Best and cheapes m42 lenses for my Sony

panam · Joined: 03 Mar 2011 Posts: 35

Looking to upgrade my collections of m42 lenses for few more good and cheap lenses. So far I have this :

Helios m44 2
Helios m44-2 2
Photax 135mm 2.8

What else I should buy? By saying cheap I mean something around 20-50 dollars Smile

I a poor person Wink

std · Joined: 09 Feb 2010 Posts: 1826 Location: Bulgaria

What's the camera you are using?

IAZA · Joined: 16 Apr 2010 Posts: 2587 Location: Indonesia

and what range do you need? I see you have 50mm and 135mm, I suggest You find wide lens like vivitar 28/2,5 cheap but great performance

panam · Joined: 03 Mar 2011 Posts: 35

Sony A-300 and Nikon D7000
I had one topic before about what i can have for both cameras but now I'm really interested about m42 lenses...
Dunno if,and what I can do with Nikon but I'm sure theres is allot for Sony Smile

What I'm looking for is one more good portrait lens maybe macro lens and zoom something around 80-200 or even more all cheap as I can get Smile

ManualFocus-G · Expire: 2014-11-24

Tamron Adaptall 80-210/3.8-4 103a with an m42 mount.

RioRico · Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 2:58 pm Post subject:

Where are you?

In North America, Sears and Vivitar M42 lenses are inexpensive, plentiful, and decent. I can't speak for the rest of the world. In Europe you should be able to get Meyer/Pentacon, Enna, the Russians, not to mention Zeiss.

And there's the question to ask before going on a spending spree: WHAT DO I WANT TO DO THAT I CAN'T DO WITH WHAT I HAVE? The answer(s) should inform your decisions.

Maybe you'll want ultrawide / fishy -- a Zenitar 16/2.8 fits the bill. For from-the-hip shots in bright situations, try a Tokina 21/3.8 variously labeled as Vivitar, Soligor, Lentar, etc -- stop it down to f/11 and prefocus to 2m for DOF from 1m to infinity. For more 'normal' framing, Tamron and Vivitar 24's and 28's are good, as are Vivitar and Isco and Porst 35's. You already have two 58's, but a Takumar or Yashinon or other 50/1.4 is handy in low light. Vivitar and Tamron macros around 90-105mm are great, as is the magical Meyer Trioplan 100/2.8. Out beyond 135mm are the longer teles -- Vivitar 200/3.5's (various models) are good, and the tiny cheap Tele-Takumar 200/5.6 is great.

But availability and price of any of these may depend on your location.

panam · Joined: 03 Mar 2011 Posts: 35

ChromaticAberration · Joined: 23 Dec 2010 Posts: 819 Location: Portugal

So far, few, if any, of the models that have been suggested can be purchased between $20-$50 Rolling Eyes

Unless of course you get extreme lucky, steal someone who does not know how much (s)he could sell it for, or you can stand a lens in bad shape (fungi, dents, etc.).

The problem these days is that sellers already understood this "old lenses" game, it is not easy to find bargains at all, people are selling all the popular models for crazy prices. I mean, the prices are always bargains if we compare the ratio quality-price with the lenses these days but still.

Nordentro · Expire: 2015-01-29

Sankor 105mm f2.5 is a very good portrait/ short tele and inexpensive.
Usually between 40 - 60$

You can buy bellows or macro rings for your Helios for macro work Wink

10$ or less Very Happy

ManualFocus-G · Expire: 2014-11-24

Um, the Tamron I suggested will cost you about $15 and an adapter is probably another $30...

panam · Joined: 03 Mar 2011 Posts: 35

William · Joined: 26 Nov 2009 Posts: 489 Location: London

That Tamron will fulfil your tele-zoom lens for a while. An ~80mm prime lens for M42 or Nikon mount is very expensive. If you find that you are using the longer lengths more then there are many more very cheap 135mm and 200mm lenses.

That Zenitar fisheye is usually around £120 now so a bit expensive, if you want a very high quality wideangle I would get a Nikkor 24/2.8 AI. There's a slightly battered one for £50 in a UK shop I can link you to. Most 3rd party 24mm lenses cost more than that now unless you're lucky.

For macro to start with I'd recommend getting a set of m42 extension rings, you can find a set of 3 for £5 easily enough and put them on a 50mm lens. There are many 50mm lenses to chose from for very little, I'd recommend trying a few out so that you can get the feel for the different rendering and build construction of the lens manufacturers.

As you are also in Poland, I'd consider looking at street markets for lenses as I suspect there are lots of bargains there and probably an abundance of East German/Russian lenses.