Vintage Lenses - "Super Slow" Set

[QuickHitRecord]

I'm exploring the idea of assembling a set of "super slow" vintage primes with an f/stop of f/3.5 or slower for use on short films, personal projects, etc. Why super slow? Because I want the benefits of shooting wide open (circular bokeh & potentially softer image) without throwing the background totally out of focus. Plus, I've been trying to shoot at a deeper depth of field lately because it is a look that I find myself gravitating towards more and more. Plus, slow lenses shouldn't cost much and might even open up the opportunity to work with some real sleepers that no one really cares about these days.

Ideally:

• Focal lengths: ~20mm, 28/35mm, 50/55/58mm, 85/105mm OR a super simple set like 24mm, 50/55mmm, 85/105mm 
• f/3.5 or slower (preferably all the same f/stop)
• Same series of lens for consistency

Preferred:

• Old and weird (single-coating, etc.)
• Adaptable to Canon EF mount
• Focuses the "right away" (focus scale to the left of infinity)
• Readily available and under $200/each

Does anyone have any recommendations?

[eatstoomuchjam]

I'm not sure of the current prices, but I have an old Elmar 35mm f/3.5 which is one of the most gorgeous pieces of glass I've ever seen or used.

Also, I have an old Elmar 90mm f/4 collapsible which is pretty gorgeous.  I'd take the 90/2 'cron over it any day, but I'd shed no tears if the 90/4 were the only portrait lens in my bag.

Sorry neither one is even remotely adaptable to EF, though!

[MrSMW]

Carl Zeiss Vario Sonnar f/3.5 40-80 ‘push-pull’ zoom.

I have that as my ‘oddball’ lens and used it a few times with an EF-L adapter with built in VND.

Quite a few focal lengths covered there in a single lens!

[stephen]

Minolta MD 35-70mm f3.5 + Minolta MD 24-35mm f3.5. Minolta MD 35-70mm f3.5 is very good, Minolta MD 24-35mm f3.5 just OK. For video both are sharp enough,both relatively small and compact and two touch operation. Only drawback for me is that Minolta MD 35-70mm f3.5 zoom is most extended at 35mm. You can add also some of the tele zooms but they are all push pull type.

IMHO using zooms would be the best approach as all brands had zooms in the f3.5 to f4 range. If you are willing to use zooms with non constant aperture you'll have much more options.

[Andrew Reid]

15 hours ago, MrSMW said:

Carl Zeiss Vario Sonnar f/3.5 40-80 ‘push-pull’ zoom.

I have that as my ‘oddball’ lens and used it a few times with an EF-L adapter with built in VND.

Quite a few focal lengths covered there in a single lens!

Have you compared it to the replacement 35-70mm? The latter lens is very handy on the GFX 100 and filmic looking.

[MrSMW]

11 hours ago, Andrew Reid said:

Have you compared it to the replacement 35-70mm?

Nope, only have the 40-80.

The only things I don't like about it are the highlights are a bit too glowy and it's a heavy little fucker!

[John Matthews]

On 8/15/2025 at 10:36 PM, QuickHitRecord said:

Same series of lens for consistency

Good luck. Manufacturers changed coatings every time they went to the bathroom. They were always getting tweaked. Granted, they often had similar looks. You can find some very unique f/3.5 constant zooms that will do the job. Some of them are sharp and cheap with magnificent and crazy flares.

Here are some that I found interesting. I have the Makinon zoom lens.

 

 

[fuzzynormal]

f2.8 on M43 is kinda a sweet spot though, don't ya think?  

Are are you trying to Spielberg it?

[Andrew Reid]

I have tried a number of cheap/crap 28-80ish lenses on the GFX 100 and they all have a knack for covering the sensor perfectly if you zoom in past 35mm

So the Makinon I am interested to hunt down in Berlin and try... The Nikon in theory has the perfect focal length for the GFX 100, but I am not sure I share our YouTube friend's enthusiasm for the flare... The Makinon was much nicer to my eye

[eatstoomuchjam]

12 hours ago, John Matthews said:

Here are some that I found interesting. I have the Makinon zoom lens.

I picked up the Nikkor after watching CP's review and doing some searching and seeing how many people described it as not only the worst lens Nikon ever made, but also possibly the worst zoom ever made.

They might be right, but I'm sure I'll find the right time to use it someday.  I'm not sure if this true of all of them, but mine also has the problem that when I put it on an EF adapter, the back of the aperture selector is so tight against the edge of the adapter that it can't even possibly be moved.  I had to use a pliers to take it off to make sure I didn't do something wrong.  Maybe there are other EF adapters that would work better, but for anything I'd use the Nikkor to shoot, I'm sure I'd want it wide open anyway.

I'm looking forward to watching the video on the Makinon.  I've not heard of that one before - and if it's still $30ish on eBay, I guess there's not a reason not to buy it.

[John Matthews]

1 hour ago, eatstoomuchjam said:

I'm looking forward to watching the video on the Makinon.  I've not heard of that one before - and if it's still $30ish on eBay, I guess there's not a reason not to buy it.

I have the AR mount version. It's a decent lens by my eye. My copy has a trashed front thread and the rubber missing from the zoom ring- neither are a problem for me. I've seen them in K-mount too, but I'm not sure if there any differences. The fact that it has been used to oblivion is a good sign to me- somebody loved this lens to use it that much. Judging from this video and the video he shot entirely on it, I'd say there aren't any differences.

I also have a Pentax 35-105 f/3.5 constant that belonged to my father, but it's almost impossible to use. There's just so much gear noise and you have to go into a full-macro mode to get somewhat close. Here's a video describing it:

 

[John Matthews]

Inspired by this post, I tried to make some flares with the Makinon.

Some were shot at f/16 and others f/3.5 with an ND filter. I shot in v-log and corrected for exposure and add the official Panasonic LUT.

[Andrew Reid]

Turns out I had the Makinon in a cupboard all along and will also give it a go.

Some of these old zooms have terrible 1.5m+ minimum focus distances or rely on an awkward to engage separate macro mode, but some have the macro mode on the main focus ring and some are even par-focal. The Exakta 28-70mm F4 MC Macro (made in Japan with 62mm filter thread, and mine is an M42 mount version) in particular stands out for me, nice vintage look, nice size and weight, ergonomic to use, decent optics and distortion, covers GFX 100 well, especially in square 1:1 aspect for stills or 16:9 for video, and focuses down to 1:3.2 macro with one turn of the main focus ring (no funny separate mechanism to contend with).

The best for flare is the absolutely pre-historic Voigtlander Zoomar 36-82mm F2.8, think it was the first ever zoom lens for SLRs, the distortion is absolutely insane at 82mm but if you stay between 36-70mm it has a lot of cinematic goodness. 

[kye]

On 8/16/2025 at 4:36 AM, QuickHitRecord said:

I'm exploring the idea of assembling a set of "super slow" vintage primes with an f/stop of f/3.5 or slower for use on short films, personal projects, etc. Why super slow? Because I want the benefits of shooting wide open (circular bokeh & potentially softer image) without throwing the background totally out of focus. Plus, I've been trying to shoot at a deeper depth of field lately because it is a look that I find myself gravitating towards more and more. Plus, slow lenses shouldn't cost much and might even open up the opportunity to work with some real sleepers that no one really cares about these days.

Ideally:

• Focal lengths: ~20mm, 28/35mm, 50/55/58mm, 85/105mm OR a super simple set like 24mm, 50/55mmm, 85/105mm 
• f/3.5 or slower (preferably all the same f/stop)
• Same series of lens for consistency

Preferred:

• Old and weird (single-coating, etc.)
• Adaptable to Canon EF mount
• Focuses the "right away" (focus scale to the left of infinity)
• Readily available and under $200/each

Does anyone have any recommendations?

Canon FD might do it - price might be an issue perhaps?  Plenty of F3.5 or F4 lenses in the lineup, they focus the way you want, and you even get a choice of coatings (normal, S C, or S S C).  Some of the slower ones are macro lenses too!

https://cameraville.co/blog/list-every-canon-fd-lens-ever-made

Zooms are also an excellent idea.

An out of the box idea is to use faster lenses, but to keep the aperture wide open and cut a round hole in a lens cap and get the aperture you want that way.  I'm not sure if this would reduce the DOF in the right way?  It would definitely lower the exposure though, and would definitely keep the bokeh the shape you want.

[MrSMW]

All the footage on this one (between approx 1 minute and 2 minutes 15 seconds) was shot on the Zeiss 40-80 f3.5 handheld.

I programmed 2x custom settings for the IBIS on the S5ii, one at 40mm and the other for 80mm and then only shot at these focal lengths.

I bottled it for the wedding day and went back to Sigma and Lumix AF lenses, but I am considering bringing this lens back as part of my workflow for these day prior and day after parts of a wedding where I am not under any real time constraints and can afford to be more 'creative'...

https://firehorsephotographyfrance.com/weddings/jenniedan

[homestar_kevin]

I'd go with Super Takumar,  Nikkors, or Olympus OM.

All have a good selection of 3.5 and 2.8 lenses that can be had cheap.

I put together a cheaper Takumar set a few years ago and got great deals on some bundles with the 3.5 primes. 

[maxJ4380]

6 hours ago, John Matthews said:

Inspired by this post, I tried to make some flares with the Makinon.

Some were shot at f/16 and others f/3.5 with an ND filter. I shot in v-log and corrected for exposure and add the official Panasonic LUT.

Thanks for sharing, might be the only lens that can compete with the first nikon 43-86 zoom😉 After some research, a little while ago, i got the 2nd edition? of the nikon 43-86mm. One odd thought later  (like how bad could it be? ) and a first edition was on its way... easiest way to tell them apart is the first has the text on the inside of the filter ring from memory.

The second gives a more pleasing image for the masses, the first is er... more subjective, dare i say it a specialist lens for particular projects. Now i guess i have to find the adapter to suit as its been awhile.