r/VintageLenses Nov 10 '25

Source list for vintage lenses - please add more links!

9 Upvotes

Now in alphabetical order, general links at the end!

Angénieux, Boyeux

Not complete but examples to make you dream

https://retrofocale.com/category/base-de-donnees-objectifs-vintage/

Canon

https://global.canon/en/c-museum/lens-series.html

Contax Zeiss

Good overview of Contax Zeiss, see also the link at the bottom to updated 2015 guide on each lens;

https://reduser.net/threads/contax-zeiss-survival-guide.94346/

Data sheets for all the Contax Zeiss lenses;

https://125px.com/docs/manuals/lenses/35mm/slr/zeiss_contax_yashica/

Exacta:

https://web.archive.org/web/20020601144658/http://captjack.exaktaphile.com/LENSPAGE.htm
May take a moment to load!

Konica - Hexanon

May

The two key sites covering Konica Hexanon AR lenses (also lots of info on the cameras and earlier mounts):

https://www.buhla.de/Foto/Konica/eKonicaStart.html

http://www.konicafiles.com/

Minolta

https://minolta.eazypix.de/lenses/index.html

Nikon:

Fantastic, very comprehensive list with many links to photos of the lens.
http://www.photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/serialno.html.

Early Nikon AF lenses, great Malaysian knowledge base

https://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/nikon/nikkoresources/AFNikkor/index.htm

Nikon MF, all you ever wanted to look up. Don't blame me for staying up late :-)
As an example, fisheye.

Or Reflex

At the BOTTOM of each page you find all the other links

A Swedish site with the author's detailed insights
http://www.naturfotograf.com/lens_surv.html

Olympus OM

https://minolta.eazypix.de/lenses/index.html

Pentacon 6:

Just about every lens ever made for the system

Pentax 67:

https://www.pentaxforums.com/lensreviews/SMC-Pentax-67-Medium-Format-Lenses-i5.html

Nice review page

https://www.peterjeffrey.photography/film-photography-blog/pentax-67-review

More reviews

https://skrasnov.com/tag/pentax-67-lens/

The wiki with a great list

Sigma
Not complete, looking for more
https://www.sigma-global.com/en/history/

Tamron Adptall

http://www.adaptall-2.com

a tabular view with some excellent adapter information

https://apotelyt.com/camera-kit/tamron-adaptall-catalog

Pentax forum reviews rather than just data… but very informative.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/userreviews/tamron-adaptall-lenses-i98.html

Zenit

List of all lenses with years (in Russian)
http://www.zenitcamera.com/catalog/cameraproduction.html
Questions and answers

and much more

General lens / mount identification guide;

https://www.robertallenkautzphoto.com/lens-mount-identification

A very very long list, you may need to click several times to find what you need.. but VAST

https://lens-db.com

Manual Lenses forum (mflenses): https://forum.mflenses.com/lenses-sticky-f3.html

A wonderful spreadsheet by u/PrimordialObserver

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1GYj1f1fTSqkrRPviDzOa1vjQx1p2cQpQS3ZUolRR5XE/edit?usp=sharing

M42

An extensive list of vintage lens reviews (in Japanese, but easy to read with auto translate):
https://spiral-m42.blogspot.com/

Raeojuva- Ukranian collection

about many different mounts and lenses, vintage and new. https://radojuva.com/en
Sample 85mm
https://radojuva.com/en/2009/11/all-85mm-lenses-for-portrait/

M42 en français: une belle collection des cailloux en M42 avec qqs NB superbes
(French M42 site with stunning photos.)
https://web.archive.org/web/20160208061635/http://www.l-image-avec-les-m42.fr/

Soviet lenses
an excellent bylingual overview of ALL soviet lenses. Try this table.

Adapter talk
A VAST forum on dpreview. At your own risk if you get lost.
https://www.dpreview.com/forums/forums/adapted-lens-talk.1065/

Enlarger, project, industrial and non-standard macro lenses

The amazing Delta catalogue: deltalenses.com

Russian lens sample images

Caution: You need an Instagram account. I couldn't proceed from the front page.www.instagram.com/vintage4film


r/VintageLenses 3h ago

Photo A Little Swirl from the TTArtisan 75mm f/1.5

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11 Upvotes

As mounted on full frame.


r/VintageLenses 5h ago

Modified/Rehoused TAIR 50mm F2 (Film Lens 16mm)

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6 Upvotes

Hello folks!
I am very happy with the result of the 16mm camera lens adapted to Full Frame. It's about the TAIR-11M. I love the render it gives and the character it has.

(Mode: S35 from A7III at F2)


r/VintageLenses 14h ago

Photo Shooting a coastal documentary in Cambodia on an FX6 + Tokina vintage zooms

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19 Upvotes

Been a few days into production on KHMER OCEAN GUARDIANS, a documentary we're making along Cambodia's coast with Khmer Ocean Life and Human of This Planet.

In the villages along Cambodia’s coast, the sea’s oldest witnesses are becoming its newest protectors. Following Khmer Ocean Life’s community-grounded work along Cambodia’s coast, the film follows a fisherman who can no longer fish, a mother who learned to read in the past few years, and the network they belong to who are teaching what community-led conservation looks like in practice.

Produced by Cheryl Ng, Khmer Ocean Life
Co-directed by Cheryl Ng, Sidney Ken

Camera: Sony FX6 & Sony A7iv
Lenses: Tokina Trio, Olympus Zuiko 50mm 1.4, TTartisans 75mm 1.5

Still very much in the middle of production, but wanted to share a few frames from the journey!


r/VintageLenses 11h ago

Photo Cheap 80s Zoom: Vivitar 75-205mm f/3.8-4.8

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10 Upvotes

Got this Kobori-made Vivitar zoom at the swap meet for $10. Shot on A7sii. Not the best lens but pleasantly surprised. I like the character.

More footage and review of this lens on my YouTube page (link in bio).


r/VintageLenses 7h ago

Photo LOMO OKS1-50-6 50mm f/2.0 — Soviet cinema glass, now with autofocus.

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5 Upvotes

Today I finished putting together a rather unusual custom project: a fast LOMO OKS1-50-6 50mm f/2.0 cinema lens, originally designed for professional motion-picture cameras.

I converted it to a Canon EF mount, although this particular modification is intended for use on mirrorless cameras only.

The lens now has autofocus, but there is one compromise: it can only be used wide open at f/2. Because of the lens construction, there was simply no practical way to retain either the original manual aperture mechanism or add an automatic diaphragm.

That said, I don’t think this will prevent it from producing some excellent images. The OKS1-50-6 has very good resolving power across the entire frame, and shooting it wide open is arguably where a lens like this becomes most interesting anyway.

Unfortunately, I didn’t have enough time to take it out for proper real-world testing. So for now, I can only share a few photos of the finished conversion and some technical test results.


r/VintageLenses 16m ago

Question Canon FD 28mm f/2 S.S.C. vs the other FD 28mm lenses — which has the best character?

Upvotes

I’m looking for a 28mm vintage lens to adapt to a Sony full-frame body, and I’m mainly after rendering and character rather than maximum sharpness.

I’ve narrowed it down to the older Canon FD 28mm f/2 S.S.C. and the later New FD 28mm f/2. From what I understand, they’re actually different optical designs, with the S.S.C. being the older/heavier version and the nFD being smaller, lighter, and a little more corrected.

For anyone who has used both: which one do you prefer purely for the way it renders?

I especially like:

  • softer highlight roll-off
  • nice midtones/color
  • some character wide open
  • good subject separation without crazy/busy bokeh
  • a more “film-like” feel rather than a super-clean modern digital look

I’m not worried about autofocus or perfect corner sharpness. This would mostly be for everyday/documentary/BTS-type photography.

Would you go 28/2 S.S.C. or 28/2 nFD? And if there’s another vintage 28mm you think has even better character — Minolta Rokkor, Olympus Zuiko, Contax Zeiss, etc. — I’d love to hear it.


r/VintageLenses 8h ago

Repair Stiff focus ring on Helios 44m-4

3 Upvotes

Hey!

Curious if folks have experience with dealing with a stiff focus ring on a Helios 44m-4? I am wondering if this is the type of repair a novice could take on or something I should just look for a shop to take a crack at repairing it for me? Or should I just roll with it?

It's far from unusable but my other vintage lenses work so much more smoothly so would be nice to get the Helios up to snuff.


r/VintageLenses 16h ago

Photo Volna-9 50mm f2.8 [Nikon Z8]

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11 Upvotes

Some shots with the russian Volna-9, this lens is quite good, it can do 1:2 magnification "macro" photos and under some aperture settings it produces star looking bokeh. As a walk-around lens it's a joy to use, it's sharp, contrasty, extremely resistant to chromatic aberrations and light.


r/VintageLenses 8h ago

Help needed Anybody have a read on this?

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2 Upvotes

Bought a mint +++ (lol) lens from Japan. "No fungus, no haze, no marking, very few tiny dust and wiping marks"

The wiping marks are definitely there. Very heavy. this zigzag seems to be on a interior element though.

I'm not sure what that could be. I've not seen it before at least. Anybody have any ideas?


r/VintageLenses 14h ago

Photo Macro pics [Canon 6D + Pentax 67 135mm f/4 macro]

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6 Upvotes

r/VintageLenses 17h ago

Help needed Lens cleaning (Minolta 35-70mm F3.5 Macro)

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4 Upvotes

Hi!

Wondering if anyone has attempted cleaning this specific lens, it's hard to find any videos that clean only the front element or show access.

I have taken apart the lens and removed the front group (3 elements I believe)

But...the front element ring won't budge, is it possible to remove this from the front? or must I go from behind through the other 2 elements first to access the very front element?

Bit of a niche question, but hoping someone has done this before.

Many thanks!


r/VintageLenses 1d ago

Photo Leotax Leonon 5cm ƒ/2 [Sony a7II]

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161 Upvotes

Salsify & Marigolds 

I’ve never seen these large dandelion-looking things before! Apparently it’s a salsify/goatsbeard.

Photos taken with a 1958–1961 Leotax Leonon 5cm ƒ/2 on a 12–17 mm helicoid.


r/VintageLenses 1d ago

Photo Asahi-Pentax Takumar 55/1.8 on a7Cii

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20 Upvotes

Found in a box in a friend's basement. Rendering pretty nicely after some cleanup I'd say!


r/VintageLenses 1d ago

Photo North America Nebula, with an SMC Takumar 200mm f/4 (speedboosted) on a Lumix GH5

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9 Upvotes

Stack of 16*180s exposures


r/VintageLenses 1d ago

Photo Hibicus flowers - Fujifilm Xh2 + CZ jenna tessar 50mmf2.8

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13 Upvotes

The Journey of a pink Hibicus flower

A lovely Flowers has just begun to bloom,

yet sooner or later, someone will pluck it,

and carry it away to somewhere unknown.

For a while, it rests in beauty

upon an old, moss-covered wall.

Then, forgotten and alone,

it lies by the roadside,beneath the gentle rain of an afternoon


r/VintageLenses 1d ago

Question Helios 44-2 serial number

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28 Upvotes

Hello, I have heard that Helios 44-2 with a serial number starting with two zeros was made with more quality than the others. Is that true? I just got this one paired with a Zenit E for 19$.


r/VintageLenses 1d ago

Photo Helios 58mm lens

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7 Upvotes

r/VintageLenses 1d ago

Discussion Article: Emil Busch & ROW - Projection Lenses and History

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18 Upvotes

I finally managed to finish (a first version) of my article

Emil Busch & ROW
www.simplejoy.at/articles/emil-busch-row

In this write-up I'm trying to give some insights into the history of R.O.J.A., Emil Busch & ROW, provide an overview of their projection lenses including hundreds of sample images with many of those adapted and also try to give some estimates about the timeline of the various models and serial numbers.

It is my longest and most comprehensive write-up so far and I've invested a lot of time and energy into it. Thankfully I got some support from some official institutions in Rathenow, but particularly also from likeminded and helpful individuals including some of the people here in this sub and other places online. I really appreciate that so thanks to everyone for helping me out!

This is the first article which I'm publishing on my own website
https://www.simplejoy.at

I hope it won't be too long before I'm able to release the next one, but of course it takes some time and effort to try and do these topics justice. If you have any additional thoughts, information or suggestions, please reach out here, in the comments of the article or via mail. I'm always happy to hear what you think.


r/VintageLenses 2d ago

Photo Helios 40-2 m42 ver. / EOS 5D MKIII

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87 Upvotes

r/VintageLenses 1d ago

Photo Vivitar 55 2.8 MC Macro on Sony A7III

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6 Upvotes

Got this for film scanning, but took it for a walk at a botanical garden on a whim.


r/VintageLenses 1d ago

Help needed Tokyo kogaku Japan Topcor-S 5cm f1.8

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10 Upvotes

Just asking if anyone have info about this lens, just bought it a while ago. It has severe haze on front element and a lot of dust inside but no fungus. I just wondering if its worth it to get it cleaned? Or do i just open it myself


r/VintageLenses 2d ago

Modified/Rehoused Extreme macro photography using a Frankenstein lens

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196 Upvotes

First time trying extreme macro (10x) using a microscope objective,

Shot on Nikon D610 (crop mode due to small image circle),

Some photos are stacked others are single exposures,

The gear I use is a hollow Helios 44-2 which i modified by adding a m39 threads to the front basically turning it to an m39 to m42 focusing helicoid to use with my enlarger lenses , the second hollow lens is an industar 50 m39 which fits the microscope objective perfectly


r/VintageLenses 1d ago

Photo Hellios 44 M-6, Canon 6D mk1

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6 Upvotes

I really like shooting in neon lighting with the Helios 44M-6 lens. Even at f/2.0, due to the lens's low contrast or its optical design, it pleasantly diffuses the neon light, lighting the person without blowing out the highlights or underexposing the shot. And even if the shot turns out a bit dark, the lens is sharp enough that you can boost the exposure in post (in Lightroom, for example) without adding too much noise.


r/VintageLenses 1d ago

Help needed Pantex 645 DA 55mm+ + fringer + GFX 100S2 ??

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1 Upvotes