To anyone seeing this vid who's worried about that "Thoruim Yellow Haze" in some lenses, be advised that it's not sufficient to be a health risk, and it can be removed by exposure to a UV [blacklight] lamp for a day or two. There are vids here on YT that show you how, so if you come across a vintage lens that's otherwise OK, don't shy away from picking it up: it's a fixable flaw.
I have more vintage lenses than modern lenses. They are so much fun. Also, I like using speedboosters. It's nice to have a lens element that keeps my sensor from being exposed all the time when changing lenses.
When I was studying film making, I found that vintage Nikon lenses were the best I could get at a good price, especially as I got many free from old attics. What is really awesome about these lenses, is they have HARD STOPS. No infinity spin. That means the guy pulling focus isn't going to lose his place, and when you set marks on the lens with a bit of tape, you have repeatable focus. I have a modern cannon lens that I hate because 1. IT changes the aperture as it zooms, and 2. The focus is infinity spin. That said, you need to check them for fungal infections. You mention this, (good for you!) about 7:30 Seems the glue they used is sometimes eaten by some form of fungus, and they aren't valuable enough to have rebuilt. I had to trash a few. It looks like a root or vein system spreading in from the edges. One thing you didn't mention, or if you did I missed it, is that a lot of lens adapters change the focal length somewhat, especially cannon to cannon. This is somewhat addressed when you're mentioning infinity focus, but is also a big perspective issue, as you might be trying to get a wide or long lens background compression, and find it isn't matching what you ought to get out of that focal length. Lastly, if you get a lens with a number scratched on the side, get some sort of abrasive and REMOVE IT. That's some old lady's social security number. Also, very glad to learn mirrorless cameras are a thing now. I think I'll have to get one, as one of my best lenses doesn't fit my current dslr for just the reason you mention.
Great introduction into vintage lens! I wish I had watched your video before getting into vintage lens - great explanation. Vintage lens makes photography fun and creative.
Chapesses? Just heading down this rabbit hole and finding it enjoyable and addictive, as you say. Pity the prices of older lenses have climbed, but they're still far more affordable than, say, the Canon L series by a long margin. I do enjoy the word "flange" too. Carry on.
ALPA had an incredible system of lens adapting. Due to a short lens (or nodal point as the case may appear) to film plane, they offered adapters WITH infinity focus for Nikon F, Canon FD, M42, Leica thread, Leica R, plus the Kern, Kinoptik, Schneider, and Angenieux lenses they had made for their cameras to begin with. Of course the ALPA 35mm cameras are hard to find now, can't be serviced, etc. But they were ahead by miles on adaptability back in the day.
GAS - Gear Acquisition Syndrome. Ah. At least now I can give it a name when explaining to my wife why I need some 50 year old lenses from Ukraine. Then I try to explain "bokeh". Such fun.
I have a fine collection of Rokkor lenses which are a delight to shoot with. I have to use film and old, completely manual bodies though as I don't have the money for the mirrorless body. I don't mind the film though, using Kentmere PAN100 now and it is very fine.
Very informative. What would make a great follow up video is to see a few images of these lenses in action. I mean some photos taken with these lenses adapted to yourcamera. What I'd like to understand is how you know which mount the lens has, soyou know which adapter to get.
I shoot as many vintage Nikkors as I do modern auto Nikkors. Each has its own role to play and each has it's own aesthetic. Nikon calls vintage lenses non-cpu. I set the non-cpu setting to focal length and f-stop. What I would like to see is focus/exposure calibration for the specific lens and store that in an inboard data base. But so far so bad,no manufacturer has given me a straight answer to that question. I can calibrate focus for auto focus lenses. why not legacy lenses? I would also like to store information like the specific lens type such as micro or pc lens rather than just the focal length and aperture. Contrary to what the manufacturer might say, it should not be anything more than an update to the firmware micro code. Data could also be stored on the memory card without sacrificing significant card capacity. Be interested to hear your take on this.
@@LuigiVN up to 5d3 has been done. They've started working for this ones (copied from their site) Porting started: 80D, 200D, 77D, 5D Mark IV, 7D Mark II, 5DS/R (Hello World) 1300D, 2000D, 4000D, 750D, 760D, 800D, 6D Mark II, EOS R, SX70, SX740 (ROM dumpers available)
super interesting video! thanks for sharing! smart bit there at the end warning folks about gear lust. im excited to get an adapter for my old pentax glass now!
Great video! I asked canon if mf focus peaking works with vintage lenses and they said it does not work which for me was not understandable because whats the difference between manual vintage or manual modern lenses. So good to hear that that funkcion actually works so maybe I will buy Canon r.
Thank you I have been doing this for awhile now using my Canon EOS M3 using lenses fro Mamiya, Pentax and others. It actually brings everyone back to my film shooting days during the 60’s and latter. I occasionally shoot film but getting it processed is difficult.Can only send it out by mail. I cannot process here as the chemicals are not good for the septic system. Having a great time with my photography.
Adapting Vintage Lenses to DSLRS is less feasible because the Flange Focal Distance of DSLR is longer than many Vintage Lenses Flange Focal distance (FFD). For example the Flange Focal Distance of Canon EF /EF-S cameras is 44mm. So Canon FD and FL lenses with Flange Focal Distance of 42mm cannot be adapted. I have adapted Pentax K mount lenses (45.56 FFD) to my Canon EF /EF-S cameras. You can also get PK to EF adapters with AF Confirm chips so that you can also program the max aperture, Focal Length of the lens so that the camera can set the Aperture in AF mode to match the aperture set on the manual lens. Manual focusing with OVF will beep and light a green led and with Magiclantern firmware, forcus peaking can be done in Live View. Only one of my DSLR can support Magic Lantern firmware upgrade. Mirrorless camera has a Flange Focal distance (FFD) of 16mm to 18mm. So most Vintage SLR lenses can be adapted since there is enough spare thickness for making adapters,
This has been a useful video for me as I have someone giving me a Vivitar FD macro lens, and I have a Canon T7i DSLR w EF-S mount. It sounds like adapting that lens to the T7i will be not very successful. I'm already considering getting a Canon RF series camera; would this be a good time to change? Presumably that will make a better platform for adapting this FD lens?
Hi I've finally come back to photography after 30 od years. Used to have Canon EF1 with various lenses. When I was home in UK picked up a Canon EOS 700D. I thought great use my old gear. Purchased a FD to EOS converter however on my return to CapeTown. I found it's non compatible I'm unable to focus. You mention the one with the glass element. Is this the missing link. I'd love to be able to reuse my old lenses. Any information be appreciated.
Olympus OMD Em5 mark 2. It’s small but very robust since it’s made with a lot of metal. Stabilisation and tech are fantastic, and it looks amazing with vintage Olympus lenses!
I bought a pentax mount to nikon F mount for my olf father's lens to my nikon dslr. It works really well but i have a hard time focusing to infinity. Is there any trick to improve it?
Is there anything like an autofocus adapter ring or something for old lenses, I can't use my dad old lenses because I'm really bad focusing objects.... I need some help ...
I chalk it up to marketing. When a lens is able to resolve to expose a silver halide crystal at 1µm (I have micrographs) and the smallest practical pictorial pixel size for adequate dynamic range is down around 3 µm, then the use if "vintage" lenses is entirely reasonable. The spiel regarding diffraction concerns and non stochastic arrays is just that, a spiel IMO, designed to get you to spend money. the second issue raised, CA in the edges of field, is also specious in that since I have dirt cheap software that I have never not been able to apply to an image to correct CA in a vintage lens, my wonder is, are the new lenses corrected by refined lens form/glass formulas afforded by the shorter optical center/image plane distances or by the application of firmware in the lens chip/lens mechanics feedback. Where's the money in that.
@@petermcleod7322 Hi I found you here from FB as well -- I am waiting on the adapter and 4 !! rusky lenses in the post -- I already have a 50cm Summitar & 135 Komura -- I am wondering about real focal lengths and using them for video etc ... Thanks !!
Great video, thank you. I bought a new-old-stock 80D last year, using mostly a Tamron 150-600mm, but looking for a decent Helios 44 to try to get that incredible bokeh... Any other lens you'd recommend for an 80D?... Cheers! Stay safe. 👍🏻
Perhaps the Cannon FDn 50mm F1.8mm might be a another good starting lens? Or for a totally different focal length the FD 135mm F2.8? My main reason for trying this in the first place was to get some fast glass I could afford... good luck!
due to the glass on adapters from fd to eos id skip canon fd lenses. now, some examples id like. super takumar 135 2.5 or better, tair 11a. i already have an AF 35 and 85 faster than f2.0 so i havent looked in those focal lengths.
also, i dont see many videos naming olympus zuiko or minolta lenses. i cant remember what they were, but ive seen some awesome photos using them. also, later minolta lenses, can be used if you have a sony with an a-mount.
Great Video i just got out my old Canon A1 Lens i have some Tamron 24mm,Tamron 70-210, and two Canon Lens,So want do i need, so i can use them on my Canon Eos T2i i have no idea so the Canon is FD and the T2i is a DSLR sorry is that right! All new to this
Just forget it. The flange distance on EF is larger. Canon made a deliberate decision in 1987 that you cannot use old lenses. Either forget or get a mirrorless, preferably full frame.
New subscriber 🇨🇦✌🏼I have a lot of FD lens from a 1980 Canon A-1 what new camera would you recommend for these lenses ? 😀 thanks for the awesome video 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Thanks Lorne, glad you like it! I went with a Canon Eos R which you could probably pick up at a very reasonable price these days. Pretty much any modern Mirrorless camera will work though as long as it has focus peaking...
Hello, I’m a newbie photographer ! Would you be kind enough to tell me which kind of adaptor to use to connect my FD50MM 1.4 lens to my canon 5D mark 3 camera? Do I choose one with glass or without glass? Im so confused because I’ve heard terrifying stories of reduced picture quality and i don’t want to waste money
I have Minolta MD lenses I would like to adapt to my Cannon Rebel T6. This is an entry level camera with APS-C cropped sensor. Since this camera has live view, does it still require an adapter with the corrective lens for Infinity Focus. Do I even need the corrective lens at all. I looked through the camera's view finder with the lens positioned so I could view through it and didn't notice any issues. Granted I wasn't focusing to infinity.
You always need an adapter. This should be obvious as the mount is different. Minolta MD has flange distance 43.5 mm which is shorter than 44 mm on EF so you are out of luck. You will need an adapter that has a lens.
I don't think you can adapt FD to Canon DSLR without an adapter with a glass element (flange distance is shorter than EF). You should be able to to get (very thin) adapters to mount Olympus OM, Pentax K (and M42) and Nikon F mounts to EF. However it is best to search the web for info on each lens you are interested in as some may project too far back into your mirror box and cause nasty things to happen.
Yes you have! 😄 photography and fly fishing go hand in hand... you can check out my other TH-cam channel th-cam.com/users/AardvarkMcLeodFlyFishing for FlyFishing content...
Some of this is possible but not all. Bolting up a non-AI Nikkor to a Nikon DSLR will damage the camera. See the Nikon site or other pages by Nikon experts for specifics.
I bought an inexpensive POWERFUL MONO TELESCOPE LENS FOR $50.00; which I want to adapt this lens to a Canon EOS M100 CAMERA. I need to have an adaptor built; which a company in California does. To match this powerful lens for an actual telephoto lens for a digital camera would cost $1000.s of dollars. I need an adaptor built for this small Cannon EOS M100; does some one know about this company?
Many vintage lenses are BETTER than modern versions. Why? Simple. Old lenses we made for film cameras. Film cameras don't have in-body lens profiles, and there was no post-processing either. If the lens optics weren't correct 'out of the factory', then you were stuck with a poor result. So they were generally optically as perfect as they could be.
Tip: With M42 lenses, such as the pentacon 50mm 1.8, try to get the auto version and make sure you switch the lens to auto otherwise the aperture blades will be constantly wide open. When I first bought my lens, I thought it was broken or my adaptor wasn't correct, but turns out I hadn't turned the control to auto. After switching this, the aperture ring started working normally
Why would you do this? Simple - in my case certainly. A while ago, in a house move, (before the current lunatic restrictions, I hasten to add) I unearthed an elderly, but excellent, 35 mm camera, which I hadn't used for some years. This find inspired me to restart photography. I soon found that digital was the way to go, but knowing nothing about it, started a bit of research and, long story short, started off with a bridge camera. This is fine and I have enjoyed using it, but it was born in on me that the three lenses I had been using with my SLR were just sitting around doing nothing. More investigation resulted in the purchase of an EOS Canon 300D body and some M42 adapters and off I went. I have achieved excellent results, at a moderate price - the limit of 6MP doesn't bother me as I will only be printing up to A4 size for the foreseeable future. So that's why I did it - a cheap entry into DSLR photography, prompted by not letting my old lenses go to waste.
Hello .. The topic is a great one, but unfortunately my English is not strong .. Thank you for the effort ... a subject of adapting that makes me feel frustrated. I use Google for translation
Great Video. Have purchased a new Canon M50, and chose this because I have an old Canon T50 and 3 FD lenses. 28mm, 50mm and 70-210 zoom, and wanted to be able to use these. Today the adaptor arrived, and just putting on the 50mm FD showed great results. So now I can play. Shoot, delete and repeat until I'm comfortable with how I set it all up.
Awesome man. My dream is simple; to obtain a 75-300mm lens. Got a 7D canon camera and only have 18-55mm “kit” lens. And I love it too. But those shots at around 105mm’s are just my wheelhouse. But I’m perpetually broke. Someday man, someday. PS. Thanks for the upload. I’m subscribed and look forward to seeing more of you. Thanks mate.
I bought a 7D last August and really like it. Binge watching vids got me to get a 1960s Pentax Spotmatic at a local shop a month ago. I think the lenses alone that it came with were worth the purchase; a 50mm f1.4 Super Takumar, and the surprise extra 135mm f3.5 Takumar Super-Multi-Coated. I bought a Fotodiox EF/EF-S to M42 adapter on Amazon. I'm just a beginner, but I like the results very much! The adapter was only $10, which probably makes it sound like junk, but it has good reviews, and being a machinist myself, I was impressed with it's finish. There are "SMC" and not "SMC" versions of the 135mm lens. I think between $50-100. You might really like it. Love the all metal constuction and smooth focus ring, and even the hood it came with is metal!
Give prime lenses a try and you would not be disapointed. By the way the 75-300 is not very sharp. Try to to get a 200mm vintage prime, perhaps it might be cheaper and will give you better quality.
I think, people who go after vintage lenses want exactly that, the vintage feeling that can't be reproduced via software (at least easily). The pure raw vintage feel in the palm of the hand. Also, as you well said, to have fun, to try, to experiment... That is the fun of photography! I have bought recently a used canon 750d because its enough for me to do high quality prints of my photos and memories, and the first lens I actually bought was the pentacon 50mm f/1.8... Now, is it perfect? Absolutely not. Is it razor sharp? Nope.. But who cares? Photography doesn't need to be 100% accurate. I absolutely love the feeling of the aperture and focus ring, the metallic and sturdy built these lenses have.. I wish new lenses could have a line built in actual metal honestly. Plastic sometimes it's so easy to scratch and break.. But still, the amount of fun we can have for relatively cheap, its crazy for me.
I followed you here from the Facebook page----- I will be kind. I have been bitten by the manual lense bug, fitting various lenses, mainly Tamron adaptall, to my Canon DSLR. This is a lovely, informative video. Thank you from NZ.
Awesome video. I’ve got the same addiction, BAD. In my case, its Minolta Rokkor lenses from the 1960s through 1980s including a radioactive 28mm f/2.5 wideangle designed in the 1960s and a gorgeous 35mm f/1.8 with with an absolutely gorgeous way of rendering a scene. My Canon R5’s 45MP sensor outresolves all of them, but no matter, they still create beautiful images with the benefit of in-body stabilization (amazing when combined with the 85mm f/1.7 portrait lens or 135mm f/2.8). Rabbit hole indeed.
I used to shoot film which I loved apart from the whole processing and scanning malarkey plus the cost of processing. I now shoot my film lenses on Fuji bodies so I get the joy of shooting manually but get the benefit of Fuji colours and film simulations. Best of both worlds! 7artisans do great cheap manual lenses that have native fittings for canon, Nikon, Fuji, Leica etc…..brilliant!
@@petermcleod7322 I myself have been collecting for the past year and I can’t help it lol. I love the image I get and the tactile feel and the focus throw. I actually adapted them and Cine modded them with focus gears and the same size step up rings.
I've tried a few vintage lenses (Chinon f1.4, Nikon f1.4 & Super Takumar f1.4) on my Nikon DSLR, but find focusing very difficult indeed - any tips for this? Great fun trying them out and comparing results (particularly the bokeh). Just a nightmare getting the focus right!
Putting vintage lenses on DSLR’s is always a bit of a challenge due to the flange distance. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.. if you google it you will find which lenses match with daslrs...
Recently bought the adapter so I could use my Minolta lenses on my Pentax DSLR. Focus is difficult for some reason, but the results are good when I get it just right
I ADORE my vintage Zuiko 50/1.8 on my Olympus EM5II (made mostly of metal housing) and it makes the system look like an original OM film camera at a glance!
@@jrsergii1 yes you will need a “OM to MFT” adapter 😊 they might call it “OM to M 4/3”. I also suggest getting other vintage lens adapters for your MFT camera, particularly a “M42 screw to MFT” because there’s a lot of really cool M42 screw lenses as well!
I just bought a 135mm f3.5 Canon lens, but it only focusses subjects that are very very closeby. I have it mounted on a canon t2I, with a coupling mount. What am I doing wrong, is the lens broken ?
look at flange distance, its the distance between the sensor and the lensmount and these have to match, if the flange distance of the lens is longer you can adapt to your camera. For example M42 screwmount has 45.5mm flange distance, canon ef has a 44mm, while canon fd (which i assume is the lensmount of yours), is shorter at 42mm, and combined with the adapter, pushes the optics too far away from the sensor and this focusses the lens to closer subjects, and losing infinity focus. in short: the lens(mount) has to have a longer flange distance than the body you are putting it on. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flange_focal_distance
The flange distance of FD is 42 mm and EF 44 mm. You would need an adapter that is -2 mm thick. That of course is not possible. Adapting such lenses is only good for macro work. It is unfortunate that this is not said clearly.
To anyone seeing this vid who's worried about that "Thoruim Yellow Haze" in some lenses, be advised that it's not sufficient to be a health risk, and it can be removed by exposure to a UV [blacklight] lamp for a day or two. There are vids here on YT that show you how, so if you come across a vintage lens that's otherwise OK, don't shy away from picking it up: it's a fixable flaw.
Thank you!
thanks a lot! Is there a way to check if a lens i own has that thorium yellow haze?
just see if it looks yellow@@ashadowintime7305
Thanks for informing; I had a little skipped heartbeat when I heard that 🥶
Tf is that!?
And there's Olympus, some of the best lens ever made.
Thanks Peter for a great video
I have more vintage lenses than modern lenses. They are so much fun. Also, I like using speedboosters. It's nice to have a lens element that keeps my sensor from being exposed all the time when changing lenses.
Haha I would appreciate if you bless me with some lenses😁😀 I have a Nikon with no lense
When I was studying film making, I found that vintage Nikon lenses were the best I could get at a good price, especially as I got many free from old attics.
What is really awesome about these lenses, is they have HARD STOPS. No infinity spin. That means the guy pulling focus isn't going to lose his place, and when you set marks on the lens with a bit of tape, you have repeatable focus.
I have a modern cannon lens that I hate because 1. IT changes the aperture as it zooms, and 2. The focus is infinity spin.
That said, you need to check them for fungal infections. You mention this, (good for you!) about 7:30 Seems the glue they used is sometimes eaten by some form of fungus, and they aren't valuable enough to have rebuilt. I had to trash a few. It looks like a root or vein system spreading in from the edges.
One thing you didn't mention, or if you did I missed it, is that a lot of lens adapters change the focal length somewhat, especially cannon to cannon. This is somewhat addressed when you're mentioning infinity focus, but is also a big perspective issue, as you might be trying to get a wide or long lens background compression, and find it isn't matching what you ought to get out of that focal length.
Lastly, if you get a lens with a number scratched on the side, get some sort of abrasive and REMOVE IT. That's some old lady's social security number.
Also, very glad to learn mirrorless cameras are a thing now. I think I'll have to get one, as one of my best lenses doesn't fit my current dslr for just the reason you mention.
Thoroughly enjoyed this. I have just realized vintage lenses can be used on my R and I’m ready to start the hunt 🤩
Great introduction into vintage lens! I wish I had watched your video before getting into vintage lens - great explanation. Vintage lens makes photography fun and creative.
Quite explanatory, thank you. Very important to know that about what to set in the Canon menu. Thanks again
I was going to sell old vintage lenses until this video... glad I researched and you came up. Tanks for giving me the reason of me holding onto it.
Chapesses? Just heading down this rabbit hole and finding it enjoyable and addictive, as you say. Pity the prices of older lenses have climbed, but they're still far more affordable than, say, the Canon L series by a long margin. I do enjoy the word "flange" too. Carry on.
I love my Helios 44m, it is strong as a tank and it is a pleasure to focus. Mine is sharp enough at f2.8 and at f4 it is perfect for pet portrait.
Great video Peter, love your passion!
ALPA had an incredible system of lens adapting. Due to a short lens (or nodal point as the case may appear) to film plane, they offered adapters WITH infinity focus for Nikon F, Canon FD, M42, Leica thread, Leica R, plus the Kern, Kinoptik, Schneider, and Angenieux lenses they had made for their cameras to begin with. Of course the ALPA 35mm cameras are hard to find now, can't be serviced, etc. But they were ahead by miles on adaptability back in the day.
Thank You for sharing this. Informative and Light hearted. Looking forward to some more in depth reviews in the future.
Thanks Jimmy!
2:18 "This was a _prime_ opportunity to actually have a chance to shoot a lot of that fast glass".... I see what you did there ;)
GAS - Gear Acquisition Syndrome. Ah. At least now I can give it a name when explaining to my wife why I need some 50 year old lenses from Ukraine. Then I try to explain "bokeh". Such fun.
I have a fine collection of Rokkor lenses which are a delight to shoot with. I have to use film and old, completely manual bodies though as I don't have the money for the mirrorless body. I don't mind the film though, using Kentmere PAN100 now and it is very fine.
Very informative. What would make a great follow up video is to see a few images of these lenses in action. I mean some photos taken with these lenses adapted to yourcamera.
What I'd like to understand is how you know which mount the lens has, soyou know which adapter to get.
Thanks, I'm just building my kit and wondered how far I could move away from auto focus, while using some fast older glass.
Great video, your presenting is really good! Are you planning on making more videos in the future?
I shoot as many vintage Nikkors as I do modern auto Nikkors. Each has its own role to play and each has it's own aesthetic. Nikon calls vintage lenses non-cpu. I set the non-cpu setting to focal length and f-stop. What I would like to see is focus/exposure calibration for the specific lens and store that in an inboard data base. But so far so bad,no manufacturer has given me a straight answer to that question. I can calibrate focus for auto focus lenses. why not legacy lenses? I would also like to store information like the specific lens type such as micro or pc lens rather than just the focal length and aperture. Contrary to what the manufacturer might say, it should not be anything more than an update to the firmware micro code. Data could also be stored on the memory card without sacrificing significant card capacity. Be interested to hear your take on this.
about focus peaking.. it can be added to any canon dslr by instaling magic lntern.
not all DSLRs are compatible with ML. Old ones are but, I don't think you can ML a 5D IV.
@@LuigiVN up to 5d3 has been done. They've started working for this ones (copied from their site)
Porting started:
80D, 200D, 77D, 5D Mark IV, 7D Mark II, 5DS/R (Hello World)
1300D, 2000D, 4000D, 750D, 760D, 800D, 6D Mark II, EOS R, SX70, SX740 (ROM dumpers available)
I use vintage lens for my street photography. It helps me to be a better shooter. I got mine for $10. You can find some at antique stores
super interesting video! thanks for sharing! smart bit there at the end warning folks about gear lust. im excited to get an adapter for my old pentax glass now!
Thanks. Great video.
Thank you!
What is the best most logical choice of vintage lenses for cinematic work using the BM4K?
I’ve got the regular adapter and the lens but I’m having problems with the focus
Nice explanation, thanks!
I stumbled on this video and now see why lenses for my new film photography hobbie seem so expensive 😅
I love my Helios 44M. It's on my EOS more than the kit lens is.
Great video! I asked canon if mf focus peaking works with vintage lenses and they said it does not work which for me was not understandable because whats the difference between manual vintage or manual modern lenses. So good to hear that that funkcion actually works so maybe I will buy Canon r.
Works fine for me! Thanks for the comment...
Appreciate this it totally helped!
Thank you I have been doing this for awhile now using my Canon EOS M3 using lenses fro Mamiya, Pentax and others. It actually brings everyone back to my film shooting days during the 60’s and latter. I occasionally shoot film but getting it processed is difficult.Can only send it out by mail. I cannot process here as the chemicals are not good for the septic system. Having a great time with my photography.
Question: How would one mount EF glass to and FD Canon A1 camera? Please Help
Good job!! But, how do you know which mount a lens has? I didn't catch that in your video.
Adapting Vintage Lenses to DSLRS is less feasible because the Flange Focal Distance of DSLR is longer than many Vintage Lenses Flange Focal distance (FFD).
For example the Flange Focal Distance of Canon EF /EF-S cameras is 44mm. So Canon FD and FL lenses with Flange Focal Distance of 42mm cannot be adapted.
I have adapted Pentax K mount lenses (45.56 FFD) to my Canon EF /EF-S cameras.
You can also get PK to EF adapters with AF Confirm chips so that you can also program the max aperture, Focal Length of the lens so that the camera can set the Aperture in AF mode to match the aperture set on the manual lens. Manual focusing with OVF will beep and light a green led and with Magiclantern firmware, forcus peaking can be done in Live View. Only one of my DSLR can support Magic Lantern firmware upgrade.
Mirrorless camera has a Flange Focal distance (FFD) of 16mm to 18mm. So most Vintage SLR lenses can be adapted since there is enough spare thickness for making adapters,
hello from Belgium I liked your advice
This has been a useful video for me as I have someone giving me a Vivitar FD macro lens, and I have a Canon T7i DSLR w EF-S mount. It sounds like adapting that lens to the T7i will be not very successful. I'm already considering getting a Canon RF series camera; would this be a good time to change? Presumably that will make a better platform for adapting this FD lens?
Get you a Zeiss Jena Pancolar 1.8 - its spectacular!!
I hope one day someone will make a Pentax K to Fuji X adapter with speed booster.
Nice video to see.
Hi I've finally come back to photography after 30 od years. Used to have Canon EF1 with various lenses. When I was home in UK picked up a Canon EOS 700D. I thought great use my old gear. Purchased a FD to EOS converter however on my return to CapeTown. I found it's non compatible I'm unable to focus. You mention the one with the glass element. Is this the missing link. I'd love to be able to reuse my old lenses. Any information be appreciated.
What would be the best walk around lens for an old canon rebel T3i? And what mount adapter would I need?
Looking for a mirrorless maybe a xt2 or an m50 but what to choose ....lol
Olympus OMD Em5 mark 2. It’s small but very robust since it’s made with a lot of metal. Stabilisation and tech are fantastic, and it looks amazing with vintage Olympus lenses!
I bought a pentax mount to nikon F mount for my olf father's lens to my nikon dslr. It works really well but i have a hard time focusing to infinity. Is there any trick to improve it?
Is there anything like an autofocus adapter ring or something for old lenses, I can't use my dad old lenses because I'm really bad focusing objects.... I need some help ...
I chalk it up to marketing. When a lens is able to resolve to expose a silver halide crystal at 1µm (I have micrographs) and the smallest practical pictorial pixel size for adequate dynamic range is down around 3 µm, then the use if "vintage" lenses is entirely reasonable. The spiel regarding diffraction concerns and non stochastic arrays is just that, a spiel IMO, designed to get you to spend money. the second issue raised, CA in the edges of field, is also specious in that since I have dirt cheap software that I have never not been able to apply to an image to correct CA in a vintage lens, my wonder is, are the new lenses corrected by refined lens form/glass formulas afforded by the shorter optical center/image plane distances or by the application of firmware in the lens chip/lens mechanics feedback. Where's the money in that.
Do you think is possible mount lenses that was made to work with fujica stx 1n to canon 50d ?
I am on the same route you took. From 80D to EOS R. The adapter for my EOS R do you put another adapter on top to fit the vintage lens?
He Pete, I bought adapters to go directly from RF mount as it makes the whole package much easier to handle...
Thanks ! Do you have any tips for using M39 lenses with fuji EX-1 ?
Thanks Ben! You should be able to find an M39-FX adapter pretty easily.. is it the Fuji XE-1? Should be FX mount..
@@petermcleod7322 Hi I found you here from FB as well -- I am waiting on the adapter and 4 !! rusky lenses in the post -- I already have a 50cm Summitar & 135 Komura -- I am wondering about real focal lengths and using them for video etc ... Thanks !!
Great video, thank you. I bought a new-old-stock 80D last year, using mostly a Tamron 150-600mm, but looking for a decent Helios 44 to try to get that incredible bokeh... Any other lens you'd recommend for an 80D?... Cheers! Stay safe. 👍🏻
Perhaps the Cannon FDn 50mm F1.8mm might be a another good starting lens? Or for a totally different focal length the FD 135mm F2.8? My main reason for trying this in the first place was to get some fast glass I could afford... good luck!
due to the glass on adapters from fd to eos id skip canon fd lenses.
now, some examples id like. super takumar 135 2.5 or better, tair 11a. i already have an AF 35 and 85 faster than f2.0 so i havent looked in those focal lengths.
@@g-low6365 Thanks! 👍🏻
also, i dont see many videos naming olympus zuiko or minolta lenses. i cant remember what they were, but ive seen some awesome photos using them. also, later minolta lenses, can be used if you have a sony with an a-mount.
@@g-low6365 Cheers, will look them up.
Great Video i just got out my old Canon A1 Lens i have some Tamron 24mm,Tamron 70-210, and two Canon Lens,So want do i need, so i can use them on my Canon Eos T2i i have no idea so the Canon is FD and the T2i is a DSLR sorry is that right! All new to this
Just forget it. The flange distance on EF is larger. Canon made a deliberate decision in 1987 that you cannot use old lenses. Either forget or get a mirrorless, preferably full frame.
New subscriber 🇨🇦✌🏼I have a lot of FD lens from a 1980 Canon A-1 what new camera would you recommend for these lenses ? 😀 thanks for the awesome video 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Thanks Lorne, glad you like it! I went with a Canon Eos R which you could probably pick up at a very reasonable price these days. Pretty much any modern Mirrorless camera will work though as long as it has focus peaking...
Peter McLeod awesome thanks for the response 😀👌🏻
Hello, I’m a newbie photographer ! Would you be kind enough to tell me which kind of adaptor to use to connect my FD50MM 1.4 lens to my canon 5D mark 3 camera? Do I choose one with glass or without glass? Im so confused because I’ve heard terrifying stories of reduced picture quality and i don’t want to waste money
Today I bought the Vivitar Auto 200 mm f3.5 for only 10 pound and its new! Unused, insane. Im heading out to shoot some ducks! Great video.
Can I use Minolta maxxum 7xi lens on canon Eos t4i?
I have Minolta MD lenses I would like to adapt to my Cannon Rebel T6. This is an entry level camera with APS-C cropped sensor. Since this camera has live view, does it still require an adapter with the corrective lens for Infinity Focus. Do I even need the corrective lens at all. I looked through the camera's view finder with the lens positioned so I could view through it and didn't notice any issues. Granted I wasn't focusing to infinity.
You always need an adapter. This should be obvious as the mount is different. Minolta MD has flange distance 43.5 mm which is shorter than 44 mm on EF so you are out of luck. You will need an adapter that has a lens.
What adapter would allow me use a Yashica 135mm telephoto with a Canon 60D?
C/Y to Eos adapter. I got one for ~10$
Best adapter from FD lenses to Canon eos 30D EF, EF-S mount?
I don't think you can adapt FD to Canon DSLR without an adapter with a glass element (flange distance is shorter than EF). You should be able to to get (very thin) adapters to mount Olympus OM, Pentax K (and M42) and Nikon F mounts to EF. However it is best to search the web for info on each lens you are interested in as some may project too far back into your mirror box and cause nasty things to happen.
What to trick to create the swirly bokeh with that helios? I can't find to get that effect.
Reverse front glass :)
The swirl effect is similar to focus. It is distance and aperture based. There is a plane of swirl bokeh that is variable by situation.
Only Canon?
don't tell anybody. Best lenses used so far are Contax and leica R, never got any better.
Havent I seen you in the movie Chalk?
Yes you have! 😄 photography and fly fishing go hand in hand... you can check out my other TH-cam channel th-cam.com/users/AardvarkMcLeodFlyFishing for FlyFishing content...
@@petermcleod7322 Indeed is does, for handsome guys like us ;)
Some of this is possible but not all. Bolting up a non-AI Nikkor to a Nikon DSLR will damage the camera. See the Nikon site or other pages by Nikon experts for specifics.
I bought an inexpensive POWERFUL MONO TELESCOPE LENS FOR $50.00; which I want to adapt this lens to a Canon EOS M100 CAMERA. I need to have an adaptor built; which a company in California does. To match this powerful lens for an actual telephoto lens for a digital camera would cost $1000.s of dollars. I need an adaptor built for this small Cannon EOS M100; does some one know about this company?
I accidentally de clicked a lens myself when I tried to fix it lol
😱fd lets go
It's addictive and the syndrome is real especially now with just the click on the key board
You are so right Ram! 😄
Not cheap any more. Now with the gadget crazy and hipster crowds out there, vintage lenses are becoming expensive.
Many vintage lenses are BETTER than modern versions.
Why? Simple. Old lenses we made for film cameras.
Film cameras don't have in-body lens profiles, and there was no post-processing either.
If the lens optics weren't correct 'out of the factory', then you were stuck with a poor result. So they were generally optically as perfect as they could be.
You stole lenses from your father?
why is your face 90% of a how-to video?
The muzak in the background is pointless and distracting.
This could have been said in less than half the time !!! You must like the sound of your own voice 😏
Tip: With M42 lenses, such as the pentacon 50mm 1.8, try to get the auto version and make sure you switch the lens to auto otherwise the aperture blades will be constantly wide open. When I first bought my lens, I thought it was broken or my adaptor wasn't correct, but turns out I hadn't turned the control to auto. After switching this, the aperture ring started working normally
Why would you do this? Simple - in my case certainly. A while ago, in a house move, (before the current lunatic restrictions, I hasten to add) I unearthed an elderly, but excellent, 35 mm camera, which I hadn't used for some years. This find inspired me to restart photography. I soon found that digital was the way to go, but knowing nothing about it, started a bit of research and, long story short, started off with a bridge camera. This is fine and I have enjoyed using it, but it was born in on me that the three lenses I had been using with my SLR were just sitting around doing nothing. More investigation resulted in the purchase of an EOS Canon 300D body and some M42 adapters and off I went. I have achieved excellent results, at a moderate price - the limit of 6MP doesn't bother me as I will only be printing up to A4 size for the foreseeable future. So that's why I did it - a cheap entry into DSLR photography, prompted by not letting my old lenses go to waste.
Brilliant... and why we follow this path..
Hello ..
The topic is a great one, but unfortunately my English is not strong .. Thank you for the effort ... a subject of adapting that makes me feel frustrated. I use Google for translation
Great video! I love (probably addicted to) looking at and buying vintage lenses.
Great Video. Have purchased a new Canon M50, and chose this because I have an old Canon T50 and 3 FD lenses. 28mm, 50mm and 70-210 zoom, and wanted to be able to use these. Today the adaptor arrived, and just putting on the 50mm FD showed great results. So now I can play. Shoot, delete and repeat until I'm comfortable with how I set it all up.
Thanks for taking time to make this video and sharing your knowledge. I did not know about the problem with the EF adaptors... explains a lot !
Awesome man. My dream is simple; to obtain a 75-300mm lens. Got a 7D canon camera and only have 18-55mm “kit” lens. And I love it too. But those shots at around 105mm’s are just my wheelhouse. But I’m perpetually broke. Someday man, someday.
PS. Thanks for the upload. I’m subscribed and look forward to seeing more of you. Thanks mate.
I bought a 7D last August and really like it. Binge watching vids got me to get a 1960s Pentax Spotmatic at a local shop a month ago. I think the lenses alone that it came with were worth the purchase; a 50mm f1.4 Super Takumar, and the surprise extra 135mm f3.5 Takumar Super-Multi-Coated. I bought a Fotodiox EF/EF-S to M42 adapter on Amazon. I'm just a beginner, but I like the results very much! The adapter was only $10, which probably makes it sound like junk, but it has good reviews, and being a machinist myself, I was impressed with it's finish. There are "SMC" and not "SMC" versions of the 135mm lens. I think between $50-100. You might really like it. Love the all metal constuction and smooth focus ring, and even the hood it came with is metal!
Give prime lenses a try and you would not be disapointed. By the way the 75-300 is not very sharp. Try to to get a 200mm vintage prime, perhaps it might be cheaper and will give you better quality.
Identifying vintage lenses is a problem......As a Nikon user I can't always tell whether a vintage Nikon lens is pre/non AI, AI or AIS
I think, people who go after vintage lenses want exactly that, the vintage feeling that can't be reproduced via software (at least easily). The pure raw vintage feel in the palm of the hand.
Also, as you well said, to have fun, to try, to experiment... That is the fun of photography! I have bought recently a used canon 750d because its enough for me to do high quality prints of my photos and memories, and the first lens I actually bought was the pentacon 50mm f/1.8... Now, is it perfect? Absolutely not. Is it razor sharp? Nope.. But who cares? Photography doesn't need to be 100% accurate. I absolutely love the feeling of the aperture and focus ring, the metallic and sturdy built these lenses have.. I wish new lenses could have a line built in actual metal honestly. Plastic sometimes it's so easy to scratch and break.. But still, the amount of fun we can have for relatively cheap, its crazy for me.
I followed you here from the Facebook page----- I will be kind. I have been bitten by the manual lense bug, fitting various lenses, mainly Tamron adaptall, to my Canon DSLR. This is a lovely, informative video. Thank you from NZ.
Jim thank you for being kind.. 😀 It really is an addiction..
Funny, I only use vintage lenses because I'm poor.
Thank you for making this and explaining this process. really really really appreciate it!!!
Great vid thanks for the info ! I already have a few vintage lenses and always on the lookout for more !
I have a Quantaray tech 10/ 70-300mm macro zoom lens with a Pentax K mount. I want to mount it on a Nikon F Mount. Is there an adapter I can get?
Awesome video.
I’ve got the same addiction, BAD. In my case, its Minolta Rokkor lenses from the 1960s through 1980s including a radioactive 28mm f/2.5 wideangle designed in the 1960s and a gorgeous 35mm f/1.8 with with an absolutely gorgeous way of rendering a scene. My Canon R5’s 45MP sensor outresolves all of them, but no matter, they still create beautiful images with the benefit of in-body stabilization (amazing when combined with the 85mm f/1.7 portrait lens or 135mm f/2.8).
Rabbit hole indeed.
I used to shoot film which I loved apart from the whole processing and scanning malarkey plus the cost of processing. I now shoot my film lenses on Fuji bodies so I get the joy of shooting manually but get the benefit of Fuji colours and film simulations. Best of both worlds! 7artisans do great cheap manual lenses that have native fittings for canon, Nikon, Fuji, Leica etc…..brilliant!
Great video. I am a vintage lens consumer like you. I suffer from the compulsive hobby.
Thanks for the comment! It has been a bad affliction and I am still relishing it!
@@petermcleod7322 I myself have been collecting for the past year and I can’t help it lol. I love the image I get and the tactile feel and the focus throw. I actually adapted them and Cine modded them with focus gears and the same size step up rings.
I've tried a few vintage lenses (Chinon f1.4, Nikon f1.4 & Super Takumar f1.4) on my Nikon DSLR, but find focusing very difficult indeed - any tips for this? Great fun trying them out and comparing results (particularly the bokeh). Just a nightmare getting the focus right!
Putting vintage lenses on DSLR’s is always a bit of a challenge due to the flange distance. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.. if you google it you will find which lenses match with daslrs...
Use a mirrorless !!!!
Recently bought the adapter so I could use my Minolta lenses on my Pentax DSLR. Focus is difficult for some reason, but the results are good when I get it just right
Absolutely addictive i need a adapter for an M/MD to a C/FD i would appreciate if yo I can gear me in the right direction thanks..
Thanks Peter just getting into vintage lenses … very useful 🙏 cheers Gary
I wouldn't say I have GAS as I only owe 31 vintage lenses. :-)
what is cinematography ?
I ADORE my vintage Zuiko 50/1.8 on my Olympus EM5II (made mostly of metal housing) and it makes the system look like an original OM film camera at a glance!
Hi! Did you need an adapter to put It on?
@@jrsergii1 yes you will need a “OM to MFT” adapter 😊 they might call it “OM to M 4/3”. I also suggest getting other vintage lens adapters for your MFT camera, particularly a “M42 screw to MFT” because there’s a lot of really cool M42 screw lenses as well!
@@dedclownsRfunny Nice! Thanks a lot mate!
@dedclowns….. You should try your Zuiko OM lenses on a Sony A7 mark1! It is the closest to a digital OM2.
Honestly waiting for an om to m4/3 adaptor for the EM-5 I recently bought, so I can use the lenses I have for my OM-10
Can I use these vintage lenses on my D5600?
I just bought a 135mm f3.5 Canon lens, but it only focusses subjects that are very very closeby. I have it mounted on a canon t2I, with a coupling mount. What am I doing wrong, is the lens broken ?
look at flange distance, its the distance between the sensor and the lensmount and these have to match, if the flange distance of the lens is longer you can adapt to your camera. For example M42 screwmount has 45.5mm flange distance, canon ef has a 44mm, while canon fd (which i assume is the lensmount of yours), is shorter at 42mm, and combined with the adapter, pushes the optics too far away from the sensor and this focusses the lens to closer subjects, and losing infinity focus. in short: the lens(mount) has to have a longer flange distance than the body you are putting it on.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flange_focal_distance
The flange distance of FD is 42 mm and EF 44 mm. You would need an adapter that is -2 mm thick. That of course is not possible. Adapting such lenses is only good for macro work. It is unfortunate that this is not said clearly.
Thanks a lot.❤