What’s Your Preference?

bbtom10 · #1 (**permalink**) 10-21-2011, 04:33 PM

Hi all,

I was reading autofocus' tips and tricks thread when I thought about the thing I have learned most in the past 6 months or so.

I was the owner of a NIkon D40, and after that was stolen had a D5000 through the insurance. Each time, I was acutely aware that my budget wouldn't quite stretch for something that was almost universally compatible with all Nikon lenses because these cameras (and the D3000, D3100, D5100, D40x) don't have a focussing motor, and therefore are only compatible with modern AF-S lenses (or HSM or other lenses with a motor in) - or so I thought.

I am working on a tight budget and as a hobbyist with a beautiful wife cannot spend all my money on gear, but I wanted to get a 50mm prime for the low light performance, and the 'arty' effects it can produce, as well as the 'zoom with your feet' philosophy of working with a prime - but they were too damn expensive.

So, in the end I found an old 50mm Nikkor lens on eBay for £80 and bought it, knowing it would be manual focus and I probably wouldn't get on with it at all and have to sell it again. (I should add at this point that it is an electronic lens and does do exposure and stuff - I also bought a very old 100mm prime which wasn't chipped, and that was a step too far because I couldn't do the exposure thing properly! I shoot in Aperture priority usually)

How wrong I was.

I would strongly recommend anyone with one of these cheaper Nikon DSLRs and an interest in getting to know photography better to buy one of these primes.

Yes, you have to hold the camera and focus manually, but my D5000 has a little 'rangefinder' feature that I can use (as long as it's not in M mode) to get the focus right.

Yes, you need to move to get your subject in properly and yes, 50mm on a crop sensor like mine is more like 80mm in real life, so it does magnify your image a bit and you often have to take an extra step back, but I'll be honest, I am no pro, not even that good an amateur, but this lens makes me think like a photographer.

Even if your budget will stretch to the new 50mm f/1.8 AF-S Nikkor, I'd still go with the cheaper version because it is easy to get used to, it forces you to think about your focus and it's small! I feel I can use this lens on my Nikon D5K and be discreet in public, it's great.

So give it a try.

If you've already tried this on one of these cheaper Nikon's please share your story.

Tom

zona5101 · #2 (**permalink**) 10-21-2011, 04:57 PM

What? Manual Focus?!?

Yes, we know, it's nothing new
It's just a waste of time
We have no need for ancient ways
The world is doing fine
Another toy that helped destroy
The elder race of man
Forget about your silly whim
It doesn't fit the plan!

Seriously, good call. Manual focus and manual focus lenses aren't anything to be fearful of...

BuddhaPi · #3 (**permalink**) 10-21-2011, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zona5101

What? Manual Focus?!?

Yes, we know, it's nothing new
It's just a waste of time
We have no need for ancient ways
The world is doing fine
Another toy that helped destroy
The elder race of man
Forget about your silly whim
It doesn't fit the plan!

Seriously, good call. Manual focus and manual focus lenses aren't anything to be fearful of...

excellent quote! excellent band....would you happen to know from where the inspiration for this song came??

Hill Country Hack · #4 (**permalink**) 10-21-2011, 05:04 PM

I agree with you bbtom. I purchased a new $100 US Canon 50mm f1.8. The lens case is reasonable sturdy plastic and has an auto focus, it is slow and doesn't work very well in dim, dim light with a dark subject (my brown dog). But boy it has made me think, move and compose in a different manner. It forced to to slow down and consider the shot. I feel I am continuing to improve. Heck, I even shot a HS volleyball game with it and got some good stuff!

zona5101 · #5 (**permalink**) 10-21-2011, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BuddhaPi

excellent quote! excellent band....would you happen to know from where the inspiration for this song came??

You mean why Rush wrote 2112? Or just this part with the Oracles?
Enlighten me.

oh I know - they wrote it for us thread hijackers, you know ...and the meek shall inherit the earth... We've taken care of everything! the word you read, the ......

SwissJon · #6 (**permalink**) 10-21-2011, 06:09 PM

I tend to focus manually when taking landscape photos, because I tend to use the hyprfocal distance.. One tip.. Check that the lens you get has a distance scale.. Perferably with an aperture DoF marking on it.. The newer 35mm 1.8 doesn't, and so makes it next to useless for me..

I should have checked before buying it.

prince · #7 (**permalink**) 10-21-2011, 07:59 PM

I am a current owner of D40 (hopefully former soon) and D7K. I bought 50mm E series F1.8 lens for D40 without knowing that it only does manual focus. I never touched that lens because it was very frustrating. I kept using my kit lens and tried using manual focus at times. One day I felt I am now comfortable and since then I use it occasionally. Still I am learning to get focus spot on more often than not.

I got a bit adventurous the other day and used manual focus to shoot my boxer

.. back to frustration hahaha I am going to try again though. I feel manual focus is good for still subjects.. not for pets and babies/kids

inkista · #8 (**permalink**) 10-21-2011, 08:08 PM

Leeetle bit ahead of you, Tom.

It's not just entry-level Nikon users who enjoy manual focus lenses.

5D Mark II, adapted Leica-R Summicron 90mm

BryanC · #9 (**permalink**) 10-21-2011, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zona5101

oh I know - they wrote it for us thread hijackers, you know ...and the meek shall inherit the earth... We've taken care of everything! the word you read, the ......

We have assumed control...
We have assumed control...
We have assumed control.