We love our manual focus Nikkor lenses! Part 2
- Thread starter cichlid
- Start date
No updates? This can't be! Heh
Received my film scans back; here's one from CNY...
I stood in rows and rows of what some entrepreneurial farmer decided, to grow corn below; should obviously be either state land or the power company's
We went on a 3+ hour hike around, I doubt I'd have survived with my usual kit out
FE2 + 28/2.8 AIS with Kodak Ultramax 400
Received my film scans back; here's one from CNY...
I stood in rows and rows of what some entrepreneurial farmer decided, to grow corn below; should obviously be either state land or the power company's
We went on a 3+ hour hike around, I doubt I'd have survived with my usual kit out
FE2 + 28/2.8 AIS with Kodak Ultramax 400
Hey Zichar, I always admire your work with film and good old FE2 and Ai/AiS lenses...
OK, how well Df fits old lenses. IMHO, not a whole lot of difference as any other D series. Manual focusing is not better with Df, don't you believe what the others tell you.
Comfort, balance and usability - yes it is comfortable to use the Df with old lenses, balances absolutely beautifully. I have used it with AiS 80-200mm f/4, AiS 35-105mm f/3.5-4.5, Ai 28mm f/2.8, Nikkor-S 50mm f/1.4, Nikkor-S 5cm f/2, AiS 50mm f/1.2, Nikkor P 10.5cm f/2.5, Nikkor-P.C 105mm f/2.5, AiS 55mm f/2.8 Micro-Nikkor. I have a few more non-Ai, Ai and AiS Nikkors to try with the Df.
Only advantage IMHO is that ability to flip the Ai Tab and use non-Ai lenses. Wonderfully simple to do, but sometimes I forget to un-flip the tab and wonder why my Ai or AiS lenses did not work correctly.
My observations to date related only to performance of lenses:
- single-coated old Nikkors (those without the C like Nikkor-P instead of Nikkor-P.C), clearly lower contrast and poorer colour reproduction. At maximum aperture or close to maximum aperture significantly less sharp.
- "modern" MF Nikkors (those with C onwards), performance match or better than the AF/AFD/AFS Nikkors, except, perhaps, the top end ones (like AFS 85mm f/1.4G), can't tell cause I do not have any of these top end AF/AFD/AFS Nikkors. Haven't compared say AFS 85mm f/1.8G against MF 85mm, I don't have the MF equivalents. Closest comparison could be with AiS 105mm f/2.5, which I will make some time later.
- shooting at "sweet spot" of most coated non-Ai Nikkors, Ai and AiS Nikkors (f/8-f/11) these lenses are amazing, easily a good match or better than AF/AFD/AFS Nikkors.
So far my approach had been no active comparison, just take the 1 lens (or 3 of different focal lengths) when I go traveling or shooting, and form subjective opinions. Did do some active comparison shooting boring buildings at my window but that is uninteresting... but bears out what my subjective evaluation brought me to.
Thanks for the kind words and especially for typing that out diediealsomustdive
I've been wondering if I should retire my trusty D700 for something lighter
I can't remember if you were a film cam user; if so, how do the controls compare?
The 100% viewfinder would be a draw, as would be the ability to use non-AI lenses. I can't believe I missed that feature.
It bears mentioning that I've never been a quick draw shooter, preferring to (or hope for) the image to appear in my mind before fiddling with controls then lifting camera to eye
If I miss something, I shrug and wait for the next one
Which perhaps partly explains why MF lenses (with the limited ammunition of flim) appeal to me
I've been wondering if I should retire my trusty D700 for something lighter
I can't remember if you were a film cam user; if so, how do the controls compare?
The 100% viewfinder would be a draw, as would be the ability to use non-AI lenses. I can't believe I missed that feature.
It bears mentioning that I've never been a quick draw shooter, preferring to (or hope for) the image to appear in my mind before fiddling with controls then lifting camera to eye
If I miss something, I shrug and wait for the next one
Which perhaps partly explains why MF lenses (with the limited ammunition of flim) appeal to me
I loved how this turned out
Surprised myself really when I started painting over during pp
FE2 + 28 2.8 AIS w/Ultramax 400
Surprised myself really when I started painting over during pp
FE2 + 28 2.8 AIS w/Ultramax 400
Compared to D700, which I had a brief 5-day use about 2 years back
- lighter
- 100% viewfinder
- Non-Ai compatible (which by now you might have guessed that to me this point is more academic than useful, although I would gladly use "C" type Nikkors)
- better high ISO, better WB
- less well balanced when using heavy lenses (but if you are old school it is the left hand that carries the lens)
I came from film cameras, started from (loaners) Canon AE-1, FTbn, Nikkormat FT2, Minolta X-700 before I settled on (bought) Nikon FE2, and a host of other Nikon film bodies (FG, F-801/s, F-601d, F-70) before moving digital. I have FE2, FG, FM, Nikon F Photomic FTn, Nikkormat FT2, EL2, and a few non-Nikons in my "collection". Other than the FE2 and FG, most had seen limited film actions (I was using AF bodies by the time I started acquiring bodies).
The Df compares well with the use of FE2, just tubbier, and if you use Ai lenses, the same less split-image screen. Non-Ai requires the input of aperture value selected manually (i.e. use the command or sub command dial to input the aperture value you picked) for aperture priority.
I enjoy the use of Df more than my D800, although to be honest when I need high resolution D800 wins, when I need high ISO Df, when not so critical work Df wins (for small size and quiet operation - it is hard to imagine how quiet the camera is even in the normal mode!).
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Cool, thanks for the input
Didn't know you had such a storied history with film cameras
I've only ever had one, the FE2, and have taken less than 10 rolls with it
I'm much more picky considering the costs involved - pretty darn tough to get my b&w processed and scanned
Anyway, had wanted to know about the controls from a usability standpoint
Are they easy to turn and manipulate or need to stop, squint, fiddle then go?
Do you find they get in your way or you don't even think of them being there?
I actually shoot my FE2 on A mode, keeping at the back of mind the 60/40 centerweighted meter and 'trick' it accordingly
I'm surprised that I can guesstimate whether it's gonna turn out okay
Didn't know you had such a storied history with film cameras
I've only ever had one, the FE2, and have taken less than 10 rolls with it
I'm much more picky considering the costs involved - pretty darn tough to get my b&w processed and scanned
Anyway, had wanted to know about the controls from a usability standpoint
Are they easy to turn and manipulate or need to stop, squint, fiddle then go?
Do you find they get in your way or you don't even think of them being there?
I actually shoot my FE2 on A mode, keeping at the back of mind the 60/40 centerweighted meter and 'trick' it accordingly
I'm surprised that I can guesstimate whether it's gonna turn out okay
In use it is almost exactly as the FE2 would behave, except with the
- on-off / shutter lock, which is by the winding lever in FE2 and a rotating dial around shutter release in Df (similar to F2)
- ISO selection which is button-rotate, FE2 is lift-rotate IIRC
- use mode-dial to set to A
Otherwise if you keep to A and set centre weighted (not sure if the meter is 60/40 on Df), everything else is as per FE2.
I frequently set to M with auto ISO and pick combination of shutter speed and aperture for my purpose, I call this manual priority. Drawback is that when lighting is brighter auto ISO can't drop it below ISO 100 I get over exposed shots.
I chickened out on my recent trip to HK, had pre-arranged wth a friend to bring only my FE2 but went for the D700 instead
And I watched him weave in and out of lanes ... with a Ricoh GR
Wow those things are small and nifty!
With the 28 2.8 AIS zone focused
And I watched him weave in and out of lanes ... with a Ricoh GR
Wow those things are small and nifty!
With the 28 2.8 AIS zone focused
Trying to keep this thread going.
Like a Studio Shot 200mm F4 AI @F8 1/160 iso450
Another one:
Ixora - Dig the bokeh(bouquet) 135mm F2.8 AIS @F8 1/160 iso 1250
Thanks for viewing.
Like a Studio Shot 200mm F4 AI @F8 1/160 iso450
Another one:
Ixora - Dig the bokeh(bouquet) 135mm F2.8 AIS @F8 1/160 iso 1250
Thanks for viewing.
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I loved how this turned out
Surprised myself really when I started painting over during pp
FE2 + 28 2.8 AIS w/Ultramax 400
Agree, nice shot!
Another take on the walking man then...
D700 + 28 2.8 AIS
D700 + 28 2.8 AIS
135mm @f4
135mm @f2.8
Picked up a 135mm f2.8, and above are some shots from the D600. Both shots are grab shots, and I did not have alot of time to slowly focus and compose. Just conversion to B&W in viewNX, and resize for web. The logo photo is actual pixel size, cropped directly from the full res photo.
I've used most medium Ai/Ais teles from nikon, and I have to say the 135mm is really really decent. I've owned and used the 85/2, 105/1,8, 105/2.5, 180/2.8 ED, 200/4 and the 75-150/3.5E, and I got to say this 135 is up amongst the best of them, together with the 180ED and 105/1.8. Never really liked the 85, 200 or the 75-150E. I'm just surprised that the 105/2.5 is that famous, when this 135 is just as good. Could it be just the hype that the "Afghan girl" is captured with that lens? :dunno:
135mm @f2.8
Picked up a 135mm f2.8, and above are some shots from the D600. Both shots are grab shots, and I did not have alot of time to slowly focus and compose. Just conversion to B&W in viewNX, and resize for web. The logo photo is actual pixel size, cropped directly from the full res photo.
I've used most medium Ai/Ais teles from nikon, and I have to say the 135mm is really really decent. I've owned and used the 85/2, 105/1,8, 105/2.5, 180/2.8 ED, 200/4 and the 75-150/3.5E, and I got to say this 135 is up amongst the best of them, together with the 180ED and 105/1.8. Never really liked the 85, 200 or the 75-150E. I'm just surprised that the 105/2.5 is that famous, when this 135 is just as good. Could it be just the hype that the "Afghan girl" is captured with that lens? :dunno:
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