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Buying from Yahoo Japan auctions

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  1. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by vyral_143:
    If I could click Like button multiple times, I would have for your inputs. They help immensely.

    I tried looking for adapters on web. Amazon US has them for ~US$15 each plus ~US$5 shipping. Locally on Carousell, I found only one listing which has them for about HK$70-75. Any information if they are available easily and cheaper in MK Sim city or any other place?
    Normal prices for these 'dumb' adapters are around HK$120-150, so if you got a second seller letting them go cheap then go for it. Nowadays I normally order from Aliexpress when they have deals on with free shipping. If you don't want to wait and don't mind paying HK$10-20 more, then visit the camera accessories shops on either side of Ap Liu Street in SSP, I remember one that's called Ying Kee.

    There 2 things to be aware of when it comes to 'dumb' adapters:

    1 - nearly all of them will have been manufactured with an extra millimetre so that when you set your lens at infinity, the lens actually focuses slightly past it, you will need to focus back slightly. I guess this is so that they set some form of machining tolerance. Whilst to me this is not annoying, to some it is as they want to turn the focus ring to its end to reach infinity and want it to be focus.

    2 - some photography snobs swear that more expensive adapters are manufactured with more precision in turns of the exact distance all the way around the adapter so the image via you lens is not affected on one side. Personally, ALL my dumb adapters are either Pixco or some cheap Chinese brand and I have not experienced this issue at all.

  2. #12

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    Once you have set your sights on a lens you want to buy, let me know, normally through the years (and decades) there will be different versions, having different history and improvements such as number of optical elements, number of aperture blades and different lens coating, and I'll try to find the best version for you.

    vyral_143 likes this.

  3. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by Proplus:
    Once you have set your sights on a lens you want to buy, let me know, normally through the years (and decades) there will be different versions, having different history and improvements such as number of optical elements, number of aperture blades and different lens coating, and I'll try to find the best version for you.
    There was eBay listing going for Minolta Rokkor-x 50mm f/1.7 and Konica AR Hexanon 50mm f/1.8 for USD65 shipped for both. I ordered it before seeing this post. I would keep one out of these two lenses depending on result.

    I am still looking for Helios 44-2 though. Another lens which caught my attention is Meike 35mm f/1.7 (E mount). I would not rush to buy lenses though.

  4. #14

    Find a friend in Japan who lives there then have him to mail it to you.


  5. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by vyral_143:
    There was eBay listing going for Minolta Rokkor-x 50mm f/1.7 and Konica AR Hexanon 50mm f/1.8 for USD65 shipped for both. I ordered it before seeing this post. I would keep one out of these two lenses depending on result.

    I am still looking for Helios 44-2 though. Another lens which caught my attention is Meike 35mm f/1.7 (E mount). I would not rush to buy lenses though.
    The Rocker 50mm f1.7 is a very good lens and also VERY cheap, it was a kit lens with a lot of Minolta cameras. It's so cheap that many shops in HK don't sell them on their own, but attached to a camera as a bundle.

    The Konica AR Hexanon 50mm f1.8 I haven't tried, but just as the other one, came as a kit lens. It's AR mount isn't too popular so not many shop in HK will have an AR to NEX adapter.

    My suggestion is go slow, I know it's hard when the lenses can be so cheap. Wait for the 2 lenses to arrive and play with them first before deciding if you really like manual focus lenses and if a Helios 44-2 with a focal distance that's very similar to the 2 lenses you have is the right next step for you.

  6. #16

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    Helios 44-2 58mm f2 with the front element reversed.


    Contax CY Zeiss Planar T* 50mm f1.7


    Minolta MD 35-70mm f3.4 Macro

    All with minimum editing (just realignment), and I use a Techart Pro adapter.
    vyral_143 and jgl like this.

  7. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by Proplus:
    Firstly, my GF has that camera, even though it is easy to adapt lens onto it, it's not the greatest in terms of stability and you only rely on the LCD screen as it does not have a viewfinder.
    I kinda 'missed' view finder in manual focusing and switched to Sony A6000.

    Quote Originally Posted by Proplus:
    Once you have set your sights on a lens you want to buy, let me know, normally through the years (and decades) there will be different versions, having different history and improvements such as number of optical elements, number of aperture blades and different lens coating, and I'll try to find the best version for you.
    Though right now I am shooting at 50mm, I am thinking to expand one lens each into wide and telephoto, without burning hole in my pocket. Any recommendations ?

  8. #18

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    Quote Originally Posted by vyral_143:

    Though right now I am shooting at 50mm, I am thinking to expand one lens each into wide and telephoto, without burning hole in my pocket. Any recommendations ?
    How wide and how long would be the next question.

    Anything less than 24mm and you're looking at lots of money for a vintage lens, and I'd suggest going for a Samyang 14mm or 16mm instead. At 24mm, I have the Super Takumar 24mm f3.5 and love it. Built like a tank but tiny, there is some distortion but there's a lens profile in Lightroom that will flatten it out. Something a bit tighter then maybe a 35mm.

    The cheaper 35mm lenses, but still very good are the Canon nFD 35mm f2.8, the Pentax K 35mm f2.8 and the Minolta MD 35mm f2.8. A bit more money but I'd recommend the Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon 35mm f2.4 (or f2.8) or the Contax CY 35mm f2.8. The Contax is sharper but the Flektogon has a unique very short minimum distance and you can end up taking very close up photos with it. Both of these are around HK$2k, give or take. A cheaper alternative

    As for going the other way, depends on what you want to take photos of. If its for portraits, something between 85mm to 100mm is nice and there's absolutely tons out there. For a more modern cleaner rendering, look for the Samyang 85mm f1.4, smooth and buttery bokeh. If that is too sharp and you are looking for something a bit more softer and glowy, take a look at the Contax CY 85mm f2.8 (Sonnar design) or the Jupiter-9 85mm f2, for the latter you will need a lens hood for sure as it flares a lot and for the sake of not getting a headache, try to find one in M42 or M39 mount (skip the Kiev mount). Lens in this focal range tend to be on the pricey side.

    Something a little longer would be the Minolta MC or MD 100mm f2.5, smooth rendering and stop it down slightly to get super sharp images. If you want something longer still, look at 135mm lenses, there's tons out there and their prices are very low to reflect this.
    vyral_143 and TheBrit like this.

  9. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by Proplus:
    How wide and how long would be the next question.
    Wide - ~24mm (preferred) or 28mm. Any views on Meike 25mm f/1.8 ? This one goes for about HK$500.
    Telephoto - bit confused about exact length here; I believe this would be only used for portraits and sometimes for macro.

    While this is not hard and fast, I would like to continue using adapters I have (AR to NEX and MD to NEX) for wide and telephoto. I do not mind investing in another adapter though.

  10. #20

    On Wide side, I have read up on Konica Hexanon AR 28mm f/3.5. This seems quite good lens. How good it is at about little over HK$400 ?