Couldn't resist, this might be garbage but it's always fun

cgustav · Joined: 01 Jun 2014 Posts: 270 Location: Los Angeles

Hi there,

the other day I've seen some lenses, around $65 bucks for four of them and $65 for the Auto Chinon 1.7 with camera.
Once at home I looked for some info and from what I've read it seems most of these lenses are simply useless (but I think Auto Chinon is actually pretty good).
Anyway, it's always fun to spend some time with new gears.

So, here's some pictures that I started taking with a couple of these lenses, I'd like to hear what you people think.

(before cleaning)

Auto Chinon 1.7 (testing bokeh)

I'll post more pictures later and picture of the lenses as well.

Oldhand · Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 5:55 am Post subject:

I don't know which lens took the first image, but they don't come much better than that for image quality.
Well done
OH

cgustav · Joined: 01 Jun 2014 Posts: 270 Location: Los Angeles

Thank you Oldhand!

The first three are from the same lens and I'm not much sure what lens is either. I'm sure once I'll post a picture of the lens you guys will enlighten me.

It's a bit embarrassing, the thing is when I've seen the lenses with the sticker on them "Canon FD, Minolta, Olympus" I though "great deal!" I was so excited about buying them that I realized only later at home that those sticker only referred to the lens mount!

But I don't care if they are good or so-so, as long as the joy to keep shooting is there Smile

The tricky part is about the Canon FD mount, I'm must be doing something wrong because for both two of the lenses I bought with a Canon FD mount I can't change aperture.
I believe I must be mounting the lens in the wrong way... (the lock system is in fact a bit confusing)

Oldhand · Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 6:31 am Post subject:

cgustav · Joined: 01 Jun 2014 Posts: 270 Location: Los Angeles

Oldhand · Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 7:06 am Post subject:

mo · Expire: 2016-07-30

Which Chinon 1.7 lens do you have?

Lloydy · Expire: 2022-01-01

The Chinon 50 1.7 is a very good lens. Cool

eddieitman · Joined: 12 Apr 2011 Posts: 1246 Location: United Kingdom

The chinon 55mm F1.7 and the 50mm 1.7 are brilliant lenses, I like mine a lot, and you can use the Monet style bokeh artisticly to get some great results, look at the pics on my website for samples

TrueLoveOne · Expire: 2013-12-24

Shooting cheap gear is always fun, i do it a lot, and love it!

Let's be honest: it doesn't always have to be expensive and "legacy" stuff with well know names on them to get great shots!

anktonio · Expire: 2017-02-22

Pancolart · Expire: 2013-11-18

Splendid photos Gustav, please post more.

cgustav · Joined: 01 Jun 2014 Posts: 270 Location: Los Angeles

jamaeolus · Expire: 2015-08-20

That's it! Thank you OH, it works now.

@ mo: It's a 50mm.

@ Lloydy: Great! good to know Smile

@ eddieitman: Nice pictures! Yours it's a 55 though, but I think bokeh wise they are very much alike.

@ TrueLoveOne: Couldn't agree more!

@ Pancolart: Thanks Pancolart! I can't wait for the weekend to go out and take more pictures.
Having time at home only at night, I played a little with what I could find around. I tried one of the lens that seems to have Macro.
The default macro is not that much, so I added the Raynox DCR-150. ISO 1600, shutter speed 50 or 60, handheld, no flash. Very grainy, sorry for the quality.

[/quote]

Nice, though, for hand held with high ISO and slow shutter speed. The first one looks painterly.

cgustav · Joined: 01 Jun 2014 Posts: 270 Location: Los Angeles

Thank you jamaeolus!

I've had the chance to take a break and take some pictures in the yard.
In all cases contrast+saturation for post, that's all.

Quantaray 135 f/2.8 (FD mount)

Sakar 75-300 f/5.6 (FD mount)

Seikanon 28-70 f/3.5-4.5 (Minolta)

Tokyo Optics 80-200 f/4.5 (OM mount)

Auto Chinon 50 f/1.7 (M42)

These are the lenses (only missing in this pic is Sakar 75-300)

Some of these might be mediocre lenses, but I love them.
I think they all have something kind of particular, one may love it or hate it, I love it! Smile

Considering that for all of them (except for the Auto Chinon) I spent $65, I'm definitely happy Very Happy

WNG555 · Joined: 18 Dec 2014 Posts: 784 Location: Arrid-Zone-A, USA

I think you did very well. That's peanuts for that number of useable lenses in good condition. The photos show you can create some nice results. And that's what counts and makes it fun. The Auto Chinon looks great. And it's really hard to make a bad 135mm. And that Sigma/Quantaray is sharp.

I love the 135mm focal length on Sony's APS-C. It becomes a very fast and compact 200 tele.

Some of the old glass imparts a wonderful character into the photos that the modern counterparts have lost. Maybe it's because I'm old enough to recall film photography.

cgustav · Joined: 01 Jun 2014 Posts: 270 Location: Los Angeles

Thanks WNG555.

Yes, I think if there's something one can find interesting about a lens, doesn't matter if it's cheap.
I started with modern lenses, but when I switched to the old good manual I fell in love with that character you're talking about.

About the Auto Chinon, I noticed there's a switch on the side of the base (M-A if I recall well), it is the same thing as the Helios switch?

WNG555 · Joined: 18 Dec 2014 Posts: 784 Location: Arrid-Zone-A, USA

Yup! As is the switch on Takumars, and some Yashinons.

Same here, began with excellent native lenses for the a6000.
But now, having so much fun composing shots with the old lenses.

Mirrorless is really enjoying the best of both world at the moment.

cgustav · Joined: 01 Jun 2014 Posts: 270 Location: Los Angeles