Best Vintage MF lenses

Helios 44 is a Russian optical design (Biotar) copy of a famous German lens. The first ones (best, IMO) were chrome, had 13 blades and purple coatings. Then they went to 8 blades in chrome. By the time you get to 44-2, 8 blades. Some later 44's had 6 blades and although probably technically sharper, the magic was gone. 8 blade 44-2 or older is my suggestion. I am about to list a chrome 44 and a chrome Jupiter 9 on eBay.

Iam going have to look into the blades because I have the black one too

If you have a Helios that gives you good pix, please, do not look at it, do not Google it, do not count blades. Just sit back and enjoy it. Equipment is not everything.

gasrocks wrote in post #15835182
If you have a Helios that gives you good pix, please, do not look at it, do not Google it, do not count blades. Just sit back and enjoy it. Equipment is not everything.

This.

gasrocks wrote in post #15835182
If you have a Helios that gives you good pix, please, do not look at it, do not Google it, do not count blades. Just sit back and enjoy it. Equipment is not everything.

I know it ain't everything is still good to know what you got!

Exactly. But often people here forget. Gene

gasrocks wrote in post #15834342
The Yashica ML 50/1.4 is very good and a great bang for the buck lens. FINALLY, I have updated my equipment list. Feel free to ask me why any one of them is on the list. Gene

Do you have any experience with it vs the DS-M version? My 50/1.7 is the DS-M and it's excellent, the reason I want the 1.4 isn't just for the extra speed, my 1.7 has seen better days... it has some internal dust and haze and the filter ring is dented beyond saving so I can't use any filters on it

Edit: Never-mind, I checked ebay again tonight and found a mint condition Yashica ML 50/1.4 for $140 and pulled the trigger I can't wait to try it out! I should be done buying MF lenses now for a while... maybe...

EverydayGetaway wrote in post #15836064
Do you have any experience with it vs the DS-M version? My 50/1.7 is the DS-M and it's excellent, the reason I want the 1.4 isn't just for the extra speed, my 1.7 has seen better days... it has some internal dust and haze and the filter ring is dented beyond saving so I can't use any filters on it

Edit: Never-mind, I checked ebay again tonight and found a mint condition Yashica ML 50/1.4 for $140 and pulled the trigger I can't wait to try it out! I should be done buying MF lenses now for a while... maybe...

Why not play with the big boys and get your self a
Tomioka Yashinon 55mm f1.2

Someone else on another forum, someone who's opinion I always trust, listed his top 3 50mm lenses. Leeica R 50/2, Nikon 55/1.2 SC and Nikon 50/1.4 SC. OLY 50/1.4 was a close 4th. I do suggest you try out the OLY 50/1.4. Higher serial numbers have the best coatings (one change made at 1M, another at 1.1M.) Small and user friendly lens. About $100 - $170 on eBay. Gene

pkilla wrote in post #15837027
Why not play with the big boys and get your self a
Tomioka Yashinon 55mm f1.2

Because aperture isn't everything if I was going to drop that kind of cash I'd get the Zeiss 50/1.4. The Yashica will hold me over until either Canon, Samyang or Sigma releases their new 50mm

Rollei 135/2.8

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/shumnich/865909​1382/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/shumnich/865909​3342/

Picture below is with my recently aquired Pentax Takumar 135mm f3.5. Picture was at f3.5. Very happy with this 51 year old lens. The lens itself looks like new and i think it was rarely used.

IMAGE LINK: http://smg.photobucket​.com …y008_zps64e5406​8.jpg.html

IMAGE LINK: http://smg.photobucket​.com …y017_zpsb0f9fa0​7.jpg.html

ZoneV wrote in post #15785808
To push this older thread up:

But not the 52B and 52BB version - they sometimes produce hotspots.

I hope that I could use my Trioplan 100 soon for spring flower photos!

YOU sir.. have caused me to get this lens I can't wait to get my hands on it. It's totally a hidden gem from the results I see on flikr. And I said to myself I was done with gear!! What can I say, I'm an addict.

zyndurai wrote in post #15838938
YOU sir.. have caused me to get this lens I can't wait to get my hands on it. It's totally a hidden gem from the results I see on flikr. And I said to myself I was done with gear!! What can I say, I'm an addict.

can you post a link where i can buy that lens i really want it..

there is a good thread under fred miranda for the same topic (alternative gear forum)