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CGrindahl wrote:
Todd wrote:
Hello All.... I am new to the manual focus portion of this forum. Manual focus is not new to me, I just haven't taken photos that way since 2001 when I converted to digital. Anyway, there are some really fine photos here so far. Very sharp and crisp. Amazing quality with todays digital cameras.
I currently own the Nikon D800E and D800 camera bodies and fast glass to go with it. However yesterday, I was at my local camera store looking at the used equipment (lenses) and I purchased the Nikon 105mm f/2.5 ais and the 200mm f/4 ais lenses, both in near mint condition. I have to say, the 105mm f/2.5 is one sharp lens! I wanted one of these bak in the film days when I had my Nikon FM2 body. Well now I do.
My question to you all is.... How do you all achieve such sharp focus with these manual lenses, mainly the long ones? I know the nikon bodies have the green dot (in focus indicator) on the screen inside the viewfinder of the camera, but it is a slow process to nail the focus. I guess I have to get used to it again and practice a lot. Did any of you change out your focusing screens? If so, which one did you choose? If it was not replaced, do you just rely on the "in focus" indicator on the screen? Just curious. Thanks in advance for the help...
Todd
www.toddhargisphotography.com
Welcome Todd. You'll discover we're a friendly bunch, so doubtless you'll be hearing from quite a few of us as the world turns. If you've followed this thread at all you know we have participants from around the world, so folks show up at all times of the day.
Like many of us you're making a return visit to manual focusing. Sadly, when I shot with a Nikkormat camera forty plus years ago, I didn't feel I could afford Nikkor lenses and so had a few Soligor lenses. Strange to say, I'd actually forgotten about that experience until after I'd bought a D700 and a copy of the 105 f/2.5 AI-s. In fact, it was that lens that began this adventure for me. The first thread i initiated on FM was devoted to that lens...
http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/927477
The response was so surprising to me that I thought it might be fun to have a single thread that celebrated ALL of Nikon's MF lenses. That is how this thread came into being. Needless to say, I was surprised at how photographers from around the world would respond. So what you're experiencing has been felt over and over again by folks who've shown up here to join the celebration.
You will likely hear from folks who've swapped out their view screen, some for very old screen from assorted cameras, some with the Katzeye screen. Personally, I've found the standard screen gets me where I want to go, but as Leighton says it really is all about practice, practice, practice. Of course, it helps to have decent eyesight. I might feel differently if I were using glasses. So if your eyesight is good, I'd say there is nothing wrong with swapping out the screen, but perhaps you want to give it a bit of time before doing so and put that 105 f/2.5 AI-s to work. Here is one of the first shots I took with the lens, well before I understood how to enter the lens in the Non-CPU register. It was a lucky shot, but sometimes luck helps the beginner...
Happy shooting. Hope to see you on the thread again. 
Wow, great shot. Thank you for the warm welcome. I'll get better at it, I just have to slow down and practice. Thanks...
Todd
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