This blog post covers four old camera lenses I purchased second-hand: Canon, Cosina, Minolta and Zykkor.
Please note: I don’t know if there are other mount types for some of the lenses I’ve mentioned in this blog post. So when I state what type of mount, such as a Pentax K, please don’t assume there are not other versions of the lenses with different mount types.
Warning: I’ve tried my best to provide correct details, but please expect and forgive any errors in this blog post.
Introduction
Other than the Canon 100-200mm, all the other lenses mentioned in this blog post are manual focus and not autofocus. You will notice to get a price I’m willing to pay, I’ve purchased some lenses that are old, damaged and/or require a clean.
Other than the autofocus lens, the manual lenses are all fixed focus. This means I need to do a bit more work at times when taking a photo and I need to understand the pros and cons of each lens. For example, if I want a bit of bokeh, I will look to the Cosinon or Rokkor lenses.
Also all the lenses require adapters to work with my Canon 20D or Canon EOS M cameras. For example the Canon uses a EF mount, whereas the Cosina lens uses a Pentax K.
A photo of a black Canon EOS M camera.
I own many lenses and sometimes the mounts does influence what lenses I take out with me, especially if my wonderful fiancée is joining me and also using lenses with another camera.
Canon EF 100-200mm 1:4.5 A Lens
The only autofocus lens mentioned in this blog post! It is old and I’m going to use with a tripod and timer. There are many newer and better Canon lenses, but for my low budget I was willing to pay a cheap price and accept the limitations of this lens.
Though I’m currently enjoying an old manual focus Sigma 75-300mm camera lens more than this Canon lens. I will wait a while longer before I decide whether I want to keep using the Canon lens.
Canon FL 50mm 1.8 Lens
I already own a Canon FD 50mm 1.8, but I decided to buy a beat up Canon FL 50mm 1.8 as well!
I’m not entirely sure, but it’s possibly that my version was produced in 1964 and could be the mark one version. What I do know is the rear of my lens has damaged metal, but thankfully I can still fit a FD-EOSM adapter onto it! I got it for a cheap price, probably due to the damaged rear.
Unfortunately my FD-EF adapter’s pin(?) isn’t quite long enough to hold the aperture arm/lever, so for the time being I will only use it with my EOS M adapter. The aperture adjustment is at the front, which clicks and the focusing on my lens is slightly tough to turn.
The lens takes a 48mm screw filter if required and my version came with a beat up lens hood. I can’t see any fungus or dust and I’m happy with my purchase.
This isn’t an autofocus lens and whilst my version has damage, it feels well built!
Cosina Cosinon-W 28mm 1:2.8 Lens
This manual lens has focusing near the front with a clicking aperture control at the rear. With a 2.8-22 aperture and my version is a Pentax K mount, this old lens seems like a great buy for the price I paid.
The Cosina lens was made in Japan. You can use 49mm screw fitted filters and hoods with the lens.
I’m using the lens with a PK-EOSM adapter on my Canon EOS M camera.
Minolta MD Rokkor 50mm 1:1.4 Lens
A quick look through the eBay listings and I notice somebody recently paid £60 more for this lens than I did, but mine has a bit of damage, dust and the glass doesn’t look great to me.
I knew when I purchased the lens, I wouldn’t receive the front and rear caps. After a quick look through my collection and I found a MD rear cap and a front cap (Tamron) that isn’t ideal, but I will place on this lens.
I own a few other MD mounts, but for some reason I struggle a bit to fit this lens onto my MD-EOSM adapter, but it does fit.
I think my closest aperture on another lens is 1.7! However, I think I still take some good photos with my other lenses, such as higher aperture 2.8 ones. I think moving forward I need to be less concerned with purchasing lower aperture lenses and just enjoying what I already have. That being written, I think it’s nice to have a Rokkor!
Zykkor M.C. Auto 1:2.8 f=28mm
I was really looking forward to using this lens, until I discovered a large bit of something under the glass that I’m probably not able to remove unless I dismantle the lens! Also there might be some fungus starting, so it definitely needs a clean.
I guess that’s the risk you get with buying old lenses second-hand and hopefully at some stage I’m able to clean it properly.
The lens I purchased requires a MD-EOSM adapter to work with my Canon EOS M camera.
Final thoughts
As you’ve read, you can get mixed results buying old lenses and I’m happy with the majority of these lenses. I purchased the lenses cheaply and for a fraction of what some modern lenses cost!
My favourite in this list is the Rokkor, but I’m also of the opinion that if you have an okay lens, then it’s about working out how to take a decent photo with it and being fortunate to capture a good moment.
Some of the photos that I’ve taken that I really like have actually been taken with a cheap point and click and not using these lenses!
Though one of my recent favourite photos using an old manual lens was taken using a lens I got very cheaply and I built a custom adapter. The photo was of my wonderful fiancée at the beach and it’s now my desktop wallpaper.
I’ve not used the camera lenses mentioned in this blog post enough to write reviews about them yet.