Nikon MF lens (50mm f/1.2) on AF camera (e.g., a D70)
Carlos Moreno
See subject line --- as I understand, the lens *can* be
hooked to a DSLR such as the D70 and can be used.
My doubt is about the focusing technique --- I remember
using a MF camera, long ago, and at the middle of the
viewfinder screen there's a special view where lines are
clearly/prominently broken if the object is out of focus,
and perfectly continuous when the object is in focus
(thus allowing you to focus with high(er) precision).
My question: is that a feature of the lens, or a feature
of the camera? If it is a feature of the camera, can this
feature be obtained via some extra component hooked
to the camera?
Thanks for any info or pointers!
Carlos
--
Ofnuts
> question: is that a feature of the lens, or a feature
> of the camera? If it is a feature of the camera, can this
> feature be obtained via some extra component hooked
> to the camera?
This is a feature of the viewfinder ground glass, that is becoming rare
on DSLRs (AF often deos a better job). However, on DSLRs, even with
full manual focus lenses, you can still use the focus confirmation light.
--
Bertrand
Peter
news:0daeb9b0-9c92-4bb9...@x15g2000vbr.googlegroups.com...
I use the 1.4 version of that lens on my D200 & D300. AFAIK you will have
metering issues with the D70. Also you do not state whether it is AI. If it
is not at least AI it will not mount.
This link may give you more information.
http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/compatibility-lens.htm
Also see:
http://www.nikonians.org/nikon/slr-lens.html
--
Peter
Peter
news:0daeb9b0-9c92-4bb9...@x15g2000vbr.googlegroups.com...
Forgot to answer your question.
the split image viewfinder is a function of the viewfinder built into the
camera. For focusing you must rely on the ground glass. The cost of changing
the viewfinder glass may be more than a newer camera & lens.
--
Peter
Carlos Moreno
Hehehe --- you made me go and look the manual for the
camera !!! I mean, I didn't know about this focus conf.
light; I looked through the viewfinder and saw what looked
lilke it, but went to check the manual just to be sure.
Anyway, thanks for the tip !! I wonder how effective and
how practical would it be to shoot while relying on this
feature? I assume that basically it is the same on-camera
AF system/algorithms that are letting me know that it thinks
it is in focus?
For the other poster --- sorry, I forgot to mention the AIS
part of the model. Even though the Nikon web page for this
lens doesn't seem to say:
http://www.nikonusa.com/Find-Your-Nikon/Product/Camera-Lenses/1435/NIKKOR-50mm-f%252F1.2.html
But as I understand, any MF lens currently offered by
Nikon would be AIS, right?
Thanks,
Carlos
--
Ofnuts
> On Jan 3, 4:01 pm, Ofnuts<o.f.n.u....@la.poste.net> wrote:
>> On 03/01/2010 21:55, Carlos Moreno wrote:
>>
>>> question: is that a feature of the lens, or a feature
>>> of the camera? If it is a feature of the camera, can this
>>> feature be obtained via some extra component hooked
>>> to the camera?
>>
>> This is a feature of the viewfinder ground glass, that is becoming rare
>> on DSLRs (AF often deos a better job). However, on DSLRs, even with
>> full manual focus lenses, you can still use the focus confirmation light.
>
> Hehehe --- you made me go and look the manual for the
> camera !!! I mean, I didn't know about this focus conf.
> light; I looked through the viewfinder and saw what looked
> lilke it, but went to check the manual just to be sure.
>
> Anyway, thanks for the tip !! I wonder how effective and
> how practical would it be to shoot while relying on this
> feature? I assume that basically it is the same on-camera
> AF system/algorithms that are letting me know that it thinks
> it is in focus?
It is as effective and practical to use with your lens than using a
modern lens in manual focus mode, which many people do from time to
time. Basically, the same sensor as for AF is used, your hand is the
drive, and your brains try to compute how far (and in which direction)
to go.
--
Bertrand
Robert Coe
wrote:
: "Carlos Moreno" <cm_...@mailinator.com> wrote in message
Not really. A KatzEye focusing screen for a D70 costs around $100 - #200,
depending on how it's configured. If you're not adept enough to install it
yourself. I believe that's another $60 or so.
Bob
Floyd L. Davidson
You do *not* have to rely on the ground glass for
focusing. The camera provides a focus indicator in the
viewfinder, which perhaps not easy to get used to but is
almost certainly more accurate.
Regardless of that, changing the viewfinder glass costs all
of $105.
http://www.katzeyeoptics.com/cat--Nikon-DSLRs--cat_nikon.html
--
Floyd L. Davidson <http://www.apaflo.com/floyd_davidson>
Ukpeagvik (Barrow, Alaska) fl...@apaflo.com
Peter
http://www.nikonusa.com/Find-Your-Nikon/Product/Camera-Lenses/1435/NIKKOR-50mm-f%252F1.2.html
Thanks,
wrong
--
Peter
Peter
news:45g2k5ddkm9nhg5qp...@4ax.com...
I forgot about the Katz Eye. But the OP will still have to use manual
exposure.
--
Peter
Carlos Moreno
> [ ... ]
> Regardless of that, changing the viewfinder glass costs all
> of $105.
>
> http://www.katzeyeoptics.com/cat--Nikon-DSLRs--cat_nikon.html
Thanks for the link!
As a follow-up question --- how would that work on my D70
when using AF lenses? The information from the above link
says it won't disrupt any of the functionality (AF, various
displays and values in the viewfinder, etc.).
But will the split-image be always present? (intuitively, I would
think yes, but would like to be sure). If so, any experience in
terms of how disruptive/distracting it might be? That is, for
someone who has never owned a manual focus camera; of
course, normally I wouldn't even consider a MF lens; the
temptation is because of the presumed top-quality of this
particular lens, not to mention the brutal f/1.2 aperture!
I'll be grateful for any further comments on this!
Thanks,
Carlos
--
Floyd L. Davidson
>> [ ... ]
>> Regardless of that, changing the viewfinder glass costs all
>> of $105.
>>
>> http://www.katzeyeoptics.com/cat--Nikon-DSLRs--cat_nikon.html
>
>Thanks for the link!
>
>As a follow-up question --- how would that work on my D70
>when using AF lenses? The information from the above link
>says it won't disrupt any of the functionality (AF, various
>displays and values in the viewfinder, etc.).
I have a KatzEye focusing screen on a D2X. Eventually I
decided it was an interesting experiment, but probably
not of any significance at all. Using the camera's AF
focus indicator was easier.
>But will the split-image be always present? (intuitively, I would
>think yes, but would like to be sure). If so, any experience in
>terms of how disruptive/distracting it might be? That is, for
>someone who has never owned a manual focus camera; of
>course, normally I wouldn't even consider a MF lens; the
>temptation is because of the presumed top-quality of this
>particular lens, not to mention the brutal f/1.2 aperture!
The split screen focusing aide does obstruct the center
of the viewing screen. That is not much of a problem,
as testified to by a few decades of cameras that *all*
had such screens without much complaint. The fact that
you can visualize the scene at the same time you are
looking at the focus indicator is nice, and you lose
that with the modern DSLRs that have a focus indicator
down in the corner of the viewfinder. It works, but it
is annoying.
An f/1.2 lens is of questionable value on a DSLR that
can hike the ISO up so high that you might want to take
a picture in a dim room just so you can see where to
walk... Note that the DOF provided by the viewfinder is
restricted to an aperature of maybe f/2 or a little
wider. With an f/1.2 lens you cannot visually determine
either correct focus or the limits of focus through the
viewfinder.
On the other hand, the price of a brand new, never mind
a used, Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 is not exactly going to break
the bank... they are hard to resist!
Carlos Moreno
> [ ... ]
> On the other hand, the price of a brand new, never mind
> a used, Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 is not exactly going to break
> the bank... they are hard to resist!
Thanks, Floyd, for the expanded info!
More or less agreed on your last paragraph (remember
that everything is relative :-) )
I was considering the f/1.4 AF (either the D or the newer G),
but then, having already f/2.8 at that focal (through my
35-70mm f/2.8), I figured the larger jump to 1.2 may be
preferable; plus, in the reviews that I've read, they praise
this f/1.2 lens as being extremely sharp (having "peak"
performance at f/2), plus they say that the lens has a
very nice "personality" --- that is, that it imposes a certain
"quality" to the image (not quality as in how good or how
bad, but quality as in a particular/distinctive characteristic).
I kind of liked the idea! Plus, never having lived the world
of the "classical techniques", I figured it might end up a
treat, getting to work with fully manual techniques, while
still having the possibility to go "the spoiled way" :-)
Thanks!
Carlos
--
Wolfgang Weisselberg
> I forgot about the Katz Eye. But the OP will still have to use manual
> exposure.
Only if the body is so retarded it cannot or will not even do aperture
priority and set the time as needed.
-Wolfgang
Paul Furman
> Carlos Moreno <cm_...@mailinator.com> wrote:
>>> [ ... ]
>>> Regardless of that, changing the viewfinder glass costs all
>>> of $105.
>>>
>>> http://www.katzeyeoptics.com/cat--Nikon-DSLRs--cat_nikon.html
>> Thanks for the link!
>>
>> As a follow-up question --- how would that work on my D70
>> when using AF lenses? The information from the above link
>> says it won't disrupt any of the functionality (AF, various
>> displays and values in the viewfinder, etc.).
>
> I have a KatzEye focusing screen on a D2X. Eventually I
> decided it was an interesting experiment, but probably
> not of any significance at all. Using the camera's AF
> focus indicator was easier.
I have a Katz eye on my D200 and agree that it was an interesting
experiment but not all that useful. I use it with a 50/1.2 also. The
viewfinder in a D70 is not very big or bright which will make it even
harder to use.
Fun lens though it is pretty squirrelly in the corners for night shots
with highlights, there is definitely a character to the images.
Supposedly it's not that sharp for infinity landscape type work, even
stopped down but is designed as a reporter's lens for people at medium
distances where you can't use flash. You might also like the 35mm f/1.4
as much or more but then a DX 35/1.8 AF-S might make more sense or the
discontinued 28mm f/2 Ai-S which is a really nice handy lens. If you
want to go overboard with a fast lens, the old 135mm f/2 Ai-S is crazy,
especially on DX, if you like that focal length. Not good for closeups
though, and the 50 isn't great for that either. The 28/2 is darn near a
macro lens. Going wider gives you better low light performance because
the hand holding speed goes down with focal length, so the 135 means you
already need 1/200 sec and the 28 lets you slow down to 1/40 sec.
However focusing a wide lens is tougher. Much easier to see at 135mm.
Having no metering will be awkward for you on a D70. The Ai-S
designation means it has no cpu chip to tell the camera how to meter.
There are just a few exceptions for manual focus with a chip called Ai-P
but you won't likely run into them.
--
Paul Furman
www.edgehill.net
www.baynatives.com
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