Help with purchase of vintage lenses.

[Turboguard]

So I've been walking around in some of the many vintage stores around NYC and found a couple of interesting (hopefully) lenses. I haven't bought anything yet because I'm a complete newbie when it comes to the usage of vintage glass on new digital cameras.

 

So I own a BMPCC, and my question are as follows;

 

1. Are any of the lenses (posted below) interesting?

 

2. If not, they're pretty cheap so would it be wort it to buy them and maybe experiment with cracking glass for light leaks, etc?

 

3. What kind of adapter etc would I need?

 

4. Let me know if you have some other information on how to go about for shooting cheap inexpensive vintage on the BMPCC.

 

Thanks in advance!!!

 

Here's the pics ; 

http://imgur.com/a/SOPsX

[Guest fe4a3f5e8381673ce80017d29a8375f1]

 

 

2. If not, they're pretty cheap so would it be wort it to buy them and maybe experiment with cracking glass for light leaks, etc?

 

 

No because cracking the glass wouldn't lead to light leaks ...

[richg101]

none of the lenses in your images would be worth buying for their 'vintage' qualities.  But if you had to go for one, get one with brown/gold coatings and as little rubber on it as possible.  Rubber focus grip = 'no vintage look' in my experience.  It's almost mathematically so.

[noone]

So I've been walking around in some of the many vintage stores around NYC and found a couple of interesting (hopefully) lenses. I haven't bought anything yet because I'm a complete newbie when it comes to the usage of vintage glass on new digital cameras.

 

So I own a BMPCC, and my question are as follows;

 

1. Are any of the lenses (posted below) interesting?

 

2. If not, they're pretty cheap so would it be wort it to buy them and maybe experiment with cracking glass for light leaks, etc?

 

3. What kind of adapter etc would I need?

 

4. Let me know if you have some other information on how to go about for shooting cheap inexpensive vintage on the BMPCC.

 

Thanks in advance!!!

 

Here's the pics ; 

http://imgur.com/a/SOPsX

Some of them MIGHT be ok.     Adapter would depend on the mount of the lens.    The adapters would be cheap on EBAY (but still should cost more than some of those lenses).

The only thing in that lot I would want though is the 3x macro converter.     A very useful thing (for stills anyway and maybe for video).    With the right lens it can give you variable macro far greater than 1:1 if you reverse a short lens onto it and a 3x teleconverter as well at the other end.      Be hard to use for video I think and there are better ones (a 2x macro converter would be better) but if it is cheap enough (and more if you can use it for stills too) it might be worth getting.

[xenogears]

The problem i see with all this lenses is that all of them are Tele with the almost 3x factor of the BMPCC, a 150mm will become like a 400mm in 35mm equivalents, try to look for lenses at 25mm and lower.

[Damphousse]

 

1. Are any of the lenses (posted below) interesting?

 

 

No.

 

 

2. If not, they're pretty cheap so would it be wort it to buy them and maybe experiment with cracking glass for light leaks, etc?

 

 

You need to look up what a "light leak" is.  Light doesn't "leak" through glass whether it is cracked or not... it flows freely through glass.  If you have a light leak it ain't coming from your glass.  It is leaking through something that used to be opaque.  I mean what you are saying is like saying, a leaky waterfall.  If you are trying to turn your bmpcc into one of those horrendous Lomo plastic cameras I suggest punching some holes in the camera body.  That will get you the look you are going for... it may void your warranty though.

 

3. What kind of adapter etc would I need?

 

 

Can't tell.  But you will need numerous adapters.  You can't just go from store to store and snatch up a grab bag of lenses.  They all have different mounts in the back.  Even if they are Leicas there are at least two common Leica mounts.  Same goes for Canon.

 

 

4. Let me know if you have some other information on how to go about for shooting cheap inexpensive vintage on the BMPCC.

 

 

This business of cheap inexpensive vintages lenses is a myth.  By the time you find something that is quality, that works, and that offers something a modern lens doesn't and then buy the necessary adapter you aren't really saving any money in most cases.

 

I am no expert in this area.  I wanted to get started with my bmpcc with some cheap lens options.  What I found was if I wanted something quality in a useful focal length I was going to have to cough up some dough unless I did a lot of research and got very lucky.  As someone else pointed out you really need to find lenses that are less than 25mm.

 

You can get a Nikon 50mm 1.8 in mint condition used for less than $100.  Heck at times you can get in new for that much.  Slap on a Nikon adapter and you have a 1.8 150mm lens.  That takes care of a lot of telephoto needs.  Then start your hunt for some sub25mm glass.  Do some research and look for some C-mount glass.

 

Again though I often find stuff that is affordable just isn't quality.  It seems like the good deals have really been picked over and people have started to realize what their old lenses are worth.