Bargain Lenses for the Vintage Look, Part 1
These optical classics deliver beautiful rendition at modest prices
By Jason Schneider
The premise of this article is stunningly simple: You don’t have bend your wallet or tap out your credit cards to acquire exotic lenses that capture that breathless vintage look and may also provide bodacious bokeh. Indeed, there’s a plethora of ancient and modern lenses out there that will do one or both these things at very modest cost—some available for under 100 bucks! Most of these jewels are older garden variety optics that are often overlooked or considered pedestrian by collectors, while a couple are contemporary classics that fly under the radar. I own and have personally shot with many of the lenses listed below (mostly on black and white film, and occasionally with adapters on a variety of mirrorless cameras and DSLRs) and can attest to their beautiful classic “rounded” and “luminous” rendition reminiscent of pictures taken back the ‘50s or earlier. Of course, there are scores of budget priced lenses in rangefinder or SLR mounts not included here that will perform similarly, so be sure to check out the entire amazing category to unearth unsung gems of your own.
50mm f/1.8 Canon, early chrome version of the '50s. It began life as a Serenar and it helped to establish Canon as a major lens maker
50mm f/1.8 Canon in M39 Leica screw mount: Introduced in 1951 as a Serenar, its name was changed to Canon in 1952 and it was produced in 3 different chrome and chrome & black finished rigid mount versions with slight cosmetic differences until at least 1958. Unlike the previous collapsible 50mm f/1.9 Serenar, a 6-element 4-group Double Gauss design, all versions of the LTM-mount 50mm f/1.8 Canon use the same 6-element, 4-group formula based on the Zeiss Planar that decreased its flare potential but increased its physical length slightly. It’s a superb lens that helped establish Canon’s position as a leading lens manufacturer and is a somewhat under-appreciated classic.
Optical diagram of 50mm f/1.8 Canon shows that it's a 6-element 4group design based on the Zeiss Planar,
50mmm f/1.8 Canon. This is the later version with textured black focusing ring and more modern styling, but based on the same optical design.
Most examples have 10-bladed diaphragms, stop down to f/16, rangefinder couple and focus down to 1 meter, and are on the hefty side at 9.5 ounces, but are very well balanced on camera. The 50mm f/1.8 Canon offers an engaging combination of excellent definition and sharpness and smooth vintage rendition, providing excellent detail and virtually no vignetting across the field by f/4 and impressive central sharpness even wide open, with contrast improving by f/2.8. It’s not a bokeh monster but yields nice smooth bokeh, particularly at its widest apertures and is a great choice for head-to-chest portraiture. $100-150 in clean condition; up to $250 in mint condition.
50mm f/2.8 Canon: This is the original 1955 version with "Art Deco" chrome and black focusing ring prized by collectors.
50mm f/2.8 Canon in M39 Leica screw mount: Introduced in 1955 as a compact entry-level replacement for the collapsible 50mm f/3.5 Canon (a 50mm f/3.5 Leitz Elmar clone originally released as a Serenar in 1946), it’s a rigid mount 4-element 3-group Tessar-type lens of excellent overall optical and mechanical quality. It has an 8-bladed diaphragm, focuses down to 1 meter, stops down to f/16 (original version) of f/22 (later version), extends only 1.48 inches from the camera body, and weighs in at a mere 4.5 ounces. The “Art Deco” style 1955 version has a strikingly “scalloped” black and silver focusing ring with deep indentations that appeals to collectors. After 1956 it was updated with a traditional Canon-style smooth textured black focusing ring and often sold as an economy lens with the Canon P until it was discontinued around 1959.
50mm f/2.8 Canon: Later more common version has a black, textured focusing ring, more modern styling, and stops down to f/22.
The Canon 50mm f/2.8 is a real sleeper, capturing images of impressive sharpness, contrast, and clarity across the field at f/5.6 on down, delivering creditable performance at f/2.8 and f/4, and providing smooth vintage rendition with pleasing bokeh throughout. It has somewhat less “character” than the collapsible 50mm f/2.8 Leitz Elmar of the same era, but then again it sells for only about 10-15% of the Elmar’s price! If you’re looking for a nice affordable compact vintage 50 for an LTM- or M-mount and can live with a maximum aperture of f/2.8 it’s a great choice. Late version: $75-125; early version with “Art Deco” focusing ring. $150-$250.
50mm f/2 Nikkor-H.C in Nikon S bayonet mount. A mainstay of the Nikon rangefinder line its optical design is based on the Zeiss Sonnar.
50mm f/2 Nikkor H-C: In production for 16 years from 1946 (!) till 1962 and widely available in Nikon S and Contax bayonet, and M39 Leica screw mount, Nikon’s long running classic 50 was perhaps overshadowed by the legendary 50mm f/1.4 Nikkor, but it’s a worthy lens that delivers impressive sharpness and contrast even at its widest apertures. Available in shiny and matte chrome, and in black enamel finished versions, it employs a 6-element, 3-group design that minimizes glass-air surfaces to increase light transmission and is based on the 50mm f/2 Zeiss Sonnar. It features a 10-bladed diaphragm with straight blades that stops down to f/16 in unevenly spaced full aperture click stops, focuses down to 3 feet, extends a modest 1.57 inches from the camera, and weighs 4.7 ounces (other versions may vary slightly).
50mm f/2 Nikkor H.C in Leica screw mount with infinity lock. It was very popular among Leica and Canon shooters in the '50s and '60s.
The 50mm f/2 Nikkor H-C is a tad soft wide open, but sharpness, contrast, and clarity improve noticeably by f/2.8 and are maintained or enhanced at smaller apertures—a better overall performance than the renowned 50mm f/1.4 Nikkor. If you’re looking for a lens that delivers smooth creamy bokeh this is not it, but while its bokeh is a tad rough it’s not atrociously distracting. Light falloff at the edges of the field is much better than average for a lens of this vintage—it’s almost gone by f/2.8 and disappears at smaller apertures. Bottom line: a true classic “vintage look” lens and an exceptional value. $125-$250 in Leica screw or Nikon S bayonet mount; up to $350+ in some rare cosmetic variations (e.g., chrome finish with “black belt”).
90mm f/4 Leitz Elmar: This is the uncoated black barrel version from the mid '30s, but all are based on the classic 4-element, 3-group Tessar formula.
90mm f/4 Leitz Elmar: A classic 4-element, 3 group Tessar design, the original version of this venerable moderate tele goes back to 1931, but it became much more popular with the slimmer rangefinder coupled 1933 version in gloss black enamel that focused down to 1 meter. It was later produced in bright chrome finish, and in the late ‘30s the focusing ring was in matte chrome and the base ring remained in shiny chrome. Post 1946 versions are coated and in 1949 the finish was changed to satin chrome throughout. In 1951 a vulcanite band was added around the base, and the apertures were calibrated in the international scale rather than the old continental scale, with a minimum aperture of f/32. Starting in 1954 the 90mm Elmar was also available in M mount. The last iterations of the classic 90mmm f/4 Elmar (1954-1968) were produced in collapsible and rigid versions, the latter with or without “goggles,” in both screw mount and M-mount, in clear anodized aluminum finish. The current Leica Macro-Elmar-M 90mm f/4 Lens offers close focusing and spectacular performance, but it’s based on an entirely new 4-element, 4-group design and it costs just under $4K brand new!
90mm f/4 Leitz Elmar: This is a late M-mount version in chrome with textured ring at the base. It fetches higher prices but it's still an affordable classic.
The classic 90mm f/4 Elmar has some sharpness falloff at the edges of the frame at its widest apertures but it’s commendably sharp and contrasty by about f/6.3 on down, provides smooth vintage look rendition throughout, and has a pleasing natural bokeh thanks in part to its 15-bladed diaphragm. Its 1 meter minimum focusing distance and imaging characteristics make it a great choice for portraiture. Most examples weigh in at about 9 ounces, but earlier lenses in brass barrels like the “Fat Elmar” can be considerably heavier. Common garden variety examples of the rigid 90mm f/4 Elmar in chrome are unsung bargains and great user-collectibles currently selling in the $100-200 range and can occasionally be snagged for under 100 bucks. Collapsible and late M-mount versions are priced somewhat higher.
90mm f/4 Elmar collapsible M mount version generally fetches higher prices than rigid versions. Don't collapse it on a digital M, or else!
135mm f/4.5 Leitz Hektor: This venerable tele is a long focus design, not a true telephoto (which is defined as a lens whose physical length is shorter than its marked focal length) but it was successful enough to remain in the line from 1933-1960. It employs the classic 4-element, 3-group Tessar design, was produced in Leica screw mount from 1933-1959 and in M bayonet mount from 1954-1960, and its optical cell unscrews for use on a Visoflex with focusing adapter 16464. Other key specs: f/stops from f/4.5-f32, 15-bladed diaphragm, minimum focusing distance of 1.5 meters, weight, 0.97-1.22 pounds depending on version. It was made in all black, black with chrome band, gray and chrome, and clear anodized aluminum finishes, and was coated beginning in 1946. Rare examples with WWII-era military engravings exist. According to Leica Wiki, total assigned serial numbers from 1933-1960 were 108,088.
135mm f/4.5 Leitz Hektor: This is the uncoated black barrel version from the 1930s.
According to most reviewers the 135mm f/4.5 Leitz Hektor delivers decent sharpness in the center of the field even wide open, but it’s soft in the edges and corners especially at its widest apertures. On the plus side, it has gorgeous natural bokeh, even illumination with virtually no light falloff, and virtually no distortion. It’s probably not the best choice for architecture or landscapes with lots of detail, but it’s great for capturing vintage look portraits with soft backgrounds, and it’s readily available in most versions at $50-150 per copy.
135mm f/4.5 Leitz Hektor: Thus is the coated postwar version in chrome finish. Note the prominent tripod mount also present on the prewar version.
100mm f/3.5 Canon in Leica screw mount: First released as a Serenar in 1952 and by 1953 labeled as a Canon, this outstanding moderate tele employs a unique 5-element, 4 -group optical design and was offered in satin chrome finish and later in black. Canon retained this well-regarded classic in the line until 1975, well after the last-of-the-line Canon 7Sz was discontinued. All versions feature a 15-bladed diaphragm that stops down to f/22, focus down to 1 meter, and weigh in at 6.5 (for the 2nd generation Mark II) to 7.8 ounces.
100mm f/3.5 Canon in chrome finish: This is the 1952 model but all are based on the same distinctive 5-element, 4-group design.
Based on my hands-on shooting experience, this lens is surprisingly sharp with good contrast even wide open, with moderate falloff in the corners and can capture exquisitely sharp images across the field at f/5.6 and smaller apertures. It delivers classic vintage look images with that indefinable rounded 3D “plasticity” along with beautiful bokeh and smooth transitions from in-focus to out-of-focus areas. If you can live with the moderate maximum aperture, it’s a superb choice for portraits, landscapes, and street photography. $85-150.
A combo made in heaven: Canon VL2 with late model black finished 100mm f/3.5 Canon lens.
These optical classics deliver beautiful rendition at modest prices
By Jason Schneider
The premise of this article is stunningly simple: You don’t have bend your wallet or tap out your credit cards to acquire exotic lenses that capture that breathless vintage look and may also provide bodacious bokeh. Indeed, there’s a plethora of ancient and modern lenses out there that will do one or both these things at very modest cost—some available for under 100 bucks! Most of these jewels are older garden variety optics that are often overlooked or considered pedestrian by collectors, while a couple are contemporary classics that fly under the radar. I own and have personally shot with many of the lenses listed below (mostly on black and white film, and occasionally with adapters on a variety of mirrorless cameras and DSLRs) and can attest to their beautiful classic “rounded” and “luminous” rendition reminiscent of pictures taken back the ‘50s or earlier. Of course, there are scores of budget priced lenses in rangefinder or SLR mounts not included here that will perform similarly, so be sure to check out the entire amazing category to unearth unsung gems of your own.
50mm f/1.8 Canon, early chrome version of the '50s. It began life as a Serenar and it helped to establish Canon as a major lens maker
50mm f/1.8 Canon in M39 Leica screw mount: Introduced in 1951 as a Serenar, its name was changed to Canon in 1952 and it was produced in 3 different chrome and chrome & black finished rigid mount versions with slight cosmetic differences until at least 1958. Unlike the previous collapsible 50mm f/1.9 Serenar, a 6-element 4-group Double Gauss design, all versions of the LTM-mount 50mm f/1.8 Canon use the same 6-element, 4-group formula based on the Zeiss Planar that decreased its flare potential but increased its physical length slightly. It’s a superb lens that helped establish Canon’s position as a leading lens manufacturer and is a somewhat under-appreciated classic.
Optical diagram of 50mm f/1.8 Canon shows that it's a 6-element 4group design based on the Zeiss Planar,
50mmm f/1.8 Canon. This is the later version with textured black focusing ring and more modern styling, but based on the same optical design.
Most examples have 10-bladed diaphragms, stop down to f/16, rangefinder couple and focus down to 1 meter, and are on the hefty side at 9.5 ounces, but are very well balanced on camera. The 50mm f/1.8 Canon offers an engaging combination of excellent definition and sharpness and smooth vintage rendition, providing excellent detail and virtually no vignetting across the field by f/4 and impressive central sharpness even wide open, with contrast improving by f/2.8. It’s not a bokeh monster but yields nice smooth bokeh, particularly at its widest apertures and is a great choice for head-to-chest portraiture. $100-150 in clean condition; up to $250 in mint condition.
50mm f/2.8 Canon: This is the original 1955 version with "Art Deco" chrome and black focusing ring prized by collectors.
50mm f/2.8 Canon in M39 Leica screw mount: Introduced in 1955 as a compact entry-level replacement for the collapsible 50mm f/3.5 Canon (a 50mm f/3.5 Leitz Elmar clone originally released as a Serenar in 1946), it’s a rigid mount 4-element 3-group Tessar-type lens of excellent overall optical and mechanical quality. It has an 8-bladed diaphragm, focuses down to 1 meter, stops down to f/16 (original version) of f/22 (later version), extends only 1.48 inches from the camera body, and weighs in at a mere 4.5 ounces. The “Art Deco” style 1955 version has a strikingly “scalloped” black and silver focusing ring with deep indentations that appeals to collectors. After 1956 it was updated with a traditional Canon-style smooth textured black focusing ring and often sold as an economy lens with the Canon P until it was discontinued around 1959.
50mm f/2.8 Canon: Later more common version has a black, textured focusing ring, more modern styling, and stops down to f/22.
The Canon 50mm f/2.8 is a real sleeper, capturing images of impressive sharpness, contrast, and clarity across the field at f/5.6 on down, delivering creditable performance at f/2.8 and f/4, and providing smooth vintage rendition with pleasing bokeh throughout. It has somewhat less “character” than the collapsible 50mm f/2.8 Leitz Elmar of the same era, but then again it sells for only about 10-15% of the Elmar’s price! If you’re looking for a nice affordable compact vintage 50 for an LTM- or M-mount and can live with a maximum aperture of f/2.8 it’s a great choice. Late version: $75-125; early version with “Art Deco” focusing ring. $150-$250.
50mm f/2 Nikkor-H.C in Nikon S bayonet mount. A mainstay of the Nikon rangefinder line its optical design is based on the Zeiss Sonnar.
50mm f/2 Nikkor H-C: In production for 16 years from 1946 (!) till 1962 and widely available in Nikon S and Contax bayonet, and M39 Leica screw mount, Nikon’s long running classic 50 was perhaps overshadowed by the legendary 50mm f/1.4 Nikkor, but it’s a worthy lens that delivers impressive sharpness and contrast even at its widest apertures. Available in shiny and matte chrome, and in black enamel finished versions, it employs a 6-element, 3-group design that minimizes glass-air surfaces to increase light transmission and is based on the 50mm f/2 Zeiss Sonnar. It features a 10-bladed diaphragm with straight blades that stops down to f/16 in unevenly spaced full aperture click stops, focuses down to 3 feet, extends a modest 1.57 inches from the camera, and weighs 4.7 ounces (other versions may vary slightly).
50mm f/2 Nikkor H.C in Leica screw mount with infinity lock. It was very popular among Leica and Canon shooters in the '50s and '60s.
The 50mm f/2 Nikkor H-C is a tad soft wide open, but sharpness, contrast, and clarity improve noticeably by f/2.8 and are maintained or enhanced at smaller apertures—a better overall performance than the renowned 50mm f/1.4 Nikkor. If you’re looking for a lens that delivers smooth creamy bokeh this is not it, but while its bokeh is a tad rough it’s not atrociously distracting. Light falloff at the edges of the field is much better than average for a lens of this vintage—it’s almost gone by f/2.8 and disappears at smaller apertures. Bottom line: a true classic “vintage look” lens and an exceptional value. $125-$250 in Leica screw or Nikon S bayonet mount; up to $350+ in some rare cosmetic variations (e.g., chrome finish with “black belt”).
90mm f/4 Leitz Elmar: This is the uncoated black barrel version from the mid '30s, but all are based on the classic 4-element, 3-group Tessar formula.
90mm f/4 Leitz Elmar: A classic 4-element, 3 group Tessar design, the original version of this venerable moderate tele goes back to 1931, but it became much more popular with the slimmer rangefinder coupled 1933 version in gloss black enamel that focused down to 1 meter. It was later produced in bright chrome finish, and in the late ‘30s the focusing ring was in matte chrome and the base ring remained in shiny chrome. Post 1946 versions are coated and in 1949 the finish was changed to satin chrome throughout. In 1951 a vulcanite band was added around the base, and the apertures were calibrated in the international scale rather than the old continental scale, with a minimum aperture of f/32. Starting in 1954 the 90mm Elmar was also available in M mount. The last iterations of the classic 90mmm f/4 Elmar (1954-1968) were produced in collapsible and rigid versions, the latter with or without “goggles,” in both screw mount and M-mount, in clear anodized aluminum finish. The current Leica Macro-Elmar-M 90mm f/4 Lens offers close focusing and spectacular performance, but it’s based on an entirely new 4-element, 4-group design and it costs just under $4K brand new!
90mm f/4 Leitz Elmar: This is a late M-mount version in chrome with textured ring at the base. It fetches higher prices but it's still an affordable classic.
The classic 90mm f/4 Elmar has some sharpness falloff at the edges of the frame at its widest apertures but it’s commendably sharp and contrasty by about f/6.3 on down, provides smooth vintage look rendition throughout, and has a pleasing natural bokeh thanks in part to its 15-bladed diaphragm. Its 1 meter minimum focusing distance and imaging characteristics make it a great choice for portraiture. Most examples weigh in at about 9 ounces, but earlier lenses in brass barrels like the “Fat Elmar” can be considerably heavier. Common garden variety examples of the rigid 90mm f/4 Elmar in chrome are unsung bargains and great user-collectibles currently selling in the $100-200 range and can occasionally be snagged for under 100 bucks. Collapsible and late M-mount versions are priced somewhat higher.
90mm f/4 Elmar collapsible M mount version generally fetches higher prices than rigid versions. Don't collapse it on a digital M, or else!
135mm f/4.5 Leitz Hektor: This venerable tele is a long focus design, not a true telephoto (which is defined as a lens whose physical length is shorter than its marked focal length) but it was successful enough to remain in the line from 1933-1960. It employs the classic 4-element, 3-group Tessar design, was produced in Leica screw mount from 1933-1959 and in M bayonet mount from 1954-1960, and its optical cell unscrews for use on a Visoflex with focusing adapter 16464. Other key specs: f/stops from f/4.5-f32, 15-bladed diaphragm, minimum focusing distance of 1.5 meters, weight, 0.97-1.22 pounds depending on version. It was made in all black, black with chrome band, gray and chrome, and clear anodized aluminum finishes, and was coated beginning in 1946. Rare examples with WWII-era military engravings exist. According to Leica Wiki, total assigned serial numbers from 1933-1960 were 108,088.
135mm f/4.5 Leitz Hektor: This is the uncoated black barrel version from the 1930s.
According to most reviewers the 135mm f/4.5 Leitz Hektor delivers decent sharpness in the center of the field even wide open, but it’s soft in the edges and corners especially at its widest apertures. On the plus side, it has gorgeous natural bokeh, even illumination with virtually no light falloff, and virtually no distortion. It’s probably not the best choice for architecture or landscapes with lots of detail, but it’s great for capturing vintage look portraits with soft backgrounds, and it’s readily available in most versions at $50-150 per copy.
135mm f/4.5 Leitz Hektor: Thus is the coated postwar version in chrome finish. Note the prominent tripod mount also present on the prewar version.
100mm f/3.5 Canon in Leica screw mount: First released as a Serenar in 1952 and by 1953 labeled as a Canon, this outstanding moderate tele employs a unique 5-element, 4 -group optical design and was offered in satin chrome finish and later in black. Canon retained this well-regarded classic in the line until 1975, well after the last-of-the-line Canon 7Sz was discontinued. All versions feature a 15-bladed diaphragm that stops down to f/22, focus down to 1 meter, and weigh in at 6.5 (for the 2nd generation Mark II) to 7.8 ounces.
100mm f/3.5 Canon in chrome finish: This is the 1952 model but all are based on the same distinctive 5-element, 4-group design.
Based on my hands-on shooting experience, this lens is surprisingly sharp with good contrast even wide open, with moderate falloff in the corners and can capture exquisitely sharp images across the field at f/5.6 and smaller apertures. It delivers classic vintage look images with that indefinable rounded 3D “plasticity” along with beautiful bokeh and smooth transitions from in-focus to out-of-focus areas. If you can live with the moderate maximum aperture, it’s a superb choice for portraits, landscapes, and street photography. $85-150.
A combo made in heaven: Canon VL2 with late model black finished 100mm f/3.5 Canon lens.
