Classic camera lenses for DSLR

[paul_richardson9]

<p>Hey,<br /> <br /> Basically as the title describes, I'm after a few wide-lenses for use on a canon 5d (classic).<br /> <br /> I'll ideally get a 24/28mm, and a 35mm, and my total budget is around £200. I'd like to find something that is 2.8 or faster <img title="Smilie" src="http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif" alt="" border="0" /><br /> <br /> From an earlier thread I see Pentax Takumars and Yashica ML were highly recommended, and these both fit easily in my budget. But, I'm just wondering if anyone else has any more recommendations?<br /> <br /> On a related note, are there many decent old portrait lenses too? All I can find is either 50, or 135mm..<br>

<br /> Thanks!<br /> Paul</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>The range you're looking for (wide angle) is the toughest one because something like a 24mm was really wide in the M42 days, and many of them are 'rarer' (a relative term, of course), harder to find, and -- here's the real catch-- many of them project too far back to work without fouling the mirror on a Canon 5D.<br /> There is an updated, but not complete list of problems of this sort at the http://www.panoramaplanet.de/comp/ site. Many of those lenses will mount on the APS-C EOS cameras.<br /> Many Carl Zeiss Jena (East German) lenses are excellent in various mounts that can be adapted to the EF-mount, as are the Takumars. For the M42>EF adapters, you won't have to ruin an old lens if you buy the newer adapters that have a flange to depress the aperture pin.</p>

<p>However, old Nikon manual lenses also work very well on Canon EOS cameras, and the adapters are as cheap and plentiful as M42 adapters. You can just buy them and leave them on the lenses.<br /> Some of those Nikon lenses are among the all-time classics, and the difficulty in using the <em><strong>non-AI</strong></em> versions on modern Nikons until fairly recently has kept the prices of those lower than they would have been otherwise -- for example the really nice Nikkor-P 105mm f/2.5 lens - a classic "portrait" lens.</p><div></div>

[Wouter Willemse]

<p>What JDM said, but the problem with Nikkors might also be the 24mm. I have an older (~1984, AI) 24mm f/2.8, it's a decent lens, I am quite happy with mine. But that's going to eat quite a bit of your budget (I paid around €180 for it, and from what I've seen that's the normal price). Maybe an alternative... some time ago, I picked up an used Nikkor AiS 20mm f/3.5 from eBay - small, light, wide, not quite the f/2.8 you try to find though. But it was quite a bit cheaper than the 24mm (€140); not the sharpest lens ever, but it has a very charming rendering, in my view, and very good handling of flare.<br>

A 35mm f/2 AI or pre-AI, or the 35mm f/2.8, should not be too hard to find for little money.</p>

[dave_g1]

<p>I would say don't bother with old wide angles. I know that some people will disagree, but by and large most old wide angle lenses are mediocre at best. There are a lot of decent 35mm lenses which can be had for cheap, but when you get into the ultrawide range - most of this stuff was expensive new, and it is still expensive today. A lot of it isn't especially great either (although some of it is phenomenal and you pay for it). </p>

<p>If you want a normal or long lens, then you're going to do good with old lenses. A 50mm lens is a good length for portraits when using a [censored] camera. The Yashinon 2/50 and Mamiya 2/50 are both excellent 50s that you can usually find for between $10-$20 on the dread site eebay. There are also many triplets with soft rendering, Meritar, Domiplan, Cassar, etc.<br>

In the short tele territory there are LOTS of preset T mount lenses that are wonderful. I have a 2.8/105 Soligor which I think renders wonderfully:<br>

<img src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6090/6117838370_03b76a599e.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="346" /><br>

It's pretty sharp too.<br>

And an ISCO 4.5/100 which gives classic triplet rendering:<br>

<img src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6006/6016040667_6cdf15d2bf.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="330" /><br>

And probably tons of others. Most 90mm to 135mm lenses are pretty good. </p>

[Lou_Meluso]

<p>A good MF wide prime is the Nikkor 28mm f/2 AIS. You will still get some CA in the edges but less than some others I've tried. Not cheap however.</p>

<p>There are plenty of longer lenses around like the fine Nikkor 85mm f/2, which is nicely compact, or, if you save up, the 85mm f/1.4 which is stunning but much larger. In addition to the Nikkor 105mm mentioned above (which is GREAT!) any of the old Micro-Nikkor 105's work well too. Pentax M42 mount has many also like the SMC (and Super-Takumar version) Takumar 105mm as well as lenses by Mamiya, Zeiss and other Japanese and German M42 makers. With old lenses, eBay and KEH Cameras are your best source. </p>

[zoltan_arva_toth]

<p>While I have no first-hand experience with it, this website talks highly of the Olympus OM Zuiko 24mm f/2.8 (and they tested it on a 1Ds Mark III, which is arguably more demanding of lenses than the classic 5D): http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/reviews/lenses/zuiko24_f28.html<br>

I also recall reading a comparative test done on a 1Ds Mark III where the OM 24mm f/2.8 was, again, given goood marks but cannot seem to find it.<br>

Whether you can buy it for less than £200 including the OM-to-EF adapter is another question, of course.</p>

[rick_drawbridge]

<p><strong>Paul</strong>, in "Look before you leap" mode, check out this invaluable site:</p>

<p>http://www.panoramaplanet.de/comp/</p>

<p>We 5D users do have a few problems with older lenses with projecting rear elements obstructing the mirror at infinity settings, or even closer. My favourite is the 28mm SMC Pentax f/3.5 which should be OK though it's a close thing, and the 24mm Zuiko f/2.8, along with most Zuikos, is very good. The longer lenses, beyong 60mm, are usually quite OK, and there are some very fine lenses at reasonable prices in the 80-105mm area, including some excellent short zoom lenses in the Tamron Adaptall range. Just have a hunt around.</p>

[CoryAmmerman]

<p>If you are considering Nikkors, <strong><a href="http://www.photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/serialno.html">Roland Vink's</a></strong> website is an invaluable tool for determining whether a lens is Non-AI, AI, or AIS, if you know the serial number of the lens in question. Often there is quite a bit of difference in performance between the different versions of a given lens.</p>

<p>Of the focal lengths in question, I only have experience with the 105/2.5 mentioned above, and 28/3.5 and 35/2.8 Nikkors. My version of the 105 is the older Non-AI, which is supposedly not as good as some of the later versions, but is still very good. My 28/3.5 and 35/2.8 are both reasonably good performers on a crop-sensor, given that they are two of the least expensive Nikkors out there, but both show slightly worse performance in the corners of the image. If you are the type that obsesses about corner to corner sharpness, maybe it's best to give these two a pass.</p>

[tony_lockerbie]

<p>Can you put FD lenses on your camera? If so, then the FD 28mm or the 24mm are both excellent. With the Nikkors, the 28mm F2 is the best, but the 20mm F3.5 is also excellent.<br>

I have just bought a Sony NEX 6 (horror) and am also experimenting with older lenses. I have an adapter for Leica M mount lenses and Nikon F lenses. The 50mm F1.4 and 85mm 1.4 are proving to be great so far!<br>

On the wide side I have several Cosina Voigtlander in M mount, 28mm F2, 35mm 1.4 and 21 and 15mm that work great with the APS sensor.</p>

[paul_richardson9]

<p>Thanks for all the responses so far guys! A lot of valuable information there :)<br>

Will check out all the prices and info on the suggested lenses. Thanks for the additional websites regarding mirror slap, will come in handy I'm sure!</p>

<p>So far I've found a nikon 35mm f2 AIS for £135, and a pentax PKA f3.8 19mm for £75. Both are pretty good options in my eyes.<br>

<br />I wasn't thinking of going for something so slow as 3.8, but I would be able to hand hold it and make up for the lost speed. The larger apertures are preferred for shooting hand held in low light, not for getting DOF :)</p>

<p>I love UWA's, and didn't think I would get one in that price range. Granted it might not be very sharp, but at f8 it the only samples look fine for my needs.</p>

 

[tjfuss]

<p>For a very wide lens, I'd nominate the 20mm Vivitar in M42 mount. It's a pretty reasonable value, not hard to find and the two copies I've owned were both very good. My current copy works fine on the Canon 5D II.</p>

[Two23]

<p>I've been using a three inch Petzval (vintage 1860s/1870s) on my Nikon D5100. You can't find a more classic portrait lens than that!</p>

<p>Kent in SD</p>

[mwmcbroom]

<p>I've had a manual focus Nikon outfit for years before I bought my EOS DSLR. So for me, the only expense was buying a Nikon F to EOS adapter. I use my Nikkor 24mm f/2.8 on my EOS with excellent results, as well as the rest of my Nikon kit. Probably my favorite Nikon prime is an old black metal barrel 105mm f/2.5 that was AI'd by Nikon. It is a wonderful portait lens.</p>

<p>A couple years ago, I picked up a Tamron 24mm f/2.5 on eBay, mostly because I didn't have anything that wide for my Canon FD outfit (yes, I shoot Canon FD and no, FD lenses do not adapt easily to EOS -- an adapter with a corrective glass element is required for infinity focus). I put the Tamron through a series of tests, comparing it with my Nikkor 24mm. I was quite surprised to find that at all apertures except for wide open at f/2.5, the 24mm Tamron was as sharp as, if not sharper than, my 24mm Nikkor. At f/2.5, its only problem was a mild bit of ghosting flare that disappeared as soon as the lens was stopped down to f/4. The good thing about the Tamron is it is usually fairly reasonably priced on sites like eBay.</p>

<p>Vivitar has offered 24mm lenses over the years. The one made by Kiron, a 24mm f/2 with serial number beginning with 22, is supposed to be excellent. The Tokina made 24mm f/2.8, with serial number beginning with 37, is also supposed to be first rate. Both can often be found for reasonable sums. Unfortunately, I don't have any direct experience with either, but I have seen numerous photos taken with them. They both do a very good job.</p>

<p>The PK-A 19mm f/3.8 for 75 ukp is a no-brainer. I hope you bought it. Pentax has a reputation for building exceptionally sharp lenses, and I see no reason why this 19mm would be an excepton. Also, most UWAs are slower lenses. For example, your typical 17mm, like the Tamron, Tokina, or Vivitar are all f/3.5 lenses. Canon's 17mm FD is a f/4. So f/3.8 is right there with the rest.</p>

<p> </p>