Why You Should Be Using Manual Focus Lenses on your Mirrorless Camera

[@brugj03]

I choose voightlander for Sony FE mount. Manual focus with full electronic contact. Fantastic Quality as good as Leica for less. Extremely well made too. But i also use Sony GM super fast autofocus lenses, for other purposes.

[@davidmckenzie7190]

I had a person tell me one time that" they would not put any lens on there camera that wasn't made by there camera manifacturer" and I asked are you a Professional?. He said no. I think that a crazy way of thinking. You are right about what you are saying about vintage lenes and the 3rd party lens makers. They are producing some good stuff. Good Video.

[@dongummphotography]

@@davidmckenzie7190 thank you!

[@mikeg2916]

These companies are making focal lengths that you can't find with the Olympus and Panasonic lenses. Great video.

[@bublt4me]

That's because they're APS-C lenses first and foremost.

[@sbcwinn]

I have several TTArtisan manual lenses. I love them. Great optical quality. Fantastic build quality, and cheap as chips. What's there not to like?

[@dongummphotography]

@@sbcwinn I agree!

[@sbcwinn]

@@dongummphotography Just as an aside, I bought some used Yongnuo AF lenses for my MFT cameras. They are great and at $50 each (25mm F1.8, 42mm F1.7) they are an amazing bargain. Yongnuo will soon bring out a new AF MFT lens a 17mm f 1.7. Retail price is expected to be under $150.

[@steveworthington930]

Hi Don, I stick to Minolta lenses, obviously have the correct adaptor for my Oly camera,s. I like the un digital look, modern lenses can be to clinical in some situation,s. The result,s look similar to Kodachrome 64 I used many years ago!

[@tonykeltsflorida]

MPB or KEH is the best way to get vintage lenses. I have a few manual focus lenses. I have a Kamlan 50mm f/1.1 that I learned how to get my manual focus right. I still mostly use my autofocus lenses when I need perfect shots.

[@tedphillips2951]

I agree. TT Artisans makes some very good lenses in my case for micro 4/3.

[@stephanweiskorn6760]

Excellent video 😮!

[@johndwilliams]

I'm an addict for these manual lenses for some years now. Bought a Takumar 50mm f1.4 for £10 (12 dollars) which came with a 35mm Pentax film camera attached! Then there's my Zeiss Jena Biotar 58mm f2 that's plated brass from 1953. Important to remember that the depth of field scales aren't accurate when using an old lens with an adapter. Manual focus using focus peaking is so satisfying, especially if the focus plane is very shallow. Recently bought the TTArtisan 50mm f2 for my Sony a7rii as I wanted a compact lens for walking about. As long as you know the limitations you get great results. Impossible to get anything so small and light in a modern lens with auto focus.

[@dongummphotography]

@@johndwilliams some great glass you have there!

[@gaoldias]

I have 5 manual lenses from different manufacturers (Laowa, TTArtisan, 7Artisans, Pergear and Meike). They are all fun to use although not as sharp as my Olympus Pro lenses. They can certainly get good results for someone on a tight budget.

[@dongummphotography]

@@gaoldias I couldn't agree more!

[@brugj03]

Those are all cheap Chinese lenses. Try some old vintage glass instead of those. A world will open to you. To me all those china lenses look the same.

[@dongummphotography]

@brugj03 no question that vintage glass is often amazing, but the Chinese lenses are available in focal lengths and maximum apertures that vintage lenses aren't. They also have improved coatings and no worries about getting a lens that turns out to need repair or is optically deficient due to haze or fungus that often can't be removed. The Chinese lenses offer interesting and affordable options for a photographer on a budget looking for unique lens options. Everyone would love to be able to afford more expensive options like the Voigtlander lenses, but not everyone can.

[@GreySectoid]

I have 5 of these chinese manual prime lenses from different manufacturers and they have been great. Paid 60-200$ for each.

[@rayspencer5025]

I refer to these as "Dumb" lenses, meaning they do not communicate with the camera. 16 out of my 40 lenses are Dumb lenses. I used to avoid them, but since moving to a mirrorless camera (Canon R7) I have found them not too bad to work with for subjects that I can take my time with (landscape, architecture, street, urban, some macro, portrait, still lifes). On my R7 I have a custom mode saved just for these lenses that automatically gives me Focus Peaking /Confirmation / magnification, manual exposure with auto ISO, IBS (I have to manually enter the lens focal length), and shows the actual image brightness). Whenever possible I prefer to get such lenses in the old 42mm screw mount so that I can easily and cheaply convert them to almost any other mount. Also, since the R7 is a crop sensor camera I like to get these lenses in the Full Frame EF mount so then I can adapt them to the R7's RF mount by using my SpeedBooster, standard, or drop-in filter adapter.

[@dongummphotography]

@@rayspencer5025 sounds like you have a well thought out setup!

[@robertsaunders5740]

I have a new Canon RP camera body only. I do not find a menu setting for fire shutter without a lens. I have not had the dealer update the firmware yet which may include that. I do use manual lenses on my 3 DSLR's at times.

[@rayspencer5025]

@@robertsaunders5740 kzbin.infoAuUm-vjK2cA?si=SYx4p79LbcQQgL40

[@sauzefilms]

i'd only buy first-party AF lenses if i'm getting paid to shoot or if i could find a used one at an affordable price.

[@cameraprepper7938]

I have used manual focusing Lenses for 45 years and I will continue to do that.

[@dongummphotography]

@cameraprepper7938 me too! I think photographers who ignore vintage and manual focus lenses are missing out on a lot!

[@cameraprepper7938]

@@dongummphotography Yes, I think that they will miss out on a lot. I do not use my "vintage" Lenses any more, because I cannot remember which Lens that I have used, if there comes an adapter where you can do custom EXIF files, then I will use those "vintage" Lenses again. Now I use Zeiss Loxia and Voigtländer APO-Lanthar Lenses.

[@dongummphotography]

@cameraprepper7938 wow! Some nice glass!

[@cameraprepper7938]

@@dongummphotography Yes, they are really nice, I can highly recommend the Zeiss Loxia 21mm Distagon T* and the Voigtländer APO-Lanthar 35mm 2.0 Aspherical.

[@dasaen]

Some people measure the the resolution on these and they are actually way higher than the kit lenses, and in some cases, equal to the brand primes. Their problem are behavior against flare and well the autofocus. They are really good for covering focal length range, thank for bringing attention to them. I am actually worried they get expensive now that they are making them with autofocus.

[@scrptwic]

I still photograph with a DSLR and I have been collecting Pentax Takumar M42 screw mount lenses I have a 35mm3.5, 50mm1.4 & a 135mm 3.5 the lenses came with original metal hoods and filters . I also collect the later Pentax M series manuel focus K mount lenses 28mm2.8 50mm 2.0 , 55mm2.8, 100mm2.8, 135mm 3.5 and 150mm 3.5 all great manuel focus lenses

[@dongummphotography]

@@scrptwic all great lenses! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@blackfish73]

Another major benefit of the modern 3rd party MF lenses vs vintage MF lenses is that you can typically get the modern lens in your native lens mount. With the vintage lenses you likely have to purchase a separate adapter that adds bulk and weight.

[@mikek2218]

I'm really curious about the 10mm TTArtisan. Hope you do a review.

[@brugj03]

Try the voightlander 10mm heliar instead. It will blow your mind.

[@mikek2218]

@@brugj03 No doubt a very nice lens... but at a premium price. I just picked up the TTArtisan 10mm f/2. Still early days, but so far I am very impressed. And it cost me $136.00 on Amazon.

[@brugj03]

@@mikek2218 The voightlander is a FF lens. It`s almost 10 times more.

[@mikek2218]

@@brugj03 Maybe if I needed it for full frame I would consider it. But I'm using it on M43 and the TTArtisan seems to be very high quality at a screaming good deal.