Compact but fast vintage alt glass recommendations? To adapter-mount on mFT

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Compact but fast vintage alt glass recommendations? To ad...

Fat Dave
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p.1 #1 · Compact but fast vintage alt glass recommendations? To adapter-mount on mFT

What sort of recommendations would you throw me for reasonably-priced fast glass to adapt onto mFT? (Sub-$500 per lens, preferably less!!) Looking for smaller, more compact lenses that she can more easily pack and carry.

I'm converting the Mrs. from a compact DSLR to the Olympus OM-D platform (she's in love with the styling), and I'm looking for a wide range of recommendations for fast alt-glass to adapt to the format. I'm starting her with my ol canon-adapted Rokkor 58mm 1.2, but lots of other focal ranges to cover! I want to build a nice kit of vintage fast-glass beauties for her birthday.

So please help me build a nice kit of lenses that will fit the following:
- small(ish)
- sub-$500 per lens
- fast!!
- good performance
- WAF!! (vintage grooviness definitely acceptable)

Thanks in advance!

Jul 30, 2012 at 02:50 AM

mawz
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p.1 #2 · Compact but fast vintage alt glass recommendations? To adapter-mount on mFT

You've got some competing priorities here. For compact and fast you really want OM lenses, but many of them simply aren't cheap. Good options in your pricerange include the 28/2, 50/1.4, 85/2. Don't expect much faster than f2 though, OM was never about being really fast outside of the 50's. But they do offer the widest range of f2 lenses, covering every focal length from 21mm to 250mm except 135mm, and all are noted for their small size, and most for their performance too (the 35 being the exception, it's merely a good lens).

FD nets you fast & cheap, but not compact. But relatively cheap 24/1.4's and 85/1.2's are not to be dismissed.

Nikon gets you a mix, slower than some of the FD options and often more compact, but more expensive. Good options include the 35/1.4, the 50/1.2 and 50/1.8's, the 85/1.8 and 85/2 and the 105/2.5.

Note you shouldn't ignore native lenses. You'll need them for any wide options anyways due to the crop factor, and the 45/1.8 is so good and inexpensive it probably should just come in the box. Frankly, given your constraints I'd be buying the Panasonic 14/2.5, the Oly 45/1.8 and I'd roll the savings into a PanaLeica 25/1.4 (if you budget $1500 for three lenses you should be able to get that set, 14/2.5's broken out of kits are under $200 on eBay these days)

Jul 30, 2012 at 02:59 AM

jonrock
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p.1 #3 · Compact but fast vintage alt glass recommendations? To adapter-mount on mFT

You can also try the Olympus Pen-f lenses. They're quite compact and the results I've seen from other photographers are interesting.

Jul 30, 2012 at 03:25 AM

Bifurcator
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p.1 #4 · Compact but fast vintage alt glass recommendations? To adapter-mount on mFT

Check out the Voigtlander lenses! Many of them are under $500. Alone they aren't so compact but mounted they're probably the smallest. Most of the ones I've held in hand made me expect a much heavier weight than actual - so I guess many of them are pretty lightweight. Speed, I dunno, case-by-case right?! And many of them produce exceptional images - akin to Zeiss and Leica.

A good example is the Voigtlander Nocton 50/1.5 and etc.

Mawz is right tho, You've got some competing priorities there. You're going to have to drop or redefine something. For example the Rokkor 58mm 1.2 is absolutely NOT compact and is often well over $500 Yet, if that fits your idea then the FD 85/1.2L should as well - but I would not think to recommend it from your OP.

Compact almost never equals fast (or how "compact" do mean?)
Fast almost never equals sup-$500 (or how "fast" do you mean?)
What focal lengths are you looking for generally speaking?

and so on...

Jul 30, 2012 at 04:03 AM

sebboh
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p.1 #5 · Compact but fast vintage alt glass recommendations? To adapter-mount on mFT

if your parameters are just fast, small, and under $500 here are a few options that immediately come to mind. some are optically outstanding and some are more "character lenses", all will be smaller than slr lenses on the camera with the same focal lengths and speeds.

cv 35/1.4
cv 40/1.4
cv 50/1.5
pen f 38.1.8
pen f 40/1.4
contax g 35/2
contax g 45/2
contax g 90/2.8 (not sure if you would consider that fast for a 90mm)
jupiter-3 50/1.5 sonnar
jupiter-8 50/2 sonnar
jupiter-9 85/2 sonnar

Jul 30, 2012 at 04:42 AM

wayne seltzer
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p.1 #6 · Compact but fast vintage alt glass recommendations? To adapter-mount on mFT

Minolta MC 28/2

Jul 30, 2012 at 07:47 AM

Fat Dave
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p.1 #7 · Compact but fast vintage alt glass recommendations? To adapter-mount on mFT

Bifurcator wrote:
Check out the Voigtlander lenses! Many of them are under $500. Alone they aren't so compact but mounted they're probably the smallest. Most of the ones I've held in hand made me expect a much heavier weight than actual - so I guess many of them are pretty lightweight. Speed, I dunno, case-by-case right?! And many of them produce exceptional images - akin to Zeiss and Leica.

A good example is the Voigtlander Nocton 50/1.5 and etc.

Mawz is right tho, You've got some competing priorities there. You're going to have to drop or redefine something. For example the Rokkor 58mm 1.2 is absolutely NOT compact and is often well over $500 Yet, if that fits your idea then the FD 85/1.2L should as well - but I would not think to recommend it from your OP.

Compact almost never equals fast (or how "compact" do mean?)
Fast almost never equals sup-$500 (or how "fast" do you mean?)
What focal lengths are you looking for generally speaking?

and so on...

I should clarify: I already have the MC Rokkor 58mm 1.2. It's normally around the $500 mark, and I think of it as "compact". I guess I'm comparing to modern L glass like the 50L or 85L, so I probably should have specified that something similar to the size of the Rokkor 58 fits my size criteria!

Apologies for the confusion!

Thanks all - great suggestions!

Jul 30, 2012 at 12:54 PM

ZoneV
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p.1 #8 · Compact but fast vintage alt glass recommendations? To adapter-mount on mFT

I have the Rokkor 58/1.2 as well. It is a good lens, and it is relative compact.
I have adapted the Minolta 28/2.0 to Canon since few weeks, it si compact and have a good quality.
Canon FD 24/2.0 is compact too, and I read good things about it - have to repair and convert mine. The Canon FD 24mm 1:1.4 is a good lens, but with a big front diameter.
The Canon FD 85/1,2L is a big lens - probably one of the f/1.4 lenses would be better. The Zeiss Contax 85/1.4 has more character, but full open at closer distances its quality could be better. Closed down it is very sharp.

All FD glass need mount conversion, which is much work.

Jul 30, 2012 at 02:21 PM

aleksanderpolo
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p.1 #9 · Compact but fast vintage alt glass recommendations? To adapter-mount on mFT

If 58/1.2 is compact, then anything will do

Jul 30, 2012 at 03:42 PM

sebboh
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p.1 #10 · Compact but fast vintage alt glass recommendations? To adapter-mount on mFT

Fat Dave wrote:
I should clarify: I already have the MC Rokkor 58mm 1.2. It's normally around the $500 mark, and I think of it as "compact". I guess I'm comparing to modern L glass like the 50L or 85L, so I probably should have specified that something similar to the size of the Rokkor 58 fits my size criteria!

Apologies for the confusion!

Thanks all - great suggestions!

ah, all my recs are way smaller than the rokkor 58/1.2. there are tons if you consider that small.

Jul 30, 2012 at 03:56 PM

joychris
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p.1 #11 · Compact but fast vintage alt glass recommendations? To adapter-mount on mFT

Lots of good, fast, low cost Rokkors, the 17/2.8, 20/2.8, 24/2.8, 28/2, 35/1.8, 50/1.4 and 85/1.7 can all be had for less than $500 - with the priciest being the 85 that routinely sells in the $300 range. The 85 is the same size as the 58/1.2, the rest are smaller and you can get them all with 55mm threads so you can easily swap filters between all of them. I have a number of Rokkors and a $20 fotodiox adapter, they mate really well with the IBIS in the EM5. Most FD's are similar in size to Rokkors and very plentiful if you search KEH and ebay. The OM lenses are a good match with the OM-D you can get the OM/m43 adapter for free after rebate. If you want to get into the zooms and teles, Rokkors, FD's, Vivitar and Tokina lenses are also very affordable, but with m43 they all turn into really long FL's. The EM5's IBIS is again very helpful with older non-IS lenses.

Jul 30, 2012 at 04:00 PM

Beni
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p.1 #12 · Compact but fast vintage alt glass recommendations? To adapter-mount on mFT

The Takumar 50mm 1.4 is tiny, really tiny, costs almost nothing and has the nicest bokeh of any 50mm lens I've ever seen with perhaps the exception of the Rokkor 1.2.

Jul 30, 2012 at 04:17 PM

Steve Spencer
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p.1 #13 · Compact but fast vintage alt glass recommendations? To adapter-mount on mFT

I think the Rokkor ought to work very well as a portrait lens and it is reasonably fast for that. It ought to operate a lot like a 105 f/2.5 on full frame. So if you are happy with that size it will work well. You probably want something that will give you a fifty equivalent. If you want an alt, the Minolta 28 f/2 is a very nice lens. For size I would get the last MD version, which is smaller than the MC version. I actually prefer the MC version on full frame, but the corners and vignetting which are the weakest point on full frame ought not to matter on digital. You might just consider getting the Panny/Leica 25mm f/1.4, however, which is a stop faster and is regarded as a great lens. You might also like a shorter mid tele than the Rokkor. The Pen F 40 f/1.4 would be an excellent choice, here. If you wanted a longer lens I think the Samyang 85 f/1.4 ought to work well. It is a bit bigger, but not much than the Rokkor and for a 170mm equivalent is not the big. This would cover a large range of lenses. You still wouldn't have anything wide angle, but with Micro 4/3rds it is hard to find small fast and wide angle with alts.

Jul 30, 2012 at 05:00 PM

LightShow
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p.1 #14 · Compact but fast vintage alt glass recommendations? To adapter-mount on mFT

On m43 I would really think about the CV 17.5/.95 even if it is $1200 http://www.cameraquest.com/voigt_m43_17.htm
then something in the 24-28 range maybe the CV 28/2 Ultron which goes for around $600
And keep the 58/1.2 to round it out.

Jul 30, 2012 at 07:08 PM

m-a-x
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p.1 #15 · Compact but fast vintage alt glass recommendations? To adapter-mount on mFT

ZoneV wrote:
All FD glass need mount conversion, which is much work.

No, not for the OM-D.

I think the list Sebboh posted is quite extensive and truly light weight.
I add the pen f 42mm f/1.2.
And the Canon LTM 50mm f/1.2: it weighs something but is more or less compact.

Jul 30, 2012 at 09:48 PM

sebboh
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p.1 #16 · Compact but fast vintage alt glass recommendations? To adapter-mount on mFT

m-a-x wrote:
I think the list Sebboh posted is quite extensive and truly light weight.
I add the pen f 42mm f/1.2.
And the Canon LTM 50mm f/1.2: it weighs something but is more or less compact.

i left out the pen f 42/1.2 because it's runs a fair bit over $500 these days, but i totally spaced and forgot about the canon and nikon rangefinder lenses:

canon ltm 35/1.8
canon ltm 35/2
canon ltm 50/1.4
canon ltm 50/1.8 (and earlier f/1.9 version)
canon ltm 85/1.9
canon ltm 100/2

nikkor s-mount 35/1.8 (not sure if there is an ltm mount version of this lens)
nikkor s-mount 50/1.4 (sonnar, the adapter for this lens costs $250+ though)
nikkor H.C. ltm 50/2 (sonnar)
nikkor ltm 85/2 (sonnar, cheap s-mount adapters work on that version of this lens)
nikkor ltm 105/2.5 (sonnar, cheap s-mount adapters work on that version of this lens)

also forgot to mention the m-rokkor 40/2, leica m-mount c-summicron 40/2, and the cv 35/1.7 which is a bit bigger but much better optically (i hear) than the cv 35/1.4.

some other small lenses that are usually over $500, but you can get lucky on every once in a while:
pen f 42/1.2
pen f 60/1.5
pen f 70/2
canon ltm 35/1.5
canon ltm 50/1.2 (there's also a 50/.95, but good luck getting that cheap)
canon ltm 85/1.5
canon ltm 85/1.8
nikkor ltm 50/1.4
nikkor ltm 85/1.5

Jul 30, 2012 at 11:17 PM

alwang
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p.1 #17 · Compact but fast vintage alt glass recommendations? To adapter-mount on mFT

Personally I just don't think legacy glass makes a whole lot of sense on m4/3, with the change in effective FL. Pick one for a fast telephoto if it's something you use, but for any sort of normal lens, you're better off with the native choices.

Jul 31, 2012 at 01:40 AM

Bifurcator
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p.1 #18 · Compact but fast vintage alt glass recommendations? To adapter-mount on mFT

There's only a few decent native µ4/3 lenses available. Most of the offerings are characterless plastic trash I'd be rather embarrassed paying more than $50 for. None of them will migrate with you if you upgrade bodies to even something like a Nex let alone a good DLSR. With the exception of the two Voigtlanders almost none of them are inspiring builds or interesting designs. None but the two Voigtlanders offer a really good manual focus. And for me almost none of them energize my feeling and spirit relative to the art and craft of photography either in a historical sense nor what I expect from present-day equipment. Rather most of them speak to the commercialization in advertisement and manufacturing we've all seen in recent years where premiums are paid for disposable plastic junk.

IMHO it's just the opposite!!! Unless you're an AF freak or are shooting video almost all of the native lens offerings make little or no sense when everything is considered. I personally consider price, IQ, build quality, and equipment migration as critical (who wouldn't?) and that's where the native µ4/3 lenses die a horrible death - almost every one!

Jul 31, 2012 at 02:30 AM

LightShow
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p.1 #19 · Compact but fast vintage alt glass recommendations? To adapter-mount on mFT

LightShow wrote:
On m43 I would really think about the CV 17.5/.95 even if it is $1200 http://www.cameraquest.com/voigt_m43_17.htm

Some great samples here:
http://forum.mflenses.com/nokton-17-5mm-f0-95-t49776.html

Jul 31, 2012 at 04:20 AM

Bifurcator
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p.1 #20 · Compact but fast vintage alt glass recommendations? To adapter-mount on mFT

Cool thread! Thanks Lightshow!

Jul 31, 2012 at 04:55 AM

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