M42 addiction?

Sikario wrote:
You need an M42-EOS adaptor. There are plenty on ebay, mostly from Hong Kong. Mine arrived in a matter of days and was very cheap.

For macro images, M42 extension tubes are ridiculously cheap, and so much fun to use.

Beware though, as others have said. It gets rather addictive.

The Helios is an amazing little lens really. The jupiter is also wonderful. Both are bullet proof. These lenses do tend to make some anoyed. They can't believe you get close to L quality for such silly prices. You just need to learn to operate a camera 'correctly' Real time-proven portrait classics.

'L quality' is a nice catchy buzzword ... still I think that the relevant comparison would rather be the (also much more expensive) Canon standard primes.

My Jupiter-9 is nice, but I don't think it compares to the 85/1.8 (let alone the 85/1.2L - which would be the relevant L lens). Plus, using it can be a pain in the neck.

My take on comparing it ... I am definitely not able to get a sharp and correctly focused image in reasonable time using the lens wide open - so for me, it does not really compare to a Canon EF 85/1.8. YMMV.

Best regards,
Andy

Put it on a tripod and use a split screen to focus. I did some test shots and was very surprised. It loses a tad of colour but not much else. Of course, it is a classic portrait lens from back when a softer focus what the thing. Mine gives that effect but then things firm up to a more contemporary look when stopped down.

It's not a lens I would necessary want to go walkaround with tho' I actually like the way you change aperture. It is very easy once you get used to it, especially in terms of going from wide open to focus it and then with a simple turn of the second ring stop it down to your pre set stop point.

I agree, it competes with the 'consumer' primes. It is what I meant but said something different I was thinking about my 24-105mm IS L. Again, better colour, but I am happy to use either for a key shot and not feel I am losing much, same with the Helios.

That's what I thought, Condyk.

I do have a split prism focusing screen, but often find it hard to find the necessary straight lines needed to do the focusing with the split prism on a portrait

Also, putting it on a tripod is not really conductive to my personal style of portrait photography. So far, this is one of my best results with the lens. I'm happy with the image, but getting it required taking a number of shots.

Best regards,
Andy

kevin_c wrote:


Years ago I only had a 50mm and a 200mm with my old Canon A1 and took some of the best shots of my life with em.
As you say, you tend to 'look' for a shot with your eyes and use your legs rather than just using your zoom - zooms tend to make you lazy I suppose...

I do like my AF though , my eyesight is not what it used to be .

Focusing screens are not what they used to be either.

Well, I do have a few good Canon lens, but I must say I use them less and less. I haven't used /any/ for weeks. Some for months now.

For example : the Canon 85mm f1.8 is nice and indeed a lot sharper than the Jupiter 9, BUT it also has massive purple fringes wide open, and is massively bigger & heavier. The Jupiter 9 is smaller than Canon's 50mm!

On the 50mm front, it's more of the same. I got 2 f1.2 manual lens (faster than my canon) that I find excellent, while being more compact. Not counting the few f1.4 ones that are totaly brilliant like the Takumar, or the myriads of f1.8 ones
So yeah I KNOW the Canon is a great lens, but if I don't have to track my subject, I can pick any of these manual ones and get (at least) an equivalent result.

Wider, well, the Flektogon is /glued/ on the camera most of the time, and if I want wider, I have the Sigma zoom.

135mm well I have so many good ones it's hard to pick. the Canon is fantastic, but it's also massive, quite frankly if I don't have to track subjects I'll pick a manual. The Zeiss or the SMC Takumar, or the Pentacon... But then again I might just pick a tiny 105mm.

200mm I rarely use after all. But strangely enough if I have to use one it's the Canon. I have a couple very good manual 200mm, but they are not any smaller than the L.. so...

So it's all a question of convenience. I feel I can carry a small compact 135mm in my bag all afternoon and not regret having picked it if I didn't get to shoot it. That's not true on the Canon (not only that, but I have to carry the massive shade too :/)

I went through the thread but would someone mind compiling a list of worthy M42s?

also, has anyone tried out that AF-confirm adapter yet?

JDubya wrote in post #2369166
I went through the thread but would someone mind compiling a list of worthy M42s?

also, has anyone tried out that AF-confirm adapter yet?

Hi Dubya,
I think it all depends of your definition of worthy. If you expect them to be sharper then Canon L lenses, most of them are not. But, if you compare these lenses' overall quality, (sharpness, contrast, color, build quality, bouquet), and compare how much they cost with a Canon's L price, then you will find that all the lenses in my gear list are worth, and many others that I don't own too. But only if you are willing to give up autofocus and electronic aperture.

Yes, I own a couple of AF-confirm adapters, and they work very well.

Good luck!

Tiziano

I've got a question....

What does everyone do/use to focus these lenses? Obviously their manual, and it's sometimes pretty difficult to get good focus just using the viewfinder.

Do you guys:
-Just focus manually, with no help?
-Trial and error? (Multiple shots?)
-Use/install a focusing screen?
-Buy a focus confirmation adapter?

Just curious. Since it would be difficult to get these amazing images without having that focus on the dot, especially with these large apertures.

One vote for

- installed a focusing screen, plus take multiple shots to make sure at least one is somehow in focus

Don't forget that for every great image you see here in this thread, there might be 5 that did not come out great and were thrown away. (at least for me) No problem, as it does not cost any money.

However, it costs time ... and might not be your solution if you are a working pro at a paid shoot

Some lenses are easier to focus than others.
I get more keepers with my Zeiss Sonnar 135/3.5 than with my Jupiter-9 85/2.0. Can't explain it, but that is how it is for me.

Best regards,
Andy

Andythaler wrote in post #2384439
One vote for

- installed a focusing screen, plus take multiple shots to make sure at least one is somehow in focus

Don't forget that for every great image you see here in this thread, there might be 5 that did not come out great and were thrown away. (at least for me) No problem, as it does not cost any money.

However, it costs time ... and might not be your solution if you are a working pro at a paid shoot

Some lenses are easier to focus than others.
I get more keepers with my Zeiss Sonnar 135/3.5 than with my Jupiter-9 85/2.0. Can't explain it, but that is how it is for me.

Best regards,
Andy

Thanks for the input Andy.

I'm reading more through the thread, and I think I may want to just get a M42-EOS adapter with Focus Confirmation. Installing a focus screen (which aren't too cheap) would hinder me when I want to use some of my normal Canon-mount lenses I think.

http://cgi.ebay.com …geNameZWD1VQQcm​dZViewItem

this one is not as expensive and works OK

i've posted a review of the thing. i'm satisfied

DocFrankenstein wrote in post #2384486
http://cgi.ebay.com …geNameZWD1VQQcm​dZViewItem

this one is not as expensive and works OK

i've posted a review of the thing. i'm satisfied

Thanks, but my real problem with one is having to install it, and wanting to uninstall it when I want to use my Canon-mount lenses.

Mine is on full time ... it is easy to fit and no need to remove for AF lenses. The split screen is useful for checking AF too ... sometimes you see that AF is a tad out so you can tweak focus or re-AF.

jcw122 wrote in post #2384517
Thanks, but my real problem with one is having to install it, and wanting to uninstall it when I want to use my Canon-mount lenses.

There's nothing to it. Just get a pen, remove the screen and then put it back - just to convince yourself you can do it.