Califmike33 wrote:
I'm visiting over from the Sony thread here on FM we don't have any threads like this it's 2,000 pages long on manual focus lenses this is very cool I wish we had a thread like this over in the Sony section.
It is really more like 8,000 pages but Fred cut the thread after the first 6,000.
Califmike33 wrote:
What's the sharpest Nikon 50 mm in existence I may buy that and adapt it to my Sony?
That is not an easy question to answer, maybe he 58mm 1.2 Nocturnal or the 50mm 1.4 Millennium RF. or the 55mm 3.5 micro? just read the rest of the conversation - for good sharpness with plenty character and cheap to boot, I vote for a 55mm 1.2 S.C or AI.
rafaelcasd wrote:
It is more like 8,000 pages but Fred cut the thread after the first 6,000.
Califmike33 wrote:
WOW really ??
Welcome to the thread, Mike. If you look at the post count for this thread on the Nikon forum's front page (and it's always on the front page), you will see that there have now been 160426 posts here in the history of the thread. At 20 posts per page, you can see that the total number of pages is currently 8021 (this page would be 8022). Fred archived about 6000 pages of it several years ago as part of what I believe was an effort to make the forums run more efficiently.
So, as Kevin suggested, grab yourself a 50'ish mm MF Nikkor (other than the Noct) and join the fun.
I’d try the AIS 50/1.2. It’s kind of a split personality lens, fairly low contrast and spherical aberrations wide open and f/1.4. At f/2 it cleans up substantially. It won’t beat the APO but it’s a nice dichotomy. Buy smart and you wouldn’t lose if you decided it wasn’t for you and sold it. Cheap, a 50mm f/2.
I can’t think of any old 50’s fast or slow that compare with modern lenses at wide apertures though, save maybe exotics like the Noct.
I’ve used most of the Rokkor 50’s. Though I prefer Nikon, they might be for you. Check out the 55/1.7. The f/1.2 I found unimpressive compared to it’s reputation.
Califmike33 wrote:
Funny you should mention that I just sold the voigtlander 50mm F2 Apo. The lens was very sharp even at f2 it had good saturated colors but to me it just I didn't have any magic I didn't think the Blurred out areas were that great on it and to me it was just lacking something so I sold it now I'm looking for something vintage cuz I think I realized that sharpness for me is overrated I always wanted something insanely sharp but I realize I don't need that.
I just sold it yesterday on here so I'm looking for more of a lens that doesn't have to be insanely sharp I'm finding that sharpness is overrated I want something that has like a painterly background in the Blurred out areas still needs to be sharp but it doesn't have to be tack Sharp something with character
.
Califmike33 wrote:
Thanks, guys for the tips on lenses. I was looking at the Rokkor 50mm f1.2 or the Nikon Noct 1.2 and just watched a great comparison video and the Noct wins that duel. I think what im seeing is i may end up with several 50,55 mm lenses before its all done.
At one point I had 37 lenses in the 50-58mm range. 😬
Califmike33 wrote:
Thanks, guys for the tips on lenses. I was looking at the Rokkor 50mm f1.2 or the Nikon Noct 1.2 and just watched a great comparison video and the Noct wins that duel. I think what im seeing is i may end up with several 50,55 mm lenses before its all done.
Be careful Mike, once you buy one, it's hard to stop. It is essential that you have extreme willpower.
You know I've looked around FM and I'm in the Sony for him mostly cuz I have a Sony camera and there are some lens threads over there but none like this none this long this many pages. Why is this so long like 8,000 pages they must be some good old lenses to keep this thing going and have this many pages even the voightlander and some of the other lenses don't have anything near this length pretty amazing that this thread is this long and still going.
I think the 55 1.2 is probably the one to get to break into the Nikon glass and like you said if I shop smart I can always resell them if I don't like them.
What I'm finding from starting to get into these lenses is none of them are really sharp wide open not just Nikon but in general all these old lenses really don't perform good wide open I mean some of them do some crazy dreamy painterly bokeh wide open but the image is soft.
Been watching a lot of YouTube videos on the m42 mount screw Mount lenses and I'm sure there are comparable Nikon lenses so I got to start looking into the Nikon lenses but I saw some that have such an amazing bokeh,
Seems like such a more fun ride to adapt old lenses onto a mirrorless camera other than just buying a 24 to 70 in the 70 to 200 and you're done end of story now you just live with those lenses although it covers a lot of range it's a hobby and an experience in itself I imagine just trying different vintage lenses.
Califmike33 wrote:
You know I've looked around FM and I'm in the Sony for him mostly cuz I have a Sony camera and there are some lens threads over there but none like this none this long this many pages. Why is this so long like 8,000 pages they must be some good old lenses to keep this thing going and have this many pages even the voightlander and some of the other lenses don't have anything near this length pretty amazing that this thread is this long and still going.
A couple of reasons this thread is 13 years old.
1) The folks on here are really nice and care for each other. One way we do that is we never talk politics or religion. We also don't bash other camera gear.
2) We all have a deep appreciation of these old Nikkors, the way they're built and the characteristics of the image quality.
3) They are relatively cheap for such a quality lens.
4) And last but not least, they're fun to use. Having to manual focus slows you down a bit and makes the whole process of capturing that image more pleasing.
I'm sure I'm leaving something out. Chime in if I have.
Califmike33 wrote:
You know I've looked around FM and I'm in the Sony for him mostly cuz I have a Sony camera and there are some lens threads over there but none like this none this long this many pages. Why is this so long like 8,000 pages they must be some good old lenses to keep this thing going and have this many pages even the voightlander and some of the other lenses don't have anything near this length pretty amazing that this thread is this long and still going.
I think the 55 1.2 is probably the one to get to break into the Nikon glass and like you said if I shop smart I can always resell them if I don't like them.
What I'm finding from starting to get into these lenses is none of them are really sharp wide open not just Nikon but in general all these old lenses really don't perform good wide open I mean some of them do some crazy dreamy painterly bokeh wide open but the image is soft.
Been watching a lot of YouTube videos on the m42 mount screw Mount lenses and I'm sure there are comparable Nikon lenses so I got to start looking into the Nikon lenses but I saw some that have such an amazing bokeh,
Seems like such a more fun ride to adapt old lenses onto a mirrorless camera other than just buying a 24 to 70 in the 70 to 200 and you're done end of story now you just live with those lenses although it covers a lot of range it's a hobby and an experience in itself I imagine just trying different vintage lenses....Show more →
I did indeed start (just over 15 years ago) with a couple zoom AF lenses. But discovering prime lenses and this thread has been a never ending ride. I do have the 24-120 S for the Z7 II, but that's reserved for instances where folks don't have much patience waiting for me getting the focus right. Sharpness is relative, if one is interested in absolute sharpness, most of these lenses may not stand up to technology worked out half a century later. But for character I do like the 105 2.5, 55 1.2, the 135 2 and many others over that 24-120.
Just took my newly acquired PC Nikkor 35/2.8 for a spin. So compact and light compared to the modern PC-E lenses, granted that the latter also have tilt functionality. Both images shot at f./11
?? well, i won't be buying that lens.
