Looking for some good old glass.

[FITBMX]

I am looking to buy a legacy lens, I've only got about $40. I know it's not much, but I'm broke! LOL
I am looking for ether OM, or Nikkor mount (a good adaptor for one of those is cheap).
Something like a 50mm f1.4 or 28mm f2.8. Something that is a good portrait, and all around lens.

Thank for you time!

 

[jahawk]

I am looking to buy a legacy lens, I've only got about $40. I know it's not much, but I'm broke! LOL
I am looking for ether OM, or Nikkor mount (a good adaptor for one of those is cheap).
Something like a 50mm f1.4 or 28mm f2.8. Something that is a good portrait, and all around lens.

Thank for you time!

eBay has some good deals, read the descriptions carefully for defects

 

[AKUK]

What camera are you mounting the lens on? If you're looking for a good portrait lens, longer focal lengths give much more flattering compression of the face. For $40 I doubt you'll get any Nikon glass that will tick the traditional box. At a push maybe a slightly battered 85 mm f/2 or 135mm f/3.5.

Your best bet may be M42 mount 3rd party lens. You might be able to pick up a 135mm f/2.8 by Chinon, Soligor, Hanimex, Miranda, or Vivitar. Failing that f/3.5 apertures.

Always check optical condition. Minor dust internally is ok. A few scratches are fine too, so long as it's just the front element. Fungus ideally should be avoided. Tiny spots will be the same as dust but, when it spreads across entire elements it will ruin image quality.

Also ensure apertures work properly and there is no stiffness to the focus barrel.

 

[FITBMX]

eBay has some good deals, read the descriptions carefully for defects

I have been watching some. I got one off there a week ago, but it had bad fungus that the seller didn't notice so it went back. They refunded my money, but I still lost $8 on return shipping!

 

[dxqcanada]

Have you checked the classifieds at APUG ?

 

[FITBMX]

What camera are you mounting the lens on? If you're looking for a good portrait lens, longer focal lengths give much more flattering compression of the face. For $40 I doubt you'll get any Nikon glass that will tick the traditional box. At a push maybe a slightly battered 85 mm f/2 or 135mm f/3.5.

Your best bet may be M42 mount 3rd party lens. You might be able to pick up a 135mm f/2.8 by Chinon, Soligor, Hanimex, Miranda, or Vivitar. Failing that f/3.5 apertures.

Always check optical condition. Minor dust internally is ok. A few scratches are fine too, so long as it's just the front element. Fungus ideally should be avoided. Tiny spots will be the same as dust but, when it spreads across entire elements it will ruin image quality.

Also ensure apertures work properly and there is no stiffness to the focus barrel.

My camera is a Canon T3i. I was looking at Canon F mount lenses, but there isn't really a good adaptor out there.
Thanks for the recommendations for portrait lenses, and for the advice on condition, I am still very new to all this!

Have you checked the classifieds at APUG ?

No I've never heard it, I will check it out, thanks!

 

[pixmedic]

look for m42 lenses. they are a thread mount.
the adapter for them is CHEAP, the lenses are generally CHEAP, and it is simply a screw on adapter that doesn't change the rear element to sensor distance so there is no effect on infinity focus, and has no glass to mess with image quality.
I see them at our local flea market periodically.
I think the last time i actually looked there was an off brand 135mm f/2.8 for $35 and a variable aperture 70-210 zoom for $20.

 

[FITBMX]

Your best bet may be M42 mount 3rd party lens. You might be able to pick up a 135mm f/2.8

look for m42 lenses. they are a thread mount.
the adapter for them is CHEAP, the lenses are generally CHEAP, and it is simply a screw on adapter that doesn't change the rear element to sensor distance so there is no effect on infinity focus, and has no glass to mess with image quality.
I see them at our local flea market periodically.
I think the last time i actually looked there was an off brand 135mm f/2.8 for $35 and a variable aperture 70-210 zoom for $20.

I can't thank you guys enough! M42 lenses are really really cheap!!!

 

[Derrel]

For a Canon EOS camewra you do NOT, I rep;eat no NOT want Canon manual focus lenses; the flange-to-film distance on Canon manual focus lenses will mean that infinity focus requires an adapter with glass in it. Much better choices would be Nikon F-mount lenses with aperture rings on them; Olympus OM-system manual focus lenses, Leicaflex R mount lenses (expensive-ish typically),Yashica/Contax mount lenses--often fairly inexpensive; m42 thread mount lenses, or Pentax K-mount lenses.

A lot of the m42 thread lenses have a handy A/M or Auto/Manual diaphragm stop-down control that allows one-push closing of the f/stop to the shooting aperture, and one-push re-opening to wide-open for easier focusing. Makes it easier than focusing wide open and then needing to "count clicks" to get to the pre-determined shooting aperture.

m42 lenses are sometimes pretty good optically. The Asahi Super-Takumar series is pretty good, and widely available. The 200/4 and 135/3.5 are actually quite good performers.

 

[FITBMX]

For a Canon EOS camewra you do NOT, I rep;eat no NOT want Canon manual focus lenses; the flange-to-film distance on Canon manual focus lenses will mean that infinity focus requires an adapter with glass in it. Much better choices would be Nikon F-mount lenses with aperture rings on them; Olympus OM-system manual focus lenses, Leicaflex R mount lenses (expensive-ish typically),Yashica/Contax mount lenses--often fairly inexpensive; m42 thread mount lenses, or Pentax K-mount lenses.

A lot of the m42 thread lenses have a handy A/M or Auto/Manual diaphragm stop-down control that allows one-push closing of the f/stop to the shooting aperture, and one-push re-opening to wide-open for easier focusing. Makes it easier than focusing wide open and then needing to "count clicks" to get to the pre-determined shooting aperture.

m42 lenses are sometimes pretty good optically. The Asahi Super-Takumar series is pretty good, and widely available. The 200/4 and 135/3.5 are actually quite good performers.

I found out really quick to stay away from the old Canon lenses.

Thanks for all the info!

 

[Derrel]

Olympus 28mm f/2.8 Zuiko Auto-W; Vivitar Series1 55mm f/2.8 1:1 macro; in back, Asahi Super Takumar 135mm f/3.5 with lens shade, far right Super Takumar 200/4. Total lens costs, $200.

 

[bigal1000]

Wait and buy the right lens for your camera,your wasting your time and your $40 buying junk lenses. save some money and look for a used kit lens Canon 18-55 AFS etc. that will auto focus on your camera.canon 18-55mm lens eBay

 

[FITBMX]

Wait and buy the right lens for your camera,your wasting your time and your $40 buying junk lenses. save some money and look for a used kit lens Canon 18-55 AFS etc. that will auto focus on your camera.canon 18-55mm lens eBay

I've got a 18-55mm kit lens, and I don't use the auto focus on it. But it's only f/3.5-5.6 so I want something for lower light. I decided to get a 135mm f/2.8, It will be a fairly good lens for around $30!

 

[AKUK]

One of my favourite old lenses, is the Pentacon 135mm f/2.8. The preset version with the 15 aperture blades. It can also be found under the Meyer Optik Gorlitz name plate too. Meyer Optik designed and built it originally. When it merged into the Pentacon group, it got renamed. Solid lens. Decent optics and the bokeh is gorgeous on it. Prices have gone up in recent years, because of its attributes. You may get lucky though. M42 mount, so will work with the Canon without a glass adapter.

 

[FITBMX]

One of my favourite old lenses, is the Pentacon 135mm f/2.8. The preset version with the 15 aperture blades. It can also be found under the Meyer Optik Gorlitz name plate too. Meyer Optik designed and built it originally. When it merged into the Pentacon group, it got renamed. Solid lens. Decent optics and the bokeh is gorgeous on it. Prices have gone up in recent years, because of its attributes. You may get lucky though. M42 mount, so will work with the Canon without a glass adapter.

There is a Cacpeco T 135mm f/2.8 15 aperture blades on Ebay right now, but he wants $70 (after shipping) for it, I just don't have the money right now!
But thanks for posting that, I had seen it on Ebay and was wondering what the 15 aperture blades was like.