How old does a lens have to be to qualify as Antique?

chip j · Jan 11, 2017

Any format.

Sirius Glass · Jan 11, 2017

In the past something had to be 100 years old to be an antique. Cars over twenty years are called Classic. The people started using the term for anything old that they wanted to sell, take antique shops with newly made distressed item labeled as antique. On eBay the go to terms to sell over priced detritus are rare, hard to find, highly prices, mint, beloved, ... the nicer sounding word the worse the item up for bid.

A circa 1950's Kodak Brownie Hawkeye is not an antique IMNSHO. A 1920's Graflex or Leica I would consider using the term. Older than that is by the original definition an antique.

Slixtiesix · Jan 12, 2017

A rather conservative definition I think would be anything that was made before the end of the First World War. A more liberal definition anything made before the end of the Second World War. Anything that was made during the 1950s and later I would certainly not label "antique", so same opinion as Sirius.

Theo Sulphate · Jan 12, 2017

What are the common characteristics of an antique (pre-WWI) lens?

Are they coated at all?

What was considered a fast lens?

What were the typical optical designs in use?

AgX · Jan 12, 2017

Here in Germany there is no fixed definition. It seem that amongst antiquities dealer the 100years limit is applied.
In common use antiquities are often understood as the better-made, better-designed old stuff.
The respective adjective is even more ambiguous.

I do not use either word.

cooltouch · Jan 12, 2017

This is something I learned from my mother, who used to buy antique furniture. She told me that a true antique had to be at least 100 years old, but that many considered items that were 60 years old to be old enough to be called antique, although this position was somewhat controversial. She told me this back in the 60s. I was a child then, but for whatever reason it's something I've always remembered.

So, as a result of this, if I see an item that is less than 100 years old, but more than 60, I realize that this is considered antique by some people.

Ian Grant · Jan 12, 2017

For me antique is before the end of WWII is antique in terms of photography and lenses. The major change is optical coatings which has a huge impact on lens designs and quality.

A simple example would be the difference between uncoated and coated Tessar lenses and my experience using both for LF is there is a significant improvement with a coated lens. The more elements and air/glass surfaces though the greater the improvement and this is most important with Plasmats and particularly Zoom lenses.

Ian

AgX · Jan 12, 2017

As far as I can remember, and I even checked old catalogues, "antique" is here not used for any old camera by someone into photography-

faberryman · Jan 12, 2017

To be antique, something has to be older than I am.

kb244 · Jan 12, 2017

Seems kind of like the rule I see with fountain pens (or a number of other things).

The general understanding from what I've seen :
Vintage : 20+ years old (though I know of one group, for fountain pens that is, the only considers 1975 and before to be 'vintage')
Retro : any age, it just "looks" or styled like vintage
Antique : I almost never see it used for any functional piece of equipment such as cameras, pens, etc. Mainly on decor, and usually only if it's 80~100+ years old.

Vintage may be the word you're looking for.

removed account4 · Jan 12, 2017

chip j said:
Any format.

hi chip
i gooooGled
and found this
http://www.antique-hq.com/the-difference-between-antique-vintage-and-collectible-item-127/
some say 50 buty most say 100
to get "antique" plates on your car its 25 years

Sirius Glass · Jan 12, 2017

When talking about people, always always someone at least ten years older than me. Nota Bene: This is a perpetually sliding scale.

David A. Goldfarb · Jan 12, 2017

Thread moved to "Antiques and Collecting."

juan · Jan 12, 2017

My RR orininally came on a Conley 8x10 that was last made in 1917. It's my main lens.

OptiKen · Jan 12, 2017

I stick with the 100 year minimum to call something an antique.
If I used a more contemporary definition of antique, then I become one.

Ian Grant · Jan 12, 2017

Ian Grant said:
For me antique is before the end of WWII is antique in terms of photography and lenses. The major change is optical coatings which has a huge impact on lens designs and quality.

A simple example would be the difference between uncoated and coated Tessar lenses and my experience using both for LF is there is a significant improvement with a coated lens. The more elements and air/glass surfaces though the greater the improvement and this is most important with Plasmats and particularly Zoom lenses.

Ian

After thinking more about it I'd call lens made up to the end of WWII Vintage rather than Antique. I'm not sure what I'd term Antique rather than Vintage, Antique seems to imply collectable but not usable.

Ian

Marcelo Paniagua · Jan 12, 2017

For me, pre WWII antique, post WWII and pre 80's would be vintage. 1980-2000's, plain old.

Regards.

Marcelo

bdial · Jan 12, 2017

I have a couple that qualify as antiques by the strict age standard standard, though they are all functional. The rest of them are getting closer all the time.

At what stage does the photographer qualify as an antique?

Sirius Glass · Jan 12, 2017

bdial said:
I have a couple that qualify as antiques by the strict standard, and the rest of them are getting closer all the time.

At what stage does the photographer qualify as an antique?

See post #12.

AgX · Jan 19, 2017

What do the people say who named this forum?

fdonadio · Jan 23, 2017

I've heard an explanation about the term "vintage" that implies it's not only something X years old. For something to be considered vintage, it has to be representative of a certain time.

Cheers,
Flavio

BrianVS · Sep 11, 2017

Legally, US customs applies the term to certain items, "any work of art, piece of furniture, decorative object, or the like, created or produced in a former period, or, according to U.S. customs laws, 100 years before date of purchase".
Tax Code applies it to an automobile that is 25 years old.
This leaves a lot of items somewhere in the middle. I don't think of my Coated 1936 Sonnar as an "Antique"- just an item made by Zeiss doing long-term testing for coated optics.

shoe · Sep 11, 2017

I would say 100 years for "antique" and 50 years for "vintage" , anything else is just plain "old".

Nodda Duma · Sep 11, 2017

For analog photography: At least 257 years.
For digital: About 7 weeks.

Helios 1984 · Sep 11, 2017

shoe said:
I would say 100 years for "antique" and 50 years for "vintage" , anything else is just plain "old".

I'd say 40 years for vintage & 30 for old school (the 80's deserve a classification).

How old does a lens have to be to qualify as Antique?

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