With mirrorless camera gaining more of a foothold in the industry in the past few years, vintage lenses have seen a real resurgence in popularity. This quick and great video discusses if you should be using them for your own work.
Coming to you from Mark Holtze, this excellent video discusses the prospect of using vintage lenses. The great thing about mirrorless cameras is that they open up a huge realm of lens choices through the use of adapters, and that can be a great way to either get a lens you need for a much cheaper price by going the vintage route or to simply try out some unique glass from the past. Of course, you shouldn't expect the stunning image quality that a lot of modern lenses offer, but you might be surprised by just how good some older optics are. Furthermore, a lot of vintage lenses have beautiful character that can really lend your images a unique look. However, what is perhaps the best part is just how cheap they are as compared to modern glass. If you are a gear nerd, it can be a great way to scratch that itch without breaking the bank every time you want to try something new. Check out the video above for Holtze's full thoughts.
I find that to be a really strange question. Use whatever you want, modern glass, vintage glass, film, pinhole, large format, camera obscura, etc.
I am honestly flummoxed by the question.
I think people tend to overlook vintage lenses because they aren't as clinically sharp as modern equivalents, when often, the difference isn't necessarily that big or simply doesn't matter compared to other factors.
Fair play. I suspect part of my confusion is I never stopped shooting on old glass.
Exactly.
The tool must match your needs and idea, that all.
I use vintage lenses for commercial jobs. They are great. I have modern easy-to-use lenses for fast-shooting taska but I have also a collection of vintages which features I know and love and I don't hesitate to use them in appropriate situations.
Please stop promoting vintage lenses! They're gonna get more expensive! ;)
It’s already getting out of hand!
In many places they are very expensive
Cameras and lenses are tools. Use the tools that get the job done efficiently and in the manner that suits your style and the clients needs.
As a carpenter some of my most used tools were vintage. It’s all about the right tool for the job.