Cany143 Loc: SE Utah

You're standing on the edge of the ocean, or a lake, or a river, or a swimming pool. You really, really want to go swimming, but its late, late fall, and you know that water is going to be cold. Like really cold. But you really, really want to go swimming....

Found a decent deal on a used Fujifilm X-Pro1, and its on it's way. Ordered Leica screw mount and Nikon F adapters for the X body a few minutes later, elsewhere, and everything will be showing up early next week. (Where I live, overnight, or even two-day, shipping simply doesn't exist; I barely get that when I walk in a local store and buy something off the shelf...)

Why? Easy. Because I can't tell you how long I've wanted to do something that simply isn't feasible with any of my dSLRs: the ability to shoot with some of the 'classic' or 'bokeh-licious' lenses I used in the days of film. My 50mm f/2 Summitar, or my 37mm f/2.8 MIR 1b, or my f/6 28mm Orion, or the host of other LTM lenses (not to mention my classic and modern Nikon glass), any or all of which are capable of producing a really different 'look' than my typical style of shooting.

So my question is this: Who else out there in UHH-land is doing --and has been doing for a while-- what I'm looking forward to do? Sure, I've done the search function thing, and read other's posts, and spent my time on youTube/the InterTubes generally doing likewise. I'm not interested in the perceived 'pros and cons' you might rightly mention --I'm relatively aware of a lot of those already, thanks-- but I'd sure like to hear some of your stories and quips and even some of your recommendations with regard to the world of mirrorless/classic lens mix. Anybody game for that?

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Cany, I regularly put my Zeiss lenses for my Hasselblad on my D700 or D800e. Though not mirrorless cameras, the images are quite nice. The best I could say is that one looking at them might perceive a bit of difference. It's one of those things on which one just can't put their finger and know for sure why or specifically what is the difference.
--Bob

dmsM43

I've been doing that for several years. I never owned a DSLR, started with mirrorless when I switched to digital. I'm guessing that I avoided a lot of hassle that way. Anyway I use my various mirrorless cameras with my old Canon FD and Canon rangefinder lenses along with a few old Nikon lenses that I've acquired along the way.

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

I too enjoy using all that old glass of yesteryear, I use all sorts of lenses on my Canon DSLR's, Minolta, Nikon, Pentax, Zeiss, Angenieux and more.

Cany143 Loc: SE Utah

Thanks, Bob. Bit of a different sort of mix with those generally incredible Zeiss's, and I appreciate your response.

Now, I'm wondering what might happen if I can somehow wrangle a mount for a view camera lens.... Mmmmm! Bausch & Lomb Triple Protar goes digital??? Turner-Reich does X camera? Sixteen megapixels of weird and wonderful? Maybe???

deer2ker Loc: Nashville, TN

Uh Oh Cany, you have stepped into the Fuji soup and it will be hard to get out lol! Just kidding but I can say that I am looking for a few old sharp lenses to use on my Fuji. My cousin bought an old Helios 44m that he loves and I think he said an old Sigma superwide 24 too. The prices can't be beat and although I don't have quite the skills you have, I think I will try a few myself at the prices you can get them at. I will say that since I got my Fuji X-T2, I am excited every day to grab and take a few. Enjoy that new toy! (and let me know what you come up with and if you like it!)

Fawn

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Cany, I'm currently working on that very view camera lens to digital project. Only, it's going to be more of a put the digital on a view camera. I think the lens to camera adaption would probably be the same. I'm hoping to get that project completed by year's end.
--Bob

dmsM43

You might want to check with Toby Marshall. He managed to put a Dallmeyer 8" super six on his Sony A7r ii. I still have my view camera stuff, but adapting those lenses might involve some machine shop work. Anyway have fun, those old lenses often have unique characteristics that the modern glass doesn't have.

http://toby-marshall.com/galleries/bokeh-tales/dallmeyer-lenses/

deer2ker Loc: Nashville, TN

Now that is cool!

Cany143 Loc: SE Utah

Thank YOU, Fawn! Into the Fuji soup? I LIKE that phrase! Yeah, heard/read lots of great reviews on the Helios 44m, and I've got a few, but only in Contax/Kiev bayonet mount. Probably pick up an adaptor for that at some point before long (already have 35, 50, 58, 85 and 135mm lenses in that mount). Shot with all of those on film, but film is so much different than digital, and why oh why couldn't we develop film and come out of the developing tank/darkroom with a digital RAW result??? What lens/lenses do you have/use on your X-T2? Odds are, at some point I may want to pick up a modern Fuji lens, if only to use the X-Pro1 at its full capability....

Cany143 Loc: SE Utah

I'm drooooooooooooooolllllllllllllllllllling. Thank you for the link!!!

deer2ker Loc: Nashville, TN

I just got my Fuji a month ago and only have an 18-55 kit - but oh what a kit lens - that thing is sharp and fast. I am going to save up for a 50-140mm (one of their best zooms) and am thinking a 23 f2.
The little pancake 27 is sure tempting though (a great lens and looks oh so cool on these retro look Fuji's - I look like a real photographer Ha Ha!) One more thing - I think you are going to love the color that comes out of that Fuji - you do wonderful things with your landscapes and think this is going to thrill you!

Cany143 Loc: SE Utah

Yup; I've seen a few references you've made to your in-the-process Dxxx/view camera back a couple of times. The thought passed through my mind once or twice as well, but only fleetingly. What I did do once, a long time ago, was with a 6x7 Pentax I had. Got a helical Pentax mount (making focusing possible), grafted a piece of pvc tubing onto that, and drilled/tapped the pvc cap to mate with an enlarging lens. Could've done the same with most any other long-ish lens I had (focal length to film-plane dependent, of course), but I never did. Not exactly 'pro' quality fittings --unless one considers pvc a 'pro' level material-- but it worked like a charm, and I still had the portability of the medium format body. Fun stuff, indeed!

wmurnahan Loc: Bloomington IN

That was a big factor in my getting my Sony. I have a lot of FD lenses plus liked the idea of being able to adapt others like Lieca.

gessman Loc: Colorado

Perhaps you are aware, or maybe not, but if you have a 4x5, here's a good method of using those 4x5 lens and turning it into a digital using your newly acquired Fuji, if it has the right mount, otherwise perhaps another adapter would be in order.

Click on the following url and scroll down to the video for a quickie introduction: https://fotodioxpro.com/products/4x5-gfx-pro?variant=39813332103 then you can read above the video if it interests you.

Then go here for other brand mirrorless or dslr adapters like Canon, Nikon, Sony, etc.: https://fotodioxpro.com/search?q=4x5+adapter+backs

There is also this, Rhinocam, that allows a person to use medium format lens with a "35mm" to make more precise panos. It works well and wastes no territory with overlap so, go ahead and put your Hassy lens on your Fuji. https://fotodioxpro.com/products/rhinocam-fxrf

Here's a video demo of the Rhinocam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrACz2lbSOc

The Rhinocam may even work on some 4x5 cameras in lieu of that adapter above but it isn't clear just which cameras it will work with and it's not a particularly cheap experiment if you don't have the right 4x5.