[Boris]

For me it is SMCP A 50/1.2. Very versatile both in terms of speed and angle of view. When in doubt I usually mount it on my camera and it delivers. Goes very well spiced with good and properly aligned split screen focusing screen, such as Katz Eye.

[Transit]

Boris what hood do you use on the 1.2 ?
cheers
Pete

[RioRico]

Not to spoil the party, but... shouldn't this discussion be over at LENSES rather than here in DSLRS??

Let's broaden the scope a little. As I said, various manual glass spends a fair amount of time on my K20D -- Zenitar 16/2.8, M28/2.8, Isco 35/2.8, M50/1.7, Nikkor 85/2, etc. But, other cameras, other defaults. My ZX-M usually sports a Tokina 21/3.8 or a Sigma 24/2.8, because they're WIDE there. My unpowered Praktica FX3 with a top viewfinder instead of a pentaprism usually hosts the Mir-1 37/2.8, which is almost impossible to use on the K20D because of the flash snoot. And my Chinon-Argus CR-3E is married to my Vivitar Series 1 Version 1 70-210/3.5 making a heavy but well-balanced package. My other M42 bodies don't see much use, alas.

So, for those of you still pumping film: what manual lens lives on your Spotty or whatever?

[Banitess]

This was from the photo walk the other night. That's me in the center with the 50mm/1.7 on my K200D against the Canikon barrel lenses
Faces in low light - a set on Flickr
Photo is by Chris HK Night Photography Aug 2010 - changc82's Photos

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[magkelly]

So, for those of you still pumping film: what manual lens lives on your Spotty or whatever?

My 105MM so far. I like my 50MM/55MM too but I think the 105 is by far the most useful lens for me so far. My 135MM isn't a Takumar. It's a Rikenon, and okay but it's nowhere near as good as my 3 Takumars. I don't use it much to be honest. My T-mount Vivitar 75-260MM zoom is getting some use but it's still fairly new to me and I'm still learning how to use it properly. It's mostly been me playing with it so far. I can't stay I've taken anything particularly noteworthy with that one yet. My T-mount Sunagar 500MM should arrive sometime this week. I'll probably play with it this weekend some if it turns out my M42 adapter works with it as well. Or if not, put it away till I can order one to fit.

I fully intend to use my M42's with an adapter on my K-DSLR when I finally manage to get one. I like them, actually prefer using them manually. I'm not really an auto-anything person. I'm going to go up to using an DSLR for the sake of convenience but I'm a fully manual photographer as much as is possible.

After dealing with my Fuji and it's focusing quirks for 7 years I think I'd much prefer to have as much control as possible from the get go. I don't think I really want my lenses deciding how to focus for me. I'm sure the AF on a Pentax DSLR/digital lenses is tons better than that on my S7000 but when it comes to my photography lately I'm becoming a real control freak, and the idea of computerized lenses just really doesn't appeal to me much, shrug.

Ultimately, I want a really good (preferably Pentax) DSLR body and a bunch of really good old M42's, preferably Takumars. If those M42's really do work well under fully manual conditions then they're more than technologically advanced enough for me. Ultimately I'm a portrait and nature shot person.

I doubt I'll be shooting much in the way of sports and the like anyway so super fast lenses aren't a priority for me, particularly since anything that actually involves lots of speed or panning actually gives me vertigo. Shots like that just completely mess with me visually and make me sick to my stomach. I don't know why, but they do.

Eventually I want to add a 135MM Takumar to my 105MM, maybe pick up something a bit shorter and a bit longer too, but I have a feeling that my 105MM will end up being my favorite lens of all I'll ever own.

[Canada_Rockies]

So, for those of you still pumping film: what manual lens lives on your Spotty or whatever?

The FA 24-90 is welded to the MZ-S my wife uses.

[BillM]

Favorite is K 200/2.5, M*300/4, M400/5.6, although being prime, restrictions apply
for walking around either M50/1.4 or my 27 year old workhorse...
A70-210/4

[stover98074]

I am a little new to manual focus only 9 months in (if you count my lapse since the early 80's). In that period I have experienced lots of lenses and am quite fond of manual focus. My favorite at the moment is a Takumar 135 3.5 Preset. It lacks coatings, but has a very nice hood to compensate. Like all Takumar's it is built to standards beyond description and is a joy to work with. This lens is small and lightweight. f/3.5 ... seems slow but it works and saves in weight and cost.

[LeoTaylor]

My wife used manual lenses on her SLRs for about 30 years, eventually including a Pentax K1000. When I bought her a Pentax *istD she continued to use her manual lenses, in particular a Pentax Macro 50mm f2.8 I had given her years earlier. She loved to photograph flowers, butterflies, and bumble bees where manual focus is almost a requirement. Finally I asked her, "If I buy you a K100D will you at least try Autofocus?" She agreed since it meant she could continue to use the Macro on her *istD!

I rarely attach manual lenses except for astrophotos.

[Canada_Rockies]

I am a little new to manual focus only 9 months in (if you count my lapse since the early 80's). In that period I have experienced lots of lenses and am quite fond of manual focus. My favorite at the moment is a Takumar 135 3.5 Preset. It lacks coatings, but has a very nice hood to compensate. Like all Takumar's it is built to standards beyond description and is a joy to work with. This lens is small and lightweight. f/3.5 ... seems slow but it works and saves in weight and cost.

I used that lens for a long, long time, right up until I replaced it with an M 135/3.5 in 1977 or thereabout. It was a fine lens - and still is according to you. Enjoy it!

[stover98074]

Thanks Canada Rockies - for the past two years I have done some spring skiing at Sun Peaks with my family, near Kamloops - a very special place and it only gets better as you head towards Jasper (regarding mountains).

I like using the old lenses and also enjoy a Jupiter 9 (M39 SLR - 1964 Version) that was given to me. I think the Takumars have a distinctive edge on build quality but both the lenses from Russian and Japan beg to be used.

A DSLR makes it so easy to try different exposures and lenses and manual focus lenses make it easy to have some really nice lenses.

Another sunset with the Takumar 135 Preset at Deception Pass - exposed by your southern neighbor!



Steve

[Prox-iee]

I only own 2 auto focus lenses, kit lens and a sigma 10-20

But my main lens is my 50mm Zeiss Tessar 2.8 which replaced my SMC-A 50 1.7

Yes, I went from A to screwmount haha