Do you think this article is not for you? Analog lenses in digital cameras? “Don’t complicate my life” You may have thought… Wait, don’t pass me by, I’m going to tell you my story, which may be similar to yours, and I’ll show you how this article is for you, how we made a mistake and how we still have time to solve it ;-).
I vividly remember the day I bought my first camera many years ago. I remember the thrill of opening the box, unpacking it, assembling it with its kit lens. The illusion that made me new was infinite.
I didn’t know anything about photography, a few photos here and there with my mother’s manual Yashica that I loved to tinker with, but little else. Yes, I wanted a new camera and I bought the best I could afford back then.
When I learned a little more I knew I was wrong. The second hand I was terrified when I started. Then I realized that It is a world to be taken into account if you enter it with guarantees. My second camera (which I still have) was second hand or third or fourth, an immortal analog camera that is still flawless and indestructible 🙂 . I follow the thread.
Photography is a very expensive hobby…
And when we immerse ourselves in it, we usually do nothing more than invest without obtaining any kind of financial reward in return. Many of us will never even have it, so it can be a bit frustrating.
The truth is that the second-hand world provides us with a great window through which to exit when the door to purchase, for example, new material is closed. Because of course, the more you know, the better you want your goals to be, right?
Because now you have discovered that the trick is not in the camera but in the brightness of your lens and its optical quality. Now you are no longer satisfied with “anything”, but you have also realized that the good goals they are priceless… or not.
Or not, because if you immerse yourself in the world of the second hand of analogical or manual objectives you will hallucinate with the wonders that circulate on the net for a few euros.
Advantages of analog lenses
(I will speak in general, because there are always exceptions on both sides of the balance 😉 ).
- Price: you can get authentic wonders for ridiculous prices.
- Size: They are usually more compact and smaller than current objectives.
- Building: In general, they are robust objectives built with resistant and good quality materials.
- Picture quality: They are very well built lenses and generally have very good image quality.
- They are usually very objective bright, or at least it is easy to find some that are.
- there is a lot variety and analog target markings.
- Creativity: The problem with new lenses is that if we look for quality our kidney suffers ;-). This means that many times we have to give up having more than one objective and, obviously, this can affect our creativity. For the price of these lenses you will have endless excitement at good image quality 🙂 .
Disadvantages of analog lenses
- Automatic connection between camera and lens is lost, that is: you must focus by hand Y change the diaphragm opening from the same lens turning the respective rings from the target.
- Weight: they are not ultralight because they are made with heavier materials than those used today. (Although I think that robustness is usually a good sign when choosing a target 😉 ).
- They are not exempt from risk that any second-hand purchase can have: poor general condition and even some scam.
Where to buy analog lenses
The purchase and sale of second-hand lenses moves like almost everything today: on-line. And it is in the network where you can buy, as a general rule, the best prices.
- Ebay: it is the most used platform for this type of buying and selling.
- Segundamano or similar pages.
- Specialized second-hand photography stores: they are usually more expensive but they offer (or should) a guarantee.
- Friends or family.
- Forums: canonists, nikonists, manualens…
What should I look for when buying an analog lens for my digital camera?
- If you buy on-line take a good look at the Product description Before buying it, if it has any defects, they are obliged to indicate it in the description.
- Make sure that the buyer has a very good rating from other buyers.
- Must be avoided at all costs scratches, mushrooms in the lenses, dust inside and check that the diaphragm closes smoothly.
How do I adapt an analog lens to my SLR (or EVIL) camera?
To attach an analog lens to an SLR camera, you will need a adapter ring.
You must pay attention to the mount type of your reflex camera and that of the lens that you intend to acquire and look for the adapter ring that is suitable for coupling both parts.
For example, this adapter ring that I show below would be valid for analog Yashica or Contax lenses that you intend to attach to a Canon EOS camera with EF/EF-S mount. This one in particular can be found on Amazon for N/Aalthough in other portals you can find even cheaper adapter rings (only we trust Amazon more 😉 ).
In addition to the most basic adapter ring for compatibility between the lens and the mount of your camera, you can find some that, although they do not allow you to electronically connect the lens and the camera body, they have a focus aid through a small sensor located on the adapter.
Thanks to this sensor, you will be able to know when what you have decided to focus on is, but that does not mean that you do not have to do it manually 😉 . However, this system can be of great help.
Do they both have to be the same brand?
The best of all is that No ;-). This opens up an infinite range of possibilities with great old brands like Carl Zeiss, Leica, Voitglander, etc. Moreover, do not trust because, sometimes, that they are from the same brand does not mean that they are compatible.
Don’t tell me you’re not curious ;-). If I were you, I would give them a chance, because for very little money you can get real wonders, with mythical goals or those that you have been dreaming of since you started but that you could not afford. You can enjoy the king of lenses or the prince for less than 100 euros and I assure you that one of these will change the way you see and do photography :-).
I hope this article has been useful to you. If so, share it so that it reaches someone else who may be interested in expanding their photographic equipment at a low price 😉 . Thank you and see you next time.