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Vintage lens home
Canon FD 35 T/S
Oly. Zuiko 28 f3.5
Vivitar 200 preset
Carl Zeiss Triotar
Vivitar 90-230 f3.5
Helios 44M f/2
Sun Optics 80-210
Canon FD Lenses
Tokina AT-X 28-85
Sears 80-200 f4
Enna Munchen 200
Caspeco 200 f4.5
Finney Pin-Hole
Kiron 70-150 f3.8
Sun Op 80-240 f4
Soligor 35-140 f3.5

Vintage Lenses on Digital SLRs

There are two very important things the affect the outcome of how a photo is captured. One is the film and the other is the lens. Most avid photographers already argue, ad nauseam, about the pros and cons of the digital sensors over film. However, few ever consider the lens.

Frankly, both the film and sensor are designed to do one thing and that is to capture as accurately as possible the image delivered the by lens.

Other than auto focus motors and more durable coatings, lens technology has remained largely unchanged for decades.

Vintage lenses provide the advantage of quality builds (metal vs. cheap plastic), and render looks many of us are familiar with, and at pennys on the dollar vs. modern equivalents, a wise choice in todays economy.

The lenses (in order of testing):

Canon 35mm Tilt Shift

Olympus G.Zuiko 28mm f3.5 wide


Vivitar 200 Preset

Carl Zeiss 135 Triotar

Vivitar 90-230 f3.5


Russian Helios 44M
(Zeiss Biotar Copy)

Sun Optics 80-210

Canon FD Lenses


Tokina AT-X 28-85
the 99 cent lens


Sears
80-200 f4
The real name behind this lens


Enna Munchen 200mm f4.5



Finny Pin-Hole lens

 
Sun Optics 80-240 f4

Disclaimer#1: I am not an expert in the field of vintage lenses, and I may not be the best advocate for any particular lens. I am open to correction in any inaccuracies I may present. This is simply a fun and subjective experiment and I will share my findings here.

Disclaimer#2: I am not affiliated with any particular vendor, sponsor, or other. Nor am I recommending or promoting any particular lens, nor shall I make a guarantee that your lens will perform as well (or as poorly) as the examples I have herein.

 

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