kwoodard wrote:
Love the shot Georg! Wonder how it would look rotated 180 degrees?

A local contest popped up where they want some sort of a view on the street. They didn't give a time when the pic needed to be taken, this is what I am thinking of entering. I took the pic when I first got the 50mm Series E, but didn't really know anything about my camera (ISO6400, daytime?!) Anyway, I tried my new post process, what do you all think?


DSC_4698 by Kevin.Woodard, on Flickr

Kevin, a very nice picture of a beautiful subject! The colors are spot-on, sharpness and bokeh great. I like the framing too - I would probably shot this slightly more from the front. The only thing I don't like is the massive black part black. But as stated before, constructive image-critique is not my department.

Regarding the puddle-shot: thank you! Here's the original image, but it was shot as source material with the gritty B&W-conversion in my mind.

There seems to be a few people asking about/adding different MF lenses here from time to time. I only have two so far, but plan on more eventually.

For all the "regulars" here, what is the lens you are most happy you acquired....

.... and which (if any) do you wished you hadn't?

Jim S

Just playing the "Devil's adjutant" role :


http://www.ebay.com/itm/NIKON-nikkor-85mm-1-8-AI-lens-F1-8-factory-CONVERTED-from-NON-AI-/111004651518?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item19d8648ffe

wapsijims wrote:
There seems to be a few people asking about/adding different MF lenses here from time to time. I only have two so far, but plan on more eventually.

For all the "regulars" here, what is the lens you are most happy you acquired....

.... and which (if any) do you wished you hadn't?

Jim S



Jim, I just can't get warm with a 35-135/3.5-4.5 Ais. The zoom-range is very nice, but the regular minimum focusing distance is too long and the optical performance not a match for the primes.
Actually I'm really happy about a 16/3.5 fisheye and a PC Micro 85/2.8 Tilt/Shift-lens. But if bang for the buck is taken into account an old Micro-Nikkor 55/3.5 and two old Ai'd 105/2.5's come to mind.
Happy shopping, Georg ;-)

wapsijims wrote:
There seems to be a few people asking about/adding different MF lenses here from time to time. I only have two so far, but plan on more eventually.

For all the "regulars" here, what is the lens you are most happy you acquired....

.... and which (if any) do you wished you hadn't?

Jim S



Jim,
Welcome to FM and the MFNG thread! I have been really happy with almost every lens I've bought, and those I've sold have been nice lenses too! So here they go from short to long:

20/2.8 AI-S Excellent lens, probably Nikon's best MF 20 in terms of sharpness. I sold it because I don't shoot with 20's much.
20/3.5 AI/AI-S Excellent petite lens, it's a gem in terms of landscape shooting as it is very flare resistant, but it doesn't quite have the resolution of it's faster brother. I had it for awhile before selling it to another poster in this thread.
28/3.5 came with an FE2 that I bought. Nice sharp little lens, but suffered from field curvature. I sold it for cheap as I already had a 28/2 AI.
28/2 AI - Bigger faster sibling to the famous 28/2.8 AI-S, focuses almost as close, and outperforms the slower lens everywhere except for close distances. Although superseded in performance by the newer 28/1.8G, the 28/2 is still no slouch, even on D800's.
35/2 AI/AI-S - Nice little lenses, Good sharpness wide open, especially in the center. Does flare. I've had a few but ultimately kept the 35/1.4 instead.
35/1.4 AI-S - Lower contrast and sharpness wide open, but not bad by any stretch, but this one is a gem. I had a great one and sold it, but I'll eventually buy another one. It's is murderously sharp from f/2 onward and it delivers major performance.
50/1.4 AI/AI-S - Decent enough lens, I'd rather have a cheaper MF 1.8 or comparably priced 50/1.8G. Not a bad lens, it just doesn't measure up it's faster and slower siblings.
50/1.2 AI/AI-S - Special rendering wide open. Still plenty sharp. Just like the 35/1.4, if you open it up to f/2, it is sharper than knife. Great lens and I haven't yet been tempted to keep any AF 50's.
105/2.5 AI/AI-S. If you don't have one, get one. Enough said. Either version is nice.
180/2.8 ED AI-S. Super sharp, and very compact. I use this one happily at all apertures.
300/2.8 ED AI-S. Big, heavy, and phenomenal.
25-50/4 AI-S. Excellent wide to normal zoom, plenty sharp all over and resists flare well. This is a great lens for landscape shooters, and I've got lots of nice shots from this one. I let this one go as I generally don't enjoy carrying heavier lenses anymore with much frequency.
50-135/3.5 AI-S - Excellent lens. Very useful range. Excellent IQ. Worth getting for the $100-150 asking price.
80-200/4.5 AI w/ rectangular baffle - Woooooo, what a sharp lens. Excellent landscape carry partner with the 25-50, can be had for less than $100, probably one of Nikon's best 70/80-200 lenses ever. I sold mine only because I don't have the chance to get out into situations where carrying this makes sense.

I'm sure you'll get a lot more great advice!

asiostygius wrote:
rafaelcasd wrote:
asiostygius wrote:
Thanks Leighton and Scott for the previous comments.



Nikon knew about zoom creep, the knob at the bottom of the 80-200mm focusing/zoom ring is there as a lock, turn it clockwise and it locks the ring in place.
[/url], on Flickr


What a beauty Rafael!

Now Jose will be looking for an 80-200mm 2.8.

asiostygius wrote:
rafaelcasd wrote:
...
Then hiked to the top and missed a good sunset again, this with the best landscape lens of all - 50-300mm 4.5 ED

[



Spetacular sunsets with the 50-300/4.5 ED!
Thank you Jose.
I am going to obligate my self to this forum by announcing that the Chula Vista Power plant will be imploded this Saturday at 6:30 AM and this 50-300mm will be there, The sun will be rising behind it, maybe a bad thing.
Rafael

wapsijims wrote:

For all the "regulars" here, what is the lens you are most happy you acquired....

.... and which (if any) do you wished you hadn't?

Jim S



My forever loves:
16/3.5 AI x2 - Love it so much I bought another. Nikon's best fisheye lens of all time.
50/1.2 AIS - Though I have the 50/1.8G, I use this lens at f/1.2 almost exclusively
105/2.5 AIS - Like Alan says, get one if you don't have one! AIS or AI version.
135/2 AIS - Don't use it much, but when I do it makes great images
200/4 AIS - One of my most used landscape lenses
400/5.6 ED AI - 400mm in a compact, sharp wonder to use lens

My bad break-ups:
25-50/4 AIS - Never could get a sharp shot out of this lens, but it did have a unique rendering
35-70/3.5 AI - Was great on DX, but suffered terribly on FX for some unknown reason
300/4.5 ED-IF AIS - Was a fine lens for sure. 300mm doesn't thrill me for some reason
200/3.5 ED-IF - Did not live up to the hype. Took a bit of a $$ bath on the breakup

My former best friends:
400/5.6 ED-IF AIS - Great, even lighter 400mm, but the non-IF version was just a bit better . . .
20/2.8 AIS - Just like Alan said, but I already had the AF version which made this redundant

My on probation associates:
100/2.8 Series E - Nice and light/compact. Lowered contrast - it's just OK
135/2.8 AIS - Does very very well at f/4 and onward. Useful at f/2.8, but a little Nikon glow. CA.
135/3.5 AIS - Very very good already wide open, just a tad better stopped down to f/5.6. CA

My current/former Nikon mount MF foreign affairs:
40/2 CV SL-II - Why did I break up with this petite & lovely gal again?
90/3.5 CV SL-II - Excellent lens, great up close, very very good at distance. Love affair going strong.

My coveting eye affections:
45/2.8 AI-P - From my quick tests it's pretty decent wide open and very very good stopped down - it's so small and light!
600/5.6 ED-IF AIS - Longer is ALWAYS better right?

John

Happy to see some old faces again, and the regular contributors continue to entertain, thank you. This latest round of lens recommendations don't do any favors for those of us staying away from MFNAS, but I suppose it is nice to have the recommendations from the fine photographers who also happen to be real world gear testers in a few compact places. Now how do I mark a specific post in this thread?

Ray

Have not had much MF action lately, here's one from earlier this month.

georgms wrote:
kwoodard wrote:
Love the shot Georg! Wonder how it would look rotated 180 degrees?

A local contest popped up where they want some sort of a view on the street. They didn't give a time when the pic needed to be taken, this is what I am thinking of entering. I took the pic when I first got the 50mm Series E, but didn't really know anything about my camera (ISO6400, daytime?!) Anyway, I tried my new post process, what do you all think?


DSC_4698 by Kevin.Woodard, on Flickr

Kevin, a very nice picture of a beautiful subject! The colors are spot-on, sharpness and bokeh great. I like the framing too - I would probably shot this slightly more from the front. The only thing I don't like is the massive black part black. But as stated before, constructive image-critique is not my department.

Regarding the puddle-shot: thank you! Here's the original image, but it was shot as source material with the gritty B&W-conversion in my mind.

I wanted to get more from the front, but I got enough of dirty looks when I stepped over the ropes to take what I got. I have wanted to do a B/W conversion, but I can't get one I like. Love how you turned the puddle shot into art.

pbraymond wrote:
Now how do I mark a specific post in this thread?

Ray

Bookmark the page.

Jose - thanks - I'll keep trying to match your birds

Samy - thanks. Didn't you shoot with a D200 at one stage?

George - thank you. I like the colour version of the lighthouse and confess to having been befuddled by the B&W.

Ray - good to see you back. I guess with all that snow up North there's a lot to be said for hibernation. It seems to have got Monty!

Ronny - that dog is really beautiful.

James - wow!

We finally cashed in an offer from our friends to go out wine tasting this past weekend. First stop was Baily's Vineyard and Winery where we ate lunch at Carols' Restaurant and then did a bit of wine tasting. I had my first port and even learned how it was made. We then went down the road to Ponte for another tasting. We still had fun there, but it was too busy for my taste. I am not a fan of having to practically yell to have a conversation.

We were heading out the door to go home and Jen caught the edge of the mat by the front door and crashed pretty hard onto the ground. She scraped her knees and elbow and shattered the glass when she hit. They called for an ambulance since she said that her neck hurt a little, so she got a free ambulance ride while bolted into a c-spine. Not the best way to end the day, for sure. I knew that she was ok and that they were just being cautious, but at first I was pretty scared. You never like to see your loved ones go down like that. She laughed and told me to take her picture as they were putting on the collar. She totally gets me...

–Tony


Carol's Restaurant by T&J Photography, on Flickr


The long pour... by T&J Photography, on Flickr


Happy Juice by T&J Photography, on Flickr


Scary by T&J Photography, on Flickr

Monty's in AF land, he and particle will visit home sooner or later

Ray from OH, good to see your work again.

Peter, no, my first foray into DSLR land was the D50 briefly before the D300 showed up. I did move to the D7000 before passing that on for the D800.

Before all of that was the tiny Canon S40, that was the last time the camera fit in my pocket

Oosty wrote:

georgms wrote:

Leighton, very PJ-like picture of your wife and the lamb ("grab a 24mm and get close") - good job!

Thanks Georg, I'll have to get close more often. Time to get the 28mm AI-s me thinks.

Tony, scary indeed to see that and good thing to take all the precautions needed.

kings_freak wrote:
We finally cashed in an offer from our friends to go out wine tasting this past weekend. First stop was Baily's Vineyard and Winery where we ate lunch at Carols' Restaurant and then did a bit of wine tasting. I had my first port and even learned how it was made. We then went down the road to Ponte for another tasting. We still had fun there, but it was too busy for my taste. I am not a fan of having to practically yell to have a conversation.

We were heading out the door to go home and Jen caught the edge of the mat by the front door and crashed pretty hard onto the ground. She scraped her knees and elbow and shattered the glass when she hit. They called for an ambulance since she said that her neck hurt a little, so she got a free ambulance ride while bolted into a c-spine. Not the best way to end the day, for sure. I knew that she was ok and that they were just being cautious, but at first I was pretty scared. You never like to see your loved ones go down like that. She laughed and told me to take her picture as they were putting on the collar. She totally gets me...

–Tony

wapsijims wrote:
There seems to be a few people asking about/adding different MF lenses here from time to time. I only have two so far, but plan on more eventually.

For all the "regulars" here, what is the lens you are most happy you acquired....

.... and which (if any) do you wished you hadn't?

Jim S



Ahhh Jim, you've opened a can of worms! You'll also get a lot of different answers. But the main thing to look at is the lenses that consistently come up in all the members profiles.

Here are a few you'll see most often talked about in this thread:

16mm f3.5
24mm f2.8 AI-s
28mm f2 and 2.8 AI-s
50/55mm f1.2
85mm f1.4 AI-s and the older 1.8 H.C.
105mm f2.5 AI-s
135mm f2 AI-s
180mm f2.8 ED AI-s
300mm F4.5 ED
400mm - 600mm

50-135mm f3.5 AI-s
80-200mm f4.5 AI (rectangular cutout on back of lenses)

I know I've left out some very nice lenses, but overall, these are the most used lenses (in my opinion) with the group.

Just a warning!!! If you hang out here long enough your wallet IS going to get thinner.

Tony, great set, glad everything is fine with Jen.

pbraymond wrote:
Have not had much MF action lately, here's one from earlier this month.