If you read my previous post you’ll know I changed my plans from using some vintage lenses to using the 7Artisans UFO lens due to a mislaid adaptor.
Well, I found the adaptor and dusted off a couple of old lenses, specifically the Pentax 50mm f2 and Sigma 24mm f2.8. Both are manual focus, and at a guess, made in the eighties.
On the way home from a family shopping trip we stopped off for a wander and a quick try of the lenses, attached to my Fuji X-T2 with a K&F Concept PK-FX adaptor. This was never planned as a scientific field test, just a wander and capturing anything that caught my eye. I’m not interested in sharpness, chromatic aberration, or any of the technical stuff, just the feel and character of the images.
The lenses were easy to use. I used focus peaking on the X-T2 to keep things sharp, though critical focusing wide open took a little more care.
Once home I uploaded the images to Lightroom, and with some minimal adjustments exported the JPEGs you can see below. I really like the look and feel. I shot a couple of portraits of my son and partner, and these are straight out of camera with no retouching. I find with my professional headshots they are almost too sharp, showing every wrinkle and skin blemish, and while I don’t carry out extensive retouching, I do soften the skin very slightly. The diffused natural light and old lens made for really pleasant photos.
These lenses are really cheap on eBay, and you can also find film cameras on Facebook Marketplace at bargain prices. You can try some film shooting, and with the appropriate adaptor use the lens on your digital camera. For the price of a takeaway, or in some cases a couple of coffees, you can add a new perspective to your photography, and embrace the imperfection.
If you do decide to purchase a vintage lens, and you’re buying in person, just check the focus ring is smooth, and open and close the aperture ring while looking through the lens to make sure the aperture blades are working as they should and are free from grease. I wouldn’t worry about dust, it won’t affect image quality and that isn’t really the point of vintage lenses. Fungus is the other issue. If you shine a torch through the lens it will show as a tree root pattern, and it can show up in your photos too. You can stop it spreading with UV light, leaving the lens exposed to sunlight will do the job, though it won’t remove what’s already there. The only option for that would be to take the lens apart and attempt cleaning. With lenses so cheap, it probably isn’t worth the hassle.
There are plenty of videos on YouTube if you want further guidance on what to buy and what to look for. I’d keep it simple, just buy what’s cheap and takes your fancy. If you enjoy shooting with vintage lenses, then hunt down those mythical unicorns.
On the note of fungus, it’s caused by moisture. I would always store lenses, whatever their age, with a little silica gel bag or two (cheap to buy on Amazon), especially if you use a hard case or keep your lenses in the dark.
