Vintage Lens Showcase: Revival of Classic Optics in the Digital Age

[MMP]

Do you have a vintage film lens you've adapted to your digital setup? This is the place to show off what it can do!

*Please be sure to include the name of the lens and camera used to capture your image. If you have any additional info relating to the history of the lens, feel free to share.




MC Rokkor-X PG 50mm f/1.4 (1973 model) adapted to Canon R5
I've had this lens (attached to an old SR-T102) stored away in my closet for years. Last weekend I decided to give it a try on digital and very surprised at how good old glass can be. I need to spend some more time with it on the R5, but it's definitely a fun lens to use.

 

[SonomaTim]

MC FLEKTOGON 35mm f/2.4 Carl Zeiss Jena DDR on a Sony A7Riv
This is a 50 year old Eastern Germany knock-off.

The first image is wide open at f/2.4, the second image is at f/8.

 

[wyntastr]

Meyer-Optik Gorlitz Telemegor 5.5/150 exakta mount adapted to EOS 1D mkIII

hibiscus telemegor-012 by Jonathan, on Flickr

 

[Inphoto]

Boston
Canon EOS 5D, Petri 28mm f2 PK mount

 

[Terry McDaniel]

Sigma 400mm f5.6 adapted to a Canon Rebel XS. No shutter control so all exposure control is ISO and shutter speed.

 

[jgoetz4]

The RP & Canon FL 55 1.2, night work.

 

[jgoetz4]

The RP & FL 551.2

 

[Inphoto]

Holga lens for Canon EF, plastic lens of Holga cameras with an EF lens mount

 

[mazgier]

X-Fujinon 55mm f/2.2 on Nikon Z6II. After almost a year of gathering dust in the closet I was almost ready to sell it but decided to give it a try before letting it go. Well, it seems that it will stay with me a bit longer

 

[mazgier]

Pentaflex Auto-Color 50mm f/1.8 on Nikon Z6II. Pentaflex is the name of the export version of MOG Oreston.

 

[mazgier]

Nikkor Ai-S 200mm f/4.0 on Nikon Z6II. Who said you can't use MF lens for birding?

 

[Mr Roboto]

I just ran across this thread - very eager to contribute!

I had earlier posted a similar thread regarding adapted vintage lenses for Canon mirrorless cameras: https://focus-on-photography-forum.net/threads/new-tech-meets-old-tech-a-wonderfully-fun-match.1856/

This shot with the R5 and Bronica 75mm f/2.8 EII at f/2.8

 

[Mr Roboto]

Also with the R5 and Bronica 75mm f/2.8 EII at f/2.8, uncropped

 

[Cap'n Fishy]

Helios-44M 58 mm f2, from a USSR-made Zenit 1980 Moscow Olympics special edition, bought for £1 from a car boot sale. The camera was toast, but I love what the lens does.

On a Canon 5D IV...

 

[mazgier]

Also with the R5 and Bronica 75mm f/2.8 EII at f/2.8, uncropped

View attachment 28318

So... clean. I mean the cat ofc. My furry bastards always end up looking like heavily used dust rags whenever I try to photograph them that close...

 

[wyntastr]

Meyer-Optik Gorlitz Diaplan 2.8/80 projector lens adapted to Canon 60D
M-O Diaplan-012 by Jonathan, on Flickr

 

[mazgier]

Meyer-Optik Gorlitz Diaplan 2.8/80 projector lens adapted to Canon 60D
M-O Diaplan-012 by Jonathan, on Flickr

Those colours...

 

[simple.joy]

This shot with the R5 and Bronica 75mm f/2.8 EII at f/2.8

Oh, that's nice! I've adapted a Nikkor-P 75 mm f/2.8 from a Zenza-Bronica camera as well, but never got around to finding a proper solution, so I've not used it much. Your results look great!

On a Canon 5D IV...

Fantastic capture! Certainly a true classic that lens.

 

[simple.joy]

This was shot with what I call a "Mystery fast lens" because I don't know anything about the manufacturer, focal length or maximum aperture of it... I just know it's crazy fast and made for some scientific close-up work (pretty sure it's no taking-lens though, perhaps made for a scanner or laser etc.):

Black hole in one! by simple.joy, on Flickr

This one was shot with a Friedrich S-Coronar 100 mm f/1.9 and if you've never heard that one, I won't blame you. Not particularly sharp or well corrected wide open, but I adore the rendering:

B-sharp? No, D-light! by simple.joy, on Flickr

And finally a more classic vintage taking lens: To me the Tomioka-made Yashinon 5 cm f/2 is a wonderful lens in terms of rendering:

Summary = Summer memories by simple.joy, on Flickr

 

[mazgier]

Macro-Takumar 50mm f/4.0 on Nikon Z7II. Stack of 21. I know I could get much better results using modern lens but it was (and still is) so much fun with 59-years old one...