Anyone use older manual focusing lenses?

[Arkitech]

I would like to buy a collection of inexpensive manual focusing lenses. Seems like a good way to get superior optics for a very low cost, provided there is a mount for the camera and lens.

Anyone currently doing this? Where do you find your lenses? (ebay, thrift store, pawn shops, etc.) What prices have you paid?

 

[luv2liv]

good to know im not the only 1 thinking the same thing. i saw Canon F1.2 lenses for dirt cheap on ebay and craigslist. but i havent bought any since im terrible at manual focus....

 

[Arkitech]

Same here, I'm seeing dirt cheap prices on ebay. But from the research I've done you have to choose the lenses carefully as some can damage the camera. Then some older lenses may have radioactive elements, also I've been reading that you have to make sure that you have quality adapters. It's worth doing the extra work though to get some good glass for cheap.

 

[fralexandr]

I've been thinking of buying a manual macro, but usually the cheap ones with good optics are not Auto Aperture (A setting on the aperture ring), which would make stopping down annoying, due to the light loss when trying to focus stopped down.

I'm also interested in the Venus 15mm 1:1 and the 60mm 2:1, but holding off on getting one for the above reason.

 

[shortylickens]

Not older, but I have found myself using the manual focus ring more frequently these days, especially at night.

 

[tdawg]

I'm using leica and nikon lenses in manual focus via adapters on my sony. I love it, especially the leica 35mm. I couldn't imagine using manual focus on my nikon, but the focus peaking on the sony makes it dead simple to get sharp images.

I was lucky enough that my dad finally gave me his father's leica kit and the 2 nikon lenses I kept when I switched from nikon. But there are a couple of voigtlander lenses that really intrigue me and their prices are very reasonable from what I've seen at B&H.

 

[Pocatello]

I've recently bought a Sony NEX7 used, and I'm pairing it with my Nikon prime lenses, all of them are AIS or AI lenses. Focus peaking helps a lot with manual focus lenses.

 

[luv2liv]

i have no idea what focus peaking is until now. thanks for sharing!

 

[Belegost]

I have a trio of old PK-mount primes (28 f/2.8; 50 f/1.7; 135 f/2.8) that I mount on my SL1 with inexpensive EF adapters. The 50 is easily my favorite lens, tack sharp, great focal length for portraits on APS-C, and very versatile. The 135 is a decent range, but hard to use as manually focusing at that distance has been iffy for me (unfortunately until magic lantern makes it to the SL1, no focus peaking.)

Big things, look at the mount compatibility, you want to avoid adapters that need a glass element because that will degrade the quality (or cost a fortune for the adapter.) So for instance for the Canon EF mount, PK lenses (pentax, minolta) just need a thin aluminum ring, but old canon FD lenses need a teleconverter.

I've also seriously considered picking up one of the pentax DSLRs since the current mount is an evolution of PK that is backwards compatible.

 

[Arkitech]

Any Nikon users here who use vintage lenses? I have a d3300 and I would like to find a compatible 50mm prime (hopefully a 1.4 or better). I'm still trying to figure out what kind of adapter I would need. The problem is I have a shoestring budget, $50 or less for the lense and adapter. Any suggestions?

 

[Pocatello]

Any Nikon users here who use vintage lenses? I have a d3300 and I would like to find a compatible 50mm prime (hopefully a 1.4 or better). I'm still trying to figure out what kind of adapter I would need. The problem is I have a shoestring budget, $50 or less for the lense and adapter. Any suggestions?

Lucky for you, most Nikon lenses will fit your Nikon D3300 without needing an adapter. I have a Nikon D5100 which takes Non AI lenses, AI lenses, AIS lenses. All manual focus though. Nikon D7xxx DX or Nikon lines of FX cameras cannot mount Non AI lenses (the exception is the Nikon Df). Before you get a legacy 50mm f/1.4 lens, from my experience, most of them don't get tack sharp until you stop down to f/2. One of my favorite lens is the Nikon 50mm f/1.8 D, very cheap but extremely sharp. Not nicely built as an AIS lens, but just as sharp or sharper. It has a built-in confirmation chip, so you know when it's kinda focus (green light) and the camera can control the aperture setting.

 

[CuriousMike]

Any Nikon users here who use vintage lenses? I have a d3300 and I would like to find a compatible 50mm prime (hopefully a 1.4 or better). I'm still trying to figure out what kind of adapter I would need. The problem is I have a shoestring budget, $50 or less for the lense and adapter. Any suggestions?

Not sure I'd waste my time with an older 50 as you can find the 50 f/1.8 D used for ~$80 and it'll have great optics.

 

[Jinny]

yup, i love my vintage Pentax takumar F1.4 50mm , m42 mount.

 

[Denly]

Any Nikon users here who use vintage lenses? I have a d3300 and I would like to find a compatible 50mm prime (hopefully a 1.4 or better). I'm still trying to figure out what kind of adapter I would need. The problem is I have a shoestring budget, $50 or less for the lense and adapter. Any suggestions?

Olympus DSLR user here and I toyed with a bunch of AI/AIS from my father on it.

AIS 50mm 1.4 is kind of pointless because the IQ @ 1.4 isn't any good, step down to 2.0 then it starting to shine. Go find a Olympus OM 50mm 1.8, it sharp @ 1.8 like AIS @ 2.0 and is dirt cheap.

To OP, also check out tamron adaptall2 70-200. No one want them but they're very good at f8 under good light.

For manual lens there are some macro/UWA/Super tele that worth buying but they're very expensive.