The GetDPI Photography Forum

Great to see you here. Join our insightful photographic forum today and start tapping into a huge wealth of photographic knowledge. Completing our simple registration process will allow you to gain access to exclusive content, add your own topics and posts, share your work and connect with other members through your own private inbox! And don’t forget to say hi!

Old Lenses for Sony

J

JohnW

Guest
I've been looking at some of the work of Emmett Gowen (google images - nudity), and it's made me realize how much I enjoy the character of older photographic technology. Everything is to sharp and detailed and contrasty today. And that certainly seems to be the preference in this neighborhood.

I know much of the look is due to film, but I'd like to explore some older lenses on my Nex 7. I'd appreciate any suggestions you have. In particular, those under 75mm (FOV) that offer high micro-contrast without the bite so typical of modern lenses. Thanks.

John
 
Last edited:
I hadn't seen his work before. Some pretty cool stuff.

Looking at the images, I'd guess that most were shot on 4x5 or 2 1/4 format (a lot of them are square, so I'd say a Rolleiflex).

Much of what you might be reacting to is the look of larger format film. (shooting medium format film is a lot of fun, but it can be a slippery slope of expense.)
 
J

JohnW

Guest
Thanks, Mike. Yes, a lot of 4x5 and certainly other variables besides lenses. I'm not so much wanting to replicate his look as move in that direction of less sharpness while retaining good tonal gradation. It has more character to my eyes.

Incidentally, if you are interested, PDN recently posted this essay by Gowin.

John
 
J

JohnW

Guest
I just noticed there is an a7/a7R thread on old lenses. A little different than what I'm asking, but mods, feel free to delete this thread if you want.

John
 

BSEH

New member
No, it's interesting enough and a little different than what is written in the other thread.

I am also interested in how to mix the new and the old world. My idea is to find older lenses that draw "special".

The next thing I want is to print negatives from digital files, and make 8x10 contact prints.
 
J

JohnW

Guest
Now I see there is also a thread on old lenses with the Nex 7! Yikes. I searched before posting but obviously not well enough.

Joh
 

jerome_m

Member
I know much of the look is due to film, but I'd like to explore some older lenses on my Nex 7. I'd appreciate any suggestions you have. In particular, those under 75mm (FOV) that offer high micro-contrast without the bite so typical of modern lenses.
You may want to simply try the Minolta 50mm f/1.4 (or the Sony version or even the f/1.7 version if you can find it). Why seek somewhere else something for which Minolta was famous?

Other choices include the Minolta or Sony 35mm f/1.4 G and the Minolta 28mm f/2.0.
 
Last edited:
You can find a lot of diversity with M42 and M39 screw-mount - Asahi-Pentax lenses, various Soviet lenses and the Carl Zeiss Jena designs they were knocked off of, Leica screw mount, and some others. This glass all has a lot of character, and most of it can be had for as little as $30-$200 per lens if you shop around on eBay.
 
J

JohnW

Guest
You may want to simply try the Minolta 50mm f/1.4 (or the Sony version or even the f/1.7 version if you can find it). Why seek somewhere else something for which Minolta was famous?

Other choices include the 35mm f/1.4 G and the 28mm f/2.0.
Thanks, Jerome. I forgot I actually have the MD 50 1.4 and will look at it with this in mind.

What's the "G" lens you cite? Nikon?

John
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
I haven't tried these on the A7 yet, but I did on the Ricoh GXR and/or M9—it proved a lot of fun and produced some nice photos:

- 1938 Zeiss Tessar 38mm f/2.8 uncoated (RoBoT thread mount -> LTM -> M-bayonet adapters)

- 1940 Zeiss Biotar 40mm f/2 uncoated (same as above)

- 1959-60 Hektor-M 135mm f/4.5

- Skink pinhole, zone plate, zone sieve

- Holga 25mm toy camera lens


Ricoh GXR-M + Zeiss Tessar 38mm f/2.8



Leica M9 + Hektor-M 135mm f/4.5

Some of my more modern lenses, the Voigtländer Color Skopar 21/28/35/50 in particular, have a rendering style much like what I see out of the '50s Elmars but with better flare control. They work great with film and the Ricoh GXR (likely the NEX 6 too), but the shorter focal lengths have issues with the M9 and A7 for color work (color shifts, corner darkening). Confined to B&W work, they produce interesting images too. I'm not sure how well they work with the NEX 7, likely on par with how they work on the M9/A7 but a little less so.

G
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Quick question what adapter are folks using for C/Y lenses . If you have a link that would be great , thinking about getting one of those Contax Distagons
 

Michiel Schierbeek

Well-known member
Guy, the best one is the all black Novoflex, although it is a little expensive.
Novoflex - _info
It has a nice possibility to fit a tripod collar around it also from Novoflex, if you would ever want to buy the wonderful C/Y 100-300.
For the time being i use two adapters on top of each other Leica to NEX and the C/Y to Leica. Works good at least this combinations blocks the inner reflections very good.

The link doesn't really work but you have to use the adapterfinder on their site.
 
J

JohnW

Guest
I've been pretty satisfied with several Rainbow Imaging adapters from Amazon. Among them a C/Y that I use with a 50 1.7. No issues and very low cost.

A C/Y - A7 - Rainbow Imaging brick wall test. :)

 

Michiel Schierbeek

Well-known member
John, here are some examples with old lenses. I use them mostly for portraits.
The last one is with the 50 Summitar as well.

 
J

JohnW

Guest
Thank you, Michiel. Very informative. This site needs a database of such examples.

I like the look of the Jupiter 8 very much. Although it's hard to separate the appeal of the lens from the appeal of that lovely face.

John
 

Michiel Schierbeek

Well-known member
The Jupiter-8 is a lovely lens and not hard to come by and not expensive either.

That face is from my niece, she is Canadian, a poet and a yoga teacher and a very nice person.
 
Top