Non-photographic lenses such as projector or spy lenses can be used for taking some stunning photos. But have you considered using a medical lens? Mathieu Stern got to test an Elicar 90mm f2.5 Macro Medical V-HQ, a relatively rare lens that was used by medical professionals in the ‘80s. And it turns out that it’s super sharp and great for close-up shots.
Turn ordinary objects into extraordinary photos using only a UV light
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Using a UV light for photos can give you some spectacular results and give your images an unusual twist. Even when you illuminate ordinary subjects with it, they can look extraordinary. In this video, Mathieu Stern teamed up with fellow photographer Pierre-Louis Ferrer to show you what everyday objects look like in UV light, and inspire you to try it out yourself.
How to use a $6 slide projector lens for stunning portraits
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Photographer Mathieu Stern is passionate about finding and even making unusual lenses. This time, he hit a flea market and found a $6 treasure: Rollei 90mm f/2.4 MC. It’s a slide projector lens, but Mathieu adapted it to his Sony mirrorless camera and found out that it’s also great for portraits.
How to clean your lens with a candle, a spoon and a lens cleaning cloth
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If you use a lens pen, you’ve noticed that its felt tip is covered in black powder. It’s great against fingertips and other greasy residue, but it wears off. In this video, Mathieu Stern will show you how to clean your lenses equally efficient without using a lens pen. You will need a candle, a spoon, and a microfiber lens cleaning cloth instead. Confused? Let’s dive in.
This camera lens was made from an iceberg
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Photographer and filmmaker Mathieu Stern enjoys buying, modifying and even making his own weird lenses. He dreamt of his latest project for two years and now he’s finally made it – a lens made of ice. He traveled all the way to Iceland to be able to turn his idea into reality.
Making the ice lens came with a lot of challenges, but Mathieu managed to overcome them. He kindly shares with DIYP some photos and videos he took with this ice lens, as well as the story of how he made it. And it’s all really cool (no pun intended)!
$80 50mm f/1.2 lens vs. $1,500 50 mm f/1.2 lenses: how do they compare?
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Vintage lenses have their quirks, but they also have a certain charm. Many of them are well-built and tack sharp, yet very affordable. Photographer Mathieu Stern is a great fan of vintage glass, so he decided to do a little test. He compared a vintage manual 50mm f/1.2 lens he paid $80 with a modern AF 50mm f/1.2 lens that costs almost $1,500. Are they comparable at all? Let’s take a look.
These are the worst 20 things you can say to a photographer [NSFW]
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All photographers have gone through awkward and unpleasant situations throughout their career. And I believe we all have some of the sentences we find especially annoying when we hear them from clients, friends or even family members. Mathieu Stern asked his Instagram followers what are the worst things someone can say to a photographer? And in this fun short video, he shares the answers he got.
Shooting the same model with three vintage lenses under $100
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If you’re looking for a high-quality, sharp lens with fantastic bokeh, vintage lenses can be a great option. They can give you images of great quality, yet you can buy many of them at very affordable prices. In this video, Mathieu Stern compares three vintage lenses for shooting portraits: Konica 40mm f/1.8, Porst 50mm f/1.4, and Jupiter 9 85mm f/2. He paid the cheapest among them around $6, so let’s see how they perform.
This vintage Russian spy lens is perfect for portraits, and it costs $40
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Photographer and videographer Mathieu Stern is known for his passion for weird lenses. He recently repurposed a Russian spy lens Cyclop h3t-1. It comes attached to a night vision device, and it was used by the Russian army and even the KGB. However, Mathieu tested how it performs for shooting portraits- and the results are surprisingly good.
This 70 year old projector lens creates “insane swirly bokeh” that rivals a $7K Leica
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Weird and crazy lenses is what Mathieu Stern has become known for. He seems to find some of the most unusual lenses that ever existed, and then makes them fit onto his Sony mirrorless camera. Fortunately for us, he posts images and video captured by those lenses he finds to YouTube.
And this particular lens is a beauty. A Carl Zeiss Kipronar 120mm f/1.9 projector lens which cost him only $70. It’s fixed wide open at f/1.9 and was never meant to be used for shooting photos. But Mathieu was able to adapt it. He says the closest he could find to a modern equivalent of this lens is the $7,000 Leica APO-Macro_Summarit-S F2.5/120mm.
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