Cheap lenses on the Fuji GFX 100 / 50R

[Andrew Reid]

Going beyond full frame with Fuji GFX cameras has many perks. However one of the drawbacks of medium format used to be the amount of money you would have to spend on the lenses - and the size of them, and the slow apertures. With the development of mirrorless medium format cameras with a mechanical focal plane shutter that's all changed. I had no money left for lenses anyway, after I bought my Fuji GFX 100! So I set myself a challenge. What is the CHEAPEST lens I could use for great images on medium format?

Here I used my Fuji GFX 50R to shoot the photos you see below, but the same look applies to the GFX 100 in 4K as well.

https://www.eoshd.com/lens/best-50mm-lens-for-fuji-gfx-100/

[kye]

I saw the image above and thought how nice an image it was, then clicked through to the post and saw it was a Minolta 55/1.7 and thought it was even better, then I read the cost....  these old lenses really are something!

Nice images  

[PannySVHS]

Tasty. Kye is right. Best way to safe money after unplanned spending.

[Andrew Reid]

I also have a £10 lens that works.

Sigma Master Zoom! I think it's from the 80's, in Minolta MD mount. It doesn't vignette. It was in a bargain bin outside a Berlin shop, with stuff so rubbish that they couldn't even get it nicked.

The shop eventually just said, here, have it... free.

I think it goes for around £10 on eBay.

[PannySVHS]

Sigma Master 35 to 80? Had that one once for 5EU. But it was broke mechanically. Image was not master in my memory:) What shop, Andrew, what shop?:) I was thinking about the image circle of some of the 2x and 3x zooms and if mount would be changeable to Mamiya. That way one had a medium format zoom on the S1 with the Kipon Baveyes Focal Reducer. Imagine a 70-210 F3.5 zoom pushed by one stop of light transmission and giving fov eq. of 50 on 35mm FF!

[Andrew Reid]

foto leistenschneider in Charlottenburg and the other one in Friedenau.

They have some nice used stuff sometimes but Foto Max and Foto Braune are the kings IMO

[PannySVHS]

Thank you. I will have to hurry now.:) I am indeed sad that you have left Berlin. But you already know that. Cheers and Thanks!

[buggz]

Just for information, not showing off, hopefully someone will find it useful?

My brief run through of my old lenses on my GXF 50R, like discovering old lost treasure.

I have tried my manual Mamiya 645 lenses on my GFX 50R via Mirex Tilt/Shift EF/M645 adapter, then another adapter for EF/GFX.
Yes, a round about way, but it seems to works okay.  I may get a simpler adapter in the future?
- 120/4 macro works great.
- 35/3.5 N works great.  The 35/3.5 N focuses pretty dang close.
- 80/1.9 N works great.
- 55/2.8 N works great.
- 145/4 Soft Focus works great.

Quick test of Contax Yashica Ziess lens with a Canon EOS-EF adapter.via the TechArt Pro EF-GFX adapter, 
- 35/1.4 CYZ - very slight soft vignette,
this lens is also amazing close focus on the 50R.
I see this one is going to be another rediscovered treasure gem.
Sure to be used often.
- 35-70/3.4 Macro CYZ - Starts vignetting anything lower than 50mm.
Progresses to total tunnel vision super hard at 35mm.
However in macro mode, NO vignette, amazing, also amazing close focus in macro mode.
- 100/2 CYZ - non macro model - imperceptible vignette, if any?

M mount lenses:
- Voigtlander Heliar 75mm f/1.8
works good, just some slight vignetting and dark corners that should be easily corrected.
- Voigtlander Nokton Classic 40mm f/1.4 SC
hard vignette in the corners, not much soft vignette, still usable.
- Canon RF 50mm/0.95 converted to M mount, forgot the vignette.

Via Fotodiox Minolta (SR/MC/MD) mount adapter.
A quick test shows all my lenses are vignetting almost exactly the same.
That's kinda strange, but cool, I'll take it!
Not too bad, but definitely visible.

- MC W Rokkor-X 28/2
- Zoom 35-70/3.5
- MD Rokkor-X 45/2
- MC Rokkor-PF 58/1.4
- MC Rokkor-PG 58/1.2
- MC Rokkor-PF 85/1.7
- MC Tele Rokkor-PF 100/2
- Minolta MC W Rokkor-HH 35/1.8 in Minolta SR mount, it vignettes the same as rest, slight, but noticeable.I

I have two more adapted to Canon EOS-EF mount.
28/2
85/1.7

The Minolta EOS-EF mounted lenses seem to vignette slightly less than the native Minolta SR mount via Forodiox GFX adapter.
Oh, and the Minolta 28/2 is super close focusing, I had forgotten about this.
All of these works great.

Canon FD/FL mounts, Fotodiox FD/GFX adapter...
- FL 55/1.2 - heavier vignette than the Minoltas, which were slight but noticeable,
still should be easily corrected.
- FD 85/2.8 SF - slight vignette, similar to the Minoltas, maybe a touch more?
- FD 500/4.5L - similar to the vignette of the FL 55 above. 

 - Konica Hexanon 57/1.2
Using the GFX - LM adapter, then an LM - AR adapter.
It seems to vignette more than the Minoltas, similar to the Canon FD 55/1.2

Canon EOS/EF AF lenses via Techart adapter.
- 50mm/1.0 AF works, I have forgotten what the vignette was ..
- 200mm/1.8 AF works, very slight vignette, I have forgotten?

- Contax N 85/1.4 converted to EOS/EF mount, via Techart adapter, AF did *NOT* work, but manual focus works, can't remember vignette.

 

 - Faithfully submitted, Douglas C. Niedermeyer...

 

 

 

[noone]

While not cheap, I would expect all of the Canon TS-E lenses would work great on the camera without vignetting.

[Andrew Reid]

1 hour ago, buggz said:

- 35/1.4 CYZ - very slight soft vignette,
this lens is also amazing close focus on the 50R.
I see this one is going to be another rediscovered treasure gem.

I have ZE version of it. Wonder if they're much different?

1 hour ago, buggz said:

- 35-70/3.4 Macro CYZ - Starts vignetting anything lower than 50mm.

Total gem between 50-70 in my experience with @BTM_Pix at the F1

A must have.

1 hour ago, buggz said:

- 100/2 CYZ - non macro model - imperceptible vignette, if any?

Good to know thanks.

1 hour ago, buggz said:

M mount lenses:
- Voigtlander Heliar 75mm f/1.8
works good, just some slight vignetting and dark corners that should be easily corrected.

Another one I was considering for mine. Are the corners decently sharp at F1.8 or muddy?

1 hour ago, buggz said:

- Voigtlander Nokton Classic 40mm f/1.4 SC
hard vignette in the corners, not much soft vignette, still usable.

Voigtlander 40mm F2.0 Ultron EF works better with no hard vignette.

1 hour ago, buggz said:

- Canon RF 50mm/0.95 converted to M mount, forgot the vignette.

It vignettes massively unfortunately!

1 hour ago, buggz said:

- MD Rokkor-X 45/2
- MC Rokkor-PG 58/1.2
- MC Rokkor-PF 85/1.7
- Minolta MC W Rokkor-HH 35/1.8 in Minolta SR mount, it vignettes the same as rest, slight, but noticeable.I

Those 4 are the best I've tried. And the 55mm F1.7 of course.

1 hour ago, buggz said:

The Minolta EOS-EF mounted lenses seem to vignette slightly less than the native Minolta SR mount via Forodiox GFX adapter.

Interesting.

1 hour ago, buggz said:

Oh, and the Minolta 28/2 is super close focusing, I had forgotten about this.

Seem to remember mine vignettes quite a bit.

1 hour ago, buggz said:

- FL 55/1.2 - heavier vignette than the Minoltas, which were slight but noticeable,
still should be easily corrected.

The 55 1.2 Aspherical is the one to get.

1 hour ago, buggz said:

 - Konica Hexanon 57/1.2

It's meh on the GFX. Nice on full frame.

1 hour ago, buggz said:

- 50mm/1.0 AF works, I have forgotten what the vignette was ..

Please try to remember

1 hour ago, buggz said:

- 200mm/1.8 AF works, very slight vignette, I have forgotten?

I have this over in Berlin, will try it.

1 hour ago, buggz said:

- Contax N 85/1.4 converted to EOS/EF mount, via Techart adapter, AF did *NOT* work, but manual focus works, can't remember vignette.

Contax Yashica version of 85 1.4 also works really beautifully.

1 hour ago, buggz said:

 - Faithfully submitted, Douglas C. Niedermeyer...

Thanks very useful. Nice collection of glass!!

[tupp]

I mentioned the Metabones G-mount Expander in an earlier GFX 100 thread.   It gives a 1:1 crop factor with full frame lenses on the GFX 100.  So, no vignetting worries.

 

However, the only current Expander model accepts Nikkor lenses.

[Andrew Reid]

Rather than the rather heavy expander and loss of brightness, I'm waiting to see if Fuji bring a 35mm crop mode to 4K on the GFX 100.

[buggz]

Hi Andrew,

If you couldn't tell I'm an old stills shooter.
I have soo many different systems, it's crazy, I don't sell or trade, I just keep buying, shrug.

Anywho I really need to revisit these, as I haven't used my GFX50R in several months now.
Earlier this year,  got a great deal on a super low shot count Mamiya DM33 digital back and plate for my Mamiya RZ67.
Been really diggin' that setup.
Then I figured, I already have these M645 lenses, might as well get an M645 body to go with the digital back and lenses, no?
So I have been using my Phase One DF+ and Mamiya DM33 digital back for several months now.

Oh, and I got into video for my niece and family events, for me starting with the Panasonic GH4.
My niece now uses that body, as I got the GH5 when released, and still use it today.

I really have enjoyed learning all of the video stuff.
Especially from helpful people here on EOSHD, I have learned a LOT, and still learning.

Thanks to everyone here!

[IronFilm]

The Fujifilm GFX 50R itself is not yet down to only twenty pounds, it has at least got a thousand bucks chopped off its price now:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1436551-REG/fujifilm_600020523_gfx_50r_medium_format.html
US$3.5K for the body.