newbie guy with a few questions

jun_1.8T · Joined: 30 Aug 2010 Posts: 7 Location: Toronto, Canada

hi there...i recently got addicted in using old mf lenses for my nikon d80. it was hard at first especially the manual exposure but im getting used to it pretty good. im really getting good at reading my histograms and adjusting them....sometimes i can even get it now in one shot. Very Happy

im just using a vivitar 28mm fixed auto wide angle 2.5 lens as of now for practicing manual lenses. what can you guys say about this lens...good or not? and then im planning on getting a nikon 135 3.5 ai-s and 55mm 3.5 ai-s lens in a couple of days...are they good??? and lastly i came across a set of SMC Super Takumars for a really cheap price....they are 35mm, 55mm, and 135mm i believe with m42 mounts. i read that to have the infinity focus i need to get the optical adapter for it. will this adapter degrade the quality of my pics??? if so...what other alternatives i can do to mount those takumar lenses??

thanks in advance!!

spleenone · Joined: 26 Dec 2009 Posts: 1130 Location: Slovakia

Hi and welcome =)
I can advise you old Nikkors. No problem with infinity. Only with mettering. But some of them are real pearls.
see more about those manulas at: Bjørn Rørslett reviews ...scroll down to Nikkor lenses
...and yes that optical adapter can degrade IQ (image quality) a bit. There are many threads about in this forum.
Takumars are good choice. They are mid class at manual glasses could say and something higher-middle in m42 alone. Some of them are top glass.
Here are leaving words for more experienced and more professional in this =)

martinsmith99 · Expire: 2013-11-18

I would probably avoid m42s if I were a Nikon shooter unless using them with a glassless adapter for macro. There are plenty of good old Nikkors (damn, I feel dirty saying that Laughing

) around. If you want to try other mounts, I'd get a cheap 2nd body that will allow you to mount many lenses. .

jun_1.8T · Joined: 30 Aug 2010 Posts: 7 Location: Toronto, Canada

so does it mean that i just need to stay with nikon lenses then??? what other good lenses out there that can be directly mounted on to my nikon???

thanks

NikonD · Joined: 29 Jul 2008 Posts: 1922 Location: Slovenija

of course they are... tamron, tokina, vivitar, soligor.... but nikkor's are best Wink

sdjensen · Joined: 06 Jun 2010 Posts: 29 Location: Denmark

That also depends on what your goals are.

If you are shooting macro you will can take a look at the Tamron SP 90mm f/2.5 adaptall-2 mount.

You'll need a adapter to mount that on your D80, but you can buy these on ebay.

Please note that you can buy a chip which you can glue on to your old lenses. This will make your old lens work as a new lens just without the automatic focus. You'll get the focus beep, and all the programs will work as if it was a AF lens. Search for "Dandelion chip" or look at www.leitax.com

spleenone · Joined: 26 Dec 2009 Posts: 1130 Location: Slovakia

yes we forget about Tamron adaptall lenses from AD2 or better SP pieces. There are very ussable lenses. I mean that perform more that standart lenses on market. Comparable even with nowadays competitors. Cheers =)

Hari · Expire: 2015-05-27

Or some kickarse Leica-R lenses

and some Zeiss Distagons/Planars/Sonnars in Contax/Yashica [C/Y] mount!

Just buy a cheap mount off ebay and replace the Leica-R mount or the C/Y mount and you're ready to go!

Look at the results :

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dementedjesus/sets/72157624820158974/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dementedjesus/sets/72157624061303572/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dementedjesus/sets/72157624019787474/

jun_1.8T · Joined: 30 Aug 2010 Posts: 7 Location: Toronto, Canada

sdjensen · Joined: 06 Jun 2010 Posts: 29 Location: Denmark

jun_1.8T · Joined: 30 Aug 2010 Posts: 7 Location: Toronto, Canada

oh yes i came across those replacement mounts. i would probably skip those for now and just stick with the nikon ai's

thanks everyone

Arninetyes · Expire: 2013-03-26

I did a lens bayonet replacement, using a Leitax bayonet on a Leica Elmar-R 100/4 Macro (bellows) lens. Don't be afraid of switching bayonets, as long as 1) you can follow directions, and 2) you can use simple tools. Using the directions (with pictures) on the Leitax website makes the replacement very easy.

Note: the Leitax lens bayonet is expensive. But, it is made of stainless steel, is better quality than most Nikon aluminum bayonets, it fits the Leica as if Leica made it, and it mounts on my PB-4 better than any other bayonet, except my Micro 55/3.5. My M42 to Nikon adapters are crap. I'm looking for better ones.