Pictures taken with it have that classic look— sharp with excellent contrast, creamy bokeh, and that indefinable luminous quality. WEX. It has good sharpness in the centre of the frame at maximum aperture and has good build quality. 3. Upload photos, chat with photographers, win prizes and much more. I have found that the Canon EF 50-200mm f4.5 L series lens is more useful to me than any of the modern Canon 70-200mm lenses. The more common 35mm f/2.8 Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon is an excellent more economical alternative. I bought an adapter and took it into my garden to give it a go and fell in love. Not gonna lie, The downside: mediocre background bokeh at common shooting distances, a common problem with aspheric element lenses. It provides superior depth-of-field control, has similar imaging characteristics, but it’s heftier. DA: This is the basic label applied to Pentax lenses designed to cover the APS-C image sensor. 35mm f/2.4 Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon The 6-element, 5-group retro-focus design of this East German (DDR) classic dates back 1950, but the f/2.4 version in easily adaptable M42 screw mount is the best of the bunch. All of them deliver outstanding sharpness wide open, but bokeh improves noticeably by stopping down to f/2 and smaller apertures. 1. Support this site by making a Donation, purchasing Plus Membership, or shopping with one of our affiliates: Helios 77m-4 50mm - Near Helios 40 effect on budget I can still use it on my Pentax digital. it's compact and not overly heavy. 5. We gave the lens a highly recommended rating for its high-quality optics, compact design, good price and the quality of the build. It's weather-sealed and generally well made. Produced from 1980-1988, it’s prized for its sharpness and contrast at all apertures and over its entire focusing range, down to 18 inches, and it’s great for low-light work. It’s not very sharp wide open, but it delivers the much sought-after “swirly bokeh,” with backgrounds like trees and flowers, and it’s quite sharp stopped down. It's a superb prime that can be picked up for between $50 and $200. Amazon CA, Robert K Baggs is a professional portrait and commercial photographer, educator, and consultant from England. We gave it a recommended rating for its superb handling, close focusing and silent DC motor. In somewhat of a minor miracle given that I had no idea what to check when buying vintage lenses, my copy was cosmetically damaged but optically perfect: no scratches, no clouding, no mold. I'm going to leave the term "vintage" pretty loose, but I'd say most would reject any lenses designed for digital cameras, at least for a while. I find myself wanting to zoom out further so much of the time with the 70-200mm. It's so brilliant in fact, that in 2013, when a new version was announced, I immediately bought one and loved it. It is my go to lens for bird shots on my K-1. But, there are also a number of hidden gems that can create stunning and singular results. If bokeh is more important to you than sharpness at wide apertures, consider the more common (and less costly) non-L version of the Canon FD 50mm f/1.2. But you have missed one - The DA*300mm F4. Bonus mention: Image by Raimond Spekking via Wikimedia used under Creative Commons. Another Pentax Premium optic, this Limited lens sports fantastic build quality. It doesn't cost you anything extra when you press our Amazon buttons but by using our Amazon Affiliate links when ordering anything online, you are supporting the site - thank you. Canon 200mm f1.8-if you can find one. I have owned a lot of vintage lenses and I have a dry container chock full of them. We awarded the lens a Highly Recommended rating for its well-controlled CA levels, excellent flare resistance, fast and silent Autofocus and smooth bokeh. 8. 7) Carl Zeiss 85mm 1.4. I also love the SuperTak 1.4. Unfortunately, this trend has also resulted in skyrocketing prices for certain vintage lenses, some of which have become cult classics. There are a few versions of this lens, and it's easy to get the wrong one. 4) Takumar 135 2 (not f/3.5) 5) Takumar 100 macro. 12 Great Vintage Lenses for Capturing Classic Images. & Home App. I began bidding on a few and eventually scored one for under the expected price I'd read. This classic Pentax lens from 1991 has been given a new lease of life thanks to the full-frame Pentax K-1. Here's a round-up of the top 28 best Pentax K-Mount lenses we've reviewed on-site to date so you can make a more informed decision on what lens is best for you before parting with your cash. It offers low flare, very good sharpness and great value, not to mention that it covers a very useful focal range. Deal. Why 2003 Was the Tipping Point: Nikon Relinquished Its Advantage and Canon Cemented Its Digital Future, Why the Fujifilm X-T3 Is a Probably Better Choice Over the X-T4, Three Lightroom Features That You Probably Don't Know About, Canon's Flagship Mirrorless Camera Is Coming Next Year, DJI Mavic Air 2: Heavy Features, Light Cost, Common Beginner Wide Angle Mistakes in Landscape Photography. I found an old Helios 44-2 lens in a box full of old cameras. I've got a pentax 'stack of primes' coming too. This pancake lens is a flagship optic. What Will the Camera Industry Look Like in Five Years? It has a wide max aperture of f/2.4, making it great for bokeh and shallow depth of fieldwork. Gen. #0907906. I was in a small photography community of full-time photographers and long-standing hobbyists with f/1.2 primes and telescopic flagship zooms. Why? It was introduced along with the multi-spot-metering Olympus OM-4 in 1983 and it was one of the few Olympus lenses of its era to incorporate ED glass. Can't go wrong with the Takumar but I still use my Nikkor 35 Ais 2.0 QUITE often. It has almost no distortion, low CA levels, is lightweight and features fantastic build quality, making it a great lens for anyone who wants the best quality in a longer reach lens. For example, a five-element 100mm f/3.5 Leica screw-mount Canon is a better and more practical alternative than the rare and expensive 105mm f/6.3 Leitz Elmar, even though both can capture beautiful retro-look images. It delivers outstanding sharpness, even wide open, impressive color accuracy, and buttery smooth bokeh. 100mm f/2 Olympus OM Zuiko Auto-T. Olympus OM 100mm is one of the best vintage portrait lenses still available today. These will cover most people’s camera range of coverage except for long telephoto. It's constructed with 13 elements in 11 groups, and the 7 blade diaphragm ensures a virtually round aperture for enhanced bokeh. Calibrate your monitor so you can see 16 different shades : This lens scored an excellent 5 out of 5-star rating. On the basis of your comments I have just invested £20 in an adapter and look forward to having a play. It has a sturdy build and is fast focusing, making it ideal for those that want a more compact all-around lens for shooting all sorts of subjects. Back in the day, writers tried to express these qualities by referring to the “rounded,” “luminous,” or “plastic” rendition of a specific lens. Focus is performed internally and the 86mm filter thread doesn't rotate, making it ideal for use with graduated filters. Yes!! It's a full-frame lens and uses the SDM (Supersonic Direct Motor) system, making zooming fast and silent. Canon FD 50mm f/1.2 L Identifiable by the L on its identification ring, and a red band in front of its focusing ring, this superb 8-element 6-group multicoated super-speed normal lens incorporates one aspheric element and a floating-element design to achieve exceptional performance, even wide open. 1. 2) Carl Zeiss 35-70 3.4. With great quality build, this lens has excellent sharpness throughout the zoom range and is capable of fast, close focusing making it very versatile. The lens has very good sharpness, full-time manual focus override and low falloff and distortion. Made from 17 elements in 12 groups, the lens has 3 ED (Extra-Low Dispersion) elements and one anomalous dispersion element. Here's a round-up of the top 28 best Pentax K-Mount lenses we've reviewed on-site to date so you can make a more informed decision on what lens is best … Great review and I can't argue with the ratings. If you prefer a faster 100mm Canon screw-mount lens, check out the 100mm f/2 Canon of the same era. Nikon 200mm f2 ais, Canon 500mm f4.5 fd, any of the Olympus Pen lenses adapted to aps-c, Zeiss 85mm f1.4 sonnar, Leica R 90mm f2, Nikon 400mm f5.6 ed. Vintage lenses can be a great way to get some different glass for you to try without spending much money. Some shots you could have got with an 18 – 55mm zoom lens will be out of your reach with a … All of them deliver outstanding sharpness wide open, but bokeh improves noticeably by stopping down to f/2 and smaller apertures. But I must admit that while the 50-200 L has accurate autofocus, it is slow and clunky. I have compiled a small list of my favorites, but by the very nature of how deep and varied the vintage glass market is, I could not begin to provide an exhaustive list. Created in 1959 this lens is a favorite of street and portrait photographers. The 35mm F2.4 is a peach both on APS-C and Full Frame, the 50-135mm F2.8 is a stellar performer for portraiture, and the "old" FA 50mm F1.4 is stunning with the K-1. Create a B&H Account, America's Best Customer Service List-Newsweek, Prices, specifications, and images are subject to change without notice. This standard zoom lens offers a moderately bright f/4 aperture throughout the zoom range. Though compact and light, it features solid, all-metal construction and has a nearly circular 10-bladed diaphragm to enhance its already creamy smooth bokeh. It’s in terrible condition but still manages to produce sharp images. With a great minimum focus distance for the time, it can really fill a number of roles. Some of us like to read. My penchant for vintage lenses started primarily because I didn't have much money when I got my first camera. Amazon US, How to Use Your Digital Camera and Edit Photos in Photoshop, How To Light And Composite Product Photography, 2020: The Year the World Tried to End, But Canon Finally Awoke, This New Modular Hardshell Backpack Is Close to Perfect. The optical quality of the 50-200mm L is just as good as the latest 70-200 L series lenses. The lens earned our Highly Recommended rating for its high and even sharpness, smooth bokeh, fast silent AF and excellent flare resistance. This standard 50mm lens sports a fast f/1.8 maximum aperture and weighs only 122g. ... SMC Pentax … 9. As far as infinity focus goes, you may have issues depending on the flange focal distance of the lens as compared to the camera you want to use it with. DA L: DA L lenses are lightweight, less expensive versions of existing Pentax DA lenses, often sold bundled with the company’s most affordable DSLRs. Helios 103 - Swirly & bubbly bokeh This 35mm prime lens is a modern version of the traditional standard lens. It was awarded our Highly Recommended rating for its impeccable quality in manufacturing, robust construction, fast maximum aperture and full-frame design. Some have been great, most of have been middling, and a few have been spectacular wastes of money, but I regret none of them. It is a 50mm f2 Dual Range Summicron with the close focus "goggles" attached to the camera. We close every Friday evening to Saturday evening for Shabbos. Here, we round up the best scoring Pentax K-mount lenses to date that we've reviewed. Why mount classic lenses on your digital camera? The lens is scratched, the focus ring comes off when you turn it but it still works when adapted to the Fuji. It features an HD multi-coating plus an SP (Super-Protect) coating on the front element to repel water, grease and dirt. Over the past 20 years or so, we’ve swung back to using more subjective terms such as bokeh to describe the visual appearance of the out-of-focus areas of the image. The aforementioned catalyst for my love of vintage glass. This Topcon/Exakata mount lens is most commonly seen in chrome, but was also available in black finish. Uncoated lenses are quite prone to flare when shooting against the light, and single-coated lenses are not as resistant to flare as multi-coated ones. This lens is famed for being one of the best vintage lenses in existence for portraiture, but I'd argue that it's so much more than that. And of course f4.5 is much smaller than I would prefer ....... yet it is a worthwhile tradeoff to get those extra 20mm at the short end. https://www.dyxum.com/dforum/a-new-year-with-meyer-2020_topic137634.html. The email address you entered was an invalid email. This lens was the first to be released of 3 Limited lenses aiming to give the highest manufacturing and optical standards. Indeed, using vintage lenses on digital cameras has become so popular over the past few years it has spawned a cottage industry of companies offering relatively inexpensive adapters that let you mount most vintage lenses on your current digital masterpiece (especially mirrorless models) with varying degrees of convenience and functionality. This list can get very long for me as I came from the film era. Search for all the latest photography gear and services in our dedicated photography directories. Your last lens, 35mm Summicron ASPH is not the one in the picture. This lens is famed for being one of the best vintage lenses in existence for portraiture, but I'd argue that it's so much more than that. 58mm f/1.4 Auto-Topcor (aka R.E. Kodak Ektar 3.5 100mm, on my Medalist. Enter new zip code to refresh estimated delivery time. Nikon 105 Micro is also phenomenal. 85mm f/1.5 Helios-40-2 Made in Russia, from the mid-1950s to the ’90s, this ponderous 6-element Double Gauss lens is said to be based on Zeiss Biotar design, and it’s usually found in an M42 (Pentax/Practica) mount in black finish and manual (pre-set) aperture configuration. This standard zoom lens is the lightest and most compact lens of the original batch of full-frame zoom lenses to be released in line with the K-1. 11. We gave the lens a recommended rating for its excellent optical quality, fast focusing, weather sealing and low distortion and CA. 2. Serv. Fast lenses are best if you prefer to shoot in low light, and the Summilux f1.4 delivers. Anyway, I would go for any Mandler designed M and R Leica lenses. It has a very high standard of finishing, with beautifully rendered engraving. B&H Creator of the Week: National Parks at Night, Youth Photo Nonprofits: Q&A with Alicia Hansen, Founder & CEO of NYC SALT, B&H Creator of the Week: Sidney Baker-Green, Canon EOS C70 Promises Pro Cinema in Compact Design, The Zoom PodTrak P4: An Audio Recorder Designed for Podcasting, Tamron Launches the Sleek 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD Lens for Sony, Getting to Know Mylio Photographic Management Software, © 2000-2020 B & H Foto & Electronics Corp. 420 9th Ave, New York, NY 10001. 7. If a lens only goes up to 200mm, then it should open up to at least 50mm on the short end. Fujinon 100mm 2.8 ebc Please enable javascript for your best B&H experience. But by the Mid-20th Century, most optical scientists had dismissed such terms as imprecise and speculative, turning to resolution and, later, MTF testing to quantify lens-performance parameters. However, if you are careful and ensure the glass is clear and healthy, you might score yourself a real gem. Pentax HD -DA 55-300mm f/4.5-6.3 ED PLM WR RE, Pentax 55 - 300 mm HD DA F4.5-6.3ED PLM WR RE Telephoto Zoom Lens - Black, HD Pentax-D FA 28-105mm f/3.5-5.6 ED DC WR, Pentax HD FA 150-450mm f/4.5-5.6 ED DC AW, SMC Pentax-DA 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 ED AL [IF] DC WR, Pentax HD DA 55-300mm f/4.5-6.3 ED PLM WR RE. It's a weather sealed professional quality super telephoto lens that has a silent focusing motor and full-time manual focus override. Can't beat the value and size on this little masterpiece. It captures images with a luminous vintage look, but it’s as sharp as the 35mm f/2 Summicron ASPH or 35mm f/1.4 Summilux at moderate apertures and has excellent color contrast. With a bright maximum aperture of f/2.8, it's only 15mm thick making it a super compact option. My observation: The version IV I used on a Leica M9 captured images with that luminous, rounded look and awesome bokeh, especially when stopped down to f/4-5.6. This lens is a Pentax premium optic with a fast f/2.8 aperture throughout the zoom range. While we still rely on objective testing to determine the sharpness, detail, and contrast performance of a lens, many art and creative photographers are focused on making images that capture a traditional look that sets their work apart. The FA 31mm is the widest lens in the set of 3 FA lenses launched in 2011. This standard zoom lens has weather-resistant construction and a field of view equivalent to 24-130mm in 35mm terms. - The Olympus Zuiko 28mm f/2.8, because I love that focal length and it complements perfectly my Olympus OM-1. By using our service, you agree to our use of cookies. - The Konica Hexanon 50mm f/1.7, because it's an awesome and very underrated (and therefore very cheap) lens. The Pentax SMC P-DA 12-24mm scored 4.5 out of 5 stars in our review. It creates a sort of radial bokeh, which became its signature, and even the 2013 modern version retained that. Helios 81h - 50mm - Native Nikon Mount This marked the start of my burning curiosity into what other lenses of the past could create unique and beautiful looks for my images. Tiny scratches or minor blemishes in the coating are common and seldom affect image quality, but you should be able to negotiate a lower price. As many of today’s creative digital shooters have discovered, some of the great old lenses of the analog era can capture images that have that elusive quality known as character. Then lens controls flare and ghosting well, only appearing in extreme image conditions. It has a quick shift focusing system, and low levels of CA, distortion and falloff. In the comments, give us your vote for king or queen of vintage lenses and why. If you want to, you can purchase/find more information about each lens listed by clicking the green Amazon buttons featured below each product. - The Schneider-Kreuznach Xenar 135mm f/3.5, because it's a beautiful piece of German engineering from the 1950s. And the Leica lens in your last picture is not a 35mm f2. Indeed, the lens is acclaimed as a “bokeh king” and prized for its beautiful natural rendition of portrait and scenic subjects. Manufacturer rebates, terms, conditions, and expiration dates are subject to manufacturers printed forms NYC DCA Lic. It’s been offered in various iterations, e.g. Welcome to the Pentax Lens Review Database | Pentax Lens Series Overview: If you are looking for Pentax lens reviews or technical specifications, you've come to the right place!This is a comprehensive database of user reviews of Pentax interchangeable SLR lenses, complete with information on every Pentax lens ever produced from K-mount (digital and film) to mirrorless to medium format. Don't forget the ubiquitous Helios 44, also based on Zeiss Biotar optical design. Not responsible for typographical or illustrative errors. We gave the lens a Recommended rating for high sharpness levels, low central CA, low flare and excellent colour. Using a properly fitting lens hood can help, in some cases. Minolta Rokkor 45mm f2. It has silent focusing, weather sealing and HD anti-reflective lens coatings. I remember wondering if I could ever compete with their kits worth more than most cars. We gave it a highly recommended rating for its good sharpness, low distortion, low CA and excellent value as well as build quality. It is said to have been based on (read: possibly a copy of) the Zeiss Biotar, but whatever the case, it's brilliant. The mirrorless DSLR cameras these days have a very short flange focal distance and they work with almost all of these old lenses (using an adapter). If you're outside the UK, clicking on the 'Buy On Amazon USA' link will take you to the relevant Amazon page for your country. Look for lower-cost alternatives to lenses prized by collectors. It handles well and is very resistant to flare making it a top choice. It features newly developed HD coatings which promise to greatly reduce internal reflections the can cause ghosting and flare. ... its 9 aperture blades create an interesting bokeh that appeals to a lot of vintage lens aficionados. Because they have character! Speed up future orders, see order history, create wish lists, and more. In no particular order, and also adapting these to mirrorless, all brands of mirrorless, but Sony really shines with adapting older glass. The figures for resolution are very slightly lower, but the difference is not a deal-breaker by any means.