58mm f/1.2

[deggimatt]

Hey
I was at my grandpa and I found an old pentax lens which is 58mm f/1.2. There are also many bunch of old nikon lenses as well. Has anyone tested these types of lenses with an adapter? I cant try them by myself because my 550D haven't arrived yet.

Thanks

 

[Derrel]

Yes, I've shot older Pentax thread mount lenses AKA M42 Universal Mount lenses of various brands on Canon bodies using lens adapters. They work pretty well actually. Canon d-slr bodies adapt very well to use with older lenses of multiple brands. I've had good luck with adapters from Hong Kong, and which cost only about $17 US Dollars from eBay vendors. There is no need for the really expensive $179-class adapters. The web site CameraQuest Home Page has several informative articles on using lens adapters on modern cameras.

 

[deggimatt]

The lens is Helios not pentax.
Thank you derrel for the link! Yep the adapters are very cheap cant wait to try them.

 

[Dallmeyer]

If it's a Helios then it's a 2/58, not 1.2/58. Still worth a spin. Often as not the Helios 2/58 is quite OK. Nothing stellar but deserves a more than ''average'' rating IMO. If its 44-M it has better coatings but I have also a 44-2 which is makes nice pictures from around f5.6. The 44-2 has a two ring preset mechanism so you can limit the extent of stopping-down the lens ( for convenience) I mention this because some people don't notice and think the f-numbers have been printed back to front.

 

[eriqalan]

I've been getting the basic M42 / pentax adapters under $5 (shipping included) that work in AV and Manual mode

The AF confirm (shorts the signal and convinces the samera body that you are in focus so other modes work as low as $14

 

[eriqalan]

what makes you think that?

There is a pentax video 5.8 - 58 f 1.2; a pentax a 50mm 1.2 and a pentax K 50mm 1.2 - far too many people mistake the filter diameter for a lens length so it could be that as well; I think he would have noticed if it says pentax or helios though (in fact helios was not around that long ago so that is not likely)

 

[eriqalan]

You can use them in Aperture priority (AV) or Manual mode; Pentax is an easier adapter
M42 to Canon adapter for 450D 500D XS Xsi T1i - eBay (item 220460886246 end time May-28-10 01:10:40 PDT)
but Nikon adapters exist for example
Nikon Lens to Canon EOS EF EF-S Adapter 7D 50D 550D 5D - eBay (item 330428320277 end time May-27-10 23:54:46 PDT)

The bigger question is whether this is worth it? I am suspicious of the 58mm F 1.2; is it a 1:2 or 1:2.0 (which is Ok and a wider aperture than the kit zoom); what are the Nikons

These may be worth more to you to put on ebay but do the same trick that others do - list every camera thay can use with an adapter e.g. Canon 1, 1n, 1v, 1d, 1ds, 3, 5, 5d, 5dmark II ..... etc as people search for their camera and if you have that in your description it will pop up - this is essentially google-bombing and frowned on from an internet-user perspective but you have to compete with everyone else who is doing it

 

[Dallmeyer]

Well i say it because he noticed it was a Helios. He noticed yesterday, 24 hours before you question it. A Helios 58mm is a f2. The Helios 44 is manual and the 44-2 was made from 1971..as maybe the camera in question (model not stated by the deggimat). Pentax use of the mount is contemporary with KMZ's earliest production of this lens.