I’ve been sharing photos taken with old cameras — specifically, film cameras. But in my collection, I also have some incredible glass.

Classic glass can outrank a great camera body. This is one of those times.

While cataloging my collection, I came across a Leica 50mm Summicron-R lens from the early 1970s. A gorgeous piece of glass that leans away from today’s over-perfect, clinically sharp modern lenses. With a specific adapter I tracked down, I was able to mount it on one of my current Nikons — the Zf — working as a manual focus lens on a technically advanced digital camera. Best of both worlds.

This was my first outing with this combination, a grey morning at Echo Bridge in Newton Upper Falls. The shot above is a perfect example of what this lens can do. A dreamy mix of depth, texture, and detail that modern glass simply doesn’t hand you.

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