old glass ever better then new?

[Mainecoonmaniac]

But of course of one of a Leitz lens.

Like this lucky guy?
https://petapixel.com/2017/05/15/thrift-store-miracle-college-student-finds-leica-m2-just-5/

 

[Mark R. Bradshaw]

In my situation (poor), and considering that the newest 35 mm camera I own is an F3, older lenses are just dandy. Additionally, I like the DOF markings on the old lenses. They seem to be missing on most of the new ones.

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

In my situation (poor), and considering that the newest 35 mm camera I own is an F3, older lenses are just dandy. Additionally, I like the DOF markings on the old lenses. They seem to be missing on most of the new ones.

For sharp images, all you need is a good lens. I'm one of the old dogs that know how to use the DOF scale. Most kids today don't know what it is.

 

[Mark R. Bradshaw]

For sharp images, all you need is a good lens. I'm one of the old dogs that know how to use the DOF scale. Most kids today don't know what it is.

I use them too. They come in very handy.

 

[ac12]

In my situation (poor), and considering that the newest 35 mm camera I own is an F3, older lenses are just dandy. Additionally, I like the DOF markings on the old lenses. They seem to be missing on most of the new ones.

I really miss the DoF scale on the lens.
Back in the film days, I made use of them when planning my shots.
Now I have to wing it. Technology advances and goes backwards at the same time.
But that is the problem with any 2-ring zoom, you can't put the DoF scale on the focus ring, cuz it needs to change based on the zoom setting. So you need a 1-ring push pull zoom to have the DoF marks.
I don't know if the current primes have DoF scale. I do not recall seeing it.

 

[jjphoto]

If you like technically perfect lenses, with minimal aberrations then you will generally struggle to find that in older lenses (there are always exceptions). However, if you want character (read: aberrations) then often the best place to look is in the older lenses. For example, the Leica R 1.4/80 is imperfect in many ways, and far superseded by new lenses, yet it's wide open aberrations give it a look that is quite special.

 

[1kgcoffee]

Depends what you mean by better.

Older glass tends to have older coatings, sometimes single coated, simpler optical designs, very solid construction. The best thing is the price. For the classic focal lengths 50mm, 135mm, you get better value

Newer glass has electronic apertures, very expensive, uses coating to compensate, lacks personality. I much rather shoot old glass on medium format than expensive glass on APSC. Would be interesting to compare the results.

 

[David Lyga]

Mainecoonmaniac said that DOF is not even known by some digital photographers.

This caused me to laugh. Why? There are countless digital 'photographers' who think that they are so adept, but when you query about aperture the response usually is 'What is aperture'? Amazing how digital obfuscates any reason to be informed, at least in a theoretical sense. Reliance on Photoshop to save the day is a malady. - David Lyga

 

[removed account4]

its too bad threads like this have an anti digital component to them nowadays ..

Mainecoonmaniac said that DOF is not even known by some digital photographers.

This caused me to laugh. Why? There are countless digital 'photographers' who think that they are so adept, but when you query about aperture the response usually is 'What is aperture'? Amazing how digital obfuscates any reason to be informed, at least in a theoretical sense. Reliance on Photoshop to save the day is a malady. - David Lyga

its not known by most film photographers either, and there are film based photogaphers who think they
are so adept and when yo ask them about exposure &c they are just as clueless. they rely on the fact
that they are using "film" to save their day.

or they rely on the fact that they have a well known brand of camera/lens, used by "famous people"
when they couldn't shoot their way out of a paper bag...

it has nothing to do with digital ...

 

[cliveh]

Mainecoonmaniac said that DOF is not even known by some digital photographers.

This caused me to laugh. Why? There are countless digital 'photographers' who think that they are so adept, but when you query about aperture the response usually is 'What is aperture'? Amazing how digital obfuscates any reason to be informed, at least in a theoretical sense. Reliance on Photoshop to save the day is a malady. - David Lyga

David, there are many digital photographers who think that the art of taking a photograph is to just point the camera at the subject.

 

[George Mann]

David, there are many digital photographers who think that the art of taking a photograph is to just point the camera at the subject.

And pressing the shutter button a thousand times hoping that one will be better than the rest!

 

[removed account4]

And pressing the shutter button a thousand times hoping that one will be better than the rest!

LOL

i think you and clive forgot that auto winders and long roll backs existed before digital was even a thought

 

[chip j]

What do you advertise, jnanian, digital cameras?

 

[MattKing]

What do you advertise, jnanian, digital cameras?

John distributes and sells silver recovery systems for your darkroom, and advocates a world that accepts and fosters variety and creativity.

 

[Nodda Duma]

Mainecoonmaniac said that DOF is not even known by some digital photographers.

This caused me to laugh. Why? There are countless digital 'photographers' who think that they are so adept, but when you query about aperture the response usually is 'What is aperture'? Amazing how digital obfuscates any reason to be informed, at least in a theoretical sense. Reliance on Photoshop to save the day is a malady. - David Lyga

I don't think that's a function of the digital medium so much as the automated features included in modern consumer digital cameras. P&S film cameras of the 1990s were fully automated as well.

Outside of consumer photography (for example, astrophotography), first order properties of an imaging system are well understood.

 

[MartinCrabtree]

John distributes and sells silver recovery systems for your darkroom, and advocates a world that accepts and fosters variety and creativity.

Succinct and most importantly-correct.

 

[Sirius Glass]

David, there are many digital photographers who think that the art of taking a photograph is to just point the camera at the subject.

And pressing the shutter button a thousand times hoping that one will be better than the rest!

Made my day! Spot on!

 

[tokam]

And pressing the shutter button a thousand times hoping that one will be better than the rest!

I'm fed up with looking at 50 digipics of someone's lunch. No matter how technically perfect they are.

I also shake my head when looking on forums when digi shooters bemoan the fact that they have to backup and manage terabytes of data. These guys can't bear to part with a single image. The concept of editing the best shots and discarding the rest is lost on them.

 

[removed account4]

I'm fed up with looking at 50 digipics of someone's lunch. No matter how technically perfect they are.

I also shake my head when looking on forums when digi shooters bemoan the fact that they have to backup and manage terabytes of data. These guys can't bear to part with a single image. The concept of editing the best shots and discarding the rest is lost on them.

maybe you weren't around when film was king ?
plenty of "home movies" "slide shows" "photo album reviews"
before digital was available ... and plenty of "selfies" and "phood fotos"
most people who use film, even today have no idea how to edit, and are eager to show it all
terabites of data? what about people who print black and white who obsess about " everything being archival "
and all they do are "film tests" your commentary of "damn digital photographers in this modern age" are nothing compared to people who use film ...

 

[Les Sarile]

your commentary of "damn digital photographers in this modern age" are nothing compared to people who use film ...

But this is APUG and not DIGIPUG . . .

 

[removed account4]

But this is APUG and not DIGIPUG . . .

who cares ...
the sad thing is that people lump everyone into a pigeonhole and they have no clue what they are talking about.
they rant and rave about all sorts of digital hate, when the things they are ranting and raving about and
just as, or more prevalent with film users, yet they wear blinders and make believe ...

complaining about auto winders as if they only exist with digital cameras ?
or people who don't know how to edit their work ?
or photographers with OCD ?!

unless these things are part of an "joke" im not sure what the point is other than
beeoch+moan about people who use a different camera &c. usually it is
"hipsters" and "wannabe hacks" and " creative types" and " lomo/lo-fi/holga &c" users
or people who don't use the zone system ( or do ) or don't use densitometers or do film tests...
that get this sort of nasty commentary, and usually it comes from a place of intimidation..
maybe instead of spreading ill will, people should just enjoy what they are doing, and let
others enjoy what they are doing too ??

 

[Les Sarile]

people should just enjoy what they are doing, and let
others enjoy what they are doing top ??

Only if it is APUG related. You may continue not to care but just know the difference . . .

 

[removed account4]

Only if it is APUG related. You may continue not to care . . .

what do you mean by that les ?

 

[Les Sarile]

what do you mean by that les ?

You're over 20,000 posts on this site. You should have a good understanding of APUG by now . . .

 

[removed account4]

You're over 20,000 posts on this site. You should have a good understanding of APUG by now . . .

i do, and i think some of the hate thread and hate commentary is nasty .. and have said so every time i've read it.
too many closed minded people in this world, on apug and elsewhere
just because people are on apug doesn't mean it is ok the spew hate