5 Reasons Why You Should Be Using Vintage Lenses

Photographer and YouTuber Mark Holtze thinks that you (and everyone else) should give vintage lenses a try. And in the video above, he lays out his top 5 reasons why you should try vintage glass in 2020.

There’s a big fan base out there for vintage/weird lenses; Mathieu Stern‘s YouTube channel is pretty much dedicated to these retro finds. But if you’re used to using modern glass and taking advantage of all the modern features of your mirrorless camera or DSLR, you might not understand why it’s worth diving into the world of vintage glass.

Mark gives you five great reasons why:

1. Price and Accessibility – Modern lenses can get very expensive very fast; vintage alternatives are often far cheaper.
2. Character – It can and has been argued that modern lenses are somehow “sterile” or “too perfect.” No such issue with the vast majority of vintage glass.
3. Build Quality – With most vintage lenses, you don’t have to worry about crappy build quality (maybe just a touch of radiation). These lenses were built to last.
4. Great for photos AND video – When shooting video, manual focus is the norm, a mechanical focus throw is a plus, distance markings are extremely useful, and a lens with “character” is often preferred. All pluses for vintage glass.
5. Education – These fully-manual lenses will get you out shooting; and if you’re out shooting, you’re out learning.

Check out the full video up top to dive deep on every one of these points and see several example lenses that Mark himself uses on a daily basis. And if you have a go-to vintage lens that you couldn’t bear to part with, tell us about it in the comments.