p.11 #2 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
RoamingScott wrote:
FWIW, the 100-400 balances best on the Z9
My gym membership lapsed a while back
Nov 03, 2023 at 12:08 PM
foto16 Offline • • [X]
p.11 #3 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
JustShootMe wrote:
If you use the CV Z-mount lenses, or lenses with AIS chip via FTZ you don't even have to bother with the zoom for critical focus because the focus box will turn green when focus is achieved. So far this works great , and is my preferred method of manual focus because it's quick.
This is very intriguing. How does the camera know that focus is achieved? Does it use the same mechanism that turns on focus peaking indicators? If so, how does it differ from focus peaking and is it more accurate?
p.11 #4 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
foto16 wrote:
This is very intriguing. How does the camera know that focus is achieved? Does it use the same mechanism that turns on focus peaking indicators? If so, how does it differ from focus peaking and is it more accurate?
It's very accurate, even more so than trying to discern where the "middle of the plane" is when focus peaking.
Nov 03, 2023 at 12:23 PM
foto16 Offline • • [X]
p.11 #5 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
RoamingScott wrote:
It's very accurate, even more so than trying to discern where the "middle of the plane" is when focus peaking.
p.11 #6 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
foto16 wrote:
How does it achieve the accuracy?
This is my favorite new feature on the Zf. Great job Nikon. I haven't seen any articles explaining it yet. But it seems to me that it must be using some sort of contrast detection algorithm straight off the sensor. At least that is my my hope. That means it is not relying on and electrical communication between the lens and body. If that is the case then maybe we will get something similar through a firmware update on my leica M11. But even then it will only work when using the rear screen or EVF, not in the range finder.
p.11 #7 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
I'm a little confused about this new focus feature on the ZF when using manual lenses.
From my understanding, it works with any old manual lens, correct?
But I hear people talking about lenses with chips. So, does it or does not need the chip?
p.11 #8 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
pdesopo wrote:
From my understanding, it works with any old manual lens, correct?
Wrong. It requires the lens to have electronic contacts to understand where the focus is at any given time.
It also requires your adapter to have electronic contacts.
For instance, my 105/2.5 Ai-S will never get focus confirmation because the lens itself is a "dumb" lens. It IS possible to mod older lenses with these contacts.
A lens with contacts, but paired with a contact-less dumb adapter would also never get indicators. Anyone telling you it's on-sensor only has no clue what they're talking about
p.11 #10 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
jjcpa wrote:
Is it possible for Nikon to port this feature (object detection, focus confirmation) to other Z cameras?
Other Nikons already have focus confirmation just like the ZF, it's not a novel new feature. M43 cameras have had it for what, 9 years?
I see no technical reason that the implementation of the ZF's EyeDetect+Focus Confirmation can't be ported to cameras with as-good-or-better AF like the Z8/Z9.
I'm sure Nikon wanted the ZF to have SOME unique compelling reason to buy it for a little while, so I'd wager that would be a 5.0 Z9 feature.
p.11 #12 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
foto16 wrote:
How does it achieve the accuracy?
I would assume it's contrast/phase detect or whatever it does for the AF lenses, the only difference is your fingers are the AF motors.
Focus peaking is distracting to me , just my preference. Subject detection works with all lenses, focus confirmation requires some sort of electrical contacts between the camera and lens/adapter. Like others have mentioned it works well with focus confirmation with the 6bit M adapter from TT artisan , and full AF / Tracking etc with the Techart AF M adapter.
p.11 #14 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
foto16 wrote:
How does it achieve the accuracy?
I'm assuming it uses phase + contrast detect to confirm focus. There is no AF magic inside an AF lens except the little mice that drive the focusing motors and perform VR functions.
p.11 #15 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
JustShootMe wrote:
I would assume it's contrast/phase detect or whatever it does for the AF lenses, the only difference is your fingers are the AF motors.
Focus peaking is distracting to me , just my preference. Subject detection works with all lenses, focus confirmation requires some sort of electrical contacts between the camera and lens/adapter. Like others have mentioned it works well with focus confirmation with the 6bit M adapter from TT artisan , and full AF / Tracking etc with the Techart AF M adapter.
Once you get used to "seeing" the focal plane within the noise of focus peaking, it can be helpful on low res EVFs like the Nikons. Without punching in, it's almost impossible to see critical focus on a non-chipped lens even on max brightness.
p.11 #16 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
I have only questions about this so far.
How does a lens know whether it is in focus without a sensor? It can only know it's aperture, and a calculated focus distance based on the moving focusing element(s).
It is possible for a camera to do object recognition without electric connection to the lens by pattern matching algorithms.
It is possible for a camera to calculate phase and contrast peaks without electronic communication with the lens. There are some very good tunable focus peaking cameras out there.
So, why couldn't a camera calculate when the box outlining the object (eye?) is also within the focus peaking max phase/contrast algorithm? It would then ignore all areas outside the object box, and only draw the peaking color inside the box, or some other indicator that these two things are in alignment. The function could also do the zoom into the box area in memory to get more accuracy. I have read that AF object recognition and tracking implement an invisible zoom to increase distance capability and accuracy.
p.11 #17 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
1bwana1 wrote:
I have only questions about this so far.
How does a lens know whether it is in focus without a sensor? It can only know its aperture, and a calculated focus distance based on the moving focusing element(s).
Why does the lens need to know , only the camera cares and moves the motors one way or the other to achieve focus . Surely the lenses don't know if they are in focus or not ?
1bwana1 wrote:
So, why couldn't a camera calculate when the box outlining the object (eye?) is also within the focus peaking max phase/contrast algorithm? It would then ignore all areas outside the object box, and only draw the peaking color inside the box, or some other indicator that these two things are in alignment. The function could also do the zoom into the box area in memory to get more accuracy. I have read that AF object recognition and tracking implement an invisible zoom to increase distance capability and accuracy.
I don't see any reason why all systems couldn't work together other than the horsepower to make it work , focus peaking while zoomed in would also be useful, or the subject detection continuing to work while zoomed would also be useful.
p.11 #18 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
I'm not sure if this has been covered, but with the TTA 6 bit M to Z adapter it gives the green focus confirmation box with every lens I've adapted with it. Even if I slap a dumb F to M on the M to Z and use an old Nikkor AI lens, green box. I'm sure the Techart TZM-02 AF adapter would do the same if you put it in MF mode.
p.11 #19 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
Kasper6188 wrote:
I'm not sure if this has been covered, but with the TTA 6 bit M to Z adapter it gives the green focus confirmation box with every lens I've adapted with it. Even if I slap a dumb F to M on the M to Z and use an old Nikkor AI lens, green box. I'm sure the Techart TZM-02 AF adapter would do the same if you put it in MF mode.
yup .. you can stack adapters, and it will work fine. The Techart will actually still autofocus as long as the combination isn't to heavy.
p.11 #20 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
The Apo lenses from Voigtlander do indeed look good in the Zf, and we know they are also great lenses. But...Is the Apo 50mm really "that" much better than the Nikkor Z 50/1.8? Does the potential for greater error in focusing the Voigtlander cancel out its (possible) superiority? And likewise, does the (probable) better focus accuracy of the Nikkor Z lens make up for that?
