Manual lenses

[pistonheadforum]

I've got Fuji X-Pro1 and a cheap 25mm TT Artisan F2 manual lense.

Equivelent to 35mm in full frame.

Lens is great and I much prefer manual/zone focusing.

TT Artisan do an 18mm manual lens but it's a fair bit more and gets some iffy reviews for the handling part (focus breathing?) which makes me think it's nowhere as good as the 25mm version.

I am keen to get a 28mm equivalent lens. Anybody else have the 18mm version and is it any good?

[pistonheadforum]

Or alternativly is it worth getting some adaptor rings and trying to convert an older manual lens (which manufacturer?). Is this a better approach to get access to manual lenses.

Thanks in advance

[Top Banana]

I shoot with a Fuji XT-1 (and had XE-1 before this)

One of the things I love with the Fuji is using older 'legacy' lenses from 35mm film camera's via adapters...the focus peaking feature along with focus zoom allows easy manual focus with all these old lenses..

Also you need to manually control aperture as well, so it's like getting back to basics of photography.

Plenty of adaptors on eBay to convert from Fuji to whatever lenses you fancy - I have converters for Pentax and Canon lenses, as well as converter for M42 threaded lenses..

I used to pick up lots of lenses in charity shops and jumble sales for just a few pounds, but a bit like vinyl there has been a resurgence in interest in older cameras and lenses so price is now much higher, but still some lovely lenses to be had on eBay if you keep looking...

Just bear in mind that these lenses were designed for 35mm film so when you use them on Fuji with it's small sensor your focal length won't be the same ( as example a 50mm SLR prime lens will be equivalent to around 75mm when used on the Fuji)

I will try and post some examples I have shot on my Fuji with older lenses...

[Top Banana]

here are some examples taken with a 55mm f1.8 Cosinon m42 mount lens with the Fuji XT

[pistonheadforum]

Top Banana said:

I shoot with a Fuji XT-1 (and had XE-1 before this)

One of the things I love with the Fuji is using older 'legacy' lenses from 35mm film camera's via adapters...the focus peaking feature along with focus zoom allows easy manual focus with all these old lenses..

Also you need to manually control aperture as well, so it's like getting back to basics of photography.

Plenty of adaptors on eBay to convert from Fuji to whatever lenses you fancy - I have converters for Pentax and Canon lenses, as well as converter for M42 threaded lenses..

I used to pick up lots of lenses in charity shops and jumble sales for just a few pounds, but a bit like vinyl there has been a resurgence in interest in older cameras and lenses so price is now much higher, but still some lovely lenses to be had on eBay if you keep looking...

Just bear in mind that these lenses were designed for 35mm film so when you use them on Fuji with it's small sensor your focal length won't be the same ( as example a 50mm SLR prime lens will be equivalent to around 75mm when used on the Fuji)

I will try and post some examples I have shot on my Fuji with older lenses...

Thanks that's really helpful - appreciate you taking the time to provide advice.

[pistonheadforum]

Top Banana said:

here are some examples taken with a 55mm f1.8 Cosinon m42 mount lens with the Fuji XT

Great photos - love the colours. It's making me want to upgrade to the Fuji X-T range.

[Top Banana]

Thanks for the comments

I tend to always shoot using RAW file format...this gives much more leeway in processing the images in Photoshop

But even the straight from camera jpeg's are great with the Fuji range...also the XT's have some nice film simulation modes.

I'd encourage you to get a cheap adaptor of eBay and search out some old lenses, it's great fun