fredmiranda.com
Login

Moderated by: Fred Miranda
  New fredmiranda.com Mobile Site
  New Feature: SMS Notification alert
  New Feature: Buy & Sell Watchlist
  

FM Forums | Nikon Forum | Join Upload & Sell

1       2       3              2530              2532              2647       2648       end
  

Manual Focus Nikon Glass

  
 
jimmuller
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.2531 #1 · Manual Focus Nikon Glass


fjablo wrote:
The colors are fine, the issue is the lack of detail. I downloaded the first one and had a look at the Exif data: 1/8000s at ISO 4500, probably with noise reduction on a rather high setting - that explains most of it. Also seems out of focus (some of the leaves in the back are in focus, but most aren't).

I'd recommend trying to keep your ISO lower. If you make sure that the focal length is set correctly (matching the lens that's currently attached) then the IBIS in the Z5II will be very effective, even with adapted manual
...Show more
Thank you. I am still learning the camera.

I had entered lens data for my meager collection but I often forget to set the lens ID when I swap lenses. (I had even programmed one of the Fn buttons to make it easier but I never had to do that before when shooting film.) My three MFNG lenses are all non-CPU, the 50mm and 200mm from the 1970's and the 35mm from the 1960's by its serial number.

I just reset the camera to limit ISO. So far I'm shooting almost all aperture-preferred, can't do anything except A or M anyway with these lenses. The camera has been selecting high ISO and correspondingly super-fast shutter. One other thing I can do is use higher f numbers, though that means less light for viewing and harder focusing.

The only noise reduction setting I found is High ISO Noise Reduction which I just changed to Low instead of the default Normal. Maybe that will help. Of course my almost-77 year old hands aren't as steady as they used to be. There are editable sharpening settings in the Picture Control entries. I'll have to think about which ones to modify and how. So far I've just used Auto. Standard seems to have sharpening set higher.

Thanks for the tips. Will post more pics as I find anything interesting.



Oct 26, 2025 at 07:03 PM
kwoodard
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.2531 #2 · Manual Focus Nikon Glass


Since you’re on Linux, I encourage you to try out Darktable. It’s free and very similar to Lightroom, just free. Before I got Adobe for free through work, I used it quite often. There is a learning curve, but the results are very good.

jimmuller wrote:
Thank you. I am still learning the camera.

I had entered lens data for my meager collection but I often forget to set the lens ID when I swap lenses. (I had even programmed one of the Fn buttons to make it easier but I never had to do that before when shooting film.) My three MFNG lenses are all non-CPU, the 50mm and 200mm from the 1970's and the 35mm from the 1960's by its serial number.

I just reset the camera to limit ISO. So far I'm shooting almost all aperture-preferred, can't do anything except A or M anyway with
...Show more



Oct 27, 2025 at 02:43 AM
jimmuller
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.2531 #3 · Manual Focus Nikon Glass


kwoodard wrote:
Since you’re on Linux, I encourage you to try out Darktable....


I most certainly shall. Thank you for the suggestion.

I have learned something else too, thanks to fjablo's suggestion about Sharpening. The first three Picture Control selections are Auto (the default), Standard, and Neutral. I had found in the owner's manual how they were editable but as yet had no cause to do so. Last night I discovered one tiny sentence in the manual: Auto means Standard in picture mode, Neutral in video mode. In fact, Standard has several Sharpening elements set high. (I guess Nikon figured anyone who'd buy the less expensive Z would need extra help by default. Or maybe your Z's 6 through 9 are set like that too.) So I have been using high Sharpening unknowingly. Something else to try, use Neutral instead. We'll see (literally ) whether it makes any difference.

I recognize that this posting is more about the camera than either MFNG or the pictures they produce. Thanks for the tolerance. Thanks for the education, one reason I joined; digital photog is all new to me, never even had a good auto camera before. And thanks to Scott mp356 for pointing me here!



Oct 27, 2025 at 04:28 AM
fjablo
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.2531 #4 · Manual Focus Nikon Glass


jimmuller wrote:
I most certainly shall. Thank you for the suggestion.

I have learned something else too, thanks to fjablo's suggestion about Sharpening. The first three Picture Control selections are Auto (the default), Standard, and Neutral. I had found in the owner's manual how they were editable but as yet had no cause to do so. Last night I discovered one tiny sentence in the manual: Auto means Standard in picture mode, Neutral in video mode. In fact, Standard has several Sharpening elements set high. (I guess Nikon figured anyone who'd buy the less expensive Z would need extra help by default. Or
...Show more

If you set your Picture Control to Standard or Neutral at default settings that should be fine. It applies some sharpening, but nothing that's over the top.

Make sure to turn off high ISO noise reduction (this setting: https://onlinemanual.nikonimglib.com/z5II/en/psm_high_iso_nr_137.html)

If you're primarily shooting JPG, I would set Active D-Lighting to "normal" (maybe even 1 step higher).

If you're using Auto-ISO you can set the max shutter speed to "auto", which will link it to the focal length you're using. Just make sure to always use the correct Non-CPU entry depending on which lens you have on the camera.

Since you had a shutter speed of 1/8000s on all those pictures, I guess you were in M mode, not aperture priority. Maybe rather use aperture priority (A mode) if you don't want to actively monitor your shutter speed and ISO. Also makes it easier to focus with the lens wide-open and then stopping down to take the picture.



Oct 27, 2025 at 05:09 AM
James Markus
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.2531 #5 · Manual Focus Nikon Glass


jimmuller wrote:
Thank you. I am still learning the camera.

I had entered lens data for my meager collection but I often forget to set the lens ID when I swap lenses. (I had even programmed one of the Fn buttons to make it easier but I never had to do that before when shooting film.) My three MFNG lenses are all non-CPU, the 50mm and 200mm from the 1970's and the 35mm from the 1960's by its serial number.

I just reset the camera to limit ISO. So far I'm shooting almost all aperture-preferred, can't do anything except A or M anyway with
...Show more

Jim, you can edit lens metadata after the fact in DigiKam on Linux (possibly Xnview too). I've used it on Gnome based, KDE, Anti-X, Fusion, and the smaller footprint DE's like XFCE.
Jim




Oct 27, 2025 at 10:38 AM
jimmuller
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.2531 #6 · Manual Focus Nikon Glass


fjablo wrote:
...
Since you had a shutter speed of 1/8000s on all those pictures, I guess you were in M mode, not aperture priority.


Thanks for all the suggestions. As a result I just spent 15 minutes modifying a bunch of settings in the camera. Will shoot and post when I get the chance and the light is good.

I actually use Aperture-priority most of the time, and for those shots too, I think. I have no idea why those settings were the way they were. But by way of making excuses I will say that I took those tree shots in a hurry. I was waiting for my sweetie to come out to the car so I grabbed the camera and snapped without much thinkin'. It taught me several lessons, now didn't it?

---------------------------------------------

James Markus wrote:
Jim, you can edit lens metadata after the fact in DigiKam on Linux (possibly Xnview too). I've used it on Gnome based, KDE, Anti-X, Fusion, and the smaller footprint DE's like XFCE.

Thanks. Good to know. Of course that doesn't go back and recompute the corrections.

Okay, back to looking at pictures!



Oct 27, 2025 at 04:27 PM
James Markus
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.2531 #7 · Manual Focus Nikon Glass


Some more from The D850 and 24mm f2.8 combo.





This was a happy place. The leaves acted as stain glass in a cathdral of green and autumn colors







Boy the vines are thick this year







Took a trail That I didn't know - only to find it going under 10 lanes of Xway, by a stream




Oct 27, 2025 at 09:10 PM
pbraymond
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.2531 #8 · Manual Focus Nikon Glass


Breaking the quiet with an older 50-135 shot (I think, it may actually be the 75-150).








Oct 28, 2025 at 12:17 PM
jimmuller
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.2531 #9 · Manual Focus Nikon Glass


Very autumn, guys, very pretty, very moody too.

Okay, trying again. Similar tree shots as the last set but with much more conservative camera settings. The light wasn't as brilliant today. Very windy though so the leaves were constantly moving. Here are the original jpg's.

With 50mm f/1.4, at 1/1250 sec, f/5.6, ISO-400


with 35mm f/2.8, at 1/1250 sec, f/5.6, ISO-400


I tried processing (resize, sharpen) these with Printshop Pro X9, then saved as maximum quality jpg's. When fit to my screen the original and processed looked similar but when viewed at 100% on my screen the resized jpg's were nowhere as detailed as the originals. I guess that's not surprising. OTOH, if a screen rendering is all anyone ever sees then it's a moot point.



Oct 28, 2025 at 04:05 PM
saph
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.2531 #10 · Manual Focus Nikon Glass


DSC_0018 by Maryland Photos, on Flickr

Nikon ZR, Nikkor 55 1.2 K



Oct 28, 2025 at 04:10 PM
 


Search in Used Dept. 

fjablo
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.2531 #11 · Manual Focus Nikon Glass


jimmuller wrote:

Very autumn, guys, very pretty, very moody too.

Okay, trying again. Similar tree shots as the last set but with much more conservative camera settings. The light wasn't as brilliant today. Very windy though so the leaves were constantly moving. Here are the original jpg's.

With 50mm f/1.4, at 1/1250 sec, f/5.6, ISO-400
http://www.SouthernRail.com/pics/Z5/unprocessed/DSC_0601.jpg


with 35mm f/2.8, at 1/1250 sec, f/5.6, ISO-400
http://www.SouthernRail.com/pics/Z5/unprocessed/DSC_0606.jpg


I tried processing (resize, sharpen) these with Printshop Pro X9, then saved as maximum quality jpg's. When fit to my screen the original and processed looked similar but when viewed at 100% on my screen the resized jpg's were nowhere as detailed as
...Show more

These look very nice and much more detailed than the last ones! Beautiful tree(s), too



Oct 28, 2025 at 05:29 PM
jimmuller
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.2531 #12 · Manual Focus Nikon Glass


fjablo wrote:
These look very nice and much more detailed than the last ones! Beautiful tree(s), too


Thank you.
(I would have thought that everything defaulted to "Auto" should produce good results. Apparently not. It ain't Point 'n' Shoot when you have knobs to twirl.)



Oct 29, 2025 at 04:21 AM
Phong.nh
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.2531 #13 · Manual Focus Nikon Glass


Few Lilies today
_D3X1833in by blurrist lump, on Flickr
_D3X1836in by blurrist lump, on Flickr
_D3X1830in by blurrist lump, on Flickr
_D3X1824in by blurrist lump, on Flickr
_D3X1823in by blurrist lump, on Flickr
_D3X1822in by blurrist lump, on Flickr



Oct 29, 2025 at 05:19 AM
SiMuMe
Online
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.2531 #14 · Manual Focus Nikon Glass


pbraymond wrote:
Breaking the quiet with an older 50-135 shot (I think, it may actually be the 75-150).
https://www.pbraymond.com/img/s/v-10/p1127282741-6.jpg


Lovely.



Oct 29, 2025 at 07:28 AM
SiMuMe
Online
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.2531 #15 · Manual Focus Nikon Glass


saph wrote:
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54887068635_0610459cb0_b.jpgDSC_0018 by Maryland Photos, on Flickr

Nikon ZR, Nikkor 55 1.2 K


Oh oh, it does take stills, too. Tell us more, Samy.



Oct 29, 2025 at 07:32 AM
Kingfishphoto
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.2531 #16 · Manual Focus Nikon Glass


Who needs an 800 F6.3 Z ? Heres what your old lenses can do for much less $. The 800 MM images are cropped a bit.
Harry Palmer





Overall 50MM scene, different day, scarecrow moved a bit.

  NIKON D850    50mm    f/8.0    1/320s    64 ISO    0.0 EV  







Scarecrow on fence, 500P + TC-16Ashot at F4.

  NIKON D850    145mm    f/4.0    1/500s    64 ISO    0.0 EV  







TV dish, 500 P + TC-16A shot at F4.

  NIKON D850    145mm    f/4.0    1/1000s    64 ISO    0.0 EV  




Oct 29, 2025 at 02:21 PM
GeorgeBo
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.2531 #17 · Manual Focus Nikon Glass


Spend the weekend exploring western North Carolina. This shot from Sunday in Pisgah National Forest. Put my Zf and somewhat rare 2.5cm f/4 Nikkor in Leica thread mount in my backpack so I could share an image here. You can definitely see why they call these mountains the Blue Ridge. Colors were about a week or so past peak at this elevation, but had better color on the trail in the lower elevations.

All the best folks,

George







  NIKON Z f    W-NIKKOR-C 2.5cm f/4 lens    25mm    f/8.0    1/100s    125 ISO    0.0 EV  




Oct 29, 2025 at 04:02 PM
jimmuller
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.2531 #18 · Manual Focus Nikon Glass


GeorgeBo wrote:
Spend the weekend exploring western North Carolina. This shot from Sunday in Pisgah National Forest. Put my Zf and somewhat rare 2.5cm f/4 Nikkor in Leica thread mount in my backpack so I could share an image here. You can definitely see why they call these mountains the Blue Ridge. Colors were about a week or so past peak at this elevation, but had better color on the trail in the lower elevations.


That's really nice. It certainly captures the Blue Ridge. I spent many days in my youth hiking through the Blue Ridge in Virginia. Your pic makes me wish I could do it again!



Oct 29, 2025 at 04:45 PM
GeorgeBo
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.2531 #19 · Manual Focus Nikon Glass


Great article as always Richard! My copy is one of my favorite lenses. It takes a while to learn its style of rendering and where to apply it.

George


richardHaw wrote:
https://richardhaw.com/2025/10/25/repair-w-nikkorc-2-5cm-f-4-leica-thread-mount/





Oct 29, 2025 at 05:44 PM
GeorgeBo
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.2531 #20 · Manual Focus Nikon Glass


I really like the view of these trails. Feels like I am there.

George


fjablo wrote:
Some autumn leaf colors with MFNG. First one with the 28mm f2.8, the other two with the 105mm f2.5.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54880092217_9028647f8c_h.jpgSeeholz by Felix, auf Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54880963066_3b0d919014_h.jpgSeeholz by Felix, auf Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54880963321_38b53889a0_h.jpgSeeholz by Felix, auf Flickr





Oct 29, 2025 at 05:46 PM
1       2       3              2530              2532              2647       2648       end






FM Forums | Nikon Forum | Join Upload & Sell

1       2       3              2530              2532              2647       2648       end
    
 

Welcome back
Log in to your account