good budget manual lenses? (old school type)

Looking for some help/advice about lenses. I just got into DSLR very recently (within the last month) and right now I have a T2i with kit 18-135mm lenses. Right now I'd like to get a couple of really cheap (under $50) but good IQ and build old-school manual prime lenses. I read some good stuff about the Yashica ML 50mm f/2 lens, and I'm thinking about similar types of lenses, so preferably 28mm/35mm, 50mm, or 85mm. I'm not too familiar with the old mounts since there's mostly before my time so I'd like a lens with a mount that can be adapter-ed onto the EOS


Thanks for any help!!

There are tons of M42 mount lenses on eBay that adapt easily.

I have Mir 1V 37mm f/2.8 that was about $60 and was a really fun lens on my XSi when I had it. You can also look at the Helios 44 58mm f/2 for some interesting bokeh but not exactly the sharpest.

Be careful! Alt Glass is really addicting!

I have and can recommend an m42 Helios 58mm f2. (44-2).

danjama wrote in post #13826718
I have and can recommend an m42 Helios 58mm f2. (44-2).

Wow it's only about $20 on ebay, that's awesome! I think I'll get one

What are some good brands/makers for M42 mounts? Doing a little bit of research has made me realize that most of these lenses come from before I was born, haha
oops i meant M42 lenses

^- Pretty much anyone does good, Photodiox i believe is one of the more common ones i see...

Join "Manual Focus Forum" all the info you'll need.

Under $50 is tough, but you'll likely be looking at 50mm lenses as they are plentiful. The really really good vintage lenses arent cheap because the folks who shoot film still value them and lately the manual focus craze has swept prices even higher.

For other focal lengths, you can try to look for a 24mm or 28mm Vivitar F2.0 or F2.8 lens, the best ones are supposedly 28xxxx serial number with the words "close focus" in the front (made by Komine in Japan). as for the Helios, the later versions have multicoatings, the 44M-6 or 44M-7 are suppose to be sharper than the earlier ones. If you want a really decent 50mm lens, try to find a 8 blade version of the SMC Takumar. The coating helps with flare and gives better contrast and the 8 blade version has very smooth bokeh. The metal ring version has a silky smooth focusing ring.

I've got a fotodiox adapter I purchased in the last month, just make sure to get one with a chip so the af lights will work. They make them now where the chip,is programmable for focal length and aperture etc.. Mine was like 13 bucks delivered from hong kong.

I'm having tons of fun with a Soligor 135mm right now!

Oh ya, and some of the pre mid seventies glass is radioactive, one of mine is on the list of possible hot lenses.

Olympus OM lenses are inexpensive and good IQ. Built like tanks, too. I just sold my 50/3.5macro simply because I wasn't using it much, but it made a nice sharp portrait lens on a budget. (I don't do macro). There's also a 50/1.8 OM that seems to be more popular but also more pricey.

Helios is a special lens, I used to have one. Be warned that it's rather soft. But it produces a unique creamy bokeh. It would make an interesting soft portrait.

It's a pity you don't want to spend a little more. The older manual focus Nikkors are excellent lenses. Some of the best glass to come out of Japan. Very easy to adapt to Canon DSLRs.

yogestee wrote in post #13829065
It's a pity you don't want to spend a little more. The older manual focus Nikkors are excellent lenses. Some of the best glass to come out of Japan. Very easy to adapt to Canon DSLRs.

I agree with the quality of Nikkor lenses, and they can be found at reasonable prices.
If you buy more than one lens, buy an adaptor and a Canon rear cap for each lens. It makes it a lot easier to change lenses in the field. I wouldn't bother with the focus-confim chip in the adaptor, buy a better focus screen instead if you need help.
...Terry

yogestee wrote in post #13829065
It's a pity you don't want to spend a little more. The older manual focus Nikkors are excellent lenses. Some of the best glass to come out of Japan. Very easy to adapt to Canon DSLRs.

how much are the Nikkors? any specific lens?

Overkill-F1 wrote in post #13829558
I agree with the quality of Nikkor lenses, and they can be found at reasonable prices.
If you buy more than one lens, buy an adaptor and a Canon rear cap for each lens. It makes it a lot easier to change lenses in the field. I wouldn't bother with the focus-confim chip in the adaptor, buy a better focus screen instead if you need help.
...Terry

would the adapters without a focus-confirm chip still register with the camera as having a lens attached?

j9song wrote in post #13830015
how much are the Nikkors? any specific lens?


would the adapters without a focus-confirm chip still register with the camera as having a lens attached?

Sure. You just need to figure the way to use it. Live View focusing is the key. Also the camera wouldn't know what aperture you have, but it does know how much light hits the sensor, so by putting camera in M mode, setting manual aperture on the lens, you can then watch the exposure needle & play with shutter speed or ISO values to get it where it needs to be.

I lost interest in my OM lens when I got 85 /1.8, but last October I took it out for a spin and it was a blast to use, I got some great photos with it, even in somewhat challenging backlit conditions:

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I don't use a focus confirm with my Helios 58mm. I just use live view and x5 or x10 mag when i can.

I took this with the Helios.

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …/danjamafotos/6​716979675/

j9song wrote in post #13826579
Looking for some help/advice about lenses. I just got into DSLR very recently (within the last month) and right now I have a T2i with kit 18-135mm lenses. Right now I'd like to get a couple of really cheap (under $50) but good IQ and build old-school manual lenses. I read some good stuff about the Yashica ML 50mm f/2 lens, and I'm thinking about similar types of lenses, so pref 35mm, 50mm, or 85mm. Also I'm not too familiar with the old mounts so I'd like a lens with a mount that can be adapter-ed onto the EOS

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Thanks for any help!!

you're right on the money if you're thinking about buying old vintage manual prime lenses. they are nice and cost less than 100$

interested in this thread, subscribed. haha