Which manual film lens should I get for video?

[nietzscheco]

Hi!

I'm looking for a film camera to shoot artistic videos with. I have many digital sony mount lenses, but for the experimental videos I'm making, I could use an older lens! I like the soft highlight look and low contrast. It should be good for video and should not be too dark. I have a Sony a7s2. I have 3 options to choose from.


1) Helios 44-2
2) Fed 50mm f3.5 m39
3) ISCO-Göttingen Westagon 1.9 50mm

Much appreciated if you could help!

[kiddo]

Why not use a preset lens? I like komura 35 for vintage look, even though a friend of mine used the flek 35 2.4 , he's doing mostly video, so he's been pretty happy with this flek i borrowed him,of course it had to remove the aperture click. Both of these 2 lenses are different, the komura is more of character lens, vintage look. The option you've put, I'm not familiar with ,for video, but surely could be an interesting option to.

[aidaho]

[nietzscheco]

Thanks guys!

I live in the mid of nowhere in eastern europe so these 3 are my only options (found em on the sale website in my hometown). :/

For video specifically which would be easier and more efficient for the vintage look, if you could guess?

[kiddo]

Try to get the one with very smooth focus ring and aperture - it's not easy on these oldies,but you might be lucky - somebody said ,for low contrast , try to apply some Vaseline on the front element and see the effect

[jamaeolus]

Those are all relatively sharp for older lenses. Check around in used shops. Or boot, garage or junk sales. Frequently it is possible to buy some of the old cameras with lens for just a few dollars especially if the camera itself is broken. You could buy one of those and play with it of course but from what you are describing I think you will be surprised at how sharp and contrasty those actually are. A folding camera from the 1930s with a triplet like a balda, welta, franka with trinar or radiogon might better suit your needs. They will be uncoated and thus lack contrast and poorly corrected so aberrations will be apparent. I'm sure some of those are lurking in peoples cupbords or closets nearby because "It was uncle Joe's favorite and its old so it must be valuable" Those are not too hard to adapt using a lens cap.

[visualopsins]

Welcome nietzscheco

Helios not a bad choice. Buy them all if you can.

[nietzscheco]

Thanks!!
I'll walk around. For the adaptor, which is cheapest and easier, if anyone knows? M42-SONY ? I'll look for lenses with m42

[Sciolist]

[blotafton]

Look at photos of the Riconar 55mm f/2.2. It is very soft at close focus and can be super artsy.

[IAZA]

Helios 44 series are common favourite for many videographers, just search in youtube "Helios 44 for video"

[nietzscheco]

@sciolist,

Do you know if the manual focus is difficult with this lens?

[Sciolist]

[fiftyonepointsix]

Of the choices presented, I would suggest the Helios-44 for "artistic, old-style rendering". It is an F2 aperture, and has "swirly Bokeh". It is lower contrast wide-open, sharpens considerably when stopped down. Used close-up and wide-open, the world will revolve around the subject. This is a "double-Gauss" lens, the basis for most Fast-50s.

If you want to get a different look, A Jupiter-3 (50/1.5) or Jupiter-8 (50/2) are Sonnar designs.

L1007938-Edit by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

Valdai Jupiter-3, wide-open.

Below- Jupiter-8, wide-open.

Jupiter-8 at F2 by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

Both are based on the 1930s Zeiss Sonnars,

Warm November Day by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

1934 CZJ Sonnar 5cm F1.5, wide-open.

Both Jupiter lenses used are from the 1980s- should be easily found in your area. The Jupiter-8 is a bargain, about the same price as the Helios.