…slight QC differences in coatings, age, and a variety of other factors. In order to minimize these performance differences, operators often try to get sets with very close serial numbers, ensuring they were made at a similar time. You can find a list of Leica serial numbers and years here. It should be noted that even though the lenses were made in the same year, this does not 100% ensure equal performance, and thorough testing should be undertake… Continue Reading
…ave some great advantages over the modern EF lenses, but at the end of the day the optical quality matters the most. Well, I tested the first 4 and I’m not crazy about the results. I shot everything on a very dull, humid, hazy day, which didn’t help the contrast and colours. Everything was shot with a neutral profile and all footage is ungraded. Let’s look at the results of each lens: Hanimar 200mm f/3.5. This a well built lens, with a nice focusi… Continue Reading
…his one has a great reach, it’s small and light, exactly what I need for a day out. Its slow speed did not concern me as I knew it would still be too bright to use wide open without resorting to racking up the shutter speed or using NDs. In the end I had to use my Fotodiox ND Throttle anyway to keep the exposure under control, so F5.8 was perfectly adequate for the day time shooting. I think it’s a lens worth taking a look at, so let’s take a clos… Continue Reading
…the first “October” batch, so I guess enough people like this idea, but you can still order one of the 20 lenses from the second “November” batch. A lot of people missed out on the 20 x 20% discount offer, so we extended the 20% discount offer to the 20 VLFV customers ordering one of the 20 lenses in the “November” batch, with the aim to deliver second 20 lenses by the end of November. All you need to do is use a discount code VLFV20 at the check… Continue Reading
…s I hear about fake MM lenses? Buyer beware: Some unscrupulous sellers, in order to increase prices for lenses, some sellers will paint the highest F-stop green. These lenses will be missing a pin on the rear for additional lens controls. But what if you cannot see the rear of the lens in an online listing? If you see a lens with a 5xxxxxxx serial and a green f/16 mark, you know you have a fake, as these lenses are much too old to be MMs. These fa… Continue Reading
…of vintage lenses and loves them for the very same reasons I do. The other day I came across his long blog post entitled “The Big Changes” where he talks about loads of things happening in his professional life. Towards the end he talks about his favorite vintage lenses and this is the part that I would love to share with you guys here. In his career Timur got to use all sorts of lenses, from cheapest vintage glass to most expensive cine lenses, s… Continue Reading
…s per lens of waterhouse stops and rear elements depending on how many you order! Cons: Build quality isn’t perfect yet, but still pretty reliable. Don’t expect to change waterhouse stops or rear elements while in a rush on set. They are delicate so my suggestion is to set them per day or per shoot to keep dust out of the inner elements while shooting. Iris ring witness mark is a little invisible, but easy to remedy. Conclusion: Overall, I love th… Continue Reading
…are non-standard, so you will need to invest into an “anamorphic clamp” in order to attach it to a taking lens. Fortunately they are quite cheap and straightforward to use! 3: Double Focusing. To achieve sharp images, both the anamorphic and taking lens have to be focused individually to the same distance. This is very impractical for video work as it’s not only time consuming, but also makes rack focusing impossible. Fortunately now there are qui… Continue Reading
…k-around lens. I then redesigned and printed new focus gears for these and ordered more Leitax mounts and that was good for another five months. It’s a gradual process, guys. Then, near the end of last year I decided to round out the set and make it suitable for renting. That meant getting a few more lenses and upgrading various aspects I had neglected so far. The 21/2.8 was a must. It’s regarded as one of the best 21mm ever made, and to this day… Continue Reading
…(mount system) that can be used on both Canon FD and Canon EF cameras. One day I can use it with my FD Lens Turbo II focal reducer on my Sony camera and next day I can swap the mount and use it with a Canon EF camera. There is no other mount that allows such flexibility and this is one of the big reasons why I like these lenses so much. All of that is great, but what about the optical performance and character? This is where some people love it an… Continue Reading
