Manual focus
- Thread starter kiwi86
- Start date
Fred Kingston
Senior Member
No. No. Fine. no.
All of my lenses are manual focus Nikkors. But if you are going to use manual focus lenses with autofocus cameras you are going to have to live with the fact that their focusing screens are not suited for the task. In fact, they suck. The focus indicator is a decent guide, though I have found it is wrong as much as it is right, at least in the D700, and it will not work in light low enough to cause your autofocus to give up as well since it works off the same system. When I got my D700, I also got a manual focusing screen from focusingscreen.com with a microprism center and ground glass for the rest of the screen. That is the only true way to ensure you are in sharp focus with a digital camera and manual focus lenses.
And personally, as far as Zeiss goes, save your money, get a Nikkor instead and for the money you save getting the Nikkor, you have enough to maybe get another Nikkor.
And personally, as far as Zeiss goes, save your money, get a Nikkor instead and for the money you save getting the Nikkor, you have enough to maybe get another Nikkor.
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I use Zeiss for my D800E. I relied very much on the focus indicator and with experience you can gauge and get it spot on most of the time. If you really want to have it pin sharp - I would suggest using live view. Frankly, I not a fan of using live view unless I place the camera on a tripod. As for getting a 3rd party focusing screen - I do not think there is one available for D800 yet (love to know if someone here already has one).
Using an auto-focus lens manually is not ideal compared to using a manual lens manually. And by that I mean an auto-focus lens is much tighter in the focus ring and small movements can greatly affect your focus. Whereas a manual focus lens has much wider turning ratio and you can move the focus ring further to dial in a perfect focus. That's not to say you can't focus an auto-focus lens manually, rather the manual lens will allow you a much finer focus with less chance of over and under compared to an auto-focus lens....if that makes any sense.
Using Zeiss lens with your D800 shouldn't be a problem as long as you accept the limitations of using a MF lens.
Depending on the focal length i.e. 21mm, you can go f8 and be there when shooting outdoors with good light.
When shooting a macro such as the Zeiss 100mm f2, I don't see that as an issue since most macro photographers who shoots macro use a tripod and focus manually.
Just my two cents.
Depending on the focal length i.e. 21mm, you can go f8 and be there when shooting outdoors with good light.
When shooting a macro such as the Zeiss 100mm f2, I don't see that as an issue since most macro photographers who shoots macro use a tripod and focus manually.
Just my two cents.
I have a dozen and a half Nikkor auto focus lenses. I pulled a 135mm lens from my F1 and used it, it worked pretty well, in good light I could focus it, but not like on a camera intended for it. I didn't get any more. A fine camera like the D800 with a manual focus lens seems crippling, like a Porsche with bias ply tires. I get the draw to Zeiss, for me the trade offs don't seem worth it. jD
I see it the other way. D800 is indeed a fine camera. However, its strength is not so much in the speed as the fps is not particularly impressive nor its ISO rating. However, the sensor with its 36mp is something else. Autofocus lens is great, and may I say essential, for sports and action photography. I am not sure what the OP had in mind. For the more leisurely type of picture taking such as landscape, portrait, macro.. - manual focus is more reliable and, for me personally, more "involved" in the phototaking process. Maybe what I am saying is D800 is probably not a Porsche and not meant to be "driven" as such.
BackdoorArts
Senior Member
There are after market focus screens available for many Nikons. I know Marcel installed one. I don't remember if the company had any for the D800 yet, but I intend on putting one on at least one of my Nikons.
The company I bought mine from is focusingscreens.com - Screens Resources and Information. This website is for sale! I got one for my 7000 and one for my 700. At this time, I don't think there is one for the 600. Seems they have some problems with the full 100% coverage of the viewfinder (that's what I read anyway). These screens make the viewfinder a little darker but the ground glass is much much more easier to manually focus.
So far I have no regrets whatsoever.
I see it the other way. D800 is indeed a fine camera. However, its strength is not so much in the speed as the fps is not particularly impressive nor its ISO rating. However, the sensor with its 36mp is something else. Autofocus lens is great, and may I say essential, for sports and action photography. I am not sure what the OP had in mind. For the more leisurely type of picture taking such as landscape, portrait, macro.. - manual focus is more reliable and, for me personally, more "involved" in the phototaking process. Maybe what I am saying is D800 is probably not a Porsche and not meant to be "driven" as such.
I guess that makes sense. When I shot film, whatever would slow me down would result in better photos. But I could only afford to take a shot on rare occasions. Now with digital I am able to take as many photos as I want... And do. I probably average 200 - 300 a week. My skill has been increasing at an amazing rate. Which I attribute to the tight feedback cycle. Focus is seldom an issue, it's not like a skill... Or I guess maybe it is remedial skill. So I look through the viewfinder it focuses, and I can get to work on the composition, refocus if composition ally necessary... I guess to me, that is the fun part, what's it going to look like... Is the depth of field going to be right, what about symmetry. I'm thinking... It is not about the camera, it's about what it can do for me... Right, so I am looking for it to get out of the way, so I can concentrate on what I am capturing. So I am guessing you guys enjoy the fiddling with mechanical devices more than me. ( I'm obviously thinking through this as I write... Cuz I seriously didn't understand where you were coming from. JD
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Good question. I use a synthetic stuffed cat as I find one of the best things for judging sharpness is hair /fur. This one is great as it stays still for every shot and no cats were injured in its making