Analog and manual zone
Old glass and film cameras
How to mount an old lens on a new camera, what to check when buying a film camera, and how to shoot your first roll.
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We work from the distance between the mount and the sensor (flange distance). The adapter has to fill the gap between lens and camera, which is why old SLR lenses suit mirrorless cameras so well.
An old lens on a mirrorless camera, step by step
- Buy an adapter for your pair of mounts (checker above). A plain one without electronics is enough for lenses with an aperture ring.
- In the camera menu, allow shooting without a lens, because the camera can't see the old lens.
- Use A (aperture priority) or M. You choose the aperture with the ring on the lens.
- Turn on focus peaking and magnification for focusing.
- If the camera has in-body stabilisation, enter the lens's focal length in the menu.
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Buying a film camera? Check
- Shutter: open the back, aim at a bright light and go through the speeds from 1 s to the fastest. Faster speeds give a clearly shorter flash, and 1 s really lasts a second.
- Light seals: the foam around the back door and mirror often crumbles and gets sticky. A cheap fix, but without it the film gets light leaks.
- Light meter: put in a battery (which one?) and compare the reading with a digital camera or the phone light meter.
- Mirror and focusing screen: the mirror returns, the screen has no large spots.
- Lens: fungus, haze, play and oil on the aperture blades (torch and a bright background).
- Film advance: the lever winds smoothly and the frame counter moves.
Selling? Make an analog condition report and paste it into your listing.
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Your first roll
- Start with ISO 200–400 colour film: it forgives exposure mistakes.
- Set the film speed on the camera (ISO/ASA dial), if it has one.
- After loading, take 2–3 blank frames until the counter reaches 1.
- Rewind the film into the canister before opening the back.