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Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses

buggz
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p.39 #1 · p.39 #1 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses

Usage: When the adapter is installed on the camera and no electronic lens is
installed, turn on the camera and set it in photo shooting mode. (We use a 135mm
manual lens as a sample)
1) Half press and hold shutter button (or AF-ON button). Press AFL button (Center
of sub-selector by default) for 3 times. Release shutter button (or AF-ON button).
2) Now, there should be a F1.1 on the screen. It means we are now inputting the first
digit of the focal length number.
3) Press AFL button once. Now the F number displayed on the screen represents the
value currently stored. F10 means 0, F11 means 1, …, F19 means 9.
4) Press AFL button for multiple times until current digit reaches the value you want.
Each time after it’s pressed, current digit will increase by 1. For example, we need
to set it to 1 for a 135mm lens.
5) Half press shutter button (or AF-ON button) and release it. Now, there should be
a F2.2 on the screen. It means we are now inputting the second digit of the focal
length number.
6) Repeat step 3 to 4 to set the second digit. For example, we need to set it to 3 for a
135mm lens.
7) Half press shutter button (or AF-ON button) and release it. Now, there should be
a F3.3 on the screen. It means we are now inputting the third digit of the focal
length number.
8) Repeat step 3 to 4 to set the third digit. For example, we need to set it to 5 for a
135mm lens.
9) Half press shutter button (or AF-ON button) and release it. Now, there should be
a F1 on the screen. It means the focal length number has been stored and the
camera has returned to photo shooting mode.
During the above process, you may cancel at any time by turning of the camera. In
that case, the focal length value stored won’t be changed.
After a new value is set, you may take a photo and check the focal length field in
the EXIF. The value is stored in the adapter permanently and won’t be affected by
turning off the camera or removing the battery from the camera.

Aug 05, 2024 at 02:02 PM

RoamingScott
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p.39 #2 · p.39 #2 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses

Do you have to do that every time you mount a different dumb lens?

Aug 05, 2024 at 02:12 PM

buggz
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p.39 #3 · p.39 #3 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses

Shrug, after doing all that, still seems to work.

I will try a different type mount dumb adapter, and different focal length dumb lens, with the Fringer and perform again.

Edited on Aug 05, 2024 at 06:08 PM · View previous versions

Aug 05, 2024 at 02:16 PM

fjablo
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p.39 #4 · p.39 #4 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses

Pretty cool that they included this functionality.

That workflow for setting the focal length seems kind of impractical though :/

Aug 05, 2024 at 04:49 PM

photonc
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p.39 #5 · p.39 #5 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses

For non chipped Nikon F lenses you can use the TTArtisan 6bit adapter ring and a cheap Nikon F to M adapter and you would get focus confirmation.

Aug 05, 2024 at 05:00 PM

buggz
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p.39 #6 · p.39 #6 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses

Yeah, in the end, you don't get to see what it is set at, you would have to go through the whole procedure to see the settings.
Maybe, this could be changed via another firmware version, I did flash mine to the latest, after verifying it worked when I received mine.

fjablo wrote:
Pretty cool that they included this functionality.

That workflow for setting the focal length seems kind of impractical though :/

Aug 05, 2024 at 06:03 PM

buggz
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p.39 #7 · p.39 #7 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses

I will have to test...

RoamingScott wrote:
Do you have to do that every time you mount a different dumb lens?

Aug 05, 2024 at 06:05 PM

buggz
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p.39 #8 · p.39 #8 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses

I will guess for correct IBIS working, yes.
For GREEN focus box, no, it seems to work with all the dumb lens.
I just changed to an M42 mount lens, old Vivitar 135mm f2.8 Close Focus lens, with an M42/EF mount adapter.
Fringer EF-NZ II adapter GREEN focus box works.

This is a great adapter.

RoamingScott wrote:
Do you have to do that every time you mount a different dumb lens?

Aug 05, 2024 at 07:30 PM

highdesertmesa
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p.39 #9 · p.39 #9 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses

buggz wrote:
I will guess for correct IBIS working, yes.
For GREEN focus box, no, it seems to work with all the dumb lens.
I just changed to an M42 mount lens, old Vivitar 135mm f2.8 Close Focus lens, with an M42/EF mount adapter.
Fringer EF-NZ II adapter GREEN focus box works.

This is a great adapter.

Have you tested that the green focus box is accurate, though? Especially with wide aperture lenses shot wide open.

If so, it means the limitations on the green box focus confirmation from Nikon are artificial.

Aug 05, 2024 at 08:07 PM

buggz
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p.39 #10 · p.39 #10 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses

I will test this.
Though, at f1.4, it seems to be accurate with the focus peaking and a close subject.
I have a Minolta MC Rokkor-PG 58mm f1.2 I could test later, as for some reason I cannot find the EF/SR adapter.
Maybe already on one of the lenses?
Sigh, I have boxes of lenses from ALL kinds of systems, I need to get organized, some how, some year...

highdesertmesa wrote:
Have you tested that the green focus box is accurate, though? Especially with wide aperture lenses shot wide open.
If so, it means the limitations on the green box focus confirmation from Nikon are artificial.

Aug 05, 2024 at 08:34 PM

Sonnar-7
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p.39 #11 · p.39 #11 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses

LLL Speed Panchro II & Nikon Zf

Aug 06, 2024 at 12:31 AM

C.Rankin
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p.39 #12 · p.39 #12 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses

Nikon Zf CV 50mm f1

Sunset Cowgirl 1 Final (1 of 1) by Christopher Rankin, on Flickr

Really considering picking up the CV 75mm f1.5 in Z mount as well.

Aug 07, 2024 at 12:07 AM

Sonnar-7
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p.39 #13 · p.39 #13 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses

MS-Optics Apoqualia 35mm 1.3 II Slim & Nikon Zf

Aug 07, 2024 at 08:03 AM

saxguy
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p.39 #14 · p.39 #14 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses

As a Leica shooter, I have a Fuji X100VI on order to use as a daily carry (I had the Q3 but I'm not a 28mm fan). I'm beginning to wonder if the Zf with a fast Z Mount Voigtlander lens would be a better choice being that the manual focus aids are so helpful. The CV 40 1.2 was always one of my favorite lenses, both in E mount when I shot Sony and and M mount for my SL systems.

Aug 07, 2024 at 11:15 AM

RoamingScott
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p.39 #15 · p.39 #15 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses

saxguy wrote:
As a Leica shooter, I have a Fuji X100VI on order to use as a daily carry (I had the Q3 but I'm not a 28mm fan). I'm beginning to wonder if the Zf with a fast Z Mount Voigtlander lens would be a better choice being that the manual focus aids are so helpful. The CV 40 1.2 was always one of my favorite lenses, both in E mount when I shot Sony and and M mount for my SL systems.

I haven't picked up my X100V since getting the ZF and 35 APO.

That said, they are completely different experiences in practice. The X100 is the far more "portable" option, but by the same token, the far less flexible option. It's superior for JPEG output IMO, where the ZF is superior for RAW output.

The X100 output will always look like a character lens, where the ZF can be fitted to output whatever you choose.

The way I boil it down is I enjoy the X100 as a digital "film" camera, and the ZF is simply a great smaller form factor Nikon digital.

Aug 07, 2024 at 11:37 AM

saxguy
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p.39 #16 · p.39 #16 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses

RoamingScott wrote:
I haven't picked up my X100V since getting the ZF and 35 APO.

That said, they are completely different experiences in practice. The X100 is the far more "portable" option, but by the same token, the far less flexible option. It's superior for JPEG output IMO, where the ZF is superior for RAW output.

The X100 output will always look like a character lens, where the ZF can be fitted to output whatever you choose.

The way I boil it down is I enjoy the X100 as a digital "film" camera, and the ZF is simply a great smaller form factor Nikon...Show more →

I haven't handled a Zf. I don't know how much smaller it is than my SL3 with an APO lens attached. The draw for me is a smaller camera with the Zf's manual focus experience. I like to travel with primes, so I usually take a kit with my SL3 and the 21/35/50/75 APO Summicron-SL lenses. The Voigtlanders are really good and smaller than my APOs. I can manually focus, but my eyesight is not as good as it used to be. Nailing eye focus with the Zf should be relatively easy with the confirmation it gives with a recognized coded lens.

Aug 07, 2024 at 11:51 AM

highdesertmesa
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p.39 #17 · p.39 #17 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses

saxguy wrote:
I haven't handled a Zf. I don't know how much smaller it is than my SL3 with an APO lens attached. The draw for me is a smaller camera with the Zf's manual focus experience. I like to travel with primes, so I usually take a kit with my SL3 and the 21/35/50/75 APO Summicron-SL lenses. The Voigtlanders are really good and smaller than my APOs. I can manually focus, but my eyesight is not as good as it used to be. Nailing eye focus with the Zf should be relatively easy with the confirmation it gives with a recognized...Show more →

Can't comment on the SL lens size, but the Zf is not a small nor a light camera. Depends on how you dress it up as well. With a grip and big lens like the Voigtlander 50 f/1 attached, it feels like a Pentax 67. With no grip and small lens, it's not bad. SL3 with a small Sigma lens should be similar.

Something else to keep in mind is the Zf has a pretty heavy AA filter – you will not see the same pixel level sharpness even with a Voigtlander Z APO that you're getting with an SL body plus APO lens. The Zf APO combo is still very sharp, but expect something more filmic at the pixel level versus a camera without an AA filter.

Aug 07, 2024 at 12:15 PM

mbphoto_2.8
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p.39 #18 · p.39 #18 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses

The Fringer adapter appears to be using something like a Dandelion chip (aaah, the memories! I've used dozens of those on my Canon DSLR with great success.. but Iused a separate adapter for every single lens, just to avoid having to re-set the aperture and focal lenght everytime.)

( anything to EF adapters with chip.. they were only 10 bucks a piece from K&F concept, so not too bad)

Regarding the accuracy of the green focus box:
It's certainly a LOT better than focus peaking!

Hell, it's a LOT better than zooming in to 200%, then re-framing the shot to get it right..

Using the 180mm f/1.8 from Leica, (with the Neewer Adapter claiming it's a 50mm lens), the focus is absolutely spot on.

So yeah, Nikon not activating that for unchipped lenses is just evil on their part!

Aug 08, 2024 at 04:58 AM

Sonnar-7
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p.39 #19 · p.39 #19 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses

Light Lens Lab Speed Panchro II 50mm f2 & Nikon Zf

Aug 12, 2024 at 05:53 AM

Jepser
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p.39 #20 · p.39 #20 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses

Elmar 3.5cm (1940, uncoated) @ F3.5, B/W in camera.


	DSC_8746_elmar35mm_small by Jesper Ericson, on Flickr

Edited on Aug 18, 2024 at 05:46 PM · View previous versions

Aug 18, 2024 at 05:43 PM

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