Vulture
Well-known member
What stops you from buying the lenses you want? It isn't that you don't care about your images, it is that the lenses cost so much, presumably. This usually is true.
But I found a hack. Not many people know about this, but those who do love it. Here are the steps to getting the stats you want out of a lens without the exorbitant fee of new lenses.
(This article assumes that you have an interchangeable lens camera.)
First, note your camera manufacturer.
Second, how long has this company been in the photography business?
What are the historical lens mount types?
What is the mount type on your camera?
Go to Amazon.com.
Look for an adapter that has a male side mount the same as your camera and a female side the same as the lens mount of the researched lenses.
Buy your adapter, price doesn't matter to much in regard to quality. I got mine for $13.95.
Look at local and non-local camera shops for used lenses with the researched mount type. The more lenses you buy, the cheaper they will be individually. The guys working at the shop will be glad to see interest and finally get them off the shelves. I got a 24mm f2.8 wide angle, a 200mm f4.0 tele and a 135mm f3.5 portrait lens for $30. There is also the possibility that the focal length of the lens may not yet exist for new lenses.
Now let's compare:
24mm f2.8 wide angle
old: $10
new: $449
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1126139-REG/sony_sel28f20_fe_28mm_f_2_lens.html
200mm f4.0 tele
old: $10
new: $998
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1126138-REG/sony_sel24240_fe_24_240mm_f_3_5_6_3_oss.html
135mm f3.5 portrait lens
old: $10
new: doesn't exist
Here are some portrait photographs taken with my used Minolta MD lenses on a Sony A7.
Note: the lighting was done with desk lamps on cardboard boxes.
But I found a hack. Not many people know about this, but those who do love it. Here are the steps to getting the stats you want out of a lens without the exorbitant fee of new lenses.
(This article assumes that you have an interchangeable lens camera.)
First, note your camera manufacturer.
Second, how long has this company been in the photography business?
What are the historical lens mount types?
What is the mount type on your camera?
Go to Amazon.com.
Look for an adapter that has a male side mount the same as your camera and a female side the same as the lens mount of the researched lenses.
Buy your adapter, price doesn't matter to much in regard to quality. I got mine for $13.95.
Look at local and non-local camera shops for used lenses with the researched mount type. The more lenses you buy, the cheaper they will be individually. The guys working at the shop will be glad to see interest and finally get them off the shelves. I got a 24mm f2.8 wide angle, a 200mm f4.0 tele and a 135mm f3.5 portrait lens for $30. There is also the possibility that the focal length of the lens may not yet exist for new lenses.
Now let's compare:
24mm f2.8 wide angle
old: $10
new: $449
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1126139-REG/sony_sel28f20_fe_28mm_f_2_lens.html
200mm f4.0 tele
old: $10
new: $998
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1126138-REG/sony_sel24240_fe_24_240mm_f_3_5_6_3_oss.html
135mm f3.5 portrait lens
old: $10
new: doesn't exist
Here are some portrait photographs taken with my used Minolta MD lenses on a Sony A7.
Note: the lighting was done with desk lamps on cardboard boxes.
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