The view through older Glass

[farnz]

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18 minutes ago, UliWer said:

A lens from 2015 does not really fit the title of this thread.

I understand your viewpoint and have felt the same from time to time.  However, if we were to time travel to 2030, say, (and assuming that the forum and thread are still accessible) then the view from 2030 about lenses from 2015 is likely to be quite different from our view now.  It would be a shame to disqualify lenses on the basis of date and deprive people in later years from enjoying pictures from these lenses wouldn't it?

Pete.

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[UliWer]

vor 9 Minuten schrieb Ecar:

I think Pete chose a pragmatic approach when he started this thread,

Yes, and he managed to keep it alive with a safe hand since. 

So I see no reason for new rules, as long as contributors don't start to test their boundaries. A simple approach to what may be called "older glass" should do. 

 

Edited November 15, 2022 by UliWer

[hmzimelka]

M11 with Summicron-M 5cm Collapsible. 

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Edited November 15, 2022 by hmzimelka

[wizard]

vor 1 Minute schrieb hmzimelka:

M11 with Summicron-M 5cm Collapsible.

Your shot speaks volumes about older lenses allegedly not being suited for modern 60MP digital sensors. Thanks for sharing!

[farnz]

1 hour ago, Ecar said:

I think Pete chose a pragmatic approach when he started this thread, but perhaps it would now make sense to "ban" ASPH and APO lenses from here? Just a thought. Pete, what do you think?

Thank you, Ecar.

I think excluding, say, asph or APO lenses on the basis of technology or construction etc might be starting down a slippery slope. Where does one draw the line?  Should super-Elmarits be excluded too on the grounds that, well, they're "super"? 😄  (I think not.) Some might argue, for example, that a new coating or a new glass mixture constitute a reason to exclude certain lenses on the grounds that they depart significantly from previous or earlier lenses

"Older" is a nebulous word which I see working both for and against this thread.  It works against the thread by being a comparative term (older than what?) but it works for the thread by being wonderfully non-specific and thereby providing a fuzzy line when it helps.

I'm not certain that I understand quite what excluding asph, (ASPHERICAL?), or APO lenses would achieve.  The thread is filled with lovely pictures some of which are gorgeously fuzzy and/or glowy but, from the same lens, crisp and contrasty when stopped down.  To my mind the asph and APO lenses herald the drive towards what some refer to as "sharp" pictures, which appear to be the desire of the day in many photographic circles.  This is a fad and other fad's will follow I expect.

My reason for starting this thread was to demonstrate through pictures that all lenses are not equal and, to an extent, different lenses can be used like different artists' brushes to suit the mood or emotion the photographer wishes to draw out in a picture.  To my mind everyone's pictures have done that extremely well and I'm happy to report that I've had PMs from members that this thread has opened their eyes to the 'beauty' and choices that are available beyond the purely technical and are pursuing a different avenue.  (This is massively satisfying for me.)  I've rambled on too long so I'll stop there.

Pete.

Edited November 15, 2022 by farnz

[pippy]

50 minutes ago, Ecar said:

I'd agree with you......but perhaps it would now make sense to "ban" ASPH and APO lenses from here? Just a thought...

I've felt guilty when I've posted the occasional snap taken with my own 28 Elmarit ASPH v1 as in some ways it does seem to be stretching the spirit of the thread but one problem with a blanket ban on ASPH lenses would be excluding such classics as the original 50mm f1.2 Noctilux or the 35mm Summilux AA. Similarly there are some APO lenses which were made back in the late 1940s / early 1950s and IMO these would certainly fit in with the ethos of this place.

I will endeavour to use simple comon sense in my own future posts and I'm sure everyone else will manage to do so as well. AFAIK no-one has been shown the 'Ban-Stick' so far...

Philip.

EDIT : I see Pete was posting as I was writing my previous post. Yes; I'm another who has dsicovered much beauty through using older lenses and this thread has been massively influential in that journey so a huge THANK YOU! to Pete for starting this particular ball rolling in the first instance and, of course, everyone else whose contributions have made this thread such a wondrous place to visit.

Edited November 15, 2022 by pippy

[farnz]

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A picture as partial atonement for all my waffling. 🙂

1951 Nikkor Nippon Kogaku 50/1.4 "Tokyo" with M8.

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[hmzimelka]

8 minutes ago, wizard said:

Your shot speaks volumes about older lenses allegedly not being suited for modern 60MP digital sensors. Thanks for sharing!

Barely manageable 😆

Jokes aside, the lens is great. Sharpness and super high contrast is very much a modern trait that is nice, but it also gets tiring.
The Summicron 5cm Collapsible was just a magic combination with my M10M which I unfortunately had to return and couldn't get replaced. 

[Ecar]

33 minutes ago, farnz said:

I understand your viewpoint and have felt the same from time to time.  However, if we were to time travel to 2030, say, (and assuming that the forum and thread are still accessible) then the view from 2030 about lenses from 2015 is likely to be quite different from our view now.  It would be a shame to disqualify lenses on the basis of date and deprive people in later years from enjoying pictures from these lenses wouldn't it?

Pete.

Thanks, Pete. Fair enough. I'd argue that there's an abundance of images taken with APOs and ASPHs in other parts of the forum, but I see where you are coming from. My post #9924 was meant to be slightly provocative (apologies for that) and hopefully elicit a reaction to see what you and others think about that. The replies are definitely interesting.

32 minutes ago, UliWer said:

Yes, and he managed to keep it alive with a safe hand since. 

So I see no reason for new rules, as long as contributors don't start to test their boundaries. A simple approach to what may be called "older glass" should do. 

See above.

3 minutes ago, farnz said:

Thank you, Ecar.

I think excluding, say, asph or APO lenses on the basis of technology or construction etc might be starting down a slippery slope. Where does one draw the line?  Should super-Elmarits be excluded too on the grounds that, well, they're "super"? 😄  (I think not.) Some might argue, for example, that a new coating or a new glass mixture constitute a reason to exclude certain lenses on the grounds that they depart significantly from previous or earlier lenses

"Older" is a nebulous word which I see working both for and against this thread.  It works against the thread by being a comparative term (older than what?) but it works for the thread by being wonderfully non-specific and thereby providing a fuzzy line when it helps.

I'm not certain that I understand quite what excluding asph, (ASPHERICAL?), or APO lenses would achieve.  The thread is filled with lovely pictures some of which are gorgeously fuzzy and/or glowy but, from the same lens, crisp and contrasty when stopped down.  To my mind the asph and APO lenses herald the drive towards what some refer to as "sharp" pictures, which appear to be the desire of the day in many photographic circles.  This is a fad and other fad's will follow I expect.

My reason for starting this thread was to demonstrate through pictures that all lenses are not equal and, to an extent, different lenses can be used like different artists' brushes to suit the mood or emotion the photographer wishes to draw out in a picture.  To my mind your pictures have done that extremely well and I'm happy to report that I've had PMs from members that this thread has opened their eyes to the 'beauty' and choices that are available beyond the purely technical and are pursuing a different avenue.  (This is massively satisfying for me.)  I've rambled on too long so I'll stop there.

Pete.

Thank you for taking the time to explain in greater detail.

Meanwhile, since I seem to be the only one in this discussion who abides by the rule of actually posting pictures 😄, here's another one with the Super-Six 3"/1.9 wide open on the M10M:

 

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[farnz]

1 minute ago, Ecar said:

Meanwhile, since I seem to be the only one in this discussion who abides by the rule of actually posting pictures 😄

Guilty as charged 😄 and my apologies as I had been a little distracted.

Pete.

50/1 Noctilux with M10.  The back streets of Lyon.

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[pippy]

I, too, have been both remiss and guilty of Grevious Bodily Waffle so will make amends forthwith...

Glorious late afternoon sun illuminates the West Facade of Westminster Abbey on Rememberance Day.

M Monochrom, 1959 21mm f4 Super-Angulon, Leitz Red filter;

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Philip.

[pegelli]

My oldest lens, a 1949 Elmar 50/3.5 collapsible, bought new by my late father together with his (and later my) IIIf.

The IIIf was exchanged for a M2 in the late 1970's but I will always cherish this lens. Unfortunately the helicoid developed so much play hat even the thickest grease doesn't suffice anymore, but since it's a 50 mm lens that doesn't matter on a rangefinder since wether it "lengthens" by turning or by play in the helicoid the effect on the rangefinder is the same .
Only thing to watch is that you don't tilt the lens 

And on a mirrorless camera like this example below it doesn't matter either.  

 

Cloudy sunset in Knokke

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Sony A7 + Elmar 50/3.5 (1949)

Edited November 15, 2022 by pegelli

[Ecar]

11 minutes ago, farnz said:

Guilty as charged 😄 and my apologies as I had been a little distracted.

😉🤣

Again, M10P ASC + converted Dallmeyer Super-Six 3"/1.9 (DC), both @ f/5.6. The colours are OOC, I only lifted the shadows a bit.

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[Keith (M)]

1955 5cm Summicron Collapsible, M11.

 

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[hmzimelka]

M11 with Summicron-M 5cm Collapsible, at f/2.

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[UliWer]

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1:2/40mm C-Summicron, M10 Monochrom

[01maciel]

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M10 + Elmarit-M 1:2,8/24 ASPH.

[DoK]

farnz, what about the Soviet rangefinder lenses in this thread? Jupiter, FED, Industar. Can I post? Camera Sigma fp

Edited November 15, 2022 by DoK

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[farnz]

4 hours ago, DoK said:

farnz, what about the Soviet rangefinder lenses in this thread? Jupiter, FED, Industar. Can I post? Camera Sigma fp

Yes you can and a number of pictures using these lenses have already been posted.  According to this thread the L-mount 'family' of cameras has been accepted under the forum's rules so you can post any of these lenses using your Sigma fp camera.  (I won't pretend that I'm overjoyed about the change to the rules to include L-mount but those are the new rules so please post away.)

Pete.

[Ecar]

M9 + 1971 ZOMZ Jupiter-3 50/1.5, probably @ f/2.8 or f/4

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