M42 Manual Focus Lenses

[pjgh]

Any fans of the Praktica M42 screw in lenses? Cheap as chips and some real characters to be had ...

Most recently, I've been having a lot of success with a Hanimar 35mm 2.8 for my SOTD pictures. In natural light, it takes rather dull, quite concrete pictures. Perfect for atmospheric snaps of the inner city, graffiti boosted in post-process, but under simple room lights for a quickly arranged collection of shaving pieces it's a real winner!

I also have a couple of Chinons (35mm & 135mm). The 135mm is a bit rattly and can be made to give some almost tilt-shift effects. There's a Meyer-Gorlitz Domiplan 50mm (aperture stuck wide open) which came with an Eastern European camera from my uncle - that's quite a good one, but I think the stars of the show in my collection are a Helios 44M 55mm 2.0 and a Carl Zeiss Jena 50mm 2.8.

Strapped to my aged Canon 300D, what a lot of cheap fun. Really good glass for peanuts. It just takes a little patience sometimes, although like anything, a little practice and you'll get your manual focus skills back ... or developed, if you were born in the digital age.

 

[jb74]

I have a few and use them on both film and digital bodies. I use an adapter with AF confirmation for digital, the AF confirm is useful (basically makes the camera beep when it's believes it's in focus).

The Helios gives very funky bokeh, the Zeiss are sexy looking little things.

Been a while since I used them, so others in my collection escape me.

 

[Eeyore68]

I have a CZJ 135mm and a Meyer 200mm that I use on my digital cams.

I usually have a Super Takumar 28mm or 55mm on my Spotmatic SP2.

 

[jb74]

Spotmatics are a fine camera, have at least 2-3 Takumar lenses too. Have a nice minty Voigtlander Bessaflex too.

 

[pjgh]

Yeah, mental bokeh on the Helios.

I think all round, the CZJ iss a really classy lens. What the Russians must have thought at the end of WW2 when they got that tract of Germany that included the Jena factory ... Yoink! Straight back to Mother Russia

I don't have any Takumar lenses, but I'm looking to fill the gap ...

Also, what about those Pentacon 1.8s? Proper cheap for a 1.8 and they seem to take a good picture.

Anyway, so chuffed to have found a niche for that Hanimar. Dull, otherwise, but side by side and in blind tests (the Mrs), it takes a better SOTD snap than the CZJ.

 

[Eeyore68]

I'm not fond of the Pentacon 1.8/50. But they are cheap enough to try.

 

[pjgh]

Why is that, mate? Getting down to a 1.8 comes at a price and these come in at a good price. Is the picture no good?

 

[Eeyore68]

Not very strong mechanically, and it feels flimsy (compared to my other M42 lenses).
Image quality is good though! Sharp, and nice OoF rendering.

 

[jb74]

Take a look at the Takumars if you don't have any,quality lenses. Have a lovely 35mm Takumar which is a great focal length on a cropped sensor like your 300D.

 

[pjgh]

Takumar ... on the list. Pentacor, noted ... still on the list. Cheers

Yeah, I like 35mm on the cropped sensor ... pretty much 50mm on full frame, right?

 

[jb74]

Yep, 35 on the cropped is about the same as 50 on the FF.

35 is nice on the FF too.. my ideal focal length for general stuff.

 

[Eeyore68]

Re: RE: M42 Manual Focus Lenses

Take a look at the Takumars if you don't have any,quality lenses. Have a lovely 35mm Takumar which is a great focal length on a cropped sensor like your 300D.

The SMC Takumar 3.5/35 is another digital favourite, that unfortunately does not work on the 5D. The rear lens blocks the mirror.

The f/3.5 aperture makes it too dark on my Pentax, especially when coupled with a yellow or orange filter.