Cheap Manual Lenses?

[VulgarDisplay]

So I've been exploring all the different adapters for manual lenses for my NEX-6 and it seems like there is simply just an overwhelming variety that this opens up ranging in price from dirt cheap to yeah right...

Has anyone found any gems that can be found used for cheap that they like to use shooting manually?

 

[iGas]

Get a screw mount adapter that will open up to many great lenses, and perhaps F/FD/K mount adapters as well. OM also have some fine lenses that smaller/lighter/high quality construction/smoother focus than the competitions (some of the Zuiko lenses at the time were sharper than some Leica/Zeiss lenses. And, possibly some are as sharp as today modern lenses.)

 

[Spoooon]

I have and like both of these:

http://www.keh.com/camera/Minolta-Manual-Focus-Fixed-Focal-Length-Lenses/1/sku-MI060105003750?r=FE

http://www.keh.com/camera/Minolta-Manual-Focus-Fixed-Focal-Length-Lenses/1/sku-MI060105011540?r=FE

I think this one is my favorite though:

http://www.keh.com/camera/Pentax-Screwmount-Fixed-Focal-Length-Lenses/1/sku-PS060000072180?r=FE

I have 2 of the Minolta 58/1.4s, 1 Rokkor 50/1.4, the SMC Super Tak 50/1.4, a Helios 44M 58/2 (Russian copy of the Biotar 58/2), and a Biotar 58/2.

Of them, I keep going back to the 58/1.4 and the Super Tak 50/1.4. All of them, aside from the Biotar, can be had for under $100 (possibly significantly cheaper going the ebay route).

Super Tak, wide open:

Helios, wide open:

 

[VulgarDisplay]

I'm definitely in the market for the 50 1.4 super takumar. The fact that its radioactive I find hilarious but I'm sure its an acceptable amount.

I want to find a good 35 mm fast prime as well because of the crop sensor.

 

[ElFenix]

Super Tak, wide open:

that defocus is absolute butter

 

[VulgarDisplay]

The bokeh is really nice. I hear its much sharper at 1.8 than it is at 1.4. Hopefully I can pick one up. The autofocus on my nex6 seems kinda finicky always choosing the wrong thing. So using a purely manual lens with focus peaking seems like the best way to go. I may need to play with the settings to get the focus working better.

The wife took it to a mother's day event and it would often times focus on the people in the background and not the person in the middle of the image she was shooting at.

 

[Spoooon]

Here's one that really shows the swirl of the Helios:

 

[Kaido]

I'm definitely in the market for the 50 1.4 super takumar. The fact that its radioactive I find hilarious but I'm sure its an acceptable amount.

I want to find a good 35 mm fast prime as well because of the crop sensor.

I lub my radioactive Tak :wub:

I have a personal love of vintage Zeiss lenses. My 35mm is my go-to; it lives on my camera. I use it for wedding photography a lot. Super creamy bokeh for sure!

 

[VulgarDisplay]

The problem with vintage Zeiss lenses is that they cost about as much as new Zeiss lenses.

 

[iGas]

The problem with vintage Zeiss lenses is that they cost about as much as new Zeiss lenses.

Because, camerasnobs love flaunting around their German parts, just like how Hasselblad crowd droves up used equipment price during the medium format era.

 

[TheThirdMan]

I think this one is my favorite though:

http://www.keh.com/camera/Pentax-Screwmount-Fixed-Focal-Length-Lenses/1/sku-PS060000072180?r=FE

I have 2 of the Minolta 58/1.4s, 1 Rokkor 50/1.4, the SMC Super Tak 50/1.4, a Helios 44M 58/2 (Russian copy of the Biotar 58/2), and a Biotar 58/2.

Of them, I keep going back to the 58/1.4 and the Super Tak 50/1.4. All of them, aside from the Biotar, can be had for under $100 (possibly significantly cheaper going the ebay route).

Super Tak, wide open:

I really want a super takumar for my Spotmatic, they're one of the best 35mm lenses ever made.

Because, camerasnobs love flaunting around their German parts, just like how Hasselblad crowd droves up used equipment price during the medium format era.

Didn't Zeiss make lenses for other companies under other names? That's a cheaper way to get some zeiss quality.

 

[VulgarDisplay]

Wasn't it voightlander or something?

 

[iGas]

Didn't Zeiss make lenses for other companies under other names? That's a cheaper way to get some zeiss quality.

Zeiss did made their own lenses in Germany, but since the mid 2000s to now most if not all of their lenses are made in Japan. Zeiss prime lenses are among the best of optics, but their zooms tend to be mediocre at best when compare to the competitions, and third party lenses in the 80~90s such as Vivitar (series 1) and some of the Tokina lenses are on par or surpass Zeiss lenses at the same focal length/aperture that cost 1/6 the price. And, the current crop of Zeiss zooms optics are down right pathetic for the price that they are demanding.

If you want to play with manual focus lenses that is some what easy on your pocket book, then I would try Takumar, Zuiko, Vivitar (series 1), Cosina (manual, and AF 100mm macro), Canon, Nikkor, and Minolta.

 

[Spoooon]

Nikon Nikkor 105/2.5

Great so far and fairly inexpensive (between 80-150 depending on condition, etc.)

 

[iGas]

Nikon Nikkor 105/2.5

Great so far and fairly inexpensive (between 80-150 depending on condition, etc.)

I don't have any experience with the Nikkor 105mm, but I suspect it would be a much sharper lens than what it produced in the sample pictures.

Canon S95, ISO-160 at 1/100s & f/4

70-200L, ISO-800 at 1/1500s & f/4

100L, (I deleted the original file, hence I do not have the metadata, but I think the ISO was 800-1600, shutter speed was around 1/200s, and aperture was around /5.6~8.)

IMHO, the Nikkor 105 should produce sharper picture than the Canon S95, and close the 70-200L & 100L IQ.

 

[VulgarDisplay]

Waiting for a m42 screw mount adapter to come. My parents gave me their pile of lenses from their mamiya 1000 DTL.

55mm F1.8 mamiya
50mm F2 Mamiya
28mm F2.8 Mamiya
200mm f3.5 Vivitar Prime (I want to try this one out the aperture has more blades than I can count...hoping for nice bokeh)
Another Vivitar Zoom
and a 2x adapter to play with.

 

[VulgarDisplay]

I'm sad.

The 55mm f1.8 needs some modifications to work with my adapter. The aperture ring is right at the end of the lense so you cannot turn it when it's screwed onto the adapter.

The 28mm f2.8 seems like the aperture is broken. It will not change.

The 50mm f2 works pretty good just need to clean it up some and see what I get with it.

The 200mm vivitar has interesting colors, also needs to be cleaned.