I've heard that it is very hard to manually focus fast lenses on digital cameras, is it possible to use the stop down button on the camera and focus at the taking aperture. You could always open it up all the way after focusing.
DaveOls wrote:
I've heard that it is very hard to manually focus fast lenses on digital cameras, is it possible to use the stop down button on the camera and focus at the taking aperture. You could always open it up all the way after focusing.
The focusing screens of DSLRs (on Nikons at least) are optimized to about f/2.5. You therefore can't properly gauge the actual depth of field at wider apertures nor confidently rely upon focus assist dot confirmation or dead reckoning for the precise focal point. Using non-native lenses on adapters necessitates stopping down for metering but is preferential when focusing to compensate for focus shift.
If its a native mount, releasing the preview button after focusing invariably results in motion and unless your on a solid tripod, you've moved it enough to lose the desired focus.
DaveOls wrote:
I've heard that it is very hard to manually focus fast lenses on digital cameras, is it possible to use the stop down button on the camera and focus at the taking aperture. You could always open it up all the way after focusing.
with super fast lenses it's much better to focus at shooting aperture because most of them have some focus shift. also, at f/1.2 or similar dof is extremely narrow, if you focus stopped down than open up the lens you will have a much narrower dof than you did when you focused. in my experience focusing fast lenses on dslrs is only really a problem with nikon cameras because nikon doesn't offer precision matte focus screens while canon and sony do. these are screens optimized for focusing fast lenses while the stock screens that come with modern dslrs are optimized for brightness when using slow zooms. magnified liveview is definitely the easiest way to focus superfast lenses btw.
very nice pictures on this page.
Today I received a Pen F 42mm 1.2 from a FM member, I had always liked it when I saw it on this thread. Now it is mounted on a 4/3's , soon I will have an adaptor allowing me to use it on my Nex.
love those...do you need to modificat to have the Rokkor on the a900 or is it compatible with the a-mount? I have a A99 now, wondering if it's worth to buy one.
toni999 wrote:
love those...do you need to modificat to have the Rokkor on the a900 or is it compatible with the a-mount? I have a A99 now, wondering if it's worth to buy one.
minolta MC mount lenses are not compatible with the minolta/sony a-mount. as with shooting it on canon you need to replace the mount. unfortunately, unlike canon there is no kit available. it is pretty easy procedure though, just involves getting an m42 to a-mount adapter to replace the minolta mount and shortening the spacer between the original mount and lens (or just replacing it with a shorter spacer).
