Non-digital Lenses
 

I would like to have a macro lens to play with but can't afford one that is intended for a digital camera (all the electonics in place) so I'm thinking of buying an older second hand Canon lens, they aren't too hard to find in pawn shops etc. I understand that they can be used with modern digital cameras, it simply that everything has to be done manually rather than on auto. Has anyone on here done something like this? Is it practical to do?

Dan, I used an old 49mm screw fit bellows with a canon adapter everything is manual but it works well. If you have a look in the Macro thread you will see a photo of the kit.
http://www.worldphotographyforum.com...p?t=314&page=2

Hi Dan,

I think you will have to be aware of the mount of a used lens from a compatability point of view. I understand Nikon mount, but not Canon, so perhaps Sassan or other Canon user can offer advice, as I believe Canon have changed their mount several times.

Here is a link that may offer some clues. http://photonotes.org/articles/eos-manual-lenses/

Other than the mount compatability I should not expect any probs. I am using an arsenal of 20 year old M/F lenses on my Nikon.

Don

Canon have changed their mount just once, the old one being the FD mount the current one the Ef mount to fit all EOS cameras. They also do the Ef S mount which fits the 300D, 350D,20D,30D and 400D.
You can get an adapter to mount FD on EF cameras made by SRB at www.srbfilm.co.uk which has to contain an element which multiplies focal length by 1.6. As you say all functions have to be manual as the camera can't ''talk'' to the lens. Think cost is about £45. Hope this helps.

Dan I have done that. The problem when only physical contact is made IMO is the focusing. No Digital camera comes with splint prism or other focusing assist. The focusing light obviously wont work, not electronically coupled (Though I believe you can add a chips to manual mount were this tweak your camera thinking the attached lens is a F 1.4 (If interested I will give you the link). Now when you (If you can) decrease the F stop, to get better DOF, your focusing power Even gets worse at that magnifications. Get ready to laugh, at one point I used to bracket my focusing....
Your better cheap option is to get Kenko's electronically coupled extension rings. A set or three rings 12mm to 35mm that can be used in any combination as well, will cost you about $100.
And I think the best solution to keep electronics at work, is the excellent article and links Alex left in macro section >>LINK<<.
I am surely going to use that only problem still is light and exposure.

Just as an aside on using old lenses on Canon EOS. I bought an M42 to EF adaptor when I first had the 300D to use with some of my old M42 Pentax lenses. It worked OK but the main problem I found with the small view finder view and old age creeping up on my eye sight was the lack of focus confirmation.

I bumped into this artical a few months back. It looks quiet niffy and I have no idea where you would source it.

http://bobatkins.com/photography/rev...g_adapter.html

Yes Rob that is exactly what I was talking about.
Don't we love master BobAtkins.com or what?

Well here is the chips for sale as it stands alone. You can add it to pre-existing manual ring. A diagram at the bottom tells were it should be installed.
>> LINK - 1 <<

Then you have this version that chips is already fixed to the adapter and the adapter exist for several different mounts so you can use for example Olympus Nikon Leica hasselblad lenses on EOS having the convenience of AF confirmation. No installation is needed here. See the short video clip on the bottom of advertisement.
>>> LINK - 2<<<

I always used a plain screen in my Olympus 35mm cameras (long telephotos, etc) and found no great problems with focussing though it does come as a bit of a shock after using autofocus cameras for some time. The trick, until you get used to it, is to 'rock' the focus back and forth from each side of correct focus until you home-in on what seems to be the sharpest focus point.

OK OK I get it Andy and I know what you say but please first do not show off your young age and young good eyes...:D
Then the problem with macro and manual lens is when you stop down maximally for best DOF, screen is almost completely dark, not like short range tele lens. If you do a prefocusing at wide open f stop, then back to closed diaphragm, you can almost say good bye to you nice impatient insect or water ever other living small being is in front of lens.
Additionally I used to feel like what you said on manual area, but find it quit difficult to focus rightly with DSLR. And no it is not picture taking that is difficult, its when you check the images on monitor later that you see how surprising great number of them are out of focus.
To alleviate this I got 2x viewfinder magnifier, both Nikon and Olympus. Non with much success and the Nikon version is a total lost IMO.

One of the reasons I changed to an auto-focus camera was because my eyes were getting too old to focus quickly :)

I still have to use manual focus with some macro subjects where the camera wants to focus on the background rather than the subject and occasionally, such as my 'November Fungi' photo in my gallery, the light is too low for the auto focus to work but in these situations the camera still stops down the aperture at the moment of exposure - it's a long time since I used a totally manual 'pre-set' lens!