Just found my calling... rare/exotic lens guru

[nianys]

Hey guys,

NEX owner since early September, I was immediately bitten by the MF bug. I've written many a post about this condition/addiction, that I happily give in to, and to be honest, with very little remorse or guilt.

I've been thu pretty much all the "to do" lenses that we're discussing here : Hexanons AR, Canons FL/fD, Rokkors MC/MD, Super Taks, Olympus both OM and PEN, Carl Zeiss Jenna, Helios...
I still have to play with the cult Pentax SMC 50/1.7 and the Carl Zeiss 50/1.7 in Y/C mount (and some manual Nikons) but overall I've walked the walk.

Now I've discovered my true calling, and that's trying and loving lenses that are mucb more rare, less used, sometimes less reputed. The more exotic the better.
I'm waiting for a QBM adapter to test a Rollei 50/1.8 Planar I've been delivered over a week ago. Getting pretty itchy about this one I admit, lol.
I will buy again the beautiful Auto Reflecta that was my first MF lens that I stupidly sold because I was unskilled manual focusing on the GX-1.
A Auto Mamiya Sekor 55/1.4 caught my attention and I can't wait until I secure one.

So bring them on rareties if you know of a few hidden gem, my focal lengths of choice are anything around 50. Nifties are golden !

 

[kevistopheles]

Pentacon - 50/1.4
Jupiter-8 - 50/2 (chrome and black versions)
Helios 103 in Contax/Kiev RF mount - 53/1.8
Meyer Optik Gorlitz Oreston - 50/1.8
Industar 61 LD - 55/2.8

 

[nianys]

Auto Revuenon 55/1.7

That's it, I found a clone of the Auto Reflecta that I liked. The one I just got is the one with the faux leather ring. I re checked the shots I had done with the Reflecta wide open on the GX-1? and the sharpness/OOF contrast was just amazing.

 

[quezra]

I suppose this lens is too wide for your tastes, but I'd be very curious about the Kern Paillard Switar 25mm f1.4. It's C-mount so I expect it may have issues covering the whole frame but it's as exotic as they get.

Also if I had the money, the Konica M 50/1.2 is stunningly beautiful, probably my favorite looking lens of all - with a bit of Contax G flavor but better... but it's priced like a Leica

 

[Luckypenguin]

I wonder if the term "fast 50" comes from the max aperture and focal length or because in no time at all you'll probably own 50 of them . When I was playing with MF lenses it seemed like it could have been either.

 

[snkenai]

50s tend to accumulate like dust bunnies.

 

[nianys]

In fact I sold a bunch of them and found myself with "only" 4 to chose from last night, that felt pretty lonely !

 

[Bimjo]

Huh, I must be weird. I only have my SMC Tak 55/1.8 & no real desire for anything else. Might swap the 55 for a 50/1.4 eventually, but no burning need at this point.

 

[kevistopheles]

I think fast 50's pile up quickly for a few reasons, there are a lot to choose from, a lot of them are pretty good and for the most part they're cheap. I've been trying to buy an MC Rokkor 24/2.8 and they hover around $200 - $300. I can probably get a half dozen fast 50's for that amount.

 

[Dioptrick]

Huh, I must be weird. I only have my SMC Tak 55/1.8 & no real desire for anything else. Might swap the 55 for a 50/1.4 eventually, but no burning need at this point.

I've got one of those and I know what you mean... it's a fantastic lens - that's if I ever see mine again! I lent it to a good friend who recently bought a 5N and he told me he may never give it back (he's just blown away by it)!!

 

[Bimjo]

I've got one of those and I know what you mean... it's a fantastic lens - that's if I ever see mine again! I lent it to a good friend who recently bought a 5N and he told me he may never give it back (he's just blown away by it)!!

Well, you're one of the reasons I got mine.

 

[nianys]

I had the Tak and it's very sweet. But I admit I'm addicted to the ability to swap them !! I can stick to one guy in my life, but no way on Earth I'm being faithful to one nifty

 

[Bimjo]

Ok exotic lens guru, I found one for you. How many of these do you figure exist in the world?

Mint Contax G Biogon 28mm F 2 8 Modified to Leica M Mount by MS Optical 02991 | eBay

And I'm looking for a nice 28. [sigh] So many cool lenses, so little money. If I had the cash this puppy would already be on its way to my house.

 

[Dioptrick]

I had the Tak and it's very sweet. But I admit I'm addicted to the ability to swap them !! I can stick to one guy in my life, but no way on Earth I'm being faithful to one nifty

 

[nianys]

Ok exotic lens guru, I found one for you. How many of these do you figure exist in the world?

Mint Contax G Biogon 28mm F 2 8 Modified to Leica M Mount by MS Optical 02991 | eBay

And I'm looking for a nice 28. [sigh] So many cool lenses, so little money. If I had the cash this puppy would already be on its way to my house.

Hmm, I never said I won the lottery, lol !

 

[Bimjo]

Hmm, I never said I won the lottery, lol !

There's still time to win! Hopefully your luck is better is mine.

 

[nianys]

There's still time to win! Hopefully your luck is better is mine.

A French dude just won 169 million EUROS (that's close to 200 M$) at the lottery. Dang.

 

[Bimjo]

A French dude just won 169 million EUROS (that's close to 200 M$) at the lottery. Dang.

How rude! He probably didn't even offer to share did he? Well, I wouldn't either I guess.

 

[applemint]

Huh, I must be weird. I only have my SMC Tak 55/1.8 & no real desire for anything else. Might swap the 55 for a 50/1.4 eventually, but no burning need at this point.

Or perhaps you are normal and those of us with a large selection of legacy lenses of the same or similar focal length are 'weird'.

It can become a bit of an addiction for some (me included) and part of it is just curiousity to see what a lens is like and part of it perhaps a quest for the 'ultimate' /best lens (whatever that is) plus the fact that they are often so cheap anyway so it's not a purchase you have to think long and hard about. As well as being able to sell them for the same amount you paid for them so no real risk whereas a new native mount lens would usually have to be sold at a loss if you didn't like it. But nobody really needs half a dozen or more 50mm lenses and I do need to do what others here have done and thin the herd at some stage.

 

[Bimjo]

Or perhaps you are normal and those of us with a large selection of legacy lenses of the same or similar focal length are 'weird'.

It can become a bit of an addiction for some (me included) and part of it is just curiousity to see what a lens is like and part of it perhaps a quest for the 'ultimate' /best lens (whatever that is) plus the fact that they are often so cheap anyway so it's not a purchase you have to think long and hard about. As well as being able to sell them for the same amount you paid for them so no real risk whereas a new native mount lens would usually have to be sold at a loss if you didn't like it. But nobody really needs half a dozen or more 50mm lenses and I do need to do what others here have done and thin the herd at some stage.

Oh, it wasn't a knock. After all, I have 8 copies of the same pocket knife. And I have lenses that I haven't even seen in years. Speaking of which, I really need to have a fire sale.