Adapting a 100-Year-Old Lens To A Modern Camera
Mathieu adapted a 100-year-old Foth 50 mm f2.5 lens, originally used on a folding film camera, to work with a modern Sony FX3. He overcame challenges like the lack of an aperture and focusing mechanism by using a custom macro adapter and an ND filter. Despite not being sharp across the frame, the lens produces a dreamlike, cinematic effect with soft edges and pleasing bokeh.
- ▪The Foth 50 mm f2.5 lens is 100 years old and was originally used with a folding film camera.
- ▪Mathieu purchased the vintage lens for just 3 euros at a market.
- ▪The lens lacked an aperture and focusing mechanism, requiring custom adaptation for the Sony FX3.
- ▪Initial attempts with an Amazon aperture adapter and elcoid adapter caused vignetting issues.
- ▪The final setup used a special macro adapter and an ND filter to control exposure and focus.
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Adapting A 100-Year-Old Lens To A Modern Camera No comments by: Zoe Skyforest May 1, 2026 Title: Copy Short Link: Copy You can get all kinds of fancy lenses for modern cameras, with all sorts of mechanical and electronic wizardly to make them shoot better images. But what if you paired a vintage lens with a modern camera? It would take some work, as [Mathieu] found out, but you’d also get some interesting results. The optic in question is a 100-year old lens—a Foth 50 mm f2.5 to be precise, originally used with a folding film camera. It was sourced from a market for just 3 euros. Notably, the lens was not designed for modern cameras, and so lacks an aperture and focusing mechanism. [Mathieu] thus had to fabricate something to fit the lens to a Sony FX3.
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