Vintage lenses on EOS body?

I'm going to be buying a vintage lens soon (Helios 44 or Minolta 58) as I've heard that they have unique, quality optics and a different look than newer lenses. I know I'm going to need an adapter, but which one do I get? I want the best IQ possible, with the least amount of interference or loss of functionality due to the adapter as possible - essentially just the best one out there.
And does anyone have any experience using old lenses on a new body? Are there any problems? How do the pictures look? How do they differ from current lenses in terms of how the picture looks? I've heard that they have very nice bokeh and a 'smoother' color rendition - how much truth is there to this?
Thanks!

I received a Fotodiox adapter with my Super Takumar 55mm 1.8 lens. Works great has AF confirm and since it has no extra glass in it no quality loss whatsoever. I can't comment on the Helios or Minolta lenses you're considering but my Super Tak has a beautiful cream bokeh and the colors really pop

You can read below thread:
https://photography-on-the.net …/showthread.php​?t=1228845
https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=644277
https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=870327

I had no experience with Helios 44 or Minolta 58, but their adapter no optic that will no effected the IQ of the lens. Vintage lens have color rendition and bokeh different from EF lens, you can search the sample in the thread above. The only problem with vintage lens is only manual focus, this need same pratice to get the best result from the lens.

I've also heard that with some adapters, you can't change the aperture? Which ones are like this?

on both lenses you're looking at they have manual aperture rings. You adjust them the same way you would have shooting film. The only adapters you'd have to worry about a lens always being wide open don't really apply to what you're looking for.

burninghotcheese wrote in post #16106224
I've also heard that with some adapters, you can't change the aperture? Which ones are like this?

No automated aperture lens that is not designed to work with EOS cameras will function like an EF or EF-S lens. You want to make sure that any non-Canon (or clone) lens that you use has a manual aperture control ring as well as a focus ring and (possibly) a zoom control ring. The Nikkor lenses that I bought with my Nikon F cameras in the 1960s work great on my Canon DSLRs with a simple mechanical mount adapter.

This may also be helpful:

http://www.bobatkins.c​om …faq/manual_focu​s_EOS.html
http://en.wikipedia.or​g/wiki/Flange_focal_di​stance

I use cheap ebay adapters with some C/Y and Zuiko lenses and they work fine.

Minolta MD/MC and Canon FD/FL doesn't adapt well to EOS because the mount register distance is too shallow.

Olympus OM, Pentax K, m42, Nikon F, Contax, Leica R and most medium format lenses all adapt really well.

tkbslc wrote in post #16106381
Minolta MD/MC and Canon FD/FL doesn't adapt well to EOS because the mount register distance is too shallow.

Olympus OM, Pentax K, m42, Nikon F, Contax, Leica R and most medium format lenses all adapt really well.

^^^This.

I think (not saying I know, but I think) the Helios is an M42 mount, which would not need an adapter with optics. The Minolta will require additional optics, which may (most likely will) affect IQ. If the Helios is an M42, go for that. Not having to add additional optics will make a considerable difference. If you have to have the Minolta, go for the absolute best adapter you can find. Ideally, you'd want to do an Ed Mika (?) conversion, but it wouldn't financially make sense on that lens.

Helios 44 is in m42 mount, yes. You just need a simple metal spacer and they work really well.

The Minolta and Canon metal lenses do need an optical adapter, but the only way they make that work is that it is actually a teleconverter. So you pay all that money for the fancy rokkor 58mm f1.2, and you put a $30 crappy teleconverter in front of it. Not only does it reduce image quality, but it ads 2/3 a stop of aperture and focal distance. So the 58 1.2 becomes a softer 75mm f1.5.

Thanks for the help! I'll (reluctantly) pass on the Minolta then.
Good to know that the Helios will work well.

EDIT: Has anyone had any experience with this? Seems to be fairly high quality, so not much loss of IQ?
http://www.jimbuchanan​space.com/Camera_Servi​ces.html

Look at my gear list and ask me anything you want. Gene

Minolta lenses can be changed with an EOS mount that does't require additional optics. What version of the 58mm are you getting?

In case the Minolta lens is a Rokkor 58mm f/1.2 the mount conversionis relative easy. To get with an EOS 5D infinity is a bit harder.

Mackeral wrote in post #16107018
Minolta lenses can be changed with an EOS mount that does't require additional optics. What version of the 58mm are you getting?

Whichever one allows me to do this!
Which model is it?