Lens owning plans for 2020

[noone]

Since there is a camera owning plans thread, why not?

 

My plans are just to try and hang on to the lenses i currently have (five main ones and a couple of outliers anyway).

Canon EF mount 17mm f4 L tilt shift

Canon FD 24 1.4 L

Sony Zeiss 55 1.8

Sigma 150 2.8 APO macro (EF mount)

Tamron 300 2.8 adaptall MF

I still have a heap of others but most not used...occasional use of a Canon EF 20-35 2.8 L and FD 85 1.2 L but both have issues.

The 300 2.8 just might be my most used lens for people shooting over the coming months (perfect for portraits while social distancing).

IF (big IF), I get some money later this year after the current mess is over and the Aussie dollar climbs the mountain again, I would like to get the new Sony 20 1.8 but that is more like I am dreaming.

 

 

[leslie]

i do envy your L series canon lenses.😉

my plans tend to fluctuate abit depending on my mood. Which might be an over dramatization, but you get the idea. If i had the money i'd be leaning towards the sirui anamorphic for the sheer convenience. But i have the elmoscope type 1 already, so it probably makes more sense to get a fvd for it.

i'm also interested in getting a wider faster lens. Trying to keep it in the family the pentax m42 35mm f2 seems to be a reasonable price on ebay, but the aus dollar has taken another tumble.  If i didn't keep it in the family  there's a lot more options to go wider and much faster however the cost seems to escalate rather rapidly.

With everything up in the air with corona virus and the aussie dollar sitting at the bottom of the Mariana trench i doubt i'll buy anything soon unless the lens market on ebay goes into freefall 🙄   

[heart0less]

It's quite funny that the majority of lenses we own are at least 25 years old. No Sigma Arts, no Sony G-Masters. 

Good optics are truly timeless and often breathe some life into the soulless digital sensors. 

 

My plans haven't really changed since last year - I'm still waiting for Viltrox to release their f/1.4 primes trio for Fuji (that were supposed to ship last December, lol). 

Especially for 23/1.4, though I might give 56/1.4 some thought, too. 

 

And in the nearest future I'm going to get an Olympus OM 75-150/4 due to its parfocal abilities and the fact that it doesn't change its size during zooming.

Might come in handy. 

[Geoff CB]

Looking for better low light options at this point. 

Voigtlander 21mm 1.4 (priority) , 40 1.2, 75mm 1.5  in M mount.

Though right now that is not a need, only a want. We'll see what happens this year. Leaning more towards spending a good bit of money on a nice tripod once business returns.  

[heart0less]

20 minutes ago, Geoff CB said:

Voigtlander 21mm 1.4 (priority) , 40 1.2, 75mm 1.5  in M mount.

These are my dream lenses, seriously.

Who knows, maybe in 10 years time I'll be able to indulge myself..

[HockeyFan12]

14 hours ago, heart0less said:

It's quite funny that the majority of lenses we own are at least 25 years old. No Sigma Arts, no Sony G-Masters. 

Good optics are truly timeless and often breathe some life into the soulless digital sensors. 

The ALEV3 sensor has soul. (That is to say, an extremely expensive OLPF that smooths the image out really nicely. And nice noise texture. And low pixel density.)

I agree that consumer/prosumer video cameras and hybrids are way way too sharp, which I think is what you're getting at. But it's a different market. FS7 etc. is more targeted toward sports and reality anyway. 

But Red's got their 6K S35 sensor and Arri is working on a 4K+ S35 sensor so I think everything is going to start looking like shit soon lol. Even with the Alexa LF and Alexa 65, you need old vintage glass to get a good look, whereas film and 2.8/3.2k Alexa look pretty good with Rokinons or CP2s.

[IronFilm]

Seeing as I acquired a Sony CineAlta 50mm T2 PL lens recently, would be quite nice to get a few more, such as specifically the 20mm and 35mm (or any of them really). 

However, with the economic recession we're now, and the collapse of the NZ Dollar, I highly doubt I'll be doing any of that in 2020.

Might even go in the opposite direction, and reduce my lens collection instead of increasing it, perhaps get rid of my Rokinons. 

In a dream dream world I'd like the Fujinon 18-55 and 50-135 T2.9 zooms, and the new Sirui / Vazen anamorphic lenses. Heck, why not the DZOFilm or Laowa OOOM 25-100 T2.9 zoom lenses too? Ha! Of course these entire last paragraph is completely hallucinogenic pipe dreams. 

[PannySVHS]

Shame on me. I got a few Tevidons and gave up on them already (no quiet, of course::), when the C-mount version didnt have the right flange via C-mount adapter. So, hopefully, I will get to test, if the 35mm and the 70mm really fit the S35 image circle.

Love my 20mm FD on the 135 ("full frame")sensor size. Puts out a beautiful image. Some lens lovers regard it a good lens for its time I regard it as a winner for moving images.  Sharp enough for me. Intersting side note, I never seen my images on a screen or projection screen larger than 12 feet wide. Lens owning plan would be that dream duo of 21mm and 40mm Voigtlaender M mount, one for mft and both of them for the "large" sensor.

[Tim Sewell]

I'm currently building a set each (28, 35, 50ish, 85, 135) of M42 SMC-Takumars and early Minolta Rokkors, with the intention of keeping and building on the set I prefer and reselling the other. On experience so far I'll no doubt end up keeping both sets!

[noone]

Well my plans changed a LOT but that was AGES ago (all te way back to March!).

By accident I got the Tokina 60-120 which is now one of my all time favourite lenses, I no longer want the 20mm, I DO want a longer AF portrait type lens (the 60-120 Tokina would be IT if it was AF) and have added a little Sony RX100 iv (arrived yesterday) and it is going to get a LOT of use in the day time at least so as a day time 24-70/140 (clearzoom seems ok and easy to use with it).

[kye]

My lens owning goal is to use the lenses I have, and also to not use the lenses I have.

We still have a trip booked with return flights to Europe in September and we're really hoping they cancel it because "Just don't use them, and forfeit the fare" is higher up on the preference list than "Fly to Europe".

I say goal, because at this point in the global pandemic having a plan is ridiculous.

In terms of using the lenses I have, I'd like to do some lens tests of the lineup I have, and also maybe do a bit of shooting locally might be nice.

[buggz]

Still waiting on a sale for the GF110 f2....

[Chxfgb]

I was also waiting for the Viltrox trio on Fuji, but the first two get mixed reviews and all seem to suffer from CA, which is annoying for video and JPG shooting for me. Realised that the Fuji 27mm and 50mm are much better (and lighter) and f1.4 isn't essential. 

Currently travelling, so want to stay lightweight. May just get an L39 mount Canon 50mm f1.4 or f1.5 or Jupiter 50mm f1.5.

The improved lens on the Fuji X100V and 4K video and other new features makes it very very tempting. Not sure about the overheating issue though.

[noone]

I have two of my late dads four thirds DSLR lenses.

A 12-60 2.8-4 high grade lens and a 50-200 2.-3.5 high grade lens (Olympus had three grades super high grade (SHG), high grade, and standard.    The super high grade lenses included some very expensive kit (300 2. that cost more than anyone else's though with the FOV of 600mm, a 90-250 2. 8, a 150 f2 and two f2 zooms among others.

The high grade ones were expensive but not even close to some of the SHG ones.

Both of these lenses came with a Oly 43 DSLR but I traded that a while ago.    I kept these lenses as they both have issues...the 12-60 auto focused on the DSLR but can not shoot other than stopped down to its smallest aperture and the 50-200 did not AF but otherwise seems to work ok for MF.

Today, I got an adapter for 43 lenses on m43 cameras and put the lenses on my m43 to Sony E adapter (I got the adapter in case I can find a cheap EM1 and if not, I can give the lenses and adapter to my nephew for his GH5).

The adapter (M43 to E) is dumb (no electronics) so no AF and  I can not control aperture even if the 12-60 worked so it  is useless to me currently (and maybe for all) but the 50-200 is quite a surprise.

Since AF does not work anyway, no issue and while I can not stop it down, it is fine (quite good actually) wide open.

In APSC mode on my A7s it has NO vignetting really at all at any focal length and in FF mode for video and jpeg stills, vignetting can be removed with 1.5x clearzoom which puts it as a "75-300mm" lens instead of the "100-400 EQUIV" marked on the lens (or I can use it as a 100-400 with 2x clearzoom).      In APSC mode that would be 75-300 equiv as well or even up to 150-600 in APSC with 2x clearzoom (these are all equivalent FF angle of view anyway).

It would be more useful on a proper Sony APSC E mount camera or a FF camera with a larger pixel count.

This is taken with it at 200mm FF.     Both APSC and FF with 1.5x clearzoom and this lens would be fine by me for MF stills or video in a pinch.      

I would love to see what the 150 f2 could do on Sony (and a pity they do not have manual aperture rings).

Still probably going to go to my nephew (since it will work fully except maybe for AF) but it might be a while before he gets it.

[Tim Sewell]

As an update I've decided to build a set from the Super Takumars and sell the Rokkors I've bought so far. The Rokkors have a lovely build quality, but it seems they don't have an option of a nice sharp 35mm - I got two different versions and both were unacceptable soft. The Taks, on the other hand, are beautifully built and render amazingly nicely. So far I've go the 28, 35, 50 1.4, 85 1.8 and 135 2.5 in my sweaty hands and am awaiting delivery of the 20 4.5 and the 200 4. Now I have to re-line one of my hard cases for them and set about getting focus gears made. I'm in 2 minds over de-clicking. A couple of these weren't cheap and I worry that de-clicking might hammer their resale value if I ever have to rake some funds back. Does anyone have any experience of that?

As soon as those last 2 arrive I'll shoot a test of all lenses on the same subject for the delectation of EOSHD members.

[noone]

I still need a longer auto focus portrait lens for Sony FE.

Probably going to get something in about 4 to 8 weeks (if I do not try and save for a really good one).

I have my Tamron 300 2.8 adaptall MF lens and 60-120 2.8 Tokina MF lenses which are wonderful portrait lenses but manual focus only and I have a Sigma 150 2.8 in Canon EF mount but AF is so slow adapted I just use it as MF.

Also still have my FD 85 1.2 L but it has the dissolving bearing issue and of course is MF. 

MY Sony Zeiss 55 1.8 IS a nice AF portrait lens but I still want something longer.

IF I buy it soon it seems to be coming down to 

Viltrox 85 1.8 (added bonus this lens seems to be able to do 1.6 with an unauthorised firmware).

Tokina 85 1.8 (might be the Viltrox with a different name?).

Sony Zeiss 24-70 (maybe a bit short and does not have a good reputation but I quite like it)

Tokina 100 2.8 firin (doubles as an AF macro lens though I have lots of ways of doing macro including that 150 Sigma).

FE 85 1.8 (would be used most likely but i had this lens and loved it).

Maybe if cheap enough I might just get another FE 28-70 kit lens (which i found to be ok if a little short and slow in aperture sometimes).

 

Most likely one of those but if the FE kit lens I might also get another Canon 100 f2 and use it MF as well or even a knockoff of it...just because i like the lens and think i should have a faster 100.

 

If I was to try and save, then it would bring lenses like the 100 2.8 STF, Sigma 105 1.4 or Sigma or Sony 135 1.8 lenses or 90 2.8 macro or possibly the 24-105 f4. into it

I am sure by the time I actually get one I will have changed my mind dozens of times.

 

[bjohn]

On 7/16/2020 at 7:24 AM, Tim Sewell said:

The Rokkors have a lovely build quality, but it seems they don't have an option of a nice sharp 35mm - I got two different versions and both were unacceptable soft.

According to the reviews I've read, the MD f1.8 is quite sharp, even wide open (see http://www.rokkorfiles.com/35mm.htm ) and the MD 2.8 is supposed to be quite sharp as well.

I've been waffling about getting one, as I currently have a 28mm, 55mm, and 100mm, and a 35mm would be practical. But I think I'll end up getting a Cosina Voigtländer 40mm Nokton instead (I'm using a Sony camera). I'm using the Rokkors only for stills at the moment as I have no intention of using my A7iii for video, but if I ever get a Sigma fp or something like that they would be my lenses of choice for cinema-style video.

[bjohn]

On 8/8/2020 at 5:39 PM, noone said:

I still need a longer auto focus portrait lens for Sony FE.

There is the redesigned (smaller! lighter!) Sigma 85mm that just came out. Won't be cheap, though and I think a used Sony 85mm 1.8 might be a cheaper and perhaps better choice.

Apart from the 35mm f1.2, I haven't really seen anything from Sigma that I'd consider owning. I have the 18-35 Art zoom for video and it's my least favourite lens; it's too sharp, too contrasty, I don't like the bokeh, don't like the color rendering except indoors under certain lighting conditions and outdoors on cloudy days. I'm keeping it, though, as the longer I work with a lens the better I understand it and I've seen plenty of nice footage shot with it so I know it's capable of goodness, just not in my hands so far.

[noone]

2 hours ago, bjohn said:

There is the redesigned (smaller! lighter!) Sigma 85mm that just came out. Won't be cheap, though and I think a used Sony 85mm 1.8 might be a cheaper and perhaps better choice.

Apart from the 35mm f1.2, I haven't really seen anything from Sigma that I'd consider owning. I have the 18-35 Art zoom for video and it's my least favourite lens; it's too sharp, too contrasty, I don't like the bokeh, don't like the color rendering except indoors under certain lighting conditions and outdoors on cloudy days. I'm keeping it, though, as the longer I work with a lens the better I understand it and I've seen plenty of nice footage shot with it so I know it's capable of goodness, just not in my hands so far.

I saw that new Sigma and it would be very nice but is out of my price range.

I do not mind Sigma and when I needed to sell a lens it was either the Canon EF 135 f2 L or Sigma 150 2.8 APO macro and I kept the Sigma because it is more versatile and a lens I love (if it autofocused properly on my A7s it would be my longer AF portrait lens).

Years ago I did have a weird Sigma prime lens that was horrible and the Pentax distributor in Australia was also the Sigma distributor so Pentax cameras often came with Sigma "kit" lenses here and I had a 28-200 as my kit lens with a film SLR.    It was ok for that but not so good on a DSLR.     Sigma have come a LONG way since then and there are lots of Sigma lenses I would not mind trying (24-35 f2 FF and the 18-35 1.8 and 50-100 1.8 APSC).      If money was not an issue it would almost certainly be the Sigma 105 1.4 as my longer AF portrait lens.     I may try and save for one as it is.

 

 

[kye]

7 hours ago, bjohn said:

There is the redesigned (smaller! lighter!) Sigma 85mm that just came out. Won't be cheap, though and I think a used Sony 85mm 1.8 might be a cheaper and perhaps better choice.

Apart from the 35mm f1.2, I haven't really seen anything from Sigma that I'd consider owning. I have the 18-35 Art zoom for video and it's my least favourite lens; it's too sharp, too contrasty, I don't like the bokeh, don't like the color rendering except indoors under certain lighting conditions and outdoors on cloudy days. I'm keeping it, though, as the longer I work with a lens the better I understand it and I've seen plenty of nice footage shot with it so I know it's capable of goodness, just not in my hands so far.

The Promist filters are popular with the 18-35mm, for example, Chris has filmed a few recent videos with the 18-35 and Promist filters https://www.youtube.com/c/ChrisFilmmaker/videos

or the other option is to process the images in post and decrease saturation and add halation or blur or whatever you want to.