Top 5 Most Recommended Vintage Lenses (according to the internet)

And our thoughts about them!

Vintage lenses have gained (or re-gained, again, depending on who you ask) popularity among photographers and videographers for their unique optical characteristics and distinctive rendering. We’ve collected the top 5 based on a few searches and included the most common insights.

If you have any questions feel free to leave a comment or direct message me on IG @elijahrha or @foxfotoco , I’ll happily respond to anyone on either!

While individual preferences may vary, here are five of the most highly recommended vintage lenses that have consistently received praise (and our own personal experiences with them too):

Carl Zeiss Planar 50mm f/1.4 (Contax/Yashica Mount): This lens is known for its exceptional sharpness, smooth bokeh, and high contrast. It offers excellent low-light performance and is considered one of the best vintage lenses available.

- I don’t have this lens myself, but I have a number of other Zeiss lenses (50mm, 29mm, and 20mm) for the M42 mount that have been lovely.

Helios 44–2 58mm f/2 (M42 Mount): The Helios 44–2 is a Soviet-era lens that became famous for its swirly bokeh and dreamy image quality. It produces unique and artistic results…