saph wrote:
Two birds from my recent trip to India, the first one's a hoopoe, clearly running away from the crazy guy with the camera. The second's a roller.

Both with the 180mm 2.8 AIS.

Samy
I like the BIF shot Samy.

傍ony

rafaelcasd wrote:
deang001 wrote:
MDoc9523 wrote:
As many of you know I traveled to Ohio to visit my mother to celebrate her 90th birthday a couple of weeks ago. I had a wonderful day with her. She had not been doing very well but that day was like old times. I am so glad that I went because yesterday my sweet mother passed away. She has a lot of family waiting for her on the other side including my father who pass at the turning of the century. Her funeral will be on Tuesday, so my brothers and sister will be flying to attend. Thank you all for praying for her. She had a long and fruitful life and was one of the most giving person you would ever like to meet. RIP Ruth

Condolences, Ray ... very sad to hear. Wonderful that you got to spend some time with her on her birthday.


My condolences Ray, we are all here because of the selfless beautiful people before us, traveling the same jouney and shall be together again. In the meantime let's keep their memory close and dear as part of our daily life.


Moonrise Nikkor 55mm 1.2 by Rafael CA, on Flickr
Wow, that is a great shot, especially from and airplane window. Love the rippling clouds and the moon looks perfect.

傍ony

asiostygius wrote:
mp356 wrote:
"Ice Covered Window". Taken with 50 1.4 ais. Thanks for looking.
Scott

asiostygius wrote:
Kevin, very nice rusty stuff! I like it as some people over here.


Some menacing clouds and strange lights yesterday, late afternoon.


Menacing cloud at late afternoon by labecoaves, on Flickr

D7000 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 ais (early version, long or stepped nose), supported on the widow sill, ISO 100, f/5.6 at 1/800s, ~20% crop.


Awesome! My kind of shot!

傍ony

Ronny _Olsson wrote:
Thanks
George: Is probably as you say


Nikkor 135mm f/2 Ai-s by Ronny Olsson, on Flickr
Great shot of the building and I liked the crane-thingamabob too.

傍ony

georgms wrote:
CGrindahl wrote:
georgms wrote:
...Jose, looking at your 135/3.5-sisters I wonder how many fantastic pictures have been taken with slow 135's. Very few photographers actually need a really fast lens. Too bad that iconic pictures of the past are rarely tagged with technical details.



I've often thought that about places where I've lived, but it is equally intriguing when we think about these lenses, many of which have been around for forty years. It is mind blowing to think of the possibilities.

With regard to my home, I'm aware the small cottage was once a garage and storage building. It was later converted for use as a music studio and one of my elderly neighbors, who has passed told me she gave piano lessons in this building. I imagine for folks in Europe the stories would be much more dramatic since buildings stand for centuries, not just decades.

I'd like to believe my lenses have taken wonderful photos, but how can we ever know? For a creative writer this could be a delightful approach to a story. Perhaps you know the movie titled "The Red Violin..."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Red_Violin

Curtis, yes, many buildings here have a really fascinating (and in Germany sometimes shocking) history. It's good that many hobby or non-professional historians here collect these stories - if "nice" or not.
Some lenses I have, but rarely use these days have a kinda emotional history for me - I've captured two very special to me family-pictures with a Leica Elmarit-M 135/2.8 as an example. Parting with this lens would be hard for me.
PS: Will keep my eyes open for "The Red Violin".


I like the analogy with the Red Violin. It was an interesting movie, although tragic. Hopefully our lenses have had much nicer histories!

傍ony

CGrindahl wrote:
Congratulations Jose. I have little doubt that you have replaced me as the most voracious buyer of NIkon MF lenses. I happily relinquish the title. I'm especially impressed because I know how Brazil makes these purchases so difficult with its exorbitant import duties.

That's a beautiful lens. The one I owned briefly had tape on the underside of the lens body that was effective is eliminating zoom creep. Sadly, the experience using it was far from ideal. I eventually sold the lens to Matt. Although it performed wonderfully, I felt the 50-135 f/3.5 AI-s gave me better results and a more pleasing user experience. I'll be interested in what you have to say about both lenses. I know the Series E lens has a glowing reputation.


Have you forgotten Ben??

A quick read this morning through about 10 pages. Good to see old friends back again and much lens discussion - lots of duplicate images too.

Too much on my plate today to comment individually but am keeping track ....just

Thanks for the newsletter link, Curtis.

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

Thanks


Nikkor 135mm f/2 Ai-s by Ronny Olsson, on Flickr

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

I have relied on just looking out my viewfinder for the longest time using stock screens, so much so, that when i learned about the green dot here on the MF part of the forum, that i still use just my eyes, and i think i do well, considering my main glass is an 85mm 1.4 AIS manual focus exclusively set to f/1.4!



Americo.Rodriguez 2013-12 by aNikkorGuy, on Flickr

Heh Ronny, pictured here with a signpost that has names of places and distances, I'd like to believe that that's a medieval contraption for air travel. Budget flights on a catapult anyone?

Zichar wrote:
Heh Ronny, pictured here with a signpost that has names of places and distances, I'd like to believe that that's a medieval contraption for air travel. Budget flights on a catapult anyone?

Jose - What a beautiful cloud shot, I love it.

Georg - Your image of the waves is outstanding, and your post work is just as outstanding.

Curtis - I have always admired your use of light and shadow while shooting the local fauna. Something I've tried and failed at duplicating.

Reagan - I told you...!

Scott - Ahh yes, more lovely rust. Perhaps we ought to start another run of rust images.

Chin - Interesting shot. I'd love to see more images of your country. I love what's to me exotic places such as the part of the world our friend Dean shoots in. I'm sure I'd love Singapore as well.

Tony - Very very nice work in the studio. Your shots a perfectly lit and sharp as a tack!

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've purchased a great lens in the 105, one of the must haves in Nikkor MF.

Achieving sharp focus with these lenses just takes practice in my opinion. Some of us just use the whole of the viewfinder while others use a combination of that and the green dot. And some use focusing screens such as the Katzeye screens. It's all a matter of taste of course, but the main thing is just good old practice!

I'm looking forward to seeing some images from you, and don't be bashful joining in the conversation.

Very nice Ronny. Is it the Saab's technical contribution to the conquest of space?

24 PCE (the last one)

Welcome Todd, there's still a lot of fun left in the manual focus lenses and you have gotten hold of two of the nice examples.

I have put most of my faith in the green dot in the D800. The FX viewfinder is also a good step above the DX one. With my old D7000 or D300, I am not sure I would have gotten anywhere with manual focusing, although some folks here seem to thrive on DX viewfinders.

If you are using a tripod, live view will be great. That's what I have done for taking tele shot sof the moon, for example.

For more tricky tele shots, for example eagles I was trying a few months ago with the 500 F4P, MF did feel inadequate. I got hold of a TC16a recently that I am hoping will provide an assist for such shots. A little cheaper than the 500 or 600VR IIs

For most shots 105mm and below, with practice for almost a year now, I don't really feel I need AF.

Samy


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

sry double post