Modern lenses are perfectly sharp and crisp. But perfection is overrated and can be rather boring. I have a solution to add some character back into my photography and videos.
As a professional photographer, I’ve been pleased with how technology has helped improve digital cameras and lenses over the past 20 years. It’s certainly made my life easier. I can clearly remember attempting to make the transition from film cameras to digital in 2004 and being frustrated that the image quality wasn’t good enough for many of my client assignments.
I remember shooting magazine covers being a challenge. But as we reached the end of the Noughties, digital cameras became usable for most projects, and life was good. As a long-time Nikon user, I could use all my older pro-spec F-mount lenses I had accumulated in the 1990s when shooting on my trusty F5.
Perfect. Let's jump to 2022. This is when I realized there’s a huge problem.
I’m now using a for photography and bought a for video. At this stage, I also have a as an everyday carry (EDC, as the kids say), and a bunch of wonderful Z-mount lenses. Yes, I’ve made the transition to mirrorless 100%.
My F-mount lenses have a film of dust on them. So what’s the problem, I hear you ask? I realized that all the camera manufacturers are making perfect or near-perfect lenses. It doesn’t matter what the brand is—they’re all designed and made by computer and create incredibly sharp, chromatic aberration-free, flare and ghost-free, per.
