A solitary reign

Nikkormat FTN Nikkor 35-70mm f/3.3-4.5 Kodak Eastman Double-X (5222) @ 200 Rodinal 1:50 (9mins) Tumblr - Instagram

Springtime in a Seattle neighborhood. Photographed with a vintage Helios 58mm ƒ2 lens to create the soft glow.

Photography by Shel Buchler sheldonbuchler.com Select prints available in my shop! Contact me if you’d like a print that isn’t available

We all know what's the end of this route

by AllanOdyne

Otto, morning activities.

I've got a bike by Konrad Niechwiej Via Flickr: Sony A7 + Helios 44M-4

Spring swirly.

Taken on March 31, 2023.

The Most Dreamy Bokeh! Pergear 35mm F1.4 Review

This thing is gorgeous!

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Y'all!!

I got a film camera! And a Helios 44-2!

Kalimar SR200 cameras are just Zenit E cameras, rebadged for sale in the US.

I just wanted the Helios 44 58mm lens so I could adapt it to my Fujifilm XT4 and get swirly bokeh. I was kind of on the fence about spending $120 plus shipping (was looking on ebay). But then I found a listing for a camera and three lenses. One of which was listed as a 44mm lens.

The Helios 44 is a 58mm lens, but this seller missed that, and didn't know they had a $120-170 lens. I bought everything for $99.

The lenses are beautiful.

One is a zoom and one is a telephoto. (The visible dust is on the outside of the lenses).

All three lenses are pretty sharp! Coatings are in good condition, everything works, no oil on aperture blades, glass is clean and undamaged, barely any dust inside the lenses themselves. It's incredible.

The camera works, mechanically, and I just shot a roll of test shots using all three lenses to check for light leaks and shutter misfires.

I love that it's fully manual. There's a light meter that doesn't take batteries to work. Everything else is mechanical. I kept thinking I needed to power it down to save on battery life between shots. Nope! Kinda crazy.

Anyway -- now I just have to wait a couple weeks to get the negatives and scans back to see if the camera works.

In the fall, the bumblebees all converge on the huge sunchoke “bush” that grows in our backyard.

The crazy swirly background was accomplished in camera using the bokeh filter below.

Simply cut out of thin cardboard, the small holes act in the same way as the single hole in a regular bokeh filter would except that the multiple variously shaped bokeh it produces all overlap. The larger hole at the bottom provides a bokeh free area to shoot through. It is held in place by a cheap Cokin filter holder knockoff. Adjusting the filter up and down and rotating the filter holder gives some control over the position and amount of swirliness achieved.

Poste-processed with Affinity Photo v2, with the bumblebee and some of the flowers sharpened using Topaz Sharpen AI.

Camera: Pentax K-3

Lens: smc Pentax DA FA 1:2.8 100mm Macro

100mm / ƒ/5.6 / 1/400s / ISO 400

Taken: September 25, 2022

It's pretty much 99% bokeh. I went out with my Ricoh GXR A12 with the Nikonos 35mm F2.5 lens. Having the intent of just capturing a lot of swirly bokeh.

It doesn't make for an image with a lot of clarity, but it's definitely worth toying around to explore what's possible.

Ferns and Webs Pentax K1000, Helios-44M-4 f2/58mm Fomapan 100, Rodinal 1:50

A light rain came to an end, the sun sparkling through the cherry blossoms. Petals scattered across, glimmering on every surface.

Photographed in a Seattle neighborhood with a vintage Helios 58mm ƒ2 lens to create the magical feel and glowing look.

Photography by Shel Buchler sheldonbuchler.com Select prints available in my shop! Contact me if you’d like a print that isn’t available

Revival of Vintage Lenses: The Latest Trend, Digital Photography

**Revival of Vintage Lenses: The Latest Trend in Digital Photography**

Welcome back to my digital photography blog! Today, we're diving into one of the most intriguing trends reshaping the photography landscape: the revival of vintage lenses. This trend blends the old with the new, offering photographers unique creative opportunities and distinctive visual styles. Let's explore why vintage lenses are making a comeback and how you can incorporate them into your photography toolkit.

### The Allure of Vintage Lenses

#### Unique Optical Characteristics

One of the primary reasons photographers are drawn to vintage lenses is their unique optical qualities. Unlike modern lenses, which are designed to minimize flaws and produce clinically sharp images, vintage lenses often have imperfections that add character to photos. These can include:

- **Soft Focus:** Many vintage lenses produce a softer image, particularly at wider apertures. This can give portraits a dreamy, ethereal quality.

- **Swirly Bokeh:** Certain vintage lenses, like the Helios 44-2, are famous for their distinctive bokeh patterns, which can add an artistic touch to backgrounds.

- **Chromatic Aberration:** While generally considered a flaw, chromatic aberration (color fringing) can sometimes enhance the aesthetic of an image, giving it a unique look that modern lenses typically avoid.

#### Build Quality and Aesthetic

Vintage lenses are often built with metal bodies and manual focus rings, providing a tactile shooting experience that many photographers find satisfying. The craftsmanship of these lenses is typically robust, and their classic design adds a nostalgic aesthetic to your camera setup.

### Adapting Vintage Lenses to Modern Cameras

#### Lens Mount Adapters

To use vintage lenses on modern digital cameras, you'll need a lens mount adapter. These adapters are readily available for most camera and lens combinations. Here’s how to choose the right adapter:

- **Compatibility:** Ensure the adapter matches both your lens mount and camera mount. Popular mounts include M42, Canon FD, and Nikon F for lenses, and Sony E, Canon EF, and Micro Four Thirds for cameras.

- **Quality:** Invest in a good-quality adapter to ensure a secure fit and to avoid light leaks. Brands like Fotodiox and Metabones are known for their reliable adapters.

Manual Focus and Exposure

Most vintage lenses are manual focus, which can be a learning curve for those used to autofocus. However, this can also be an advantage, as it encourages more deliberate and thoughtful composition. Many modern cameras have focus peaking and magnification features to assist with manual focusing.

Additionally, vintage lenses often lack electronic contacts, meaning you’ll need to adjust exposure settings manually. This includes setting the aperture on the lens and adjusting shutter speed and ISO on your camera.

Creative Benefits of Using Vintage Lenses

Enhanced Storytelling

The unique characteristics of vintage lenses can enhance storytelling by imparting a distinctive mood or atmosphere to your images. For instance, the soft focus and warm colour rendition of a vintage lens can evoke nostalgia or romance, making it perfect for portraiture and lifestyle photography.

Experimentation and Learning

Using vintage lenses can reinvigorate your creative process. The need to manually focus and set exposure slows down the shooting process, encouraging more thoughtful composition and a deeper understanding of photographic principles.

Cost-Effective Quality

Many high-quality vintage lenses are available at a fraction of the cost of modern equivalents. This allows photographers to expand their lens collection and experiment with different focal lengths and styles without breaking the bank.

Popular Vintage Lenses to Explore

- **Helios 44-2 58mm f/2:** Known for its swirly bokeh and sharp central focus, this Soviet-era lens is a favorite among portrait photographers.

- **Canon FD 50mm f/1.4:** This lens offers excellent sharpness and beautiful background blur, making it ideal for portraits and low-light photography.

- **Minolta Rokkor 58mm f/1.2:** Renowned for its build quality and pleasing bokeh, this lens is a great choice for those looking to experiment with shallow depth of field.

Conclusion

The revival of vintage lenses in digital photography is more than just a trend; it's a movement that celebrates the artistry and craftsmanship of past generations. By integrating these classic lenses into your modern workflow, you can achieve unique optical effects, enrich your creative process, and produce images with a distinctive charm that sets your work apart.

So, dig out that old lens from your attic or visit a second-hand camera store, grab an adapter, and start exploring the endless

 creative possibilities that vintage lenses offer. Happy shooting!

The ReLens Camera app is not just another camera app for your smartphone. It's a powerful tool that transforms your device into a high-definition camera and DSLR. With an F1.4 aperture for stunning bokeh, classic SLR lens reproductions, and professional filters, it's a dream come true for photographers. This all-in-one app offers manual controls, 4K video support, and robust photo editing features. But what sets it apart is the MOD APK version. It unlocks VIP features, ensures AOSP compatibility, and removes Google dependencies, enhancing the user experience. With ReLens Camera, you can capture high-quality images and videos on your mobile device in ways you never thought possible. ReLens Camera MOD APK Benefits The ReLens Camera MOD APK version is a game-changer for photography enthusiasts. It unlocks a host of VIP and paid features at no cost, enhancing your photography experience. With VIP features, you can access premium features that would typically require payment. It's also compatible with AOSP and doesn't rely on Google dependencies, ensuring a streamlined performance. This version turns off the rating dialog, allowing you to concentrate solely on capturing perfect shots. It's available in multiple languages, ensuring a global reach. By removing debug information, the application becomes more efficient and responsive, providing you with a seamless and optimized experience. Making your phone into a professional camera With ReLens Camera, you can transform your smartphone into an HD camera and DSLR professional camera. Due to its DSLR-grade large aperture, the app creates a beautiful background bokeh effect, making it a go-to choice for those aiming to capture "DSLR-like" and "cinematic" shots from their phones. Let's take a closer look at ReLens' outstanding features. The core features The ReLens Camera features a powerful F1.4 large aperture, resulting in a beautiful blurred background. For portrait photography, it effortlessly achieves professional-looking shots with mesmerizing bokeh. Beyond ordinary lenses, the app reproduces iconic SLR lenses such as the 50mm 1.4 and M35mm f/1.4. By doing so, users can create distinctive visual effects, such as the famous swirly bokeh of the Burn 35. For effortless artistic flair, the ReLens Camera offers essential filters for portraits and landscapes. With features such as soft focus, starbursts, and ND filters, the app enhances your images with a professional touch. With AI depth of field magic, ReLens recalculates depth of field for realistic portrait bokeh effects. Using the depth brush, users can easily modify the depth of field, giving them unprecedented control over the final image. Professional lens effects such as eclipse, Smooth Trans Focus, and lens distortions are faithfully replicated by ReLens Camera. Beyond traditional bokeh effects, this creates a realistic and immersive lens experience. A comprehensive professional camera app, ReLens is more than a one-trick pony. Exposure, shutter speed, ISO, focus, and white balance can all be controlled manually. Featuring presets, SLR beauty effects, and over 100 filters, it caters to all levels of photographers. Aside from photography, ReLens excels at recording 4K video on compatible devices. For seamless videography, the app provides professional tools like a grid line, level line, and histogram. ReLens is more than just a camera app; it's a full-featured photo editor. The AI zone adjustment fine-tunes the foreground and background separately. Color grading tools offer precise control over parameters, such as HDR night scene enhancement and noise reduction. ReLens offers natural beautification features such as face slimming and skin tone correction for portrait enthusiasts. The app ensures privacy by processing images locally on the device without uploading data to external servers. The conclusion In the world of mobile photography apps, ReLens Camera-Focus & DSLR Blur is a game-changer. In addition to

its powerful large aperture, classic lens reproductions, professional-grade filters, and robust editing capabilities, ReLens empowers users to unleash their creativity and capture breathtaking moments. The ReLens app is a must-have when it comes to elevating your mobile photography experience, whether you are a seasoned photographer or a casual enthusiast. StoryArt MOD APK (Pro Unlocked) Download Timestamp Camera Pro Premium Unlocked  

Best Tokina Cine Lenses: Full Frame Vista Primes

You know as well as I do there are a lot of cinema lenses on the market, particularly now that we are in 2024.

So why consider the Tokina Cinema Vista Primes? My video review includes LOTS of footage to showcase just how amazing these lenses are. I think of Tokina lenses as having character while still being sharp. The Vista Primes have no focus breathing, beautiful flare characteristics, are fast at a T 1.5, have interchangeable lens mounts and can cover Vista Vision size sensors. Tokina Vista Primes come in focal lengths between 18mm - 180mm, so they really are a complete set.

Tokina has released a second set of these lenses called Vista-P with reduced contrast, swirly bokeh and a look that better reflects a set of vintage lenses. The plus of the P series is they are modern in physical design, so you get the vintage look but in a lens body that is easier for professional focus pullers and cinematographers to use than vintage lenses that might have challenging physical characteristics.

Enjoy the review and if you're interested in these awesome lenses use the coupon code CONLIN10 and save 10% off! Tokina Cinema lenses and filters through their USA store https://bit.ly/3RMnms4