Lenses

[Aussie Ash]

9 hours ago, maxJ4380 said:

Too late. there's a f2 35mm takumar on its way, i may also get a warming filter for  the double whammy or more likely just for comparisons 

Lens should be here by the end of the month.  It kinda rounds out my takumer set, i have most of the focal lengths i think although none are matching, there's taks, super taks, and smc's. i don't think i have a 28mm and definitely no eight element either. Next item will be a speed booster i think, to claw back some of that crop and i presume it gives me  an additional focal length for each lens. Well thats how i'm looking at it anyway.

Glad you are making progress Max .I dug out the Soviet color filters both are red ! and were normally used to increase contrast with black and white film.

[mercer]

Been using the GH6 with the cheap  7artisans 24mm 1.4. I really like the lens, are there any other 7artisans hidden gems?

[alexander higgins]

The funny thing with vintage lenses is half the magic comes from the flaws people used to complain about. Lower contrast, weird flares, cat-eye bokeh, imperfect corners… now everyone is hunting for exactly that look again.

[kye]

On 5/19/2026 at 4:27 PM, alexander higgins said:

The funny thing with vintage lenses is half the magic comes from the flaws people used to complain about. Lower contrast, weird flares, cat-eye bokeh, imperfect corners… now everyone is hunting for exactly that look again.

100%

Of course, completely irrational biases still exist.  One of the major ones is that people seem to only want lenses so sharp they need to wear gloves to even pick them up, or lenses so distorted that it's like most peoples memories of Woodstock.

There is a secret third option.

These lenses have a subtle hint of the vintage vibe, but aren't completely out of control divas that need to be babied all the time.  They're also cheap, freely available, have modern features like AF and OIS, and are fast and easy to use.

To discover this secret, here's the thread where I talk about them, and reveal what they are and how to get them.

[maxJ4380]

On 5/21/2026 at 9:03 PM, kye said:

 

To discover this secret, here's the thread where I talk about them, and reveal what they are and how to get them.

Looks a lot like clickbait.🤪

Getting back to lenses i have been looking at the new 4.5mm - 10mm from laowa its a very unique lens going from a circular look to 180 fish eye diagonal. I'm not sure why but i seem to be going through a quirky phase at the moment...  i realize its a one trick pony but i find myself intrigued by it. I think kye brought it up some time ago when it was in preproduction. Now that its out, i'm tempted to get it although here in aus i cant find it below $1000. B # H have it at a more reasonable $530.  Its still a bit pricey i think but then it is bending light around and trying to keep it all together, i guess  that does cost some r&d $$.

The mission 1 is sitting in the front seat of the Mitsubishi with a little crane gimbal, sadly my dad passed away 3 weeks ago and the 3 weeks before that were a bit crappy as well. I think i just have to bite the bullet and start somewhere. 

[MrSMW]

I am now officially all in with purely Sigma glass.

Unless if I manage to get my LUMIX 70-200mm f4 fixed (the OIS and entire functionality of the lens is currently kaput due to dropping it).

The 20, 35 & 85 f1.4 dg dn are my holy trinity for hybrid work. 

The 28-105 f2.8 has also started pulling duty in this specific role at certain times, but I do need to re-buy the battery grip I just purchased, decided I did not need and sent back...only to decide I did need it.

My two primary video workhorses are the APSC 17-40mm f1.8 and the full-frame 28-70 f2.8, the latter being good and the former an absolute gem.

If I can't get that 70-200 fixed though, I think I will just have to bite the bullet on that ugly Samyang 35-150 f2/2.8 but it will just sit on a tripod in a static role and all my 'creative' lenses are from Sigma.

The only Sigma lens I don't have but crave, is the 28-45 f1.8, but I simply do not have a space for it in my lineup, but if it ever gets a longer focal length sibling such as a 45-90 f1.8 with internal zoom, I may need to revisit that scenario as that would be a dream pairing for my kind of work.