How To Use An Old Lens With The Sony a6000

Image source: http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/sony-a6000/Z-sony-a6000-with-70-200mm2-L.JPG

I've been doing photography since the days when we used to carry and manually set those heavy analog cameras with the film and all those little devices like photometers and timers.  Ive been a Sony fan all my life. Since then the technological advancement has brought photography to an unprecedented level of convenience and results. However, those who have the urge for the outstanding always look for better ways to improve their skills and are constantly trying new - even peculiar to the average eye - ways to achieve the desired result.

One of my favorite spots for photography is our local park, close to the beach. As I was walking the other day trying to find a subject, I saw something I just couldnt believe my eyes. A friend of mine had mounted a Helios 44M-6 58mm on his Sony mirrorless camera. Well, you heard right; old prime lenses match the Sony a6000 and literally produce amazingly sharp images!

When I asked him how he did that he explained. He was walking by an old shop the other day and saw an old camera on the display. John likes photography and hes always looking for cameras and lenses he can use to shoot portraits and street photography.

Prime lenses cost from $200 to $1500 depending on what you want to shoot. Sony has a nice 50mm prime lens (e-mount) for about $250 but why spend so much money when you can buy an old camera with a nifty-fifty lens for just under $20!

Yes, its not a joke. The store was selling the camera for $20 and even if it was working or not, you can use the lens which was in perfect condition including the focus/aperture rings and the glass. Perfect timing and deal for my friend.

To be able to test the lens though he had to wait a few days. He told me he researched online looking for an adapter but he wasnt sure which one to get. He read reviews on Amazon and decided the Fotasy M42 screw lens for Helios 44M-6 was the right choice.

When the adapter came he was pretty excited. Sony a6000 has an option to let old lenses be mounted and focus manually by using the lens rings. You just need to mount the lens with the adapter and then mount both with the camera.

The results were fantastic! He tried to get some portrait shots and the bokeh effect produced was unbelievably smooth. The images were really sharp and the vignetting not too bad. Helios has an aperture of 2.0 which makes it really good for portrait and street shooting. At f2.8 Helios can provide really crisp photos at the center of the image with a little bit of distortion.

You can always tweak your images with any editing software. Even if you are not satisfied with the colors or the vignetting you can adjust it manually in the program. Pinnacle Studio or Lightroom are two very decent choices for those of you who want to take your photos to the next level. They are both simple to use and rich in features and capabilities. Of course, everybody wants to take photos in the most ideal conditions but this is not always possible. Although this kind of software is traditionally expensive, pinnacle studio coupons can drop the price substantially as I saw here.

Overall its something you need to try on your own. I mean I couldnt believe that an old lens can generate such clear images from a new camera which has advanced technology and features. I was amazed by the quality and I would recommend anyone to try it if you own a mirrorless camera.