Regarding the Zf, I see Ken Rockwell does not have a high opinion of it, particularly brutal in regards to use of the older AF AF-D lenses and MF lenses. He is tough on the FTZ & FTZ II AND cites and compares the distance between the flange and the sensor as greater than any other brand offering. He claims even Canon lenses adapt better than Nikon. He sums it up saying the “FTZ IS CRAPPY.”
As to range finder glass he suggests anything offered from China as Nikons solution. He’s right about that.
I for one was hoping for a camera and an adaptor that allowed communication and aperture control for MF glass. I guess it’s up to a third party to make that happen.
In short I thought the shortcomings of the Z6 and MF lenses would be at least mitigated or outright fixed by th Zf. I was wrong.
I think it is safe to assume that Nikon has moved on from full support of 20+ year old lenses. Their future is in Z and that's where most if not all design and development effort will be. The Z 26/28 and 40mm are the Zf's mates. The FTZ adapters are awful tools for adapting small F mount lenses(AF or MF). The whole setup just looks and feels crappy with any lens whose length is closer to that of the FTZ.
Maybe a Chinese outfit will step in and make an adapter with the aperture follower tab or support for AF-D lenses that Rockwell and others are calling for but it will still look and feel crappy mounting a lens like the 45mm f/2.8P on it. I lust after the Voigtlander Z mount lenses that need no adapter. I like the Zf but even if I owned it, my Df(another polarising Nikon) will remain the primary mate of my MF lenses.
Alas, my rambling post about the Zf was swallowed whole by FM and is not lost in cyberspace. I won't repeat it, except to note how happy I am with the original Df that allows me to mount and F lens without an adaptor. Life is much simpler.
I appreciate the reminders about the two lenses shared among participants of this thread. Leighton and I shepherded the first lens, Nikki which set this thread on fire. As I've noted, we were getting 120 posts a day for an extended period of time... 10,000 posts in 80 days, followed by 10,000 posts in 83 days... in 2012. The second lens adventure was really shepherded by a fellow whose name I forget. He as active for some time but didn't stick around. I took this photo at the time I had the 28 f/3.5 PC in my possession... October 2016.
Perhaps it was because it was the second time around it generated less excitement. If someone has a lens that piques folks interest, you certainly could go again... but it does require a fair amount of guidance. Personally, I'm not up to the task.
I was taking my camera bag into the house half an hour ago and noticed the half moon above my cottage. I had the 135 f/2.8 K AI mounted on the Df... I opened the bag and grabbed a quick shot. Air quality has been abysmal in the Bay Area this week because of fires in Oregon so there was really no reason for taking photos... until this evening...
Nothing spectacular here but it is always good to pick up a camera, turn the focusing ring and press the shutter button.
I was trying to think of a lens that might generate interest… and was coming up blank. It seems the past decade has generally been a great time to shoot what you wanted.
CGrindahl wrote:
I was taking my camera bag into the house half an hour ago and noticed the half moon above my cottage. I had the 135 f/2.8 K AI mounted on the Df... I opened the bag and grabbed a quick shot. Air quality has been abysmal in the Bay Area this week because of fires in Oregon so there was really no reason for taking photos... until this evening...
Nothing spectacular here but it is always good to pick up a camera, turn the focusing ring and press the shutter button.
I was trying to think of a lens that might generate interest… and was coming up blank. It seems the past decade has generally been a great time to shoot what you wanted.
Non-AI 24mm f/2.8
CGrindahl wrote:
I was taking my camera bag into the house half an hour ago and noticed the half moon above my cottage. I had the 135 f/2.8 K AI mounted on the Df... I opened the bag and grabbed a quick shot. Air quality has been abysmal in the Bay Area this week because of fires in Oregon so there was really no reason for taking photos... until this evening...
Nothing spectacular here but it is always good to pick up a camera, turn the focusing ring and press the shutter button.
I love this bronze ball, it's called "Moon and Stars" I think and is by an indigenous artist. It's about 4 feet in diameter and is located outside the Cairns Cruise ship Terminal which is a series of old wharf buildings renovated a few years ago.
We do get some Superyachts in the marina here, I've seen Paul Allen's who was co-creator of Microsoft with Bill Gates before but this one was a new one. Very interesting design especially the bow. This was the only shot I could get as the finger of the marina where it is berthed is not accessible to the public but the finger opposite is where all the boats depart for the GBR so I was at least able to get a shot of the bow from there.
I even got hassled by security in a golf buggy whilst taking shots near the locked gate. To be fair, he just asked me to respect the owners privacy. Not sure if he was talking about the Venus or more likely the nearest yacht which although not a Superyacht was still pretty nice. A traditional luxury sailing yacht not a Motor Yacht like Venus.
It's called Venus and was designed by Phillip Starck with help from a certain Steve Jobs. Cost $120M and will also run you a cool $10M a year to run ! Jobs commissioned it knowing he possibly wouldn't get to see it completed before his death. His widow Laurene owns it. There are NO pictures of the interior available.
I cannot disagree about the FTZ. KR’s website has some useful info on old lenses. I used it a lot when I first got into MF Nikkors but I stopped reading any new articles from him 5 years ago. I prefer to use other sources.
Ken Hill wrote:
Regarding the Zf, I see Ken Rockwell does not have a high opinion of it, particularly brutal in regards to use of the older AF AF-D lenses and MF lenses. He is tough on the FTZ & FTZ II AND cites and compares the distance between the flange and the sensor as greater than any other brand offering. He claims even Canon lenses adapt better than Nikon. He sums it up saying the “FTZ IS CRAPPY.”
As to range finder glass he suggests anything offered from China as Nikons solution. He’s right about that.
I for one was hoping for a camera and an adaptor that allowed communication and aperture control for MF glass. I guess it’s up to a third party to make that happen.
In short I thought the shortcomings of the Z6 and MF lenses would be at least mitigated or outright fixed by th Zf. I was wrong. ...Show more →
milt wrote:
I got it. My sense of direction is horrible! Thanks for showing it. I often bike to that spot but have never noticed the condominium. Next time, I will take a picture of it.
I love this bronze ball, it's called "Moon and Stars" I think and is by an indigenous artist. It's about 4 feet in diameter and is located outside the Cairns Cruise ship Terminal which is a series of old wharf buildings renovated a few years ago.
We do get some Superyachts in the marina here, I've seen Paul Allen's who was co-creator of Microsoft with Bill Gates before but this one was a new one. Very interesting design especially the bow. This was the only shot I could get as the finger of the marina where it is berthed is not accessible to the public but the finger opposite is where all the boats depart for the GBR so I was at least able to get a shot of the bow from there.
I even got hassled by security in a golf buggy whilst taking shots near the locked gate. To be fair, he just asked me to respect the owners privacy. Not sure if he was talking about the Venus or more likely the nearest yacht which although not a Superyacht was still pretty nice. A traditional luxury sailing yacht not a Motor Yacht like Venus.
It's called Venus and was designed by Phillip Starck with help from a certain Steve Jobs. Cost $120M and will also run you a cool $10M a year to run ! Jobs commissioned it knowing he possibly wouldn't get to see it completed before his death. His widow Laurene owns it. There are NO pictures of the interior available.
Last of the night shots. All with the 85mm H. There's some really interesting reflection from the rope LED light in the one bicycle shot. This is from the local park districts night-time at the park event last week.
NightOwl Cat wrote:
My grandmother on my mother's side grew up in the West End, which is also the home of some guy named Leonard Nimoy... the area was razed in the 50's
About Leonard Nimoy, he received an honorary doctorate from Boston University. I did not know he was from the West End. When I was very young, I loved Star Trek.
Nice moon shot Curtis with the late blue hour sky
Awesome black and white with the 24/2.8 Matt
Ken I agree with Leighton on your shot. Well seen!
Lovely flowers Siphiwe, first day of Fall here and our flowers are seeing their final days
Andy - great shots! Love the in camera black and white. Your biceps feeling it today
Ray - really like the night shots and looks like fun for the bikers at night too
I had plans of shooting today, but Tropical Storm Ophelia has other plans. Raining buckets. But we really needed the rain.
Thanks for showing it. I often bike to that spot but have never noticed the condominium. Next time, I will take a picture of it. 
Keep them coming.
