Which cheap, modern lenses look like film?

Here are some more picks in my "film look" series, ranging from extreme older vintage lenses to more modern classics.

♦︎ Some of the lenses mentioned:

timestamps:

00:00 hiya
00:20 vintage extreme picks
02:08 modern vintage picks
07:12 extreme modern vintage

#vintagelook #filmlook
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(Some links in the description are Amazon affiliate links. If you choose to buy using them, I get a small commission at no cost to you.)

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[borderlands]

Modern vintage lenses look better on video than stills, in my experience. In photographs you have time to examine weird artefacts, which go from quirky to simply repetitive and annoying. On moving images the glow is always on the move.

[awksedgreep]

I’ve been doing stuff like this for years. I honestly think the m43 mount is the funnest in photography. So many options. I especially love the body cap lenses with the precipitous falloff in sharpness and some vignetting without losing too much quality.

[JasperBunschoten]

Though not m43's. I recently acquired a GFX50s and took a gamble on being able to use all my old Nikon glass on it and it is bloody amazing! Having an old 28mm F2 being able to cover the entire sensor is just crazy! And being non-ai, quite cheap as well. So now I have an almost complete suite of lenses consisting of the 28mm F2 non Ai, 55mm F1.2 non AI, 85mm F1.4 AIS and 135mm F2 AIS. And all work without vignetting!

[juanpazmino]

The Lomography Experimental Lens Kit is not available any more

[ddsdss]

I love the thought of using vintage gear, especially lenses, but it's so easy to at least approximate the look of vintage glass (and film, for that matter) in post. DxO, in particular, has a wealth of data on most everything photographic, and they've included myriad options in their software (primarily PhotoLab, FlimPack, and Nik, plus ViewPoint can give you the tilt/shift effect). These enable one to very convincingly recreate the look of old lenses, cameras (with all their faults if desired), film, other processes (e.g., Daguerreotype, Cyanotype, etc.), without the need to carry extra gear or commit to a certain look when you might actually want the option of a "modern" image if the vintage look doesn't end up working as well as you'd hoped. Of course, you can't 100% replicate the optical qualities of any specific lenses digitally (try replicating Petzval bokeh), but if you're inclined, it can be fun to experiment. That said, it may be useful to try it first in post (and DxO has free trials), as the novelty of "new old" gear (or old old, as well as software, for that matter) can wear thin in a hurry. At least many of the options are cheap (but some not so much). Hey, whatever it takes to get you out there...

[evanlughfahy]

Ming Thein reviewed the Olympus 15mm f8 body cap lens favorably. He pointed out that, though there are focus detents, finer focus is possible and “essential”, to use his word for it.

[brianbohnert]

I have been playing with diffeent lenses on my Lumix G3 for years. I have been using the first version of the 7Artisans 18mm f6.3 UFO lens and it gives me exactly the look I want.

[johnallison]

Fascinating and fun. I haven’t taken a photo for years but you have made me take out my old Pen Ft and Canon DSLR and an assortment of .lenses which I will need to bring up to date. Also I will need to continue watching your postings to catch up. Thanks and keep up the good work..

[michaelbell]

Cool! Lomography makes some great lenses for Canon and Nikon DSLR mounts that give that vintage look. The 85mm Petzval is awesome. I also have a 60mm Holga lens they made briefly for the Canon EF mount years ago that I love. I might have to get an M43 camera again.

[drangduewel]

I have the 35mm f1.6 cctv in silver. It looks so cool on the Pen-F. I love it.

[the-additional-f-stop]

Very cool video Emily! I appreciate more unique offerings like these. I'll have to watch this again and see which one suits my fancy :). Thank you for all your hard work!

[DavidMBanes]

Great article. I have been using an M42 to micro four thirds adapter on a Panasonic GX880 for my Helios 44 f/2 58mm which I had on my Zenit in the 70's and Pentacon 50mm 1.8 (my favourite as it looks like new and was my dads!). I just bought a TTartisan 27mm AF for my Fujifilm X-E4 which is great, and cheap, one day I'll be able to afford a Fujifilm lens. :) Keep going, love your videos.

[steveworthington]

Minolta glass are very good. They made their own lenses to high specs. I have the 28mm F2.8, fast for it, s day!

[raalaa]

Vintage lenses are great for video more than for photography in my opinion. I love my 55 f1.2 Olympus m zuiko and newyi 35mm F1.6

[formatthitech]

What a great line up! Some real classic lenses here & as always a very informative, awesome video Emily! Are we noticing a bit of Bloom Gold there??

[kiwipics]

@Micro Four Nerds ... The Pentax 110 lens fact that most people / YouTubers forget to mention is that the aperture blades / combined shutter mechansim is housed within the the 110 camera body, and therefore a Pentax 110 lens on an M43 (or any other) body will effectively be shot wide open unless the adaptor has an aperture blade system built in ...

[EMND]

Please can you do a more in depth video with the Leica T + Brightin Star 28mm??

[willhouse]

The best reason to use old glass is because it's just plain *fun.*

[AndySnap]

My copy of the CCTV lens, branded Fujian(cheekily...) is actually quite sharp when stopped down and not super swirly even wide open...which is almost disappointing! Makes for a rather nice portrait lens though.

[cityproofdad]

in one of your videos i think pn F you mention there is no battery indicator on olympus cameras there is an option in setting for battery warning+- 012 that lets you choose when camera tells you about battery level 😊😊😊😊