So, who loves adapting old lenses?

I’ve just spent 2 weeks in Florida with my Sony A7, Sony 50/1.8 and 2 Olympus OM Zuiko lenses (24/2.8 and 35/2.8 shift). Both of the manual lenses were excellent, much smaller, and cheaper, than equivalent AF lenses and the results were excellent.
 
I have a micro 4/3 camera coming hopefully next week, and looking at some old 4/3 lenses that could be sweet with an AF adapter for it. In particular the Olympus 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 II Zuiko. Can be had for in around 130 - 150 on ebay. I know AF will be sluggish on MFT, but it'll be there. Also the Olympus 50-200mm -F/2.8-3.5 which goes for around 300. For those prices I think i could live with slower AF
 
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I've been using 'legacy' lenses full time with a Sony A7 for about three years now. I bought the camera specifically with that in mind as I already had a fair collection of Canon FD primes, some of which I used since the 1980s.

Having only switched to autofocus when I got my first digital SLR in 2004, I found that I much prefer manual focus and that I'm not so keen on zooms.

I also carried on using film, but shot that with my FDs. I'd dipped my toe in with some Olympus OM and Contax lenses on my 5D, but modern SLRs simply aren't set up for it. The A7 gave me a great platform to use all of them on, plus I can flip back and forth with film bodies using the same lenses that I know well.

'cheap fun'? Well, some of them were quite cheap when I bought them, but have got much more expensive over the last few years as other people have started doing the same thing. Since I do take a lot of pictures of architecture and streetscapes, I did recently buy an Olympus OM Zuiko 35mm shift lens, which was not peanuts, but it was still a fraction of the cost of a Canon TS-E. It's been getting a lot of use over the last month.


Baker's Row by Rob Telford, on Flickr


Triangle Estate by Rob Telford, on Flickr

I should probably find some money at some point for a decent modern manual focus FE prime, like one of the Zeiss Loxias, just to see how they stack up in real world use.

TheBigYin said:
I've done a a bit of the "using old lenses with adaptors" - and on the whole it's been fine for experimenting, and playing around with...

though there is ONE lens that I'd really love to get "properly" converted from FD to EF fitting... partly, because I'll probably never be able to justify the expenditure of buying the EF version, and partly because, to be honest, the AF of the "proper" EF lens isn't exactly stunning anyway. It's my old FDn 85mm f1.2L - and i'd want it done "properly" - rather than just stuffing a FDn to EF converter (which, by the nature of the conversion, require additional lenses, in effect they're a "short" teleconverter, something like a 1.1 or 1.2x converter IIRC - but, there's always "The Lens Doctor" who can replace the entire back end of the mount with a re-engineered setup that keeps the correct focal lengths and doesn't lose any stops of light...

Actually, looking at that page, I'm also half tempted to get the lovely FDn 35-105mm F3.5 (macro) converted...
Click to expand...

I have both: the FD 85L is certainly one of my favourites and the 35-105 merits being one of the few zoom lenses I ever use (even if it is quite rarely).

Based on my experience with manual focus on EF bodies, though, I'm not sure I'd want to do it again in a hurry (EF viewfinders aren't optimised for it). I don't know if The Lens Doctor conversions are reversible in case you ever change your mind.

You have reminded me that I have been meaning to enquire with Eddie how much he would charge to refurb my FD 135mmm f/2.0 - I bought it locally from an ex-newspaper photographer and it had been very well used :)

85L


Behind the Curve by Rob Telford, on Flickr

35-105


Flag Day by Rob Telford, on Flickr
 
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Musicman said:
'cheap fun'?
Click to expand...


Nowt wrong with that, fun is a positive, and IMO, so is cheap :D

But yeah, of course there are very pricey MF lens options out there, I have a list of juicy ones I'd love to get my hands on. But some of us are poor, doesn't mean we don't have these artistic urges that may or may not require certain focal lengths, apertures, sharpness etc ... The fact that you can, with a little research, find some gems for 1/10th [or more] the price of modern glass, albeit without that super fast AF crutch, is brilliant!

I don't get people who don't get using old lenses.
 
Musicman said:
Based on my experience with manual focus on EF bodies, though, I'm not sure I'd want to do it again in a hurry (EF viewfinders aren't optimised for it). I don't know if The Lens Doctor conversions are reversible in case you ever change your mind.
Click to expand...

Focusing Screen Ec-B on the EOS-3 is the "secret weapon" ;) - split screen prism "helper"

screenshot-www.cameramanuals.org 2017-11-12 08-40-49-723.png
 
Back to my favourite spot with one of my favourite lenses, a seat at the edge of the Parc de Catalunya in Barcelona, watching the world go by.
Carl Zeiss Sonnar 135 2.8 T*

waiting by Ken, on Flickr
 
A Panny MFT picture followed by a couple of Sony A7 pictures.

I think this was taken with a Sigma 50mm f2.8 in Minolta MD mount.

2_1230982.jpg

Canon FD 85mm f1.8.

1-DSC08394.jpg

Minolta 50mm f1.4.

DSC02441-2.jpg
 
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question re focal reducers reposted as a separate thread today. 15 Nov.
 
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