Best vintage lenses for stop motion

This is a video version of an article I wrote for Bricks in Motion which you can read here:
www.bricksinmotion.com/forums/...
Skip right to the recommendations at 4:53
Here are eBay affiliate links to all the lenses I talk about, if you found the review helpful and buy any lenses you find in the link it will help me out, but these are great lenses no matter where you get them!
Nikkor 55mm Micro f/3.5 on eBay:
ebay.us/Ut1dKT
Nikkor 35mm f/2.8 on eBay:
ebay.us/2juear
Nikkor 24mm f/2.8 on eBay:
ebay.us/JgXdrc
Nikkor 105mm Micro f/4 on eBay:
ebay.us/sxcUUS

[@DocteurRipeur]

Thanks so much for that… but… Why the hell do you have this little views and subscribers ? I know stopmotion is a niche, but still, you deserve more !

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

Because I almost never post new videos, right now I am doing animation school so I just don't have the time to work on my stop motion stuff, but the videos I post tend to take a bit of time and energy to make.

[@DocteurRipeur]

That was just a convoluted way to say your channel is awesome :)

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

Well I will have a few months off from school this summer and I'd like to do a video about diopters and extension tubes and maybe another one or two videos on animation basics for stop motion, from bouncing balls to reference footage (which can do wonders, even for LEGO stuff)

[@markkevin7245]

That’s for your help What would be the best universal lens? The 55mm?…. I’m getting a eos40d and was looking for a good everyday mechanical lens … I know I’ll need adapter …

[@MaggieMouth]

You are my stop motion lens go to guy. You are wonderful. I would love to see your extension tube videos.

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

Thanks, recently shot a video with another animator, he used macro filters and I used extensions, when setting up the macro filters did have a minor amount of distortion and made it easier to get lens flares (which can be good or bad) but when we finished it seemed hard to tell the shots appart. Macro extensions are def cheaper, and the distortion is overall minor but slightly noticeable.

[@jhonnyparks7085]

I have said this before, but this is still to this day, the best advice for stop motion lenses I have ever seen. I used this knowledge wisely and bought the 55mm, 24mm, and 105mm lenses and made my most recent film using them and I could not be more impressed. Thank you, Chris, you have helped me in a major way.

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

Glad this was able to help you, I have started dipping my fingers into motion control and feel like lenses might need a little revisiting at that point. But I'm so busy right now I can't make new how-to videos, I have a few ideas for good stuff, we'll see if I get time to make those.

[@xowi]

Excellent lens information, thanks for taking the time to make this and help all of us on the build 😀

[@PalmValleyDiecast]

Awesome video! I just bought the 105mm lens on eBay, and now I'm looking to buy a 55mm! This tutorial was super helpful since I'm fairly new to Dslr's. Very helpful I hope to see more videos!

[@OrbitalLizardStudios]

Thanks for making this video, really helped me when i was picking out a camera and lenses about a year ago

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

Glad it's still helping folks!

[@vnanimation]

Awesome video. I just ordered the 55mm f/3.5 Micro lens. I've been using the stock 18-55mm Canon with my T3 which I know is kind of a crime. I love the fact that these are vintage.

[@Pongowl]

That was great! Very informative and thorough; you presented a lot of useful information here.

[@SpeakBroccoli]

Yeah I agree this should have way more views. It has explained so many things that had previously confused me, so well. Thanks so much.

[@SlothMotions]

Congrats on 1k subs man!

[@JeffLafferty]

Wow, that was great video. Thanks for all the info, I've been confused about what lenses to pick up, this will help me alot.

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

Glad I could help, you might also want to check out extension tubes as they allow you to get even closer to the subject, hopefully I'll cover them in a video soon, but until I do you might have to do the research yourself.

[@CrunchyWaluigi]

Life these past two years has been made MUCH easier with DragonFrame. Great info video though! I myself use the canon 18-55 lens and some extension tubes for those macro shots. Works pretty well for the things I do, though I do wish I could have more to play with like all the goods you've got. Keep em coming!

[@a_n_i_m_o_t_i_o_n_s]

yeah I use DF too.. and a canon 1200d and the 18-55 lens.. I think it's crap..I been checking out the vintage lenses in this video on eBay and checking out the pics people have taken with these lenses and I am blown away... I think having these lenses is going to change everything... I've ordered the 55mm already and the Eos lens mount adaptor.. and considering buying the 24mm and the 35mm and the 105mm.. it is a lot but a good investment... I know nothing about extension tubes yet...

[@melonproductions1471]

@@a_n_i_m_o_t_i_o_n_s Why do you feel that the 18-55 lens is crap? I can get pretty close to the minifigs without losing focus

[@a_n_i_m_o_t_i_o_n_s]

@@melonproductions1471 Hi.. I can't remember what I posted now lol. maybe I misjudged the canon 18 - 55 mm lens.. I don't know maybe I've got the completely wrong information here.. wrong way of thinking.. I was advised by an animator to get decent vintage Nikon lens, and not use the one that came with the camera.. I still don't understand lens.. I admit it, it's all a mystery to me... I hope it will all makes sense to me soon.. the what, how, why, of camera and lens..

[@jonjon1217]

Thank you so much! I haven't seen any videos on extension tubes for animation use. That sounds like a subject I would be very interested in watching. Once again, thank you so get much for this breakdown and for taking the time to put this together. ✌

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

Your welcome, right now my life is so crazy I don't know when, if at all, that I will be able to make an extension tube video, I have been doing tests with both the tubes and macro filters, and how it breaks down is this. Extention tubes will work with all lenses regardless of filter size but tend to cost a bit more, macro filters may add minor distortion (but almost unnoticeable) but if you are shinning lights at the lenses can add lens flare. So if you are on a budget macro filters are the best bang for your buck, if you are fussy about distortion (like very fussy) you might want extension tubes. If you want to force lens flare for creative reasons macro filters are an easy way to do it.

[@FilmsByDan]

Great info! I appreciate that you gave the specific lenses you recommend. I'm tight for money right now, but hopefully one day I can get some of these (or whatever the newest models are).

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

Your welcome!

[@Wlagueis]

I was looking this kind of video for like 5 hours before I stumbled upon this one. Thanks a lot. Had all the info I was looking for :)

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

Glad it helped

[@StopMotionStudioHD]

Thank You so much for your work, it's a really complete tutorial, thank's again !

[@supercoolclark]

Great video! Looking to do some upgrades to the lens selection so this is very useful!

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

Glad it's helpful, let me know if you have any questions

[@warsd4]

This is wonderful! Thank you so so much! Fantastic information.

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

Glad it helps!

[@KenKthulhu]

Thank you for this informative and passionate video. Kudos to you.

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

Thanks :)

[@richardalonzo2879]

This has to be the Best video on Stop motion lenses I've come across !! The information is invaluable ! , I have searched and searched for info and they just mention stuff without affirmation . You go thru each lens and give specs and best choices for what you need to shoot with , please continue posting other videos ! Could you explain why AI or AI-S type lenses are best for use, w see these specs and no one really says why this type of lens is your best choice and not just a non-AI lens ! Thank you so much for clarifying things !

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

so I made this video years ago, so I might be a bit fuzzy on the AI vs AIs, but the AI lenses are older and the lens mount is minorly different and can cause issues on cheaper Nikon cameras. For example the 24mm I say is AI, I tried to put on my brothers Nikon and it felt like it would get stuck or damage the camera body, it works find on my adaptor ring for my camera though. I do sometimes hear of people having adaptor rings getting stuck on lenses and I wonder if they might be using AI lenses vs the AIs lenses. Another issue is some of the AI models don't go to f22, and for something like stop motion a range on the f-stop that you can really stop down to higher numbers is often more useful then a really fast wide open f-stop. I don't recommend really fast lenses for stop motion because I find I am not opening the lenses up wider then 3.5 so why pay more for faster glass. I don't have AI and AIs versions of all lenses so I can't directly compare but you can use the AI lenses for stop motion, really you can use any lens you have but I have found those AIs lenses to be some of my go to's for animation. Hope that helps.

[@iluv9508]

thank you very much for the very clear and useful info

[@jimhebson6793]

Wow. Very good, and useful information. Thanks

[@BlueBrickStudio]

Thank you! Helps a lot.

[@rioforce]

Awesome video, it's nice seeing it all together in a video! I'd like to see that extension tubes video, that should be quite helpful to those who don't buy macro lenses. Also, a comparison/contrast to macro filters (diopters) would be a cool thing to add to the extension tubes video.

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

I'd love to do a comparison of diopters vs extension tubes but I don't have any, but maybe I should pick up a few, For SCIENCE!

[@BackyardProductions]

I think it would be worth it for that video, I think I bought the set I used to use for like $15. Really good video, I'll definitely be sending people here when the subject comes up. The one thing I disagree with is that a DSLR isn't worth it if you aren't using dragonframe. My entire brickfilming career I've been shooting without capture software (aka stop motion hard mode) and although I'm eventually going to buy it, not having it doesn't nullify the image quality and manual control benefits of using a DSLR. Squid works the same way, and his films are outstanding. You've also ignored the fact that there are other cheaper capture programs compatible with DSLR's, such as AnimatorHD.

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

Thanks Backyard, I'll have to check out ebay for some cheap diopters To be fair, I am kind of a hypocrite here and shot about 1/2 of Beyond the Eleventh Dimension blind with no frame grabber, however I had worked for years before that on a web camera with free frame grabbers. So if you know what you are doing shooting blind can be great (and much faster) but as a recommendation for new animators I do not recommend shooting blind, it just takes so much longer to get a hang of movement and animation and I 100% believe that good animation trumps picture quality. As far as cheaper programs like AnimatorHD, I always seem to hear about stability issues that make the cheaper programs impossible for me to recommend, if you are paying for a frame grabber, pony up and go all the way on a program that is well supported which you won't regret buying and get Dragonframe.

[@rioforce]

RobotsWithKnives On the topic of diopters, I use Vivitar ones (got a recommendation from Philip and others), and they seem to work great, especially for the price. Just a bit of distortion around the edges, but not bad unless you use all of them at once. Of course "for science" might not want to spend 10-ish dollars, but I thought I'd throw that out there anyway. ;)

[@oxygen454]

Great video 👍

[@simonr2660]

Just received the 55mm. Thank you, this is perfect. I wont need any other lens haha! again, thanks...

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

glad it was helpful :)

[@Clark_Films_anim]

Here I am, back again, to find out the best lenses for my movie. I got the info about the 24mm f 2.8 lense, and picked one up. Love this video and its information are giving me excellent advice for my film. Thank you for the help! By the way, even though the video is very dragon-frame positive, I'm using Stop Motion Pro Eclipse with these lenses and getting beautiful images. Just a note that the capture program is not as important. Maybe someday I'll move to dragonframe but not yet. Many Thanks!

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

Glad you find this helpful :) I do know that the people Eclipse works for it seems to work great, however in my use it seemed a little unstable, I think the key is you are using some kind of live framegrabber, I tend to recommend Dragonframe because it does seem to be the most stable software for the most people.

[@Clark_Films_anim]

Extremely helpful! I'm unboxing my used 24mm lens as I type. Eclipse is very stable for me but I hate that is has no concept of turning off the camera. It throws up 3+ error messages when I turn off my DSLR. Cheers!

[@hughmcgown]

Thanks very much what an epic video, have rewatched it multiple times while googling/learning, I was looking at a 50mm STM lens for new 50D before this video, really glad I found this now have a 55mm micro in the mail, fotodiox ended up costing way too much with the USD to AUD rate and postage ($90 AUD for a little ring lol) but really happy to know I have a close range lens to get started, I hadn't thought about focal distance so it would have been a bad time with the portrait lens not to mention the aperture variations. Would love to see the video on tubes, thanks again for sharing such invaluable know how, Subscribed!

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

I don't use the fotodiox adaptor I use a different brand, not sure what but option may vary based on region, if you find a good one that you can get in AU be sure to let us know as I am sure other animators in your neck of the wood that would be interested :)

[@hughmcgown]

Yea I couldn't find any locally (due to rarity of selling them and I believe liability if you break your mount?) but maybe there's an aussie store online, will post if I find anything, didn't want to get a dud so went with the well reviewed one but definitely need an alternative if I'm buying one per lens, will be good to have the fotodiox as a comparison anyway just need a good PSU and lighting now starting Griffith Uni Animation bachelors degree next year

[@hughmcgown]

Found this site seems to have Australia and US bases and they plant trees mygobe.com/au/gobe-lens-adapter-nikon-f-mount-lens-to-canon-eos-ef-ef-s-camera-body.html

[@hughmcgown]

@@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons What do you think of Nikkor 35mm f2 AI ? I see a lot more of them online, I thought lower f stop is better but then thought maybe quality different?

[@hughmcgown]

@@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons there's also these ones www.ebay.com.au/itm/NIKON-Non-Ai-NIKKOR-35mm-f-2-8-NonAi-MF-F-Mount-Lens-From-Japan/113373321324?hash=item1a6593986c:rk:1:pf:0 seem to have rubber grip just nonAi but then if youre using a canon adapter does that matter?

[@silvernsilk4621]

Hi! And thanks for an awesome video! I'm currently using a Nikon D7200 with a Samyang 35mm AS UMC (If you check out my channel it's used for shooting the stop motion part of Weaver - Boxes) I think it works pretty well, with some minor flickering. But a question, will it help with these types of lenses on my Nikon, or do I need a Canon body with an adaptor to make it electrically fully "detached" from the body?

[@sverrefredriksen]

Thanks, helpful! Did you ever get around to the extension tubes?? Would love to hear about it!

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

I have not done a video about that, lots of family stuff going on right now. I did just shoot a collab animation were we used both extension tubes and close up filters so I would feel more confident talking about it. Key takeaway is, close up filters are much cheaper, but do have slightly noticeable (but not bad) distortion, they also increase the amount of lens flare you get which can be good or bad for you. The extension tubes affect the image less but it might be difficult to justify the cost for many animators as the difference is pretty minor.

[@No_Plastic]

Thanks for making this fantastic video, it lead me to get some of those lenses which are fab! A question, I might be mistaken but the first lens 55mm f3.5 seems to be the non-Ai version which were in production until 1975. It has the rubberized focus ring (not the same rubber pattern as the Ai version) but still rubber triangle pattern and it's non-Ai. When I used that on 5d mark II with K&F converter the camera mirror doesn't seem to close completely so i see nothing in viewport. do you have the same problem? Or perhaps the adapter i got wasn't up to the job. Do you mind linking the same adapter you got? Thanks a lot

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

mirror closes fully on mine, I can't find the adaptor I use but it's just a metal ring, it was around $35 on Adorama.com a decade or so ago, but they don't seem to sell it anymore.

[@leonardodutra8787]

I agree. I love my 55 macro f2.8 AI-S. The difference in my set is that I use a AI-S 28mm f2.0 as medium-range and AI-S 18mm f4 as wide-angle. But I don't shoot Legos. My target is 1:6 scale puppets and larger. AC adapter is very needed.

[@sergiohellion]

thanks! old video but great information!!!

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

Glad it was helpful!

[@sergiohellion]

@@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons I would like to follow you on instagram. You have?

[@sergiohellion]

ok i found you!!

[@omenatollo]

I love this video! I have watched it many times I have bought Nikkor 105mm lens you recommend and I absolutely love that piece of glass. I have been using Canon 550D, but now I am considering to buy full frame camera, maybe Canon 6D. Do you have any recommendations on camera?

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

I don't use a full frame camera for animation, as most of my subjects are between 2-4 inches high I find myself fighting against bokeh a lot of the feature films do use full frame cameras however the puppets they use are often between 12-18 inches tall so the scale of everything is much larger which should give you a bit more flexibility with your depth of field. I think when I was looking into a full frame camera I really was interested in the Canon 5d series, but never bought one as it's largely unnecessary for my work. If I was buying one I'd likely go for the Mark II or Mark III version just to save cost rather then go with the newer Mark IV model. Keep in mind though that most DSLR are going to be overkill on the resolution side of things so just check to make sure that Dragonframe supports the camera you want to buy and you should be good to go. www.dragonframe.com/camera-support/

[@omenatollo]

Thanks for an good answer! Yes I understund that in film with lego figures, bokeh can create issues. I was just having same issues in the music video I was making, with some puppet. On the other hand I shoot lot of commercials and there bokeh could be more cool thing and full frame would give me bit more wider view which would be nice, considering that my studio is rather small. Now I was also starting to consider Sonys cameras, but do not know how well vintage lenses works with Sony cameras. And Dragonframe seems to be supporting Canon better. And alla the talk about mirrorless being small and handy does not apply so well to stop motion, because heavy camera stay better in the place(assuming that one have a prober stand). I just ordered a 24mm you recommended. :) By the way are you still doing animations? There is no new videos here. Is there somewhere more active channel where I can follow you?

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

Juha Niemi I have a lot of stuff going on in my family life right now, I was attending an online character animation course that is based in Maya however the family stuff is just a bit to much so I am not doing much right now. I'd like to make a video that explains what's going on but right now I am also trying to get unpacked from the 3rd move I have made since I uploaded this video. I tend to post gif of WIP stuff I am working on on my twitter twitter.com/RobotsWKnives but as I said the family stuff as pretty much halted my animation work lately, my last post was in May, but I think the new setup might give me a bit more time for art, who knows.

[@bernypahl7232]

Hi, I'm just starting with stop motion & my puppets r d Figma action figures. My camera of choice is the sony A7S2. I would like to know if this adapter "Fotodiox DLX Stretch lens mount adapter- Nikon Nikkor F Mount G- type D/SLR Lens to Sony Alpha E- mount mirrorless camera body with macro focusing helicoid & magnetic drop in filters" will work with your recommended Nikkor lenses.

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

I'm not sure what the difference between the $20 "Fotodiox Lens Mount Adapter for Nikon Nikkor F Mount D/SLR Lens to Sony Alpha E-Mount Mirrorless Camera Body" adaptor is between the $70 dollar adaptor you are looking at is. both seem to be reviewed well and should work for converting the Sony body to the Nikon lens, not sure why you would pay $50 more for the other adaptor.

[@pankyanimations9117]

Hey, I'm going to buy a good ol' canon 7d + adapter ring (idk which one yet) but, since it's an APSC (x1.6), im struggling a bit :/ If I understood well, I'm gonna go for a 24mm to get a ~35mm for wide shots (38.4 to be precise), and the 35mm to have something close to the 55mm (56 to be precise) for medium/close shots. I'll see later if I need a telephoto, it stays very affordable but 160mm seems to be a bit too much for me. So : Am I thinking right? Am I wrong if I think that buying an electronical adapter for my lens is useless since my lens is manual anyways? Is there no physical risk for the lens, like deteriorating it? Then, is the minimal focus distance is impacted? If yes, can it be a problem or it's "proportional" (e.g will a 24mm have a focal distance close to the 35mm with the x1.6 conversion?) Thanks in advance, I'm new to this, I'm a bit lost with all the others things I recently learnt (that's very interesting though, amazing video, helped me a lot!)

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

I'm using APSC, so all shots I show on that video are what you would expect to see if you get the lenses I talk about. I do think you really want the 55mm for closeups as the 24 and 35mm are not macro lenses and will have a hard time getting as close as you would like. Telephoto is not super important to start as a 55 can kind of do that duty on an APSC camera, and with the resolution you have to play with on a DSLR, you can pull a digital zoom without quality loss. You may want a telephoto option in the future, and I would really recommend the 105mm for that as it is telephoto and macro and you can get as close or as far as you like with it.

[@pankyanimations9117]

@@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons Thanks! I'll buy my micro 55mm 3.5 soon :D There's one question I haven't seen answered on internet but I'm almost sure I know. You can put an extension tube on your canon body with a nikon F to canon EOS adapter and the nikkor on it right? Sorry to bother you again ahah °-°'

[@kelvinwilson9217]

Very happy to have found this review on SM lenses, and it leads me to a question given some years have passed. Would the Nikon 35mm f/1.8 DX be a sub for the Nikkor 35mm f/2.8? I have a NIkon D5300.

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

I don't see why you couldn't, it has a DX sensor and an F-mount lens. Should be good to go.

[@kelvinwilson9217]

@@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons 👍

[@1abnormalman23]

Hello, Im using a canon sl1 100D with Dragonframe 5, i don’t have the original cable that came with the camera, for the meantime im trying to run the live feed from another cable i use for my Wacom tablet the camera is recognized by the software but the video assist comes through with an obnoxious blue monochrome filter after connecting with the SL1 and displaying true color for like 3 seconds that i can’t get rid of, making it harder to see my subject in proper color, any idea why? When i set it as a still source test shots come through looking normally, captured frames also come out normally, i also have an elgato camlink 4k and when i feed the signal through HDMI to USB with magic lantern installed it works and i get a clean true color HDMI signal however i can’t tweak any settings like exp. shutter-speed or aperture through DF, it won’t even give me the option to shoot in RAW I followed all the steps from the site to set it up properly EXCEPT having the OG cable and having it plugged into the wall with a dummy battery AC power supply adapter, both of which are coming in the mail soon, any suggestions? I will post results in about a week if anyone is interested EDIT (05/17/2022) OG cable came in today but blue monochrome video assist is still present even with an original cable and plugged into a proper 2.0 slot on my PC, worked and showed true color with a clean signal for a solid 4 seconds this time, woohoo? What am i doing wrong? The adapter is coming sooner than i expected lets hope I’ve narrowed down the issue

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

no idea what is going on but it sounds like an issue with the USB port on the camera, I use a lot of different USB cables with no major issues, does only the live view have a blue tint? are you getting clean frames when you capture? You may have to talk to a camera shop or try a third cable, but it might not be economical to fix.

[@ThisOLmaan]

: RobotsWithKnives: dont really know too much bout Len sises, my question is, I want to buy a 35mm Lens for my upcoming stop motion animations. So i started looking up the 35mm Lens but there are short ones and Longer ones, is there a huge difference even if there all 35mm lenses ??? '

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

If it says 35mm it will have the same field of view regardless of the size of the actual lens, a 35mm pancake will give you the same field as a standard 35mm, it will just have a lower profile on the camera, the main thing to look for is the minimum focal distances, in stop motion a lower number is better.

[@orlandodabner359]

One lens I am looking at is Nikon Nikkor-S Auto 1:2.8 35mm Caps Included. it says s mount but I can't find an adaptor on ebay that is s mount?

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

Orlando Dabner every bit of info I can find on the lens says it's F-mount, sounds like incorrect seller info.

[@3Film]

Question. Been animating with a Nikon D5100 for awhile and I'm wondering if these lenses are compatible with this model or any of the newest Nikon DSLRs? Planning to upgrade to a better DSLR in the future or just going straight to Canon for this since I'd like to really take my stop-Motion to a professional level.

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

D5100 uses f-mount lenses, these are all f-mount lenses.

[@3Film]

@@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons Thank you very much! Now I can start buying those lenses. :)

[@mcnoonmcanulty8687]

Is the 105mm really different from the 55mm macro? I love my 55mm ,I couldn’t imagine what it would be like to use another macro

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

It has a narrower field of view, which can be good or bad depending on your needs, that narrow field of view can be great if you want to play with forced perspective. Sometimes I also find it helpful as it can be twice as far back as a 55mm which can sometimes make working on the set a lot easier, there have been times where my camera is a few feet away from my animation stage and it makes it a lot easier to walk in between the stage and camera to work. Thing is the 105 is not necessary but it is a lens I love and use often, different people often prefer different focal lengths and what might be right for my setup might not work well for you.

[@mcnoonmcanulty8687]

Thanks , I think I’ll have to purchase the 105mm. It would be good to experiment with the 2 macros

[@a_n_i_m_o_t_i_o_n_s]

thanks for this, a friend refer me to your video..

[@a_n_i_m_o_t_i_o_n_s]

just an update guys.. I bought all the lens you review in this video.. the.. 55mm / 35mm / 24mm / and the 105mm F4 ordered and should arrive by the end of this week.. all from a decent U.K. seller on eBay.. I even been testing the lens out this past week..only tried the 35mm for the stopmotion animation so far.. I say why in a moment.. I done some macro photography ( a SPIDER & its WEB on my acer plant in my garden ) with the 55mm.. very nice results.. although two mates of mine weren't that impressed lol.. so many expect perfection these days haha.. I was impressed anyway.. although I am finding it challenging trying to get the focus right, maybe it's me, my eyes are not so good.. maybe I should join a photography class, to makes sure I am doing it right.. it's still a mystery to me what camera & lens settings I should be using for this or that.. and I used the 24mm.. the wider angled lens..trying to time-lapse the moon and the clouds / sun setting etc ..for my first assignment on an animation course I'm now doing at stopmotionuniversity.com. Warning on adaptors! ( if you want to read ) ..Can I please make a necessary suggestion here.. and please don't take any offence.. can I mention something about the necessary adaptors one will need to buy to make these vintage lens work for your Canon... no one warned me that the pin can jam between the lens and the adaptor.. I was having a meltdown.. because I couldn't get the 35mm Nikon vintage lens off the adaptor I bought..so frustrating.. and I only had one adaptor for four lens.. so I needed to get it on / off to change lens on the camera... this one proved to be cheap but nasty from a company in china on eBay just under £8.. my engineer mate who's got exceptionally big strong caveman lol size hands managed to get it off.. the pin had jammed inside.. I thought I was going to end up damaging my lens.. £179.. I phoned around camera shops.. they don't want to know.. they try to sell you new lens.. they can't understand why you would put a Nikon on a Canon.. they don't deal with adaptors anymore.. too many issues I was told.. and the guy that sold it to me said worst case scenerio I would have to disk cut it off.. I'm glad it didn't come to that.. but I bought another adaptor from a different company in china on eBay just under £20 and this one is good.. comes on / off with ease.. no pin jamming.. not too hard on the hands to twist.. it's not metal.. I think it's plastic on the side you grip and metal on the back.. so the first one, the metal one proved too hard for me.. I would have liked someone to have warned me that this could happen before I bought the lens.. so I wouldn't panic then and jump the gun so to speak.. it's all a learning curve.. so I personally wouldn't buy the cheaper metal adaptors.. although the company did refund me, and told me to keep it.. I couldn't get it off anyway lol.. at that time I was in touch with them.. I would definitely recommend the £20 one from eBay.. it's fine.. It's not too much bother switching the adaptor to another lens.. although sometimes one will want to switch lens in a rush, I may buy another adaptor, same one.. ideally one for each lens.. but it's cost in it.. sorry that this is so long... thanks for reading.. you will never get that time back again lol..

[@Kinetic_Animations]

What’s a good really close up lense?

[@NormSpupsEntertainment]

Carl Zeiss Flektogon and Sigma Superwide ii are great (and cheap) manual lenses available in m42 mount, this can be cheaply adapted to EF mount using an adapter. the canon nifty fifty with an extension tube is another good choice for shallower depth of field - and is natively EF

[@Chris_thebeautyandageek]

A question about the 55mm lens. I see many on Ebay and some say auto, Ai, etc. For stop motion is there a preferred 55mm lens? I have a Nikon D3300, just bought Dragonframe, and have a set built. I wanted to get the right lens ordered up and start moving my puppets. Great tutorial, thanks!

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

Doing a bit of research for the D3300 it looks like you need to be sure to get Ai lenses only, from what I have read it is not an issue with higher end Nikons but for the lower end line like the D3300 just make sure you get the Ai mount lenses and you will be safe. (There are some non-Ai that have been adapted to Ai-mount and those would work as well, however unless they are specified as such do not expect them to be)

[@Chris_thebeautyandageek]

RobotsWithKnives Thanks for the help. That really narrows things down for me and hopefully I can find a good lens that won't break the bank.

[@melonproductions1471]

Which lens adapter do you use? I've read that the fotodiox ones can get stuck to your camera...

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

I'm not sure, I'm out of the country right now, but it Is a plain unbranded metal ring, things that look like it tend to run $35 USD

[@elkadyspider]

i got a Nikkor 105mm f4 ai as u said .. now i need an adapter to my canon eos 1d mark iii ring with no electric point will work ? ..

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

Mohamed Elkady yes, should be simple $35 adaptors that will work great. look for Nikon F mount to Canon EOS body.

[@orlandodabner359]

Can the lenses be auto and when adapted to canon they work properly as manual focus. If I can't get AI can I settle for the poorer quality.

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

Orlando Dabner full manual only, you can't use any auto functions on them when using an adaptor. The difference between AI and non-AI is not that big, I'm a little fussy but when all is said and done they are both more then good enough for 1080p video

[@jhonnyparks7085]

Thank you very much for this video, I am using a Canon T2i body, Do all of these lenses use a Nikon F Mount to Canon EF Mount? Thank you so much. - Jhonny

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

Yes, I know people using a Canon T2i and these adapters and lens

[@jhonnyparks7085]

=) thank you, I just ordered the 55mm off of ebay, I will let you know =)

[@warsd4]

Would the Nikon 55mm f/2.8 be a lens worth picking up for stop mo? I've got a friend that's offered to sell me one for a good price.

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

Looks like the 2.8 is a Micro lens so you should be good, in general I don't normally recommend it as it sells for a lot more then the 3.5 and you really don't need fast lenses for stop motion. But if you can get it for a good price it would be a great lens.

[@warsd4]

@@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons thank you so much!

[@tomtorrisi1456]

And here I am just using my iPad... I really want to upgrade to a DSLR and Dragonframe

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

iPads do support Dragonframe, animating using a tablet can be pretty nice if you want to setup in a place that isn't great for a larger computer, just remember using Dragonframe and a DSLR won't make your animation better, and you can still do a lot of cool stuff with tablet and phone cameras, they are so much better then the 240p webcamera I started animation with.

[@tomtorrisi1456]

@@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons I didn't know that iPads supported Dragonframe! Well, I use Stop Motion Studio Pro and it's pretty good for the price ($5.99, I think), so I'll probably stick with that until I get a good camera. The main reason I want Dragonframe is so that I can animate specifically with a DSLR, because I want higher quality images and colors. But I am pleasantly surprised with the animations I have been able to achieve on an iPad.

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

@@tomtorrisi1456 yeah, Dragonframe has a lot of nice features but most people don't need them, and many people who have DF don't really use those features, but if you ever do get a DSLR Dragonframe is very nice. Just ask yourself what a DSLR will give you that your iPads camera can't, if you're fine with the focal length on your iPad there is little reason to upgrade, but when you start struggling to capture the sort of shots you want that's when you need more lens flexibility.

[@jonjon1217]

Hello, I purchased the lenses that you have recommended (thank you so much for that information). The issue I am having now is purchasing the adaptor ring necessary to connect these lenses to my canon eos rebel camera (T4i model) that was gifted to me. I came across an adaptor (Nikon F) Fotodiox Lens Mount Adapter - Nikon Nikkor F Mount D/SLR Lens to Canon EOS (EF, EF-S) Mount SLR Camera Body on Amazon. I heave read articles that suggests using a better quality mount like a Novoflex mount. As I am a genuine novice, I feel lost. I would like to get dual use out of these lenses. So, my question is this. If I want to purchase a second mount to take portraiture photos, (to your knowledge) would a mount with a "focus chip" allow these AI lenses full functionality between the lenses and full features on the DSLR? I defer to you sir. Thanks in advance for your help.

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

I know people using the Fotodiox adaptors and they work fine for them, I don't have either adaptor that you list, just a cheaper metal adaptor with no electronic connections, I believe some more expensive adaptors have electronic connections but on these older lenses there is no point to get that.

[@jonjon1217]

@@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons once again sir, I cannot thank you enough but, I will try. THANK YOU SOOOOOO MUCH!!! ✌

[@rhysseddon7279]

You can use stop motion studio pro with a dslr

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

Yeah, there are a lot more options now then when I first posted this video.

[@volganottheriver2456]

Hi, I am trying to use manual Nikon 35mm 2.8 lens with Canon 6d body, but I experience a problem with a live view. The live view is much darker than the image itself. What do you suggest to do in this situation?

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

This is because using a manual Nikon lens on a Canon body is the same as always having aperture preview enabled. If you are using Dragonframe you can compensate for this by setting "Exposure Preview Offset" to +4, however even at aperture levels of around f/18 - f/22 it will still be pretty dark. But even if you were using Canon lenses and wanted to eliminate aperture flicker you would run into the same issue (there is a method where you press down the aperture preview button and partially unscrew the lens) If it's still do dark for your needs you might look into a bash light option, basically an extra light that shines on your set so you can see and every time you take a frame you turn it off or cover it. If you have Dragonframe and some kind of lighting DMX controller you can automate this, if you don't have both of those things then you'll have to do it manually. Now if you don't have Dragonframe I still recommend that you get it, some people say that you can get by without it but when you start delving into long exposures and crazy things like that you will be better off with it.

[@volganottheriver2456]

Thank you so much for the reply! I do have Dragonframe and try to play with Exposure Preview Offset as you suggested.

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

Volga NotTheRiver Good luck :) I find I always need to have it pumped up pretty high, like I said usually +4 but on some wider apertures I tone it down to maybe +3 or +2, I don't find myself using super wide aperture like f/2.8 or f/1.8 very often at stop motion scale as there is just to much bokeh.

[@volganottheriver2456]

thank you again :) I got so unset at first cause I really like the nikon lens

[@CasaBLACK]

A little note about this, and maybe it was said somewhere in the video, do not accidently get the non-AI versions. When I clicked the links here the non-AI versions also show up in the Ebay search so be careful.

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

Yes I do think I said something but only briefly, the thing about searching AI is that the word Non-AI will also pop up unfortunately.

[@pabloochoa8478]

Good info!, if i have a Nikon body, can i avoid aperture flicker with this lenses too? for the vintage thing i mean? and whats the difference between canon live view with nikon live view in Dragonframe?

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

You can if you partially unscrew the lens, just enough so it does not auto adjust the aperture, it will tell you you have no lens installed but you should be able to accept the warning and continue.

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

Keep in mind this will make your previews darker so you may need to adjust light gain on the preview image, or get a bash light for the preview image.

[@pabloochoa8478]

@@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons thanks so much for the answer, this help me a lot

[@denialhakimi3609]

Awesome

[@ThisOLmaan]

@UChJOzvAE5axDGTxtbsNMsEA: TY for the Lenes to use for stop motion, I asked many stop motion animators, and most don't respond, or will not respond with the question I ask. Also what canon would you recommend? i been looking at some for under $500 which is more than I can spend, and these are used good, and don't mind, I have a Lumix DC-FZ80 but I need a canon, my Lumix don't have changeable Lenses, nd yes it was really helpful to me. and if you do stop motion many of us beginners just Like Behind the scenes give tons of help for us, well TY hope Ur able to Help me out .

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

Check out ebay, look for the T2i, T3i, or T5i. Getting one of those used will give very good bang for the buck. Keep in mind you will need a Canon body to Nikkor lens adapter. You may want to get a wall battery adapter too. But if you get a used body on ebay you should have some left over money for those.

[@ThisOLmaan]

@@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons : Ahh man ty brother, oh didn't realize a wall battery would be a better option, ok ill consider that and add it to my list, Thanks

[@ThisOLmaan]

@@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons : i bought the Canon T5i so i am brand new to Canon, and I want Ur Advice on a specific Lens for really coles up Shots? also you mentioned an Adapter is needed it? if you please advise me on the Lens to use for close up and the type of adapter I will need to make it happen TY RobotsWithKnives.👍🏼📸

[@RUSSIAN_SPY_INC]

how do your links still yield lenses in 2022?

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

it links to an eBay search, not a listing, so as people sell their old lenses they will still appear in the search. Over time the results will change, because the lenses that people are listing will change, but it will still show listings until no one sells them anymore.

[@eillync01]

If I have a Canon EOS 6D Mark II and I want to buy the lenses you recommend. Which adapter should I buy? Thank you for the video!

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

You need to get an EOS to Nikkor adapter, look for a simple one without electronics, mine isn't sold anymore so I can't give firsthand experience on them. Go to a place like B&H photo and search for EOS to Nikkor adapter and read the reviews.

[@eillync01]

@@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons Thank you for replying! I bought this one "K&F Concept FD to EOS Lens Mount Adapter, Compatible with Canon FD FL Mount Lens and Compatible with Canon EOS EF/EF-S Mount Cameras". Would this one work for my camera?

[@eillync01]

@@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons I bought this lens "Nikon Ai NIKKOR 35mm f/2.8".

[@eillync01]

@@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons I bought this one now: K&F Concept Updated NIK to EOS Lens Mount Adapter, Compatible with Nikon Nikkor F/AI Mount Lens and Compatible with Canon EF EF-S Mount Camera Body. i think the one I had bought is not the right one.

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

@@eillync01 that sounds like it should work, please comment if it doesn't so others can know; wait, EF, not EOS, it depends, what is your camera body, is it EF or EOS? make sure your body are EF before buying.

[@ratfinkskates]

I have a canon rebel. Will it matter if I pick AI or Non-AI?

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

sid no, as long as you have the adaptor they will fit fine non-ai 55mm are sharp but other non-ai lenses may be slightly less sharp

[@ratfinkskates]

Ok, thanks!

[@Yershykhin]

Can't agree with point "Shooting on DSLR without dragonframe is just wasting of time" because there are so many free programms with live view, Digicam for example, which i've tested in my last animation and it's totally fine for amateurs)

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

So Digicam supports video playback of the frames you've captured, allows for frames to be removed and is nice and stable? If so that's great, but I have looked into free DSLR frame grabbers and they don't meet my needs, if you can't playback the video and remove miss captured frames it's just not very useful for animation. I have done animation using things like Canon's EOS utility to get a live view and capture remotely but it just doesn't replace proper frame grabbing. When you make animation things are important in this order: Good movement (real time feedback allows you to improve much faster so you will be better off with a webcam if you can't use a proper frame grabber for DSLR), next good lighting (a well lit shot on a web camera will look better then a poorly lit DSLR shot, maybe not as sharp but it will look more like a movie) and once you have those things you can move onto the camera and lenses and with those things, remember lens quality is more important than camera quality.

[@Yershykhin]

+RobotsWithKnives well, the only one thing of your list that doesn't exist in Digicam is video playback of last frames captured, however you can track them manually, live view is very fast and responsible, software is stable and has very simple interface with many settings. Also, what is very good that you can change the settings of your dslr right in the program so you'll see the result in the live view instantly. So yes, imo digicam is the best solution for beginner animators who have dslr, not pretending on beating dragonframe though)

[@Yershykhin]

+RobotsWithKnives btw you can remove any frame of series if you don't like it.

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

If you try you can make almost any camera work, I have shot blind and also used the Canon EOS Utility. When I shot 100% blind I would take a picture of my hand if I needed to delete a frame, that way when I loaded the images on my computer I would find any shots of my hand and delete it and the frame before it, if I needed to delete more frames I would hold up a number on my fingers and delete that many frames.

[@Yershykhin]

+RobotsWithKnives actually you are right: it's possible to make any kind of thing with any kind of equipment - it depends only from your desire and persistence)

[@kaimotion9354]

You don't look happy in the video

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

How could I be happy knowing so many animators use terrible lenses?

[@kaimotion9354]

@@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons Ur right and this is one of the only videos on youtube that show you that

[@edupuertasfruns]

Great video! I work with canon lenses very happy with the results, but it is really interesting to hear your opinions and advises about nikon old lenses.

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

There are a few things you need to do with Canon lenses on a Canon body to avoid aperture flicker and modern macro lenses cost a lot, just a quick look shows me numbers from $300 to $500 where a 55mm + a Nikon F lens to Canon EOS body will run you just under $100. So the old lens route can open lens options up for people on smaller budgets, I have a handful of Canon lenses I use for stop motion as well, a 40mm, 85mm and a 10-18mm, but they just aren't as useful as often for me as the 55mm and 105mm. Of course different shots require different lenses and if you can afford modern lenses there are an awful lot of pluses to those too.

[@edupuertasfruns]

I know all it, because of it I only have 2 good lenses and none of them macro, now using extension tubes. I get to your video because I am looking for a good macro now. Let's see what I finally decide, for the moment I am thinking to go and test some vintage lenses in my local store and find out what is the best for me. I have tried the nikon 60 mm and it is awesome, also still expensive. Thanks again for your video!

[@RobotsWithKnivesCartoons]

The 55mm f/3.5 is 100% the best bang for your buck, the optics are really great, you can find them for as low as $65 and then you just need a Nikon to Canon adapter which is about $30. It is very useful and you can use it with your current extension tubes to get even closer www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/742913-REG/