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mumrar

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Well, I'm right back at the situation where I picked up my first dSLR. I've took the plunge on purchasing some adapters and two old MF lenses for my EOS 450D. True to form, after a week, one of the adapters is all that has arrived. It's for the M42 screw-fit and the fit and finish is fantastic. I didn't go for an AF confirm one, but maybe at a later stage I will. It was purchased for use with a 28mm f2.8 lens. (lens and adapter+postage=£20.49)

I have also purchased an OM mount adapter, and I hope having read a lot of forums is, I've picked up a real peach. It's a Vivitar (there are two versions) 200mm f3.5. (lens+adapter+postage=£27.98)

If it all fails, it hasn't cost me much, but damn, I'm really keen to get my hands on the gear now. For the record, I've tried the M42 adapter in the body of my camera, fit and finish is fantastic, so long as the lens and screw thread end works out, I should be happy.

Sorry that this post doesn't achieve much other than 'look what I won' and 'God I'm bored', but it's hard to find opinions on older lenses like these, but I'm hoping someone may find the info helpful
 
Old MF lenses are addictively affordabe!
I mainly use OM zuiko prime lenses on my 40D, and the quality from that glass really is very good, with colour and contrast that rivals any of Canon's current lenses that I've used.

One problem I've had though is with my AF confirm adapter - focus can be hit and miss depending on the lens for some reason. It's always pin sharp with my 28mm and 300mm, but often back focuses my 50mm f1.8 and won't focus that lens to infinity :thinking:
whatever the reason, it's hard to guarantee the precision of the adapters, so I'm looking into getting a precision focusing screen
 
I'm with you on the focussing screen, I've asked questions on here about then and Katz-eyes seem highly recommended if you fancy and old school split prsim. Sadly for me, that would delete the AF point markers, but after over 20k shots, I know where they are.
 
mumrar said:
Well, I'm right back at the situation where I picked up my first dSLR. I've took the plunge on purchasing some adapters and two old MF lenses for my EOS 450D. True to form, after a week, one of the adapters is all that has arrived. It's for the M42 screw-fit and the fit and finish is fantastic. I didn't go for an AF confirm one, but maybe at a later stage I will. It was purchased for use with a 28mm f2.8 lens. (lens and adapter+postage=£20.49)

I have also purchased an OM mount adapter, and I hope having read a lot of forums is, I've picked up a real peach. It's a Vivitar (there are two versions) 200mm f3.5. (lens+adapter+postage=£27.98)

If it all fails, it hasn't cost me much, but damn, I'm really keen to get my hands on the gear now. For the record, I've tried the M42 adapter in the body of my camera, fit and finish is fantastic, so long as the lens and screw thread end works out, I should be happy.

Sorry that this post doesn't achieve much other than 'look what I won' and 'God I'm bored', but it's hard to find opinions on older lenses like these, but I'm hoping someone may find the info helpful
Click to expand...

Best of luck mumrar i did this exact same thing. I got some old lenses out of a charity shop for pennies, and the m42 adaptors off Amazon. A prime 135mm f/3.5 and a 30mm f/3.5 and they are as sharp as a pointy thing. Easily beats some modern offerings. One thing I have noticed though is contrast on the older lenses is nowhere near as good as, say, my 10-20 or my 50. But honestly, for what it costs, it's a no brainer. Best of luck with it all.
 
Contrast and saturation you can get right in PP, sharpness, well, of the detail isn't there, it just isn't there, end of. Expect some results once my impatient wait is over.
 
Hello all, a little update. After spending the weekend laughing at the irony of having an OM lens and M42 adapter turn up, I received more post today. So, great I thought, at least I could use one of the lenses. I thought. The M42 Kenlock 28mm f2.8 is the one that arrived, so I duly mounted it up to the adapter, and then the camera. After taking a few test shots, I realised the lens was only working fully open at f2.8. So I twiddled and twisted and turned, but still to no avail. So I dismounted the lens, and noticed a pushpin on the back of the lens which falls within the diameter of the adapters open space. If this is pushed in, then the lens selects the chosen aperture. So, the problem is that I don't have anything on the adapter or the camera body to push the pin in to take a shot. Has anybody got any suggestions?

Thanks in advance, collected lens on the way to work so I can't post up any pictures of it, although I may try camera phone for comedy value!
 
The M42 Russian Jupiter 135's 11A and 37A are superb lenses and go for around £20-£30 much cheaper than the CZ 135 on which they were probably based. The 11A seems the sharpest wide open. All identical by f/5.6

shimbo
 
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