 Andrea R. Siebert |
50mm AF Verses 50mm Manual can someone tell me the pros and cons of having a Nikon 50mm 1.4 autofocus compared to a Nikon 50mm 1.4 manual focus? I have a D50-will that make a difference on which one I would buy? would love to know your opinion! thanks!
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- Gregory LaGrange Contact Gregory LaGrange Gregory LaGrange's Gallery |
if the optics of the newer one aren't improved, then the advantage should be price or whether you're somebody who can't get pictures by focusing yourself.
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Alan N. Marcus |
Hi Andres, I am only responding because I think most all questions deserve some sort of an answer. But before you read, you need to know I have never even held a D50. When I was a boy, I learned to drive in a Dodge with stick shift (manual transmission with foot operated clutch). This knowledge served me well because during the fifties and sixties I owned a few cars with four or five on the floor and thought they were cool. Today I think only crazy nuts buy stick shifts. After all they are technology born at the dawn of the last century. I know all the counter arguments, fuel economy performance etc. Buy a stick shift in 2008, you’ve got to be a nut. I think SLR’s with auto focus was pioneered by Asahi Optical with the Pentax marketed under the Honeywell name. I think Nikon, Kodak, Canon and others had to pay royalties to Asahi because of patent violation. Asahi is now Hoya Corporation. If you look carefully at an old SLR film camera, you will find a lot of hardware and optics devoted to manual focus. The lens barrel is inscribed with a footage scale. This can be a back-up as it allows the user to set focus by guesstimate of subject-to-camera distance. The focus screen of the SLR contains a split-image rangefinder that works nicely as a focus tool for some subjects. The focus screen also contains a microprism array that works nicely under other situations. Additionally the focus screen contains finely ground glass to allow critical focus. The whole focus screen sits on top of a Fresnel Lens, necessary to brighten the edges and correct for cosine error induced by the mirror and the prism system. Yes indeed, lots of hardware and optics. Does a digital SLR have sufficient hardware and optics for a manual focus situation? I don’t actually know. Am I a nut for telling you all this. Yes very probably! Alan Marcus (truly marginal technical gobbledygook)
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- Gregory LaGrange Contact Gregory LaGrange Gregory LaGrange's Gallery |
He loves his keyboard.
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Andrea R. Siebert |
so, basically what you're both telling me is that if I can focus with my own eyes, I should go for the manuel lens....=)(which i'm definatly not opposed to)
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Andrea R. Siebert |
p.s. this question is to gregory-what kind of lens and/or settings do you use when shooting action/sports?
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John H. Siskin |
Hi Andrea, I almost hate to get into this, but I disagree. When people used those old manual SLRs they had ground glass focus screens at the base of the pentaprism. These were dark, but the sense of being in focus was very high. We were using fast lenses at the time, the 50 f1.4 for instance. The screens were improved but the sense of sharpness was critical to the design. Still you can find some optional screens for the Nikon F and Canon F1 cameras that were aerial type screens, no ground glass. Because the standard lens is now a poor quality slow wide to tele zoom, the manufacturers went to very bright view finders, which are more difficult to focus. I use some of my old Nikon lenses, and I can say the digital camera doesn’t focus with the same definition of my old film cameras. So you will find manual focus doesn’t work as well as you would like. Thanks, John Siskin
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- Gregory LaGrange Contact Gregory LaGrange Gregory LaGrange's Gallery |
I don't see how a brighter view finder makes it harder to focus, but new nikon cameras are supposed to be compatible with their old lenses. So if everything works the same(especially setting apertures), then I bet you'd be fine with a manual focus lens. But, Nikon does put a lot of effort into improving their products, so the newer 50mm may be a better lens. All my lenses are auto focus type(don't use it though), but they were made and bought at the time when film was the only thing in the picture. So you can take that for what it's worth. So I don't know how you feel about the price of the auto focus 50, but if it works the same, has the same quality optics, the only thing standing in the way is whether you want to do the focusing or not. As for my pictures, what you see I've used a 50mm, a 100, 75-300, 400, and sometimes a 2x with the 400. I don't think I have any with a 28 on there, but I'll use it if it works for the picture.
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John H. Siskin |
Hi Gregory, First I have actually used manually focusing lenses with new digital cameras and older manual focus film cameras. I use one manual focus lens with my digital camera quite frequently, the 55 f3.5 micro. So perhaps my experience in this matter might be good enough. However, I’m sure that isn’t enough so I will recommend that you go get a Nikon f2 with the G screen and try to focus outside the micro prism area, you will find it is not so easy. The image floats and doesn’t seem to pop into sharp focus the way it will on ground glass focus screen. Obviously, since I do use manual lenses, you can do it. But you have to be very, very careful. I have had to redo work because of the problems focusing manual lenses with a modern viewfinder. Andrea mentioned that she was interested in shooting sports, this would be quite difficult without the sense that the images is really in focus. I have to say I miss the split image surrounded by the microprism that was on my film camera. Thanks, John Siskin
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Alan N. Marcus |
A tip of the hat to John Siskin Well spoken! Alan Marcus
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John H. Siskin |
Thanks Alan.
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- Gregory LaGrange Contact Gregory LaGrange Gregory LaGrange's Gallery |
So you had trouble focusing with an F2? A film camera and manual lens. A G screen is, fresnel field and 12mm microprism spot, like what was in Canon's AE and AV lines. There was never a problem focusing with that outside the prism area. So is the problem something about new focusing screens, or just not having the microprism? Because, as I said before, if she can do the focusing herself, your explanation doesn't give any real hurdles to using a manual lens with a new camera, being that everything else like setting apertures works the same. Especially since you said that the image has more pop in a new screen, and is brighter.
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Andrea R. Siebert |
i'm kind of getting confused with all of these long explanations of microprisms, etc. I just really want to know the pros and cons (in lamen's terms)of the manuel and AF. that's all. thanks!
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John H. Siskin |
I am sorry but your information is wrong, the G screen is not similar to what is in a Canon AE or AV, these cameras have fine grain ground glass out side of the microprism, the G screen is almost clear glass, outside of the microprism. It is similar to the screens in modern dSLRs. The problem is the field of the view finder, but it is made worse by lack of focus aids like the microprim and split image. Why don't you try focusing your auto focus lenses manually? While it can be done it is not as positive a process as using the screen in a Canon AE-1 was. Thanks, John Siskin
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John H. Siskin |
I am sorry Andrea. The quick answer is that you can use a manual focus lens with a modern camera, but it will be difficult to focus precisely. Thanks, John Siskin
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John H. Siskin |
I am sorry Andrea. The quick answer is that you can use a manual focus lens with a modern camera, but it will be difficult to focus precisely. Thanks, John Siskin
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- Gregory LaGrange Contact Gregory LaGrange Gregory LaGrange's Gallery |
I always focus manually. Like I said, if she can do the focusing on her own, or just wants to, is there anything else holding her back?
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John H. Siskin |
I am glad this works for you. Experience has taught me that it doesn't work for me. Andrea can certainly be guided by here own experience. John Siskin
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- Gregory LaGrange Contact Gregory LaGrange Gregory LaGrange's Gallery |
So we're back to my original statement.
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John H. Siskin |
I'm sorry I responded. I thought I would be sorry.
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Pete H |
First of all everybody, (and cudos to John.S) the D-50 does NOT have a interchangeable focusing screen. Period. Nor is it split focus. Period. It is far from a micro-ground screen. Period! The ground glass on the D-50..hell, my D-3 for that matter is NOT well suited to manual focus. Yes..One can focus manually if you don't mind many shots coming out blurry. I would have killed back in the day for contrast detection and/or phase shift focusing in full auto. Greg; since no one else is brave enough, let me be the first..You're all wet on this one my friend.
Pete
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John H. Siskin |
Thanks, Pete. I wish I could get a decent screen for my camera that would let me focus manually and effectively at the same time. But since I can't I practice with auto focus to get faster and better with that. John Siskin Ps. I am almost sure that Clapton and Pavarotti practiced.
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Pete H |
Clapton only practiced when he was with the "Cream" LOL
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- Gregory LaGrange Contact Gregory LaGrange Gregory LaGrange's Gallery |
Not a single thing I was "all wet" about, as you put. And you reinforce that by saying you need to shoot f/11 at 30 feet. That's beyond ridiculous well into idiotic. What is there more to get than if that manual focus lens is compatible with her camera, then she can just focus herself. If she doesn't want to, or I guess like you completely lack the ability(which I doubt since she said she's not opposed to it), then get the auto focus. Not complicated. And what particular kind of focusing screen was ever an issue. So you emphasis on that seems for naught.
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Pete H |
" And you reinforce that by saying you need to shoot f/11 at 30 feet. That's beyond ridiculous well into idiotic." What's beyond ridiculous Greg is you NOT reading my post correctly. "You can focus manually if you're comfortable shooting everything at f/11+ or better at range + 30 feet!.." That statement indicates manual focus, in the scenario we are discussing, just might need some cushion DOF due to the inaccuracy of focusing. It's ok Greg. I actually went back and spent ten whole mins looking at many of your prior posts. I see you are never incorrect about any of your guesses.
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Bob Cammarata |
Andrea, You may want to consult a lens compatibility chart before deciding on that manual-focus lens. With the D50, AI-S lenses will mount but the meter will not function. You will need to use a hand-held meter to determine exposure. All of my lenses are manual-focus AI-S Nikkors so I was concerned about getting a digital body for that very reason. I later learned from the attached chart that all of my lenses will perform and meter well in Manual and in Aperture Priority modes with the D300 (and D200). I purchased a D300 a few weeks ago and have been using all of my AI-S lenses, teleconverters and bellows assembly with no metering problems. Manual focus is more accurate than AF (in my view) when critically focusing on a particularly tiny part of a subject...especially in extreme macro or super-telephoto. That brighter viewfinder on the D300 makes focusing easier for me.
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- Gregory LaGrange Contact Gregory LaGrange Gregory LaGrange's Gallery |
And that compatibility is the main thing she needed to be concerned about. Hell of a spin job pete.
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BetterPhoto Member |
I say that we all get an old autofocus Contax where you use manual focus lenses and the guts of the camera move to focus the frame.
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- Gregory LaGrange Contact Gregory LaGrange Gregory LaGrange's Gallery |
Don't worry about the group 30 feet behind you.
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Andrea R. Siebert |
now I have a question about the 50mm 1.8 AF I just received. on the apeture ring I can only turn and lock the dial at a 4. if I go to the 2.8 or 1.8 it flahes a 'EE' on the digial read. I can digitally set my camera to 1.8-just not on the lens. am I doing something wron or is it that my camera doesn't support that (D50) thanks! Andrea
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Pete H |
The D-50 does not support manual selection of f/stops; hence the "EE" warning. You should have a "lock" position (usually f/22) where a small "lock slide) will hold it in that position. F/stops are selected via the thumbwheel on your camera. Pete
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