Cheap, Bad but fun Lenses

Imperitus · 16th of December 2004 (Thu)

I'm a new owner of a 20D.

Joy.
But I'm strapped for cash, Christmas and all... So I can't afford any additional good lenses for a while.

Which got me thinking, are there any crappy lenses out there, the kind will produce completly unsuitable for professional use images, but which also might be fun to pick up for change and play with?

Such as a fish eye that distorts unevenly and has blurry spots? Or anything like that?

I'm not looking for something that will be functional so much as something I can play with.

Any ideas?

Toogy · 16th of December 2004 (Thu)

Have you looked at the 50mm 1.8 MKII? It is really cheap AND very functional. It is very sharp and fast as well.

Or if you want something totally crazy, get one of these
http://www.lensbabies.com/

Imperitus · 16th of December 2004 (Thu)

I have the 50mm 1.8, it's my primary lens. It's great.

The lensbaby stuff looks fun. thanks for the tip.

I'm just looking for things to tide me over while I save for my 70-200 2.8 IS

Andy_T · 16th of December 2004 (Thu)

Tell us how it worked out ...

The lensbabies sure look like a fun way to suck dust into your camera...

Best regards,
Andy

Barb42 · 16th of December 2004 (Thu)

why would a lensbaby suck dust into your camera? I have one and it has glass just like any other lense. I have had no problems with it on my 10D. Check the samples on the lensbaby site and you will see some lovely work by some good professional photogs.

DocFrankenstein · 16th of December 2004 (Thu)

How about making your own pinhole camera?
Or making your own lensbaby zoom?

Imperitus · 16th of December 2004 (Thu)

That's actualy a great idea. I wonder if I can get some loose lenses and build my own tube/ atatchment...

Illegally_Alive · 16th of December 2004 (Thu)

Get a holga, they're $20 and lots of fun!
Yeah, It's not a lens but it has a really bad one! Plus you can mod. it to hold 35mm.

Imperitus · 16th of December 2004 (Thu)

Going to stop by american science surplus and grab some scrap lenes.

Anyone know of a good source for mounts that will fit the canon EF ?

I might try building a pin hole lens as well.

Is there any danger from letting too much light hit the sensor ?

Imperitus · 16th of December 2004 (Thu)

Never mind that, just realized I can pick up some spare canon body caps and use them.

I can't wait to get the parts and make FrankenLens.

BearSummer · 16th of December 2004 (Thu)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barb42

why would a lensbaby suck dust into your camera? I have one and it has glass just like any other lense. I have had no problems with it on my 10D. Check the samples on the lensbaby site and you will see some lovely work by some good professional photogs.

The reason that a lensbaby will probably suck dust into your camera is the same reason that all lenses that change length when focussing or zooming do. If the lens gets longer or shorter then its internal volume changes, if it gets larger then air gets sucked in, when smaller it expells air. Dust is just one of those annoying facts of life like wasps, std's and politicians, they serve no obvious purpose, are annoying and you wish they would go away.

best wishes

BearSummer

lomond · 16th of December 2004 (Thu)

You've got the best lens money can buy, for change. Save up and don't waste any money on crap. ( you get what you pay for. )
Lets see what you got with the 50mm 1.8

Cameron

DocFrankenstein · 16th of December 2004 (Thu)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Imperitus

Never mind that, just realized I can pick up some spare canon body caps and use them.

You're a genius!

Now I'm gonna vandalize my canon body cap and turn it into an M42 adapter!

Imperitus · 16th of December 2004 (Thu)

Cameron

Here's a recent shot with my 50mm, which I have a looong way to getting proficient with.

But here is this evenings project.

First I tried a convex lens, and got the following blurrry streaky type of images:

That's my christmas tree btw.
Not much use.

But then I tried this concave:

and turned this:

into:

That's pretty wide, I think if I get a clean lens, instead of the one I dug out of a bin at science surpluss and fix it to a clean uv filter(that's how I mounted it on the outside of my kit lens), I might have some worth playing with.

DocFrankenstein · 16th of December 2004 (Thu)

Wait... what did you do?

Mounted what on what?

16th of December 2004 (Thu)	#1
Imperitus Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 129	Cheap, Bad but fun Lenses I'm a new owner of a 20D. Joy. But I'm strapped for cash, Christmas and all... So I can't afford any additional good lenses for a while. Which got me thinking, are there any crappy lenses out there, the kind will produce completly unsuitable for professional use images, but which also might be fun to pick up for change and play with? Such as a fish eye that distorts unevenly and has blurry spots? Or anything like that? I'm not looking for something that will be functional so much as something I can play with. Any ideas? __________________ 20D, with a few lenses and other toys.

16th of December 2004 (Thu)	#2
Toogy "I like pictures of myself!" Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 6,244	Re: Cheap, Bad but fun Lenses Have you looked at the 50mm 1.8 MKII? It is really cheap AND very functional. It is very sharp and fast as well. Or if you want something totally crazy, get one of these http://www.lensbabies.com/ __________________ Toogood Studios *Good Light and Shoot to the Right....*

16th of December 2004 (Thu)	#3
Imperitus Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 129	Re: Cheap, Bad but fun Lenses I have the 50mm 1.8, it's my primary lens. It's great. The lensbaby stuff looks fun. thanks for the tip. I'm just looking for things to tide me over while I save for my 70-200 2.8 IS __________________ 20D, with a few lenses and other toys.

16th of December 2004 (Thu)	#4
Andy_T Compensating for his small ... sensor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Stuttgart/Cologne, Germany Posts: 9,848 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Cheap, Bad but fun Lenses Tell us how it worked out ... The lensbabies sure look like a fun way to suck dust into your camera... Best regards, Andy __________________ some cameras, some lenses, and still a lot of things to learn... (so post processing examples on my images are welcome ) If you like the forum, vote for it where it really counts! CLICK here for the EOS FAQ CLICK here for the Post Processing FAQ CLICK here to understand a bit more about BOKEH

16th of December 2004 (Thu)	#5
Barb42 Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Minnesota Posts: 775	Re: Cheap, Bad but fun Lenses why would a lensbaby suck dust into your camera? I have one and it has glass just like any other lense. I have had no problems with it on my 10D. Check the samples on the lensbaby site and you will see some lovely work by some good professional photogs.

16th of December 2004 (Thu)	#6
DocFrankenstein Cream of the Crop Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: where the buffalo roam Posts: 10,808	Re: Cheap, Bad but fun Lenses How about making your own pinhole camera? Or making your own lensbaby zoom?

16th of December 2004 (Thu)	#7
Imperitus Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 129	Re: Cheap, Bad but fun Lenses That's actualy a great idea. I wonder if I can get some loose lenses and build my own tube/ atatchment...

16th of December 2004 (Thu)	#8
Illegally_Alive Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Nomad Posts: 168	Re: Cheap, Bad but fun Lenses Get a holga, they're $20 and lots of fun! Yeah, It's not a lens but it has a really bad one! Plus you can mod. it to hold 35mm.

16th of December 2004 (Thu)	#9
Imperitus Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 129	Re: Cheap, Bad but fun Lenses Going to stop by american science surplus and grab some scrap lenes. Anyone know of a good source for mounts that will fit the canon EF ? I might try building a pin hole lens as well. Is there any danger from letting too much light hit the sensor ?

16th of December 2004 (Thu)	#10
Imperitus Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 129	Re: Cheap, Bad but fun Lenses Never mind that, just realized I can pick up some spare canon body caps and use them. I can't wait to get the parts and make FrankenLens.

16th of December 2004 (Thu)	#12
lomond Goldmember Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Ayrshire, Scotland Posts: 2,366 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Cheap, Bad but fun Lenses You've got the best lens money can buy, for change. Save up and don't waste any money on crap. ( you get what you pay for. ) Lets see what you got with the 50mm 1.8 Cameron __________________ Cameron........My Images

16th of December 2004 (Thu)	#14
Imperitus Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 129	Re: Cheap, Bad but fun Lenses Cameron Here's a recent shot with my 50mm, which I have a looong way to getting proficient with. But here is this evenings project. First I tried a convex lens, and got the following blurrry streaky type of images: That's my christmas tree btw. Not much use. But then I tried this concave: and turned this: into: That's pretty wide, I think if I get a clean lens, instead of the one I dug out of a bin at science surpluss and fix it to a clean uv filter(that's how I mounted it on the outside of my kit lens), I might have some worth playing with.

16th of December 2004 (Thu)	#15
DocFrankenstein Cream of the Crop Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: where the buffalo roam Posts: 10,808	Re: Cheap, Bad but fun Lenses Wait... what did you do? Mounted what on what?

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