Znude! wrote:
My friend Bruce buys vintage lenses, takes them apart, cleans them, and uses them on his Canon and Leica camera bodies.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/brusby/

Here's a specific link to one.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/brusby/51 … otostream/

If you dig through his images there you will find many along with an explanation of the lens and such.

Thank you for your feedback.

Your friend Bruce (as well as others here) should find this website most interesting and very informative https://richardhaw.com

There are some excellent reviews on the quality of the vintage lenses that the author has experience with doing repairs.

Randy Poe wrote:
Do Nikon D lenses count? I love old D lenses. I used a few on my D7200. Unfortunately they don't AF on my z5 so that was to bad. I hope to always keep a working D line rig just to keep my D lenses useful.

Thank you for your question, "Do Nikon D lenses count?"

AF-D lenses are about my vintage! That said, I welcome talking about people's personal experiences using "old" AF-D series lenses.

https://imaging.nikon.com/history/story/

The Other Place wrote:
Vintage lenses lend character to what would normally be a clinical, digital look.

Cinematographers have known this for years, and have been using old anamorphic lenses to help acheive a filmic warmth out of their digital sensors.  The trend is so prevalent and established that, a few years ago, cinema lens manufacturers started making entire lines of lenses based on their old designs from the 1960's and 1970's.  Of course, the trend of rehousing old still photography lenses for filmmaking has been going on for at least a dozen years.

With an adapter, most mirrorless cameras can accept almost almost any vintage lens, because many mirrorless cameras have a shallow lens mount.  Likewise, such cameras can take advantage of speedboosters/focal-reducers which essentially convert an APS-C camera) into a full frame camera (or a m4/3 camera into an APS-C camera, and which usually add one stop of brightness.  Also, tilt-swing and tilt-shift adapters can be used with vintage lenses on most mirrorless cameras.

Thank you for your post. My response to your opening comment ... "Vintage lenses lend character to what would normally be a clinical, digital look."is this precisely is what makes finding and using vintage lenses so interesting to photographers like myself. 

My thanks to those cinematographers who have posted many excellent reviews about their experiences using vintage lenses.

Here is a favourite link and I especially like how the author has presented his reviews through his eyes as a  cinematographer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8Il_l3tu6Q
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPf67c … OERwjHyR2w

Red Sky Photography wrote:
my favorite lenses are:

Micro-Nikkor 70-180  F4.5-5.6 D

AF DC-Nikkor 135 F2

Used on D 7100 and D610, as yet I have not got an adapter for my Z50 mirrorless but the kit lenses for
that seem to be quite good for my uses.

Nikon recently (2021) announced that they have ceased production of the 135mm f/2 “defocus control” portrait lens – a legendary member of the company’s AF-D lens series.

I opted for the 85mm f1.4 AF-D because at the time I was using a D200 and I personally felt that the focal lengths of the 105 & 135mm f/2 “defocus control” portrait lenses were better suited to full frame cameras. Nikon latter released the Nikon D600/610 which was in my price range and this would have impacted my decision.

Today, rather than purchasing Nikon's latest and greatest mirrorless cameras and lenses, I've decided to call it a day and instead go back and revisit the legendary cameras and lenses of my youth.

A Final Salute to Nikon's AF-D Series Lenses:
https://casualphotophile.com/2021/05/03 … -d-lenses/

Dorola wrote:
I would ask what characteristic you are looking for when wanting to use vintage lenses. I still shoot film, develop and print it. I have always felt limited by the performance of the lens from the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. When I look at the performance of many of these lenses as outlined on DXOMARK.com, it is easy to see why. As an example, when you look at Canon's EF 50mm f1.2 and compare it to the nifty-50 EF 50mm f1.8 or even the STM version, there perform is better in several areas than the more expensive lens. I would certainly not consider the performance of any the the Canon EF 50mm lenses to be good. So what I have done is started using the Sigma Art lenses on my Canon autofocus film bodies (also on my Sony A7 cameras). With the high resolution Sigma lenses, I have seen sharpness and detail I never believed possible with film. The prints I've made have more life and vitality than anything I've see before. I bought 4 of the Sigma Art lenses and 3 of the Tamron zooms because if the improvement in image quality. For me, I can't consider going back and using vintage lenses. I am very happy to start out with the most accurate photo possible with the newer lenses. If there is a specific vintage look someone wants, I can usually manipulate the print in the darkroom. The other option is to scan the negatives and manipulate them electronically for whatever style I want. If I'm shooting with a vintage lens, I am pretty much locked into whatever compromise the lens offered. That said, I have a bunch of older Canon EF, Canon FD, Minolta MD, Minolta autofocus, Pentax screw-mount, Konica bayonet and Nikon manual focus F-mount lenses for sale.

For me, and I do not suggest this applies to you or anyone else unless they want it to, "character" usually means "flaws that are pleasing."

The flaws/character of a lens will reveal themselves in a couple of different ways, including but not limited to:
bokeh
vignetting
flare
spherical aberrations

I also have a collection of pro-level AF fast glass options in my kit that I can easily turn to when they are needed.

As a result of doing a stocktake on my collection of vintage M42 and bayonet mount lenses during Covid-19 lock-downs, I am now in a better position to know which of my lenses are keepers and those I can let go.

Just as I like vintage cars, I can just as easily like a lens and/or camera body simply because of their fine and quirky styling and build qualities.

https://www.youtube.com/c/Simonsutak/videos

Camera Buff wrote:
I opted for the 85mm f1.4 AF-D because at the time I was using a D200 and I personally felt that the focal lengths of the 105 & 135mm f/2 “defocus control” portrait lenses were better suited to full frame cameras. Nikon latter released the Nikon D600/610 which was in my price range and this would have impacted my decision.

I bought my 135 f2 when I was shooting with an F4s and then F5. It was too long for most of my indoor shoots when I had a D1, D70 and D200 and still too long on my D7100 indoors. It does pair better with my D 610 I think. Probably my favorite lens ever

Camera Buff wrote:
Here are a couple of hand held snapshots taken today with a vintage $20 Helios 58mm f2 prime lens, shot wide open at minimum focus distance. These images highlight the (flawed) characteristics of vintage lenses that are so appealing to me.
https://www.modelmayhem.com/mystuff#/manage_photos

You should be aware that when I click on "mystuff" it takes me to mystuff, not yourstuff.

Try this:
https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/1726009/630781

Mark Salo wrote:

You should be aware that when I click on "mystuff" it takes me to mystuff, not yourstuff.

Try this:
https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/1726009/630781

Thank you Mark, I wasn't aware of this fact, but with your help I have edited my post and inserted the link you provided.

My favourite vintage Nikon lens is the Nikkor 105mm f/1.8 Ai-s. That said I have always been interested in the Defocus Nikkors and it's great to see that photographers are posting videos that show what these (quirky) lenses are capable of producing.

Camera Buff wrote:

Thank you Mark, I wasn't aware of this fact, but with your help I have edited my post and inserted the link you provided.

My favourite vintage Nikon lens is the Nikkor 105mm f/1.8 Ai-s. That said I have always been interested in the Defocus Nikkors and it's great to see that photographers are posting videos that show what these (quirky) lenses are capable of producing.

My current avatar ( as well as the dark dress with the forest backround photo)  were shot with the 105 DC.
I recently "upgraded" to the 1.4 E but currently still have the DC and a 2.5 Ai-S hanging around.

Cool Hand Mike wrote:
My current avatar ( as well as the dark dress with the forest backround photo)  were shot with the 105 DC.
I recently "upgraded" to the 1.4 E but currently still have the DC and a 2.5 Ai-S hanging around.

The Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 105mm f/1.4 E Lens costs AU $3,375.00 here in Australia, that's a significant financial upgrade. Plus you still have your Nikon AF-D NIKKOR 105mm f/2 DC ... that's a fine piece of glass to have hanging around. I believe there is now a Nikon Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S Macro added to the mix.

I've been into Sony mirrorless cameras from the get go, so I doubt that I'll change over to Nikon's Mirrorless System.

Congratulations on your Avatar. As well as your fine lens work, I really like the romantic look of your images taken during the golden hour.  I am also a sucker for a model wearing a stylish hat.

Camera Buff wrote:

The Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 105mm f/1.4 E Lens costs AU $3,375.00 here in Australia, that's a significant financial upgrade. Plus you still have your Nikon AF-D NIKKOR 105mm f/2 DC ... that's a fine piece of glass to have hanging around. I believe there is now a Nikon Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S Macro added to the mix.

I've been into Sony mirrorless cameras from the get go, so I doubt that I'll change over to Nikon's Mirrorless System.

Congratulations on your Avatar. As well as your fine lens work, I really like the romantic look of your images taken during the golden hour.  I am also a sucker for a model wearing a stylish hat.

I bought it (and just about everything I can) used to save $ (lots of F mount glass is approaching fire sale prices).
No interest in the 2.8 Z, I'll used the 1.4 adapted whenever I upgrade to the Z mount, presumably the Z6III in a few years.

Thanks for the compliment !

Camera Buff wrote:
During the Covid lockdowns I decided to do a stocktake of all my old 35mm film cameras and prime lenses. I've always known that some were highly regarded in their day, but what has surprised me is just how remarkably well vintage prime lenses can perform on modern digital cameras.

Are there any other MM photographers who share my new-found interest in shooting portraits with vintage lenses?

I inherited a Leica 8.5cm f1.5 Summarex lens from my father, along with a 50mm F2 Summitar lens, along with several other Leica lenses and cameras and gear. The 8.5cm f1.5 lens ia one of the finest lenses ever produced (the 50mm f2 is legendary), The lens (8.5cm) was produced as a special request from Hitler to give German photographers a special edge shooting the 1938 Olympics. It took to the end of WW II for these lenses to become available for general us. These lenses are valued at between $2 and $6 thousand each.

My 8.5cm lens is valued to collectors at around $50 thousand, in 169 (the 100 year anniversary of the creation of the optic works in Wetzlar by Dr. Ernst Leitz) E. Leitz took the lens back after a mishap in that the front element was cracked and the lens barrel was bent from a front impact. Old stocks of original glass was shaped and ground to factory standards, barrel repaired, and the lens was completely aligned and repaired. This sort of action has rarely been done in the past and this is the only 8.5cm Summarex that has ever been repaired by E. Leitz. Collector love this sort of unique action. The lens is used by me to make images, a week ago I did portraits in my garden using the lens. I use the old lenses with a full frame Sony A7, the reason I purchased the Sony years ago.

The question that begs to be answered is why with the explosion of mirrorless full frame digital camera bodies, why aren't there more photographers using all the old prime lenses? Leica and Zeiss optics are so cheap and available, this just makes no sense.

Tim Summa wrote:
I inherited a Leica 8.5cm f1.5 Summarex lens from my father, along with a 50mm F2 Summitar lens, along with several other Leica lenses and cameras and gear. The 8.5cm f1.5 lens ia one of the finest lenses ever produced (the 50mm f2 is legendary), The lens (8.5cm) was produced as a special request from Hitler to give German photographers a special edge shooting the 1938 Olympics. It took to the end of WW II for these lenses to become available for general us. These lenses are valued at between $2 and $6 thousand each.

My 8.5cm lens is valued to collectors at around $50 thousand, in 169 (the 100 year anniversary of the creation of the optic works in Wetzlar by Dr. Ernst Leitz) E. Leitz took the lens back after a mishap in that the front element was cracked and the lens barrel was bent from a front impact. Old stocks of original glass was shaped and ground to factory standards, barrel repaired, and the lens was completely aligned and repaired. This sort of action has rarely been done in the past and this is the only 8.5cm Summarex that has ever been repaired by E. Leitz. Collector love this sort of unique action. The lens is used by me to make images, a week ago I did portraits in my garden using the lens. I use the old lenses with a full frame Sony A7, the reason I purchased the Sony years ago.

The question that begs to be answered is why with the explosion of mirrorless full frame digital camera bodies, why aren't there more photographers using all the old prime lenses? Leica and Zeiss optics are so cheap and available, this just makes no sense.

Thank you for your marvellous story about your Leica 8.5cm f1.5 Summarex lens.  It is certainly a marvellous looking vintage lens.

I have some fine modern AF lenses that communicate all sorts of information to the camera and the memory card. If shooting moving subjects like sports etc then I can appreciate that the latest cameras and lenses are a sensible choice. That said, I shoot mostly static subjects so speed is not an issue for me and so some of these older slower manual focus lenses can be a real joy to use.

A beautiful showpiece:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhYHX9z0cg0
https://www.streetsilhouettes.com/home/ … ntage-lens

Studio NSFW wrote:
I’ve been mating classic large format lenses to my digital system for the last year or so via a Sinar P2 and phase One slider adapter; was able to re-discover my Rodenstock Imagon 200mm and now use a Schneider SA 120mm as a go-to anymore.

Recently got the ‘blad adapter for my Phase One XF and have been looking lustfully at the Zeiss 120mm Macro, although the Schneider/Phase one is probably the smarter choice, I could save about $4000 on the Hasselblad MF version….

Never thought I would consider a Hasselblad lens to save money.

I’ve been looking into mating my enlarger lenses and slide projector lenses to my digital cameras via bellows. There's so much fun to be had experimenting with things that are laying around the studio. Until your post I didn't realise that adapters are available to mount large format lenses on digital mirrorless cameras.

Mamiya 645 – Legendary cine lenses on a budget
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntohzgTm5Lo

Studio NSFW wrote:
Yeah, or even DSLRs….

Thank you so much for the posting the link and for taking the time to talk to me/us about your work methods and experiments. I found it both interesting and informative.

Certainly a huge step up from other, less technical, topics that are regularly reposted in this forum.

Pinup Fantasies wrote:
I have both an old Sima soft focus lens f/2 with f/4 and f 5.6 inserts (sliding tube focus) and a Spiratone 100mm Portragon f/4 (Twist focus). Both use the t-mount system and I've experimented with both my Canon 5D M4 and EOS M50 with interesting results. Focusing is tough, and tons of chromatic aberration, but a really unique look. These lenses turn up on Ebay occasionally and are often under $50. T-Mounts are around $10-20.

https://mickeyrountree.smugmug.com/Blog … /i-LQkWtCL

Actually there are several Simas and one Spiratone on Ebay today (4/19/2022)

Thank you for your informative comments, they have piqued my interest in learning more about vintage soft focus lenses like Sima and Spiratone. I am a inspired by your photography involving horses. The beauty you've captured is a reminder that the world really is a beautiful place.