The true value of vintage

THERE is something magical about the bokeh that vintage lenses produce. Many people don’t notice the background of an image, but to me it’s just as important as the foreground. Anamorphic vintage lenses create oval bokeh. It’s a subtle effect but it gives a cinematic feel with a sinister undertone. The Helios 44M 58mm produces swirly bokeh, leading to fantastical, ethereal images. Trioplan and Pentacon lenses add a soap bubble effect, which brings a playful look. Each lens has a different personality, and each lens has its own ‘flaws’. When the light hits the optics to create an image it produces blur and flare that changes the intensity of the colour and tone.

I started using vintage lenses about three years ago after reading an article about creative bokeh. My first purchase was a Helios 44M 58mm from eBay (the Oxfam shop online is also a great place to buy rare and unusual lenses). I was already a fan of the Lensbaby range due to the dream-like effects they produce, but after seeing the swirly bokeh of the Helios I just had to have one! Since then, vintage lenses have become quite an obsession and