Leica Summicron-R 50 and Elmarit-R 135 can both be had for under $250 and they are superb... and remarkably "cheap." Really, they are among the very best lenses I have ever used... even if not blazingly fast apertured (who cares, that's just a fad! ).
Others I have liked Super-Tak 50, Zuiko 50/1.8 (made in Japan model), Tair-11, Helios-44... and the Industar-50-2 is the absolute cheapest pancake you can get (and not bad all things considered... especially if you like living on the edge )
Thanks for the responses guys. I'll take a look at the ones you mentioned. I enjoy low light photography so I'd ideally be looking for some fast lenses. Anyway, any other ideas are appreciated!
Yes, .2m MFD. There are two AIS version, an E-series version that has the same formula as the unspectacular 28/2.8 AF-D as well as an AI version and quite possibly a pre-AI version.
Seems like you've gotten quite a response here, but I'll throw in my 2 cents as well.
I've used the Pentax Super Takumar 50/1.4, 35/3.5, 135/3.5 (very nice lens) and 28/3.5 with great results. I loved the 35/3.5 (one of my very favorite lenses), but at infinity focus it would catch the mirror of my 5D. You might be able to file down the rear element of the lens and get it to clear. I don't think it hit by much.
The best thing about the Pentax lenses is that they're relatively cheap, easy to find and are built well with a fantastic, I repeat, FANTASTIC, focus mechanism. It's really smooth and just works incredibly well.
I've also used a few Jupiter lenses. The Jupiter 9 85/2 is a great, great lens and can be had for a relatively low price point. The Olympus 50 is a great lens and can be adapted to EOS as well as the M42 adapters.
As for wide angle lenses, the Zeiss Jenna Flektogon 20mm lens is awesome as is the Olympus 21, but are more expensive.
My biggest piece of advice for you is to get yourself a new focus screen for that 5D so that you can actually see what you're focusing on. And get AF confirm adapters to reinforce it. They aren't right all the time, but they're pretty accurate.
matthewm wrote:
The best thing about the Pentax lenses is that [...] and are built well with a fantastic, I repeat, FANTASTIC, focus mechanism. It's really smooth and just works incredibly well.
You're right that the focus mechanism is very smooth, but for my taste the focus throw is way too long on my super takumar 55/2.0, making it slow/difficult to do portraits with it.
Got this last week...part of a package including a minty version of this lens, a 105/2.5MF Nikkor, a working Nikkormat FS, a busted FTn, and a Weston Classic IV light meter...
Lesson: beauty isn't just skin deep....
test shots out my front door down my testing range...
2 images of each shot at F2, F2.8 and F4...RAW image with DPP settings flat except for sharpening @ 2...with and without Unsharpen Mask in PS6 as indicated, with less done to each smaller aperture
The images are too big to post comfortably here, so copy/paste the link and click on the image to get the full resolution...the full frame reduced to 175ppi from 350...
Wide open at F2 needs a lot of USM help...F2.8 is certainly an improvement...by F4 we're looking at edge-to-edge goodness...
no USM USM = 200/.3/0 no USM USM =300/.2/0 no USM USM = 200/.2/0
get the 5d its 100X better then get u a pentax 135 2.5 great lens has sharp focus and a 50mm 1.4 .you could shave the mirror like i did and clear the lenses no problem and the trim does not alter the viewfinder at all either it will look the exact same. the Pentax with an adapter is a direct fit so you wont have to modify the mounts just the mirror or you can snip the protruding parts off the back and it wont harm anything. but it will deface the lens a bit. you can get both lenses for about 60$ or so a piece. i got my 5d for about 1100$
quote]weezintrumpete wrote:
I thought there was a topic on this in the past, but I can't seem to find it. So apologies if this is a repost.
I am considering getting a used 5D to upgrade from an XT and really enjoy using manual focus, fixed-focal length lenses. I don't have a huge budget so I'm curious to know what you all think are the best cheap (<$250) manual focus alternative lenses out there of any focal length. I'll probably be looking for wide (20 - 24mm), a 35mm-ish, 50mm-ish, 85mm-ish and pancake (walk around) lenses.
So, any standouts in the inexpensive realm? Doesn't matter what company, so long as they fit a 5D without modification!
TWoK wrote:
Yes, .2m MFD. There are two AIS version, an E-series version that has the same formula as the unspectacular 28/2.8 AF-D as well as an AI version and quite possibly a pre-AI version.
Two Ai-s versions? I never heard of this before.
the Nikon charts don't shown any non-cosmetic change. Can you explain?
Cableaddict wrote:
Two Ai-s versions? I never heard of this before.
the Nikon charts don't shown any non-cosmetic change. Can you explain?
A bit of searching will show you there are two different AIS versions of the 28/2.8. Possibly the first was based of the e-series 28 which is what the AF-D 28 is based off of.
I just picked up a pre-AI 180mm/f2.8 MF Nikkor/with Nikon L1A filter for $75...
along with a couple of lenses for a Canon AE1-Program and a busted 300/4.5 MF Nikkor...am putting $50 into refurbishing it...and will post a shot next week when I get it back.
EDIT:
That busted (but with minty clean glass) 300 Nikkor had a Pentax mount siliconed to the Nikon. I brought it to my local golf repair guy who slapped the p-mount into his heavy duty bench vise and twisted and turned until the Nikkor slipped those unholy bonds...the F-mount was clean as whistle, thanks to the silicone (rather than epoxy which could've been used).
...the only problem remaining isn't much of one...the aperture leaves are locked at 5.6 - 8...just about where I would've set it if I were looking for the sweet spot...and that's about perfect for my friend's use...on the end of a tripod-mounted D40 pointed skyward...sweetness...few better guys out there more deserving...
TWoK wrote:
A bit of searching will show you there are two different AIS versions of the 28/2.8. Possibly the first was based of the e-series 28 which is what the AF-D 28 is based off of.
Some people aren't good at spotting the differences between late AI production and AI-S production if the aperture ring has AI-S spotting features (the other difference, the divot in the mount, is often ignored despite being the only reliable indicator of an AI-S lens). The 0.3m MFD 28mm design is the AI design, the AI-S design is 0.2m. Many people misidentify the 500000-series AI lenses as AI-S, real AI-S 28's start at 6350000 and have a 0.2m MFD.
The only other Nikkor design related to the (poor) Series E is the original AF version, which adds CRC to the simple Series E design. The 28/2.8 AF-D is a new design unrelated to the Series E or AF lenses.
The AI 28/2.8 is a good performer but not nearly as good as the AI-S version. Ironically the AI version is the only one to actually appear in more than one mount variation as it was originally introduced as a K series Pre-AI lens in 1974.
I like my Nikon 105/2.5 pre-AI. The Nikon 24/2.8 pre-AI is nice too. Both are cheap. I picked up a Nikon to EF adaptor from a Hong Kong distributor on e-bay. It works very well.
The Nikkor 105/2.5 has been a highly respected portrait over the past 40 years.... people claiming it as "legendary" Shooting film, I had put it in the yeah-yeah-yeah-whatever category, until I popped it on my 5Dm2. It's very impressive for a 40 year old lens. I need to do some more testing, but first impression put it pretty close to a Canon 85/1.8.
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