Lenses so good you have to buy a body for them?

<p>In any system, which lenses are good enough that its worth hunting down a body just to use them? To put it another way, what are the legendary manual focus lenses out there, the ones with great IQ, or wonderful out-of-focus rendition, or interesting focal lengths, or excellent low-light performance, or just all-around wonderful?</p>

 

<p>Probably not what you had in mind, but</p>

<p>I bought a Canon 5D so I could put my PC-Nikkor 35mm f/2.8 back into service. Love that lens, but if I had known that within a week Canon would announce their 17mm TS-E lens, maybe I'd have done differently and stayed with the APS-C bodies.<br /> I also have the legendary Nikkor 105mm f/2.5 lens and use it on my Nikon film cameras (F, Nikkormat FTn and EL) as well as on my 5D.</p>

<p>I'm with JDM on the Nikkor 35mm PC lens.<br>

My first one was single coated, and set a new World Redord for flare! After it was stolen, I got the Multi-Coated lens, and it's the finest piece of 35mm glass that I've ever owned (including various models of 35mm Summicron-M). Since it is both manual focus and aperture, using it with adapter on other cameras such as Canon EOS is a natural.<br>

I also keep my old Leica M3 just to use the DR Summicron, but without Kodachrome II and 25, it lacks that certain synergy of perfection.</p>

<p>I'm with JDM on the Nikkor 35mm PC lens.<br>

My first one was single coated, and set a new World Redord for flare! After it was stolen, I got the Multi-Coated lens, and it's the finest piece of 35mm glass that I've ever owned (including various models of 35mm Summicron-M). Since it is both manual focus and aperture, using it with adapter on other cameras such as Canon EOS is a natural.<br>

I also keep my old Leica M3 just to use the DR Summicron, but without Kodachrome II and 25, it lacks that certain synergy of perfection.</p>

<p>I also vote for the Nikkor 105mm f/2.5 AI MF lens. A little gem !<br>

Got an F2AS for it.<br>

Best regards,<br>

/Clay</p>

<p>The ones I use/used and know about: Nikkor 105mm f/2.5, Nikkor 45mm 2.8 (my GN is great, but some think the new non-GN is better), Nikon 50mm f/1.8, Nikkor 300mm f/4 IF-ED AF, Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux, Canon 50mm f/1.4 FD mount (probably newer ones too), Canon 85mm f/1.2 EF. Schneider 210mm f/5.6 Apo Symmar MC, Schneider 150mm f/9 Claron (for close field work), Hasselblad 110mm f/2 for F, Hasselblad 120mm f/5.6 (if you want to do close up work), Hasselblad 100mm, Hasselblad 60mm, Hasselblad 350mm SA, Hasselblad 250mm SA. Nikon 1000mm f/11. That's just a quick list off the top of my head. If I thought about it longer, there would be more.</p>

<p>Not Classic Manual, but I got a Contax G1 based purely on the reputation of the 28/45/90 set. Can't say I've been disappointed.</p>

<p>A third vote for the Nikkor 35mm PC f/2.8 (mine has the silver knob). But the real gem, if you can find one, is the Nikkor PC Micro Nikkor 85mm f/2.8. Optical quality that stuns. Beats my Zeiss G 90mm f2.8 hands down. It's a lens you could build a system, or a career, around.<br>

Canon FD offers some fantastic (and inexpensive) glass like the nFD 50mm f/3.5 Macro, the nFD 100mm f/2 and the miracle zoom the nFD 80-200mm f/4 L. If you can find the old breech lock, radioactive 35mm f/2 pre-SCC with the concave front element, consider yourself blessed. Sometimes they yellow so be aware. Luckily, Canon FD bodies go for a song so this is a great way to get started with some nice optics.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>olympus om4 body to go with zuiko glass, in my case the 100mm 2.8 lens!</p>

<p>Yeah, I should have mentioned that I actually bought a Canon AE-1 program, just so I could tap into some of the bargains in glass in that mount. The FD 50mm f/1.4, for just one example, is a wonderful lens for sure. I got a great price on mine because the filter ring was dented. Got out my lens vise and it's now practically as good as new.</p>

<p>100 2.8 APO for Leica R , 180 2.8 APO, 280 4.0 They put all my Nikon lenses to shame </p>

<p>Spotmatic F or ESII body to go with the screw-mount SMC 50/1.4</p>

<p>This has happened to me a few times. When my Contax 139 developed an expensive-to-fix shutter problem, I bought a Yashica FX-3 Super 2000 so I could use my Contax 50mm f1.7. My dad gave me two Olympus primes and two Konica primes so I picked up an OM-G (later added an OM-1) and a Konica TC-X. My latest addition was to pick up a used Nikon FE-2 to go with an 'orphaned' 50mm f2 Ai Nikkor. Liked the FE-2 so much I later ordered a Tamron Adaptall mount for it and a Nikkor 28mm f3.5 Ai. Whew.</p>

<p>I remember when I was a kid, watching my Dad using a Hypergon with two rubber bulbs connected to it. One to spin the star diaphragm, and the other to control the shutter he had mounted behind it. I can still hear him counting out his exposures and flipping the blades down and keep counting. I, to this day, think this was the most unusual and unique lens I have ever seen in my lifetime. I sure wish I had gotten it from him.</p>

<p>The 180 mm Zeiss Jena Sonnar, in P-6 mount. I guess the Zeiss Oberkochen version in Contarex mount would be at least as good.</p>

<p>I bought a couple of Hassy SWC bodies for this reason: they came with 38/4.5 Biogons attached. 8*]</p>

The Zeiss Jena Flektogons, whether 20mm, 25mm, or 35mm, are worth getting a camera for. Your choice of M42 or Exakta. And pick up a Tessar 50/2.8, a Pancolar 50/2, and a 58mm Biotar while you're at it!

<p>There are many legendary lenses for cameras other than 35mm, which everyone seems to be stuck on here.</p>

<p> I would like to hear about some, other than the Goerz Hypergon with it's spinning star diaphragm, that I mentioned above, for formats other than 35mm. Like the Sutton Panoramic Water Lens made by Ross, that needs a special body with a curved plate. If I had one of them I would buy a body for it.</p>

<p>I really like the Canon FD 50/1.4 and the FDn 100/2 as well, both of which make me glad that I have my F-1 and have also caused me to consider picking up an EF to use them on. I'm also quite impressed with the Yashinon DX 50/1.4 and Minolta's MC Rokkor-X PG 50/1.4. The Super Takumar 50/1.4 works impressively well too...perhaps I'm easily impressed. The Minolta lens was one I got on the 'bay that came with a completely refurbed XE-5 attached to it; not a bad deal.</p>

<p>The Super Takumar 50mm 1.4 and my Fujica ST 605 is a sweet combination.</p>

<p>The first time I did this was when I got a 90/2.5 Vivitar Series 1 macro. It was in Canon FD mount and came in good condition but without the 1:1 adapter for $50. I think I got a Canon TX body for it. When I wanted a higher top shutter speed I got a black FT QL. Both were overhauled. My Minolta collection started when I found an Auto Bellows III at a good price. After using it with adapters for a while on my Konica cameras I got an SR-1s. Now I would use the bellows with one of my X-700s. Other lenses I have and which are worth getting a body for include the 28/1.8 Konica UC Hexanon, 28/2.5 Vivitar Fixed Mount, 35/2 Canon FD SSC (1st version), 55/1.8 Takumar SMC, 55/1.8 SMC Pentax, 55/3.5 Nikkor PC, 100/2.5 MC Rokkor, 135/2.5 Canon FL, 135/2.8 Vivitar Close Focusing, 200/3.5 MC Rokkor-X.</p>

<p>Pentax 35mm f/3.5 SMC-A for 645 format. Bought a P645N body for it.<br>

Kept looking and sorting through used Pentax LX's to replace a 20 year old worn-out LX, to continue to use my SMC-A 100mm f/2.8 macros and SMC-K 24mm f/2.8.<br>

Nikon F5, D200, and D300 to use with the 200-400mm VR. A lens so versatile as to be worth jumping systems if one is into North American wildlife. Hanging onto the F5s now for use with the 17-35mm f/2.8 AF-S, as I don't have a spare $8K laying about for a D3X just now.</p>

<p>My five-element 50/1.5 Canon rangefinder lens (from about 1954) is a copy of Zeiss's Sonnar. I think it's worth keeping my Canon P, or another rangefinder camera, juar to be able to use it. At f/2 or f/2.8, it makes beautiful smooth pictures of people, particularly women. I don't know another lens that draws quite like it. </p>

<p>I found my Bushnell 200mm f/3.5 to be just that lens. When I bought it, it was absolutely spotless like new condition, I mean the threading on the mount still had the black paint on it, I soon found out why. The person I bought it from had bought it some years ago only to find out it did not fit his Minolta XG-1 (also for sale at the time). It was an M-42 mount lens...obviously not going to fit the bayonet of the XG-1 that had almost no use on it at all as well.</p>

<p>After doing some research on the Bushnell I ran out and bought a Pentax H2, and later a Chinon CS (when I discovered I really did not like the Pentax.) So I ran out and bought not one but two bodies, Just so I could use that lens.<br /> Here is the Pentax and the Bushnell together, the only photo I have of the Pentax:<br /> <a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v371/battousaiofnphiles/Photos/Cameras/?action=view&current=100_3371-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v371/battousaiofnphiles/Photos/Cameras/100_3371-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /> </a> <br /> See it bigger here - http://www.photo-lucidity.com/pic-1029.html</p>

<p>Jeff beat me to it. I bought a Vivitar 90mm/2.5 Series One Macro (w/o the custom adapter) back in the day for my Minolta SRT102. Then I scored the adapter. More recently, but still a few years ago, I bought a second copy of that lens in M42 mount so I could mount it onto a Canon AF body. Wow does it feel nice. This lens is the embodiment of a smooth focusing ring.</p>

<p>I just did extensive testing on the Vivitar and a Nikkor 55mm/2.8 micro and a rented Sigma 150mm/2.8 macro. The vivitar stood its ground well as one of the sharpest, if not the sharpest lens I have ever used. I will admit that it loses out on color and contrast to the modern design (coatings) Sigma. But that is easily solved in Photoshop.</p>

<p>I'm keeping both of mine and plan to use them more now that I have refreshed my familiarity with them. Especially the adapted one since I bought a Katz Eye focusing screen to work with it. I thought about buying the Sigma or any other modern lens for that matter. Instead, I am going to go out with a two lens kit the next few times: My EF 17-55mm/2.8 IS zoom and my Vivitar 90mm macro.</p>