Nikon F2AS, Lomo Neptune 35mm f3.5, Fuji 200
Lomo Neptune 80mm f4, Fuji C200
Downsides of this system?:
1. You can just get one zoom lens to cover these focal lengths - then again you can use that argument against any prime lens.'
2. Manual stop down metering, need to focus wide open, then manually stop down to your correct aperture. Easy enough on the F2AS as you just watch the meter leds and adjust until they show correct exposure.
3. Pretty much can only focus wide open on a film SLR. On a digicam w EVF the EVF takes care of that, but who shoots digital cameras anymore now that everyone has a smart phone?
4.Aperture ring is ill defined, and the closer you get to infinity, the less of it there is to grip! Plus it is smooth! So often you accidentally turn the focus ring instead.
5.Really stupid metal spin spin spin on lens caps. I just replaced them with snap on 52mm caps and left the metal ones at home.
6. Don't do what I did and drop in the additional shaped aperture plates (I picked the star! lots provided). Unless you have a very specific close to you background - back lit highlights etc - all it does is kill your max aperture and make it much harder to focus.
Upsides?
1. Er the optics are shockingly good. So much better than I would have imagined. Great sharpness and 3d pop. Super flare resistance - again did not expect that.
2. The lens units really are small, so you can have all three in one pocket (but figure out how not to let them get damaged by smacking around). Actually it would be two in a pocket and one on the camera.
3. There is a 15mm lens - which I have but did not bring along because I had little faith in the regular lenses!
4. See #1
More info here:
https://microsites.lomography.com/neptune-convertible-art-lens-system/
My conclusion? These lenses are great optically but you kinda use them for the same reason you decide to drive a car that has a manual gear box with no syncromesh. If you practice I'm sure you can get really good at it, but there are much easier ways to get great results!
Lomo Neptune 80mm f4, Fuji C200
Downsides of this system?:
1. You can just get one zoom lens to cover these focal lengths - then again you can use that argument against any prime lens.'
2. Manual stop down metering, need to focus wide open, then manually stop down to your correct aperture. Easy enough on the F2AS as you just watch the meter leds and adjust until they show correct exposure.
3. Pretty much can only focus wide open on a film SLR. On a digicam w EVF the EVF takes care of that, but who shoots digital cameras anymore now that everyone has a smart phone?
4.Aperture ring is ill defined, and the closer you get to infinity, the less of it there is to grip! Plus it is smooth! So often you accidentally turn the focus ring instead.
5.Really stupid metal spin spin spin on lens caps. I just replaced them with snap on 52mm caps and left the metal ones at home.
6. Don't do what I did and drop in the additional shaped aperture plates (I picked the star! lots provided). Unless you have a very specific close to you background - back lit highlights etc - all it does is kill your max aperture and make it much harder to focus.
Upsides?
1. Er the optics are shockingly good. So much better than I would have imagined. Great sharpness and 3d pop. Super flare resistance - again did not expect that.
2. The lens units really are small, so you can have all three in one pocket (but figure out how not to let them get damaged by smacking around). Actually it would be two in a pocket and one on the camera.
3. There is a 15mm lens - which I have but did not bring along because I had little faith in the regular lenses!
4. See #1
More info here:
https://microsites.lomography.com/neptune-convertible-art-lens-system/
My conclusion? These lenses are great optically but you kinda use them for the same reason you decide to drive a car that has a manual gear box with no syncromesh. If you practice I'm sure you can get really good at it, but there are much easier ways to get great results!
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