Amateur Photographer - 27.09.2019

21 September 2019 I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I subscribe 0330 333 1113

V I N TAG E L E N S E S

P

hotographers have long
partnered camera bodies
with lenses developed for
other systems, although
in the past few years the concept
has crossed much further into the
mainstream than before.
Much of this is down to the influx
of modern mirrorless systems,
which suddenly made it possible
to create many new and intriguing

• if sometimes incongruous –
  camera and lens combinations. New
  systems continue to be introduced,
  and with them, further adapters to
  broaden pairing possibilities.
  While photographers have found
  success in mounting vintage lenses
  on to bodies from a variety of
  camera lines, the Micro Four
  Thirds format deserves special
  credit here. The relatively short

Something old,

something new

The appeal of using vintage lenses on

modern cameras has never been

st ron ger. Matt Golowczynski speaks

to five converts to find out why

flange-to-back distance (i.e. the

distance from the sensor to the

lens mount) of the first mirrorless

system models has meant that

many older lenses with a variety of

fittings could simply be mounted

with what is essentially a simple

extension tube.

The first thing anyone keen on

getting started with using vintage

lenses should check is whether the

lens they wish to use will mount

their body. That typically means

finding a suitable adapter, and a

quick online search should reveal

whether this exists. Specialists such

as Novoflex and SRB Photographic

cover many of the most popular

combinations, and adapters that

don’t require any glass will often

be priced at around £20-30. Of

course, the more exotic the

combination, the more you should

be prepared to pay.

Many photographers also find

such adapters online at eBay,

Amazon or Facebook Marketplace,

and these are also good places to

locate older lenses. While many

interesting lenses can be found

for as little as £5 or £10, they are

naturally likely to be in a less-than-

ideal condition, so it’s worth asking

questions and examining as many

images as possible if it’s not possible

to physically assess the lens.

The benefits of such camera–lens

partnerships are manifold. Perhaps

you have some existing glass or

you’ve spotted a cheap lens you’d

like to make use of because it differs

in some interesting way from a

more modern optic. But for many,

it’s less about resourcefulness and

more to do with aesthetics. Older

lenses often have a character that’s

absent from modern optics, which

opens you up to achieving a style

of your own. And it’s arguably this

more than anything else that unites

the five photographers on the

following pages.

‘I FIRST picked up a camera three years

ago: a Nikon Coolpix L840 point-and-

shoot. I had no desire to get into

photography at the time, but I loved

travelling and wanted to take pictures of

all the places I’d been to. I then bought

a Sony A6000 and shot with the kit

lens for three weeks before I realised I

could get an adapter that allowed me

to use old lenses. I got my first vintage

lenses and haven’t looked back since.

‘My mentality is that to master your

trade you have to master your tool –

so how can I be the master of my tool if

the camera is doing all the work for me?

Ethan Bates

Instagram @mr.chuck cali

Ethan Bates started

his photographic

adventures in 2016,

with a focus on

landscape and travel

photography. He lives in Wichita, USA

An unusual perspective and expert timing

Sony A7, Vivitar 28mm f/2.8, 1/4000sec, ISO 2000

© ETHAN BATES

© KL AUDIA EYSYMONTT