Old film lenses on digital cameras..

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

03/14/2010 05:08:31 PM · #1

Just been experimenting with an old Pentax lens on my 40D using an adapter.

Here are the results compared to a digital lens if anyone is interested.

Pictures

Message edited by author 2010-03-14 17:09:00.

citymars

Nikon D700

03/14/2010 05:18:15 PM · #2

Well, my first impression is that the Canon lens photos are much better/sharper than than the Pentax lens photos. :-)

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS

03/14/2010 05:19:35 PM · #3

Originally posted by citymars:

Well, my first impression is that the Canon lens photos are much better/sharper than than the Pentax lens photos. :-)

I agree :), i was just curious.

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

03/14/2010 05:39:32 PM · #4

The focus planes are *very* different in the top and bottom image pairs. In the center pair, they are closer.
If you test carefully, you'll probably find that the Pentax holds up well, and will probably have superior bokeh to the Canon 50/1.8. The Pentax may be softer in the corners when wide open, and may have lower contrast overall when wide open.

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

03/14/2010 05:49:38 PM · #5

Originally posted by kirbic:

I used a tripod and tried to focus on the same spot for each, but i was probaly off :)

LoudDog

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

03/14/2010 06:11:32 PM · #6

I did a controled comparison with the Canon F1.8 & F1.4 50mm and an old Pentax Super Takumar 50mm F1.4 ($50 on Ebay). The Takumar had the best image quality of the three, but being manual focus in most situations I'd probably get better photos with either of the Canons.

If you are good with manual focus you can get some excellent lens pretty cheap on ebay.

03/14/2010 06:22:46 PM · #7

About half or more of the images in my portfolio are shot with older manual lenses. I find it to be good therapy to shoot with lenses of metal and glass. I miss having light metering with them, but the LCD works pretty good for that.
Be sure that you set the diopter adjustment for your viewfinder. Check your camera's manual to see how that works.

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR

03/14/2010 06:37:15 PM · #8

I really want a 1.4, will hae to look at a few older manuals..

George

Nikon D750

03/14/2010 10:41:42 PM · #9

I've been buying old Nikon lenses and will continue to do so for the next few months.

I bought a 50mm f/1.8 Series E a couple months ago on eBay and love it. It's a bit "dreamy" between f/1.8 and f/2.8 because of some ghosting and because I can never get the focus quite perfect, and there's some flare when shooting into the sun, but for $25...

I also bought a 75-150mm f/3.5 Series E last night, also on eBay, and I can't wait to get it. Supposedly it's "very good" wide open and at 150mm, and excellent at other focal lengths and apertures. Paid $78 for it.

Next lenses: 80-200mm f/4 ($150-200 for one with not so much zoom creep), 105mm f/2.5 AIS ("a legend").

Message edited by author 2010-03-14 22:43:25.

bergiekat

Canon EOS-5D Mark IV

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II

03/14/2010 11:25:17 PM · #10

Very interesting comparison. Thanks for that!!
What adapter did you use and

LoudDog, curious what adapter you used also. I believe the M lenses require a different adapter than the Takumar.

zxaar

03/15/2010 12:28:28 AM · #11

Originally posted by kirbic:

+

old pentax lenses were designed for center sharpness. Their performance at center is usually better.

Note: I might be wrong on this one, but i read this many times from various people.

zxaar

03/15/2010 12:29:43 AM · #12

Originally posted by JayA:

I really want a 1.4, will hae to look at a few older manuals..

try takumar 55 f1.8.
I think that is the sharpest prime i have seen wide open. (another very sharp pentax wide open is 135mm F2.5).

03/15/2010 01:44:11 AM · #13

Most lenses are designed for the best sharpness to be in the center when used wide open. It's an advantage when using a full frame lens on a crop sensor camera because you are only capturing a smaller area near the center of the image circle.
In the OP's test shots, the focus point is around the far eye in the first, and around the closer eye in the second. Manual focusing takes some practice to get good at it.
Check out what everyone and esp

bear_music says about it in this thread.
Manual focus

MikeO

Fujifilm x100

03/15/2010 04:32:57 AM · #14

I have one of these Mamiya 55mm f1.4
I find it hard to manual focus with it, maybe I should keep at it. This came as the standard lens with my Mamiya DSX1000B which I bought back in 1976, I also have a Mamiya 135mm f2.8 but I cant change the f number as it's stuck at f2.8. I had the same problem with my 55mm but I fixed that problem.

These were taken with the 55mm

Message edited by author 2010-03-15 04:35:57.

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

03/15/2010 10:54:24 AM · #15

It's easy to confuse shallow depth of field and sharpness if you are not familiar with the definitions and the way the pix look. With a fast large aperture lens, DOF will be very narrow at the largest aperture, however, the area of the image at the actual focus plane will exhibit the resolution capability of the lens in that plane. Here's a shot that demonstrates the shallow DOF and clearly shows the narrow band of the focus plane on the banana leaf.

Back in the days of all manual, most SLR's had a "split prism" focusing screen which helped a lot with manual focusing. They still make them as an aftermarket item.

LoudDog

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

03/15/2010 01:12:40 PM · #16

Originally posted by bergiekat:

Very interesting comparison. Thanks for that!!
What adapter did you use and LoudDog, curious what adapter you used also. I believe the M lenses require a different adapter than the Takumar.

It's a M42 lens, just a simple M42-EF adapter from ebay for $5.

I really like the 50mm F1.4 Super takumar. It gets extra cool points because it is radioactive!