5 Lenses That Were Legendary But Are Now Forgotten

The photography industry has a short memory. Every few years, we collectively forget the tools that once defined professional image-making, replacing them with newer technologies that promise greater convenience, better performance, or simply different aesthetics. But buried beneath decades of technological progress lie lenses that didn't just capture images—they created entire visual languages, established technical standards, and enabled photographic possibilities that seemed impossible at their time.

These forgotten legends didn't simply fade away due to inferior performance; they were casualties of mount system evolution, corporate strategic shifts, and the relentless march toward autofocus automation that rendered manual-focus excellence obsolete virtually overnight. Here are five lenses that once commanded professional respect, defined photographic genres, and pushed optical boundaries to their limits before disappearing into the footnotes of photographic history.

1. The Portrait King: Nikkor 105mm f/2.5 (1959-2005)

The Universal Professional Standard

Before 85mm f/1.4 lenses became the portrait photographer's default choice, one lens dominated professional studios and photojournalism assignments across five decades: the Nikkor 105mm f/2.5. First introduced for rangefinder cameras in 1954, with the F-mount SLR version debuting in 1959, this lens achieved something remarkable in photography: universal professional adoption that transcended brand loyalty, genre preferences, and technological eras.

Steve McCurry's famous "Afghan Girl" photograph for National Geographic was captured with this lens, establishing its credentials for one of the most iconic portraits in photographic history. But the Afghan Girl was just one frame among millions—this lens became the go-to portrait optic for an entire generation of professional photographers who demanded reliability, sharpness, and consistent results under challenging conditions.

Technical Excellence Through Decades

The lens underwent significant optical redesign during its production run. The design originated with rangefinder versions starting in 1954, using a Sonnar-type construction (5 elements in 3 groups) designed by Zenji Wakimoto. The F-mount SLR versions from 1959-1970 continued this Sonnar design, carrying over the proven optical formula from Nikon's rangefinder heritage. Around 1970, Nikon transitioned to a Xenotar/Gauss-type design (5 elements in 4 groups) that improved close-range performance and edge sharpness while maintaining the signature Nikkor rendering quality.

This optical evolution reflected changing professional demands. The Sonnar version produced what many portrait photographers described as "magical" bokeh with slightly softer edges, perfect for the fashion and editorial work of the 1960s. The later Gauss design offered technical superiority (sharper across the frame, better close-focus performance, and more consistent results) matching the precision requirements of commercial photography's professional evolution.

Why It Became Forgotten

The 105mm f/2.5's decline wasn't about optical performance; it remained competitive with modern lenses throughout its 51-year production run. Three factors conspired to erase it from professional consciousness:

• The 85mm Revolution: As 85mm f/1.4 lenses offered wider maximum apertures, they gradually supplanted 105mm as the standard portrait focal length. The shorter focal length proved more versatile in smaller studios and tighter shooting situations.
• Autofocus Migration: By the mid-1990s, professional photographers increasingly demanded autofocus capability for wedding, event, and commercial work. The manual-focus-only 105mm f/2.5 became a liability in fast-paced shooting environments.
• Digital Crop Factor Confusion: When APS-C digital cameras dominated the market in the early 2000s, the 105mm became effectively a 157mm lens—too long for most portrait applications. Many photographers switched to 85mm lenses to stay closer to their preferred field of view.

Today, the 105mm f/2.5 trades for $150-300 on the used market—a fraction of what modern portrait lenses cost, yet capable of producing results that come quite close to contemporary alternatives. Its compact size (weighing around 400 grams) and legendary build quality make it an exceptional value, but few photographers under 40 have ever heard of it.

2. The Impossible Dream: Canon 50mm f/0.95 'Dream Lens' (1961-1984)

Breaking the Speed of Light Barrier

When Canon introduced the 50mm f/0.95 in August 1961, it achieved something that seemed optically impossible. Designed by legendary lens engineer Mukai Jirou, the f/0.95 employed a sophisticated 7-element, 5-group Gauss-type construction using rare earth glass elements. The 10-blade aperture diaphragm created smooth bokeh transitions, while the massive 72mm front element gathered light with unprecedented efficiency.

Photojournalists dubbed it the "Dream Lens" after experiencing its available light capabilities, and Canon's marketing department enthusiastically adopted the nickname. Canon claimed the lens was "four times faster than the human eye."

Production Numbers and Pricing Reality

Canon's production records reveal the lens's exclusive nature. Between May 1961 and September 1970, Canon produced about 20,000 rangefinder-coupled versions for the Canon 7 camera system. An additional 7,000 TV/cinema versions were manufactured from October 1970 to December 1984, designed for professional broadcast and film applications.

The original retail price of 57,000 yen in 1961 equals approximately $4,600 in today's currency—making it expensive even by professional standards. This pricing positioned the lens as a specialized tool for photojournalists, portrait studios, and cinema applications where extreme low-light capability justified the cost.

Revolutionary Optical Innovation

The lens' unique construction required several engineering compromises that paradoxically enhanced its character. The rear element was physically cut to clear the Canon 7's rangefinder mechanism, requiring a protective metal collar with protruding feet. This modification made the lens incompatible with other camera systems without extensive modification.

The massive front element and deep lens hood created an imposing presence that influenced subject interaction—portrait photographers noted that the dramatic appearance of the lens often enhanced subject engagement and created more compelling expressions.

The Death of a Mount System

The Canon 50mm f/0.95's demise illustrates how mount system evolution can instantly obsolete entire lens categories. When Canon abandoned rangefinder cameras in favor of SLR development, the proprietary bayonet mount became an orphan system. 

Modern high-ISO digital sensors reduced the need for f/0.95 speed, while the lens' massive size (605 grams), focus shift issues, and flare susceptibility made it increasingly impractical for contemporary workflows. However, the lens has experienced a renaissance among collectors and film enthusiasts, with prices rising from $150-300 in the 1980s to $2,000-5,000 today.

3. The Widest Vision: Nikkor 13mm f/5.6 (1976-1998)

Engineering the Impossible

The Nikkor 13mm f/5.6 represents one of photography's most audacious technical achievements—a lens so extreme that Nikon's own engineers initially considered it impossible to manufacture. When designer Ikuo Mori successfully developed this ultra-wide lens, he created the world's widest rectilinear (non-fisheye) lens, maintaining that distinction for decades.

With a 118-degree angle of view, the lens captured vast architectural subjects and landscapes while maintaining rectilinear projection with impressively low levels of distortion. This achievement required revolutionary optical engineering that pushed the boundaries of what was technically feasible in 1976.

Revolutionary Optical Design

The lens featured a massive 16-element, 12-group construction weighing 1,240 grams, with a front element diameter of nearly 11 centimeters. Nikon's pioneering Close Range Correction (CRC) system employed "floating elements" where lens groups moved independently during focusing, providing sharp results from infinity to 0.3 meters—unprecedented for ultra-wide lenses of any era.

This floating element technology, now standard in modern lens design, was revolutionary in 1976. The CRC system maintained optical performance across the entire focusing range while minimizing the aberration variations that plagued other ultra-wide designs.

Extreme Rarity and Professional Applications

Nikon produced only a few hundred units between 1976 and 1998, making it one of the rarest production lenses ever manufactured. The breakdown was: 40 non-AI versions (1976-1977), 10 AI versions (1977-1982), and 300 AI-S versions (1982-1998). Available exclusively on special order, it commanded premium pricing that often exceeded the cost of camera bodies.

Professional applications included NASA and government technical documentation, architectural firm building surveys, and commercial interior photography requiring perspective control. Its precision and character made it essential for applications demanding minimal distortion across an extreme field of view.

The Collector's Holy Grail

The lens became known as "The Holy Grail" among Nikon collectors due to its extreme rarity and technical significance. Recent auction prices reaching $25,000-50,000 reflect its transition from working tool to museum piece, with most surviving examples now in private collections rather than professional use.

The lens disappeared as modern lenses started to approach and then surpass that extreme focal length, though it still remains a collector's piece.

4. The Zoom Revolution: Vivitar Series 1 70-210mm f/3.5 VMC Macro Focusing Zoom (1974-1981)

Legitimizing Third-Party Excellence

The Vivitar Series 1 70-210mm f/3.5 VMC Macro Focusing Zoom achieved something unprecedented in 1974: it became the world's first macro-focusing zoom lens while simultaneously establishing zoom lenses as legitimate professional tools. This groundbreaking design challenged the prevailing wisdom that "all zoom lenses were inferior to primes" and fundamentally changed professional attitudes toward zoom technology.

When the lens appeared in 1974, zoom lenses were considered amateur accessories—heavy, soft, and suitable only for casual photography. The Series 1 70-210mm delivered improved sharpness across its entire zoom range while adding macro capability, forcing professional photographers to reconsider their equipment assumptions.

Computer-Aided Design Pioneer

Ellis Betensky of OPCON Associates designed the lens using early computer-aided design software running on Perkin Elmer mainframe computers—revolutionary for 1974 when most lens designs were still calculated by hand. The resulting 15-element, 10-group formula was described as "unlike any previously designed lenses," featuring a constant f/3.5 aperture throughout the zoom range and 1:2.2 maximum magnification ratio.

This computational approach enabled optical complexity impossible with traditional design methods. The lens maintained excellent image quality across the entire zoom range and employed sophisticated mechanical systems for seamless macro transition.

Patent Foundation for Modern Lenses

U.S. Patent 3,817,600 for "Zoom lens having close-up focusing mode of operation." This patent essentially established the foundation for all modern macro-zoom lenses, with the Vivitar's influence far exceeding its commercial lifespan.

The mechanical innovation required rotating the lens barrel to switch between normal and macro operation, with the zoom ring then controlling magnification ratio rather than focal length. This complex system provided precise element movement while maintaining optical performance across both modes.

Professional Adoption and Excellence

Professional adoption centered on wildlife photography utilizing both telephoto range and macro capabilities, sports photography benefiting from constant f/3.5 aperture, and commercial photography requiring focal length versatility without lens changes. The lens proved that third-party manufacturers could compete with established camera companies in professional markets.

Built like a tank with all-metal construction, the lens weighed 940 grams (over two pounds) and featured extraordinarily tight manufacturing tolerances. Professional photographers appreciated the smooth, damped controls and precise mechanical feel that matched or exceeded OEM lens quality.

Death by Autofocus Revolution

The autofocus revolution of 1985-1990 rendered the lens obsolete almost overnight. Its heavy manual-only operation became incompatible with the new AF paradigm that quickly dominated professional markets. Vivitar's corporate decline through multiple ownership changes, culminating in 2008 bankruptcy, ensured the lens would never receive autofocus updates.

The extreme weight and push-pull zoom mechanism became unfashionable as lenses became lighter and more sophisticated. Modern photographers' preference for constant aperture zooms and image stabilization made the Vivitar's advantages seem archaic, despite its superior optical performance compared to many contemporary alternatives.

5. The Medium Format Speed Demon: Pentax 67 105mm f/2.4 (1969-2009)

Breaking Medium Format Speed Barriers

The Pentax 67 105mm f/2.4 achieved something unprecedented in medium format photography: it became one of the fastest medium format lenses ever manufactured, offering 35mm-like speed with medium format image quality. When introduced in 1969, no other 6x7 format lens could match its f/2.4 maximum aperture, creating new possibilities for handheld medium format photography.

Equivalent to a 54mm lens on full frame, the 105mm became the portrait lens of choice for fashion and commercial photographers who needed medium format quality with 35mm-like handling characteristics. Its combination of speed, image quality, and relatively compact size (for medium format) made it an essential tool for professional portrait work.

Three Versions, One Legacy

Pentax produced three versions with identical optical formulas but different coatings and construction details:

• Super Takumar 6x7 105mm f/2.4 (1969-1971): The original version featuring single coating and early thorium glass elements that could yellow over time due to radioactive decay.
• SMC Takumar 6x7 105mm f/2.4 (1971-1989): Multi-coated version with improved contrast and color rendition, still using thorium glass in some elements.
• SMC Pentax 67 105mm f/2.4 (1989-2009): Final version replacing thorium elements with high-index non-radioactive glass while maintaining the same 6-element, 5-group optical formula.

The Fashion Photography Secret Weapon

The lens's 9-blade aperture diaphragm created exceptionally smooth bokeh. This aperture configuration was identical to the Takumar 6x7 150mm f/2.8, designed to complement the 105mm for complete portrait coverage.

Fashion photographers appreciated the lens's ability to create "large format look" with handheld convenience. The shallow depth of field achievable at f/2.4 on the 6x7 format approached large format character, enabling environmental portraits with dramatic subject isolation that was impossible with smaller formats.

Professional applications included fashion photography requiring mobility, commercial portrait work demanding maximum image quality, and wedding photography where medium format quality was essential but 35mm-like speed was required for available light situations.

Technical Excellence and Build Quality

The lens weighed about 600 grams, making it relatively light for the Pentax 67 system. Its metal construction featured precise manufacturing tolerances and smooth mechanical operation that reflected Pentax's commitment to professional-grade engineering.

The close focusing distance of 39 inches limited its macro applications but provided adequate working distance for portrait photography. The lens' rendering characteristics featured "pop" and three-dimensional quality that became legendary among medium format enthusiasts.

Forgotten by Digital Dominance

The Pentax 67 105mm f/2.4's disappearance reflects medium format photography's professional decline during digital photography's rise. Several factors contributed to its obsolescence:

• Digital Medium Format Evolution: Modern digital medium format systems like Fujifilm GFX and Hasselblad X1D offered comparable image quality with autofocus, image stabilization, and lighter weight.
• Full Frame Excellence: High-resolution full frame digital cameras provided image quality that approached medium format while offering complete system integration.
• System Discontinuation: Pentax's first exit from medium format camera production in 2009 left the lens mount system without modern camera support.
• Weight and Workflow: The 67 system's weight and film-era workflow became incompatible with digital photography's speed and convenience requirements.

Today, Pentax 67 105mm f/2.4 lenses command $300-600 on the used market, primarily among film enthusiasts and collectors who appreciate its unique rendering characteristics. Modern photographers seeking similar aesthetics typically choose full frame cameras with fast 85mm lenses, achieving comparable results with greater convenience.

The Inevitable March of Progress

These five lenses share common themes in their rise and fall from professional prominence. Each achieved technical breakthroughs that seemed impossible at their introduction: Canon's f/0.95 speed record, Nikon's 118-degree rectilinear field of view, Vivitar's macro-zoom integration, the Nikkor 105mm's universal professional adoption, and Pentax's medium format speed achievement.

All found professional adoption among specialists who recognized their unique capabilities and incorporated them into new photographic approaches. Yet technological progress ultimately rendered each obsolete.

Their current status as collector's items rather than working tools reflects photography's transformation from specialized craft requiring dedicated equipment to accessible medium served by versatile, automated systems. While modern photographers enjoy unprecedented technical capabilities, these forgotten legends remind us that innovation often comes from pushing single parameters to extreme limits—creating tools that briefly expand photographic possibilities before being absorbed into broader technological advancement.

The technical innovations pioneered by these forgotten lenses live on in contemporary optical design: floating element systems, computer-aided design, macro-zoom integration, and ultra-fast aperture construction. Their influence on modern lens development far exceeds their current market visibility.

Perhaps their greatest legacy lies not in their physical survival, but in proving that optical boundaries exist to be broken. Each lens represented a moment when engineers chose to pursue the impossible rather than the practical—creating tools that expanded photographic vocabulary before being forgotten by an industry that moved too quickly to remember its own achievements.