When you become more serious about photography, you start to care just as much about the lens as you do about the camera body.
Typically, the kit lenses that come with new cameras are pretty basic and can hold you back as your skills improve. They do the job, but they may not be the best quality.
The problem is that new lenses can be expensive. While you can find a good used camera for a decent price, a quality lens from the same manufacturer will cost you just as much.
One option is to use older lenses from film cameras. These lenses may not have the latest optical technology, but they are often well-made and have a unique charm.
For example, the Olympus OM 50mm f/1.4 is a fast and sharp lens that was originally made for old OM film SLRs. You can find it for around £100 on eBay or from a dealer with a warranty.
There are some important things to consider when using older lenses. Most older lenses won’t work with the modern autofocus system, so you will have to focus manually. But don’t worry, many modern cameras have features like focus peaking that help with manual focusing.
Another technique is to prefocus on a scene before something enters the frame. While manual focusing may not give you the same sharp results as autofocus, with practice, you can improve.
You may also need to adjust the aperture using the lens’s built-in aperture ring. This takes some practice, but it helps you understand how different aperture settings affect exposure.
Using older lenses may require an adapter depending on your camera type. Adapters can be expensive, but there are affordable options available online.
However, keep in mind that cheaper adapters may not have the same build quality or advanced features as high-end adapters.
Using an inexpensive adapter, I was able to use an old Leica lens on a modern digital camera and I was satisfied with the results.
When using film camera lenses on digital cameras with smaller sensors, there may be some cropping of the image. This means that a 50mm lens designed for a 35mm camera will appear to zoom in on the subject.
Experimenting with old lenses can be fun and give you creative effects like distinctive bokeh. Just make sure to do some research before buying an adapter to avoid damaging your camera.
A budget brand like K&F Concept should be a safe choice if you don’t mind manual focusing.
But be careful, once you start getting into using old film lenses, the costs can add up. These lenses are becoming popular with filmmakers, so prices are increasing.
