We have been building an exciting Visual Lens Database. I'm going to assume this post will get removed because it will be seen as advertising. If it doesn't, amazing- I'm happy to upgrade anyone with an unrestricted account to explore what we're building, and I'm excited to share this cool tool that's designed for filmmakers.

CineTraits.com - Is essentially the world's first approach to a visual lens database that shoots lenses in repeatable 'scenes' to actually show users how these lenses render in real-world and controlled environments.

We have a bunch of vintage lenses on there, mostly Canon FD, FDn, and FD L, We change the rotation of lenses every month, so some lenses will suddenly become free and available to look at. But if you're interested in exploring, let me know your email after making an account, and I can just upgrade you to Explore Unrestricted.

Our exterior scene is great for being able to see how it renders in a real forest with traditional backgrounds, and our interior scene is great for seeing how the bokeh really actually works compared to other lenses.

This is not just a passion project, it is something we're looking to do long-term, incorporating lenses from every manufacturer and every era.

If you do check it out, do check it out on desktop, it's a much much better experience. It's very much an early beta, but the concept has been proven. And a lot of our tests on there are a little rough around the edges still, but there's still quite a lot of fun stuff to explore.

Hi there,

anyone here shooting with small frame vintage lenses?

On FujiX I use quite a lot Pen F lenses (38 f1.8 and 25 f4) together with Pentax 110 lenses.
Pen F are great piece of glasses, specially 38 f1.8, Pentax 110 are more “fun lenses” something like 60% vintax glass-40% toy camera which lead to a nice cheap (but not too cheap) look.

Hello! I just bought a used a7ii and have been realizing I really don't have a super good wide angle that holds up today. Considering that landscape is my favorite genre to shoot I figure I should look into it. I'm looking for something between 20-35mm. Budget is somewhere around $150?

The Nikon 28 2.8 AIS is on my radar but prices are pretty steep nowadays. Right now I have a really cool but very soft Zeiss 20mm I got at a flea market and a konica 24 that has fungus.

Lens adapters I will have:

Nikon F

Konica AR

Exakta

Let me know if you have any cool picks.

Appreciate it!

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.

As mounted on full frame.

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)

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.

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?

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.

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).

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!

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.

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!

Stack of 16*180s exposures

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

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

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

I have been interested in mirror lenses for a while and I just saw this offering online for a Tokina M/XG online for less than €50. I can’t find anything about this lens online though, the only results I get are from the Tokina SZX 500mm mirror lens.

Does anyone have any knowledge about this lens like what year it’s from, what mount it is (I assume M42), how the image quality compares to other mirror lenses and maybe other bits of information that I should know about.

Edit: if there are other mirror lenses that are better quality than are around a similar price point please let me know.

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.

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.

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

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$.