wide angles, which you couldn't even buy over the counter back in the 80's. Quality wise, I don't think there are any modern lenses that could compete with my Mamiya 645 lenses that wouldn't cost me at least 1000$ each. When I bought my second hand Mamiya, it came with three lenses and the whole package cost me less than 400$, so I'd say I got a real bargain. Since the image circle is so large, these lenses can be mounted on even the biggest sensors that are on cameras I'll never be able to afford, which means they're extremely versatile. By getting a focal length reducer, you can increase the versatility even more. Mechanically, old lenses are usually superior, because they're made of this stuff called metal, which can take a hit or two. If your camera bag falls off a cliff or gets mauled by a bear, your old lenses will probably still be in working condition, whereas your new plastic lenses will be beyond repair. Even if your old lens does break, the loss will only break your heart, not your economy. To replace the broken old lens, just find another old bargain bin lens, you'll still have money enough to pay the rent. Sometimes you run into rare lenses that used to cost a bag of money, but now are relatively affordable, so you can try a 40 year old tilt/shift lens or a Canon FD 300mm F2,8 L, which only the richest photogs could afford back in the day. You'll notice the oldies are still goldies and you didn't have to sell your soul to get them. So, I really can't see any reason not to have some old lenses.
Love your enthusiasm and infectiousness for vintage lenses Mark. You may have given me an infection.
I have the antidote as well, let me know if you need it ;) Thanks for stopping by Simon! Hope you're well mate.
I love shooting with my vintage lenses on a Sony A7r III because I noticed how each vintage lens has a unique bokeh look as well as the colors. Great video. 👍🏽
boom! You said it mate!
Great video Mark. I love vintage lenses and my Minolta MD Rokkor-X 28mm f2.8, 45mm f2 and 50mm f2 are used often on my Fujifilm kit. I love the way these lenses render especially when it comes to using various film simulations on my Fujifilm cameras. As an actual film shooter, I've thought some of these photos were film. My biggest problem with newer autofocus lenses is that they're too clinically sharp. That's problematic when trying to produce a filmic look from a digital mirrorless camera.
Great tips!. I'd say one of the biggest draws to vintage lenses, other than the neat unique aesthetics they can provide would be manual focus over FBW. It's something I really wish modern lenses would stick to rather than an endless spinning wheel.
I hate the spinning wheel. Always have. Thanks Rod, always happy to hear your thoughts as a pro shooter GO!
Why do I use vintage lenses, wI have been shooting professionally for 3o years always trying something new or in this case old keeps me growing as a photographer. It also lets me make something that has a sense of uniqueness I can't get with a modern lens. It slows me down, and they just look cool. My 1938 Leitz lens on the front of my canon r5 is the weirdest best-looking thing you can imagine
Perfect Robert, thank you! That 1938 Leitz!!!!! I've started my own collection of Leitz, they had to be Canada lenses though as i want to bring them back to where they were made in Midland, just a few hours north of Toronto. Lots of hockey tournaments there growing up!
Mark
Love my vintage lenses
Thanks for these tips...I have a classic Nikkor 55mm-macro lens f/1.28 that I haven't used in a couple of years, but now I'm ready to fall in love with it once again! Again, thank you!
My pleasure!
I bought two old Nikon lenses one was a longer zoom lens and another one was a I think it was 18 to 35 I'm not sure but the focusing on them those photos are so focused better than any new camera lens I've ever used I prefer a new body for a camera but old lenses that's what I mean
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@@MarkHoltze thank you
New camera lenses have terrible manual focus experience. Unless it’s a dedicated manual lens.
@@MarkHoltze I shoot only manual right now to try to get better you know but it's tough because when you look through the viewfinder you don't know if it's focused your eyes can't tell so sometimes you have to use live view to see what your focusing you know I I still like my lenses but I like I told you I bought these lenses that are 30 years old lenses for Nikon I think Nikon makes a damn good lens I like their Nikkor lens Nightcore lens
I agree! Mostly I use vintage lenses for my video work and I love the look I get. Another great video!
Thanks Tomas!
Sometimes I watch videos for bright shiny new cameras but the lenses are so expensive... and a vintage alternative although manual are fantastic if used right... I've got a load and contine to collect..
Love love love htem
Totally agree!
Thanks to all the mirrorless camera systems we have now. Makes adapting old film SLR lenses easy. The film photography resurgence is also responsible for driving demand and prices for these vintage lenses too. If you read old photography forum posts from many years ago, people would literally find these lenses dirt cheap on eBay. I wished I bought some back then!
Ya I had a FD 50 1.2 for $250 in my hands 3 years ago, same lens now $850 min
Awesome as always, thanks Mark!
Glad you enjoyed it!
There's something tactile and rewarding shooting with vintage lenses - dialling in all the settings, controlling the metal and glass (that may have been produced in some far off factory in a country that no longer exists), to produce something beautiful - it's hard to describe!
Since I follow you I changed my filmaking point of view... Thanks a lot Mark!
Glad that’s tracked. Sure changed mine! :)
AWESOME-SAUCE!!! That's why I agree, it's the awesome-sauce they add to everything. I know it's not scientific, but pffffft I'm sticking by it. Also that steam-punked 44-2 is a thing of destructive beauty... totally in love with it.
destructive beauty! I LIKE that!
As an ex-CONTAX user, I had plenty of A1 Zeiss and Tamron SP glass. Now use Fuji X-H1 with Metabones Speed booster. However, would recommend professional service of any 20 year plus glass. As haze builds up on the optics over time as not weather sealed units. Then onced serviced they are A1 for another 20 years.
Amazing! Thanks Jules!
@@MarkHoltze You should try a speedbooster, I recently got my CONTAX 50.F1.7 back from service. With the Metabones, equates to a 35mm F1.2 so mm thin depth of field and pin sharp. Images just jump out, so 3D. Happy to share some images.
I also love those vintage lenses!!!
Soon I will post some videos of my experience with these wonderful pieces of glass.
Tank you, man.
I love my vintage lenses, my favorite is an old Makinon 28mm 2.8 and and old Nikon 35-70 which is not so fast but has some charm.
Hey Mark, you did manage to sneak in the Takumar yet again. Noticed the 8 Element too. My only gripe with your videos are that they end real fast...and that's a compliment! Great stuff mann
Ya I’ve learned that watch time is about 5 mins so anything over that just wastes time I think. 😆
@@MarkHoltze Maybe you can do a deeper dive into one of the lenses. The video feels like a brief intro. Excellent quality and narration!!
Great build quality, great value, fun to use, rewarding... that comes to mind when thinking of why I use manual lenses. Especially the Takumars :)
Totally agree!
I took a chance on this random lensbaby muse lens at my local shop years ago.... completely not knowing how it worked. Used it for a few cosplay shoots realize the potential it had for making stills look like they're in motion without Photoshop. Best 30 bucks I've spent!
Heck yes!!
Another awesome edit! Thank you for the incredible content!
Kyle, you been around here for a long time mate, appreciate THAT. Thanks!
So inspiring ...Amazing episode Mark...Keep it goin ..Peace
thanks Barbirour! Always appreciate you stopping by!
I purchased a couple of vintage lenses some 3 odd years ago, but they sat idle for a while. Only in the last few months have things changed. Now sold two Sony lenses to fund my current obsession, and loving it. Now have 21 lenses. Have to agree, much prefer the shorter focal lengths.
Another banger video as always! I started with vintage glass after watching Zenography's video on 135mm lenses. I realized I could buy a Minolta 135mm f/2.8 for like $35 and figured why not. it's been all downhill since then. Totally on point with growing with your lenses (though tbh if I didn't like some of the Jena/Pentax lenses I bought early, I might not have gotten as into it lol). That said I think I went in the exact opposite direction of yourself. Whereas you adapted vintage glass into your digital workflow....I started buying film cameras to use my vintage lenses with and that just goes deeper and deeper too lol.
Beautiful video! 👌 I usually like to arrive at work an hour before my shift to do a bit of photography around campus, and I think I'm gonna take just a couple of vintage lenses with me tomorrow. I've gotten too complacent with my modern kit and that line about "challenge the body and the body will respond" just gave me some much needed inspiration! Thanks! 😁 I'll be sure to tag you in what you've inspired me to take.
It's an old thing my kinesiology teacher would say to us. "challenge the body and the body will respond" but it's something that can really be applied to anything where learning and action reaction is usually applied.
Thanks for stopping by Carlos
Within the last 30 years I have collected and only used almost every Arriflex cine lenses from Cooke, Zeiss, Schneider, Angenieux, Kinoptik and so on. Some month ago I purchased my first automatic lens, and I must say it's not as bad as expected. The automatic focus is a win in my opinion and it is often underrated by many users.
It was your videos that inspired me to look at these old manual lenses, I know have 7 of them, 4 of which are the fabulous Takumars, must get one of those hellos 44-2 lenses soon too.
Thank you Mark, keep up the good work👍
Great video! Thank you!
You are welcome!
When I got my Canon T3i I researched if old lenses could be adapted to modern digital SLRs. Thanks to Fotodiox I got my adapters for my Dads old Minolta lenses from the 70s and 80s and later an adapter for my Grandfathers old FD Canon lenses. It gave me more to use than just the 18-55mm kit lens. I know use a Canon R7 mirrorless and it's nice using them on that camera as well.
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Thank you for this. I watch so much of your videos and it inspired me to get my own vintage lenses and try 3D printing parts to sort of rehouse them
How's that going mate? Those 3D printers are proving to be quite handy!
@@MarkHoltze well I 3D printed the Helios one from “mountain breeze studios” LOVE his channel. And unfortunately it screwed up ahha so I gotta sand that b*tch down to let me fit my Helios. It works flawlessly now and I use it for literally most if not all my shoots
Great video Mark!
Glad you enjoyed it
I've really started to love vintage glass, so far a Helios 44-2 and a Canon FD ssc 50 F1.4. Now I'm liking the look of that 35 you showed and maybe the same brand 85
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Love it Mark as always! 👍
Thanks mate! 😃
Interesting video Mark, and it makes it so much more fun to use old lenses. It slow down the experience of photography so one will have more time to actually see things in a different way when using manuel focus, and specially the way different lenses renders the picture, that's why I like to work with vintage lenses of different brands.
Cheers from Kenneth in Denmark
Very true! Thanks for your thoughts Mike!
I am loving what you do, and I just love old lenses, amazing video
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I use them for artistic purposes. I like to go hiking and find rare/unique plants to photograph. Manual focus is no problem since I can take my time with nature photography. Now, if I was shooting moving subjects like sports and birds, I'd definitely want to use an auto-focus.
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My top three don't match yours, but I'm ok with that- it means our passions are our own.
Great video Mark, hopefully one day we can get on a Zoom meeting and learn from each other.
your three plus my three = 6 reasons GO!
Beautiful video sir.. and confirms it takes a real man to pull off PINK
No doubt lol Thanks Pete!
damn loved that video the background music perfect
Loving the content Mark! I've been getting in the Vintage lenses world slowly but surely and have been loving the videos! Keep up the good work! From Quebec with love :D
I love your channel! Greetings from Chile 🇨🇱✌🏻
Appreciate it!
Damn man you've been making videos for 3 years. I dont know when i subbed but you're so underrated and youtube algorithm needs to show your videos more to fellow creators. 👀👌
Inspiring! I added a vintage lens to my collection recently and still learning to use it well…hopefully it’s a start to use more of them in future :)
I like vintage lenses because they tend to be lighter and smaller than current lenses for the less than the 100mm focal range. Yes, they are a lot less expensive too. It's also fun to try out different camera and lens combinations. I shoot both film and digital, and it keeps my interest up.
Thanks for sharing George!
Good stuff man.
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Very well made video and you explained your thoughts very well. Recently I bought my first vintage lens for about 300 Euros, the so called "Bokina" and I love it. I think I am going to look for other old lenses as well, like a 35 mm or something wider. This can be fun, like some sort of treasure hunting :D
Absolutely!! Thanks for stopping by and leaving your thoughts. ✊
Great work Mark! Always love to see you in my Subscription feed!
it's my honour to be apart of that feed mate! Thanks for having me.
Before buying a vintage Leica Summicron Rigid for my Leica MD 262, I was using a Zeiss 50mm f/2 Planar ZM. The Zeiss was too sharp for my tastes and the Rigid hit the sweet spot for me...!
I do love the fact people can interpret the image characteristics differently and there really is no absolute “best” when it comes to lenses.
LOVE THIS VIDEO!!!!
Glad you liked it Tyler! Thanks for watching.
I haven't watched the full video yet, I'm just 2 seconds in and I love that opening card. Giving you a Like, sight unseen. ;-)
It’s an important disclaimer to put up moving forward. This space has become a giant advert for the will of brands and that’s fine, but that’s not going to happen here. :)
@@MarkHoltze I absolutely agree with you. I'm on the same wavelength.
My favorite vintage lenses so far are from the Mamiya 645 system. They work amazingly well with my Fuji GFX 50R and in many aspects are on par with modern Fujinon GF lenses at a small fraction of the price. Like you, they allowed me to experiment with focal lenses I’d normally not try, such as a huge 500mm f/5.6 (1000mm with 2x adapter) that only cost me $250. And for repro work (digitalizing my early work), the Mamiya 120mm f/4 Macro N is perfect, I don’t even think about getting a modern GF macro lens.
haven't tried anything from Mamiya 645 system but that could be the next boom.
I love to talk about lenses too, but boy is it a great way to thin out your friends and girl friends. My girlfriend just glazes over.
Both my wife and daughter have a similar reaction. 😆
They can add a more unique character to the shot too and the build quality is great.. I wish they made modern lenses like that. I think they are at their best when shot with a film camera though.
Just came back from the swap meet market. Didnt find any vintage lenses today. But im always on the mission to get a fast, nice looking one 🤨👍🏼
The hunt is part of the fun!
Thanks for the inspiration brother👍🏼🙏🏼
What a great present for my birthday :D
Happy birthday!
@@MarkHoltze Thank you, Mark :D
I just started researching Vintage lenses. I'm starting with Canon FDs and then building a second kit of Leica Rs
Skip FD’s and go straight to R’s…they’ll be way more by the time you start. ;)
yeah it makes sense. Hunt the Leica R's. I'm going to start with the 28mm followed by the 35 and 50 (that's the focal lengths I shoot the most). to round the kit I'll hunt the 19mm. if I need something else then I'll have an educated guess.
Is there such a thing as having too many lenses? If so, then I do have too many lenses but being as they come for so much ‘less’ it means I can have so many ‘more’ without any sense of guilt over how much they’re all worth, I can keep them all and enjoy them all periodically without that sense that I ought to consolidate and downsize.
They all come with their respective histories, both marque and example specific, and I find myself going through a takumar phase, followed by a Helios phase followed by a Minolta phase, or a Nikon one or hell, even a modern canon ef or sigma art phase, and it really doesn’t matter, just as long as I keep picking something up and enjoying the experience.
Another sweet video Mister 👍🙌 thanks
I bought vintage camera + lens kits from the "market place" and resold duplicate cameras and lenses. I found myself after 3 weeks with 28 lenses from 11mm to 350mm and an income of $ 400 ...
What I like: The quality of the optics and the metal finish. Their bokeh and the pleasure of use.
Always use vintage manual lenses whether Voigtlander,Nikko and Minolta.They give unique image results that you’ll love which often inexpensive and will save you money.And i am noticed that there are many cheap and good quality manual lenses into this market, would be interesting to compare these modern manual 50mm lenses vs vintage 50mm lenses like the TTArtisan and Voigtlander.
Allways great videos. Thanks. :-)
Thanks for watching!
I use Tokina 400mm sd f5.6, and have a few Vivitar lenses.. first of all I use because of the price, but I love that vintage lenses made of aluminium, a totally different feeling. I really don't like new plastic lenses. Use manual lenses also feel more like I am more in the process in take pictures
your channel is dangerous ... in a good way tho
bought a bunch of vintage lenses and i absolutely love it, the build quality, everything manual, the fact that if you throw it in someone you can cause some serious damage, learning curve is really quick and most of the lenses have really interesting history behind them - not just the production but also the past users
it's dangerous for me too lol.
Valid points. My “vintage” lenses were hold-overs from my analog gear (couldn’t) stand parting with them - mirrorless gave ‘em new life. Really enjoy your channel’s unique and “loving” coverage of the topic not found elsewhere on YT - from Russian history to Japanese radioactive coatings. As for try B 4 U buy to assess a focal length, is renting a new lens more expensive than purchasing a vintage lens? BTW, suggest running spell check on vid thumbnail - or is that Canadian usage?😁
oh ya new video
bam!
I shoot vintage lenses because I like shooting great lenses and most great lenses happen to be vintage. (Sonnar 50mm f1.5, Takumar 105mm f2.4, Summitar 50mm f2, …) Also, I like my lenses made just of glass and metal. :)
Thanks as ever for the informative and entertaining video.
If you have a preference for the 35mm focal length, may I suggest a lens you may enjoy?
The Meyer Optik Gorlitz Primagon 35mm f4.5 is a wee silver jewel. Minimum focus distance is a hefty 40cm but the colours…
If you can ferret one out, I highly recommend it.
Stay well.
I've been keeping an eye on primoplans on ebay.......the last one I checked was a 16mm C mount lens, but a little too much right now. I'll check your suggestion, thanks!
@@MarkHoltze I sold my Primoplan 58/1.9 on eBay to a guy in Japan just last week. VERY stiff focus so it was listed as spares/repair. A lovely lens if you manage to find a fully functioning copy. Mine kept unscrewing itself from the M42 adapter every time I tried to focus. Not ideal. My Primagon is nice and minty and a joy to use. Hope you find one.
I use them and am confused why so many photographers buy razor sharp expensive new lenses and then post process their images to make them look like they were shot on vintage lenses. I shoot more and post process less 😌
I like the variety and cost. I have a takumar family, a nikkor, Meyer optik, rokkor, Schneider, Zeiss and Russian grouping of helios and Jupiter and still others...all on my a7 and a7ii. All the variety with one operating system and many common mounts. What could be better for the purest? Throw in cheap SD cards vs film and processing costs, this is the estimate of both worlds, analog and digital.
Great video!
Thanks Jared!
Hi Mark hope you doing good
I too love these vintage lens as you do
But my question how do you manage to focus FD lens from a view finder where I get out of focus
Thank you in advance
what camera? FD to EF you need an adapter that has a glass element to allow for proper focus resolution. I don't have any issues with FD on any of my mirrorless cameras. I did on my DSLR 6D mark ii (sold it)...so hence I had the glass adapted adapter. I did a video on it, using vintage lenses on a DSLR
Hi Mark - love your stuff as always. I found a Kowa anamorphic in a thrift store for ZAR120 (about $6) and I'm excited to stick it on a 44-2 or tree Tair 135mm. I think the 40 - 2 t is too wide a filter ring though so may look for a Jupiter for the 85mm. Any thoughts?
That was super awesome, Mark! Now I’m in a big dilemma 😁😭😁… I’ve been aiming to the Mike cinema lenses for my 6K pro, but I feel lost now watching this video, as vintage lenses will definitely give you that extra personality to your footage. Any thoughts about those new Meike S35 lenses?
Fuji GFX50R and manual Mamiya 645 primes? You might spend more on the Kipon adaptor.
Perhaps you forget one argument! With manual lenses you come down and spent more time for one shot. Great video .....eBay wins and a vivitar 35mm 1.9 m42 find hopefully the way to me
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I want to buy a camera to mostly use with vintage lenses. It seems like a fun and cheap way to get better at photography.
Out of interest, do you think sensor size and crop factor are important for using vintage lenses. I am trying to decide whether to get a more modern aps-c Fuji camera or an older FF Sony camera.
Great video by the way :)
The lenses of film days are FF, these SLR lenses anyway. So a FF sensor will resolve the image as intended. Aps-c is fine; but just lose some light and need to factor in the crop factor. Some of the character of these older lenses won’t be as apparent. Some of the character is in the flaws of the lenses which are more obvious at the edges. Areas cut off by the crop.
All that said I love the use of these on a crop and enjoy them on the c100 and Komodo. Get the best camera for you mate, fujifilm are outstanding cameras.
Hope that helps mate
Thanks!
omg i have the 70-210 fd as well, but i think my copy might be 3.5
Like you, I have some vintage lenses because they are more affordable than modern, motorized lenses. I currently use a Canon FD 50mm f1.8 and an FD 135mm f3.5. I recently used these when I did some HS graduation shots of my daughter out in nature. I was just looking at one of the lenses you mentioned, the FD 70-210mm because I've been wondering if I can shoot sports with a vintage lens. Obviously it was done before AF existed. I'm old enough to remember that and learned back in the early 80s on a Ricoh X-RP which I still have. So, I just might give it a try. I have a Fuji X-T3 body that I use with the lenses and it's really a lot of fun. Do you have any suggestions for some vintage lenses that might work nicely for sports? Thanks for the info in this video. Have a great week!
Great video Mark! I have to ask, since you're a big fan of vintage glass, how come you have never acquired any of the Leica R? Would love to hear your thoughts on those and their current price/value.
I have actually, the 90 F2 should be arriving today. Got the 35 F/2 and 50 F/2 sitting at my desk now. I'm modding them so just waiting for the EF hard mounts and gears to come so I can mount them proper. Leica R's are kind of the pinnacle for video at least. I mean you really can't go wrong with them given every year that goes by they seem to get more expensive. I wouldn't ever buy a lens as a proper "investment" but if in 5 years these are worth more than I paid and I'm "done with them" .... I'd say not bad.
I'll have to do some deep dives into those though, I want to compare them to the Contax lenses as well as the Takumars.
Hi! Do you need an adapter even though the vintage lens fits well? I’m scared the mirror might be damaged
Mark: Can you do a video on the idea of how to MATCH divergent vintage lenses? Yes, a Canon FD being used to shoot a scene alongside a Minolta, etc. But in truth, I have mostly FD lenses in my collection (a collection I will mostly credit/blame you for! lol). But even then, I think the 50/1.4 is miles sharper and contrasty than then others. I would not call the 50/1.4 a natural match with the 28/2.8. You would be hard pressed to realize they come from the same line and company. Yet, the 24 and the 28 do match well. Plus, throw in a few other lenses, including the Lumix "kit" 12-60, a Rokinon or two, and even a few EFs. Imagine trying to match all that!
None of these lenses were ever meant to match so it’s tricky. FD’s especially didn’t have any strict quality control and many very wildly. It’s one of the reasons Contax and Leica r’s are so
Wildly popular in the video world. Their super strict quality control is to thanks for that.
Matching is part of the game unfortunately. Practice does make perfect especially when you factor in time with your lens. Older lenses with older optics etc are a little more high maintenance.
@@MarkHoltze I had never come across that info. I wish I had. I probably would have gone for something else, as I only got these for video. Very interesting, thank you Mark.
Lots of people collect FD’s they’re viable for video.I match Takumars and mix and match FD’s with Contax; it’s craft mate. You made the right choice, next step is to tame the beast. With modern cameras it shouldn’t be too hard. Are you shooting mostly wide open? Stopped down a bit I find the issues between them aren’t nearly as pronounced.
@@MarkHoltze For my needs, all fine. I just got back to shooting commercial material this month. For that work I just use the very sharp 12-60.
Such an amazing shots of the lens, lighting/angle & what not, just can't stop looping this particular segment 4:36
What lens did you use to shoot it?
Thank you
That sequence was shot with the the Contax Zeiss 60mm Macro F/2.8. Lighting was simply two Nano tubes with blue RGB light and that just made the neon paint on the lens glow similar to what a UV/Black light does to neon colours. Kind of makes it look iridescent. Full Cyberpunk Helios review of that lens for MORE of that lol. Everything except my talking head bits are shot with one of my many vintage lenses,
the vintage lenses price/visual quality balance is surprising and, I personally prefer to use old cine-mod or rehoused glasses over some affordable cine lenses (but I would be very curious to test some lenses from Slr Magic).
These days I'm about to build an Asahi Pentax Takumar's little arsenal and my choice for an S35/Aps-c sensor will probably be 20mm f4.5, 35mm f2, and 55mm f1.8. What do you think? Do you have any suggestions?
Thanks for the hi-quality content as usual
the 55 1.8 is great, but the most radioactive so if you don't care cool, if you do care cool. Yellowing on that lens might be bad as well, F/2 35 can also be yellowed due to thoriated, but of course UV light exposure will reverse that clean away.
The 20 is outstanding, you could go Auto Tak 55 F/1.8 (not radioactive) but not sure how well adapted that one will be for video, no hands on experience.
@@MarkHoltze Very interesting. I will look for some information on Auto Takumar 55mm f2.8, which by the way I would not use a lot (generally I prefer wide-angle and normal), it could be an interesting alternative.
For some strange reason I have never looked for much info on Pentax K-Mounts, who knows that something interesting does not come up
I work as a sports photojournalist in Turkey. I have Canon FD, Nikon AI-S and D, Minolta MD Rokkor, Pentax SMC, Olympus OM Zuiko, Carl Zeiss Planar (24-28-35- 50 -135 mm.) lenses. I want to use them on Sony Alpha NEX 5 and NEX 6 with suitable adapters. Which is the most suitable (in mm) for video shooting? I'm waiting for your answer. Greetings from Turkey..
When you add a lens adapter does it change the focal length? I just picked up a Minolta MD Rokkor-X 50mm f/1.4 for my sony A7riii
It doesn’t not for Mirrorless cameras if there is no glass inside the adapter. It’s straight 1:1
@@MarkHoltze Awesome, thank you!! Im enjoying your channel. Keep up the good work.
Thanks mate. My pleasure, the nice thing about these mirrorless cameras is you don’t have to worry about that focus or crop issues you get with DSLR’s
My reasons: Price, construction quality, and character. And they really aren't far behind the most modern lenses as long as you're not going ultrawide or super tele. Staying away from earlier zooms can also be good advice.
1:29 Personally, I think even 50$ is much for a vintage lens unless it's a rare or very fast example. Most of mine I've purchased for 10-30€ a piece. Often you can also very easily repair the primes yourself, so they can be had for even cheaper.
price is always relative, when you factor in time and knowledge to modify/clean/take apart a lens that adds up. The hunt for the best price is always something to get excited about for sure, but value to each one of us is very different. :)
Why do I use old lenses? Because I am old myself and already had some Olympus Zuiko OM lenses. Now I reuse these on a Sony A7(s) mark 1.