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AussieBob
Joined: 14 Aug 2010
Posts: 49
Location: Melbourne, Australia
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 Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 3:15 am Post subject: Nikon focus confirmation dot - I love it! |
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AussieBob wrote:
Hi all,
I took a long distance shot of some birds yesterday with a 300mm f4.5 Nikkor mounted on my Canon 350d. As hard as I tried, my 44 year old eyes could not get proper focus (about 100 metres away from subject) I recently aquired a new (old) Nikon D50 for a song so I thought I would give that a try. Took 4 shots - nailed the focus on every shot! That little green light is a godsend for me. I was advised to buy a Canon because they offer metering & the Nikons don't but it is much more important to get correct focus. Exposure can be adjusted or fixed later on a computer.
I cannot emphasize enough, the usefulness of the focus confirmation dot. I am once again keen to get out there & take photos without getting frustrated with out-of-focus shots. I don't know if other brands have the focus confirmation. Would love to hear from you regarding this.
Rob |
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my_photography
Joined: 03 Nov 2008
Posts: 2772
Location: Pearl of the Orient
Expire: 2016-12-25
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| Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 3:27 am Post subject: |
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my_photography wrote:
I was out shooting with a Nikon user about 3 years ago. He told me his camera D2H or something like that could give focus confirmation on manual lenses (without chip). I told him there is no such thing and he showed me his camera and proved me wrong.
As far as I am aware, until today, both Canon and Minolta/Sony still do not provide this in their cameras - SLRs and DSLRs.
_________________
Zeiss: CJZ Flektogon 20/2.8, CJZ Flektogon 20/4, , CJZ Pentacon 29/2.8, CJZ Flektogon 35/2.4, CJZ Pancolar 50/1.8, Tessar 50/2.8, Biotar 7.5cm/1.5, CJZ Pancolar 80/1.8, CJZ Sonnar 135/3.5, CJZ Pentacon 135/2.8 CJZ Sonnar 200/2.8
Other Germany: Meyer Primoplan 50/1.8, Meyer Trioplan 100/2.8
Takumar: SMC 50/1.4 Super Tak 55/2, Super Tak 85/1.9, S-M-C 135/3.5, Super Tak 150/4
Russian: Zenith 16/2.8, Mir-24M 2/35, Volna-9 50/2.8, Helios 44M (58/2), Helios 44M-3 MC (58/2), Helios 40 (85/1.5), Tair 11A (135/2.8 )
Others: Sears 28/2.8, Sankor 35/2.8, Enna M�nchen Tele-Ennalyt 135/3.5
Zoom Sigma Zoom 28-85/3.5-4.5
Last edited by my_photography on Mon Aug 16, 2010 3:07 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Rolf
Joined: 02 May 2009
Posts: 4123
Location: NRW/Germany
Expire: 2015-12-26
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| Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 5:56 am Post subject: Re: Nikon focus confirmation dot - I love it! |
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Rolf wrote:
| AussieBob wrote: |
Hi all,
I took a long distance shot of some birds yesterday with a 300mm f4.5 Nikkor mounted on my Canon 350d. As hard as I tried, my 44 year old eyes could not get proper focus (about 100 metres away from subject) I recently aquired a new (old) Nikon D50 for a song so I thought I would give that a try. Took 4 shots - nailed the focus on every shot! That little green light is a godsend for me. I was advised to buy a Canon because they offer metering & the Nikons don't but it is much more important to get correct focus. Exposure can be adjusted or fixed later on a computer.
I cannot emphasize enough, the usefulness of the focus confirmation dot. I am once again keen to get out there & take photos without getting frustrated with out-of-focus shots. I don't know if other brands have the focus confirmation. Would love to hear from you regarding this.
Rob |
Thats one of the reasons I moved from C to N too. Without starting a new discussion the Focus capabilities (also with AF lenses) are at the moment much butter with N.
I´m a mainly C shooter since 30 years and I can compare both.
_________________
Rolf |
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Scheimpflug
Joined: 06 Feb 2010
Posts: 1888
Location: New Zealand / USA
Expire: 2011-11-18
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| Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 7:14 am Post subject: |
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Scheimpflug wrote:
The only problem with the focus confirm dot is that it is so small and out at the corner of the viewfinder. If they could have put it in the center, such as lighting up the focus brackets, it would have been perfect.
_________________
Sigma DP1, Nikon D40 (hers ), Polaroid x530, Pentax P30t, Pentax P50, (P30t/P50 K-A to Nikon F body mount conversion)
Nikon: 18-55/3.5-5.6 "G ED II DX" (F) Soligor: 28/2.8 (FL->F converted), 135/3.5 (F), 3x TC (F, modified) Kalimar: 28-85/3.5 (F)
Vivitar: 70-210/2.8-4.0 Version 3 (F), Tele 500/6.3 Preset (F), 19/3.8 (F) Minolta: 300/5.6 (SR/MC/MD pending F conversion)
Tamron: 28/2.8 (Adaptall) Panagor: 28/2.5 (FD) Aetna: 300/5.6 (F) Osawa: MC 28/2.8 (F)
Vintage Lenses: Dallmeyer: 1940s A.M. 14in 356mm f4 (ULF->M42) 1930s Adon Telephoto Taylor, Taylor & Hobson: 1880s Rapid Rectilinear 8 1/2 x 6 1/2 11.31in f/8 (LF->?)
Parts Lenses: Nikon 35-135/3.5-4.5 (F), Sigma 70-210/4.5 (F), Nikon 50/1.8 Series E (F) |
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nemesis101
Joined: 25 Mar 2008
Posts: 2050
Location: Oregon USA
Expire: 2015-01-22
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| Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 7:20 am Post subject: Re: Nikon focus confirmation dot - I love it! |
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nemesis101 wrote:
My 4/3 Panasonic L1 has focus confirm with more lenses than any other DSLR?
Doug
| Rolf wrote: |
| AussieBob wrote: |
Hi all,
I took a long distance shot of some birds yesterday with a 300mm f4.5 Nikkor mounted on my Canon 350d. As hard as I tried, my 44 year old eyes could not get proper focus (about 100 metres away from subject) I recently aquired a new (old) Nikon D50 for a song so I thought I would give that a try. Took 4 shots - nailed the focus on every shot! That little green light is a godsend for me. I was advised to buy a Canon because they offer metering & the Nikons don't but it is much more important to get correct focus. Exposure can be adjusted or fixed later on a computer.
I cannot emphasize enough, the usefulness of the focus confirmation dot. I am once again keen to get out there & take photos without getting frustrated with out-of-focus shots. I don't know if other brands have the focus confirmation. Would love to hear from you regarding this.
Rob |
Thats one of the reasons I moved from C to N too. Without starting a new discussion the Focus capabilities (also with AF lenses) are at the moment much butter with N.
I´m a mainly C shooter since 30 years and I can compare both.
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_________________
Lenses and cameras:
Amateurs worry about equipment
Pros worry about money,
Masters worry about light. |
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Photomac
Joined: 11 Jan 2008
Posts: 47
Location: Sutton Benger, UK
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| Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 7:30 am Post subject: |
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Photomac wrote:
I totally agree with Rolf here. Like him I was a Canon user for 35 years, and made the switch two years ago, for two reasons:
the better focus capability
the auto aperture function with manual Nikon-fit lenses - wonderful!
best
Angus |
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AussieBob
Joined: 14 Aug 2010
Posts: 49
Location: Melbourne, Australia
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| Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 7:57 am Post subject: |
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AussieBob wrote:
Yeah I am also loving focusing with the apeture wide open instead of stop down metering. This also helps my old tired eyes.
Its true that the dot could be more central but I have become used to it now & dont even have to look at it directly to know that it has lit up. Since using this 5 year old Nikon (about 2 weeks now) I have not had one out-of-focus shot. I have used all my lenses & they all work. I cant believe how precise the dot is with my 300mm f4.5 wide open. This lens performs beautifully at full apeture & now I have the confidence to use it like this whenever I want. |
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alex
Joined: 18 Apr 2009
Posts: 561
Location: UK
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| Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 8:03 am Post subject: |
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alex wrote:
Ah, nice to see that Nikon digital has caught up with Contax film!
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Alex |
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kansalliskala
Joined: 19 Jul 2007
Posts: 5044
Location: Southern Finland countryside
Expire: 2016-12-30
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| Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 8:24 am Post subject: |
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kansalliskala wrote:
Yes, and Kodak digital. 
_________________
MF: Kodak DCS SLR/c; Samsung NX10; OM-10; Canon T50
Zuiko 28/3.5, Distagon 35/2.8; Yashica ML 50/2;
Zuiko 50/1.4; S-M-C 120/2.8; Zuiko 135/3.5; 200/5;
Tamron AD1 135/2.8, Soligor 180/3.5; Tamron AD1 300/5.6
Tamron zooms: 01A, Z-210
Yashicaflex C; Київ 4 + Юпитер 8, 11; Polaroid 100; Olympus XA; Yashica T3
Museum stuff: Certo-Phot; Tele-Edixon 135; Polaris 90-190; Asahi Bellows; Ixus IIs
Projects: Agfa Isolette III (no shutter), Canon AE-1D (no sensor),
Nikon D80 (dead), The "Peace Camera"
AF: Canon, Tokina, Sigma Video: JVC GZ-MG275E |
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Rolf
Joined: 02 May 2009
Posts: 4123
Location: NRW/Germany
Expire: 2015-12-26
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| Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 8:38 am Post subject: |
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Rolf wrote:
BTW Pentax cams (my K200D do it - not sure wheather all types) have a focus lamp too (and build in anti shake). This cam is perfect for M42 lenses like old Taks etc.
Still wait for a K-7 (will purchase it if a successor will be on the market) as a replacement for the K200D.
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Rolf |
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kuuan
Joined: 14 Jan 2008
Posts: 4569
Location: right now: Austria
Expire: 2014-12-26
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| Posted: Thu Aug 19, 2010 5:54 pm Post subject: |
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kuuan wrote:
| Rolf wrote: |
BTW Pentax cams (my K200D do it - not sure wheather all types) have a focus lamp too (and build in anti shake). This cam is perfect for M42 lenses like old Taks etc.
Still wait for a K-7 (will purchase it if a successor will be on the market) as a replacement for the K200D.
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every Pentax dSLR has it, *ist models still without builtin anti shake, all later K models with built in anti shake,
and focus confirmation is twofold, a green hexagon in the viewfinder and a 'peep' sound ( which can be turned off if disturbing )
accuracy I find much improved on my K-x as compared to my *istDs
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my photos on flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/kuuan/collections |
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56 DIN
Joined: 24 Apr 2010
Posts: 1656
Location: Germany Erbach /ODW
Expire: 2021-11-18
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| Posted: Fri Aug 20, 2010 1:53 pm Post subject: |
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56 DIN wrote:
being a Nikon user since my dealer switchd me in 2006 from Canon to Nikon, i just did my fist try with my Pentax K20D bought used from the bay... because of M42 register. Comparing focus confirmation between Nikon D 200 and Pentax K20D the Pentax is far better. Preset lenses and my Pentax is the best I know by now - o.k. Nikon with the aperture working automatically is theoretically faster, but the comfortable confirmation on Pentax ( big green spot below the picture, red square in the picture and beep....a must for elder people in bright sunlight  ) equals that for me
_________________
Thomas
NEX & manual lenses
Nikon & manual lenses |
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AussieBob
Joined: 14 Aug 2010
Posts: 49
Location: Melbourne, Australia
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| Posted: Fri Oct 22, 2010 4:27 am Post subject: |
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AussieBob wrote:
Has anyone tried a D5000 or similar model with the "bar grapgh" focus indicator? And does it work with old manual focus Nikkors? |
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sichko
Joined: 20 Jun 2008
Posts: 2475
Location: South West UK
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| Posted: Fri Oct 22, 2010 8:44 am Post subject: |
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sichko wrote:
| AussieBob wrote: |
| Has anyone tried a D5000 or similar model with the "bar grapgh" focus indicator? And does it work with old manual focus Nikkors? |
This is the so called "rangefinder" function. For AFS and AFD lenses - in manual focus mode (necessary for AFD since the camera doesn't have a motor) - it works well in all exposure modes (P, A, S and various scene modes) EXCEPT Manual (M). With the M setting exposure is shown instead of the rangefinder function. I haven't found a way of overiding this.
If you mount a Nikkor Ai/Ais (or, presumably, any other non-CPU lens) the camera does not recognise the presence of a lens unless the exposure is set to "M". You can set the camera to aperture priority (A), for example and the rangefinder appears to function - but the camera tells you that no lens is attached.
The D5000 is at the bottom end of the D300/D90/D5000 series - same/similar sensor but different degrees of functionality. Perhaps you will get what you want in a higher level model.
I actually find the rangefinder function quite useful when using AFS lenses in manual focus mode. And it's very useful on the Nikkor 85/1.8D.
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John |
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ylyad
Joined: 01 Jun 2010
Posts: 476
Location: Zentralschweiz
Expire: 2013-12-05
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| Posted: Fri Oct 22, 2010 10:08 am Post subject: |
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ylyad wrote:
But with proper adapter (chipped), Canon has it too. Or I don't understand the debate... 
_________________
Camera: Fuji X-E2, Fuji X100T
MF: Canon nFD 50/1.4, Canon nFD 100/2.8, Tokina RMC 135/2.8
Tamron SP 24-48/3.5-3.8
http://www.flickr.com/derdide/
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