p.71 #1 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
Mystik wrote:
Great set Roman! I've had similar succes with the Techart LMEA9 on my Sony a7cr, and have even used the adapter for some event and wedding work. It works surprisingly well so long as you are aware of that it is kind of slow and moving across long focal distances but is very reliable at making small adjustments. Apply a little rangefinder mentallity of pre-focusing to get the adapter in ballpark range before you to take the main shot. So long as you aren't shooting something moving rapidly across different focal ranges, it works great...including when I used it with the 75 Nokton.
I prefer the MF/RF process for the engaging shooting experience. That to me is the whole point of M lenses. This adapter feels like cheating hah but for use cases where you need to focus quickly with a high hit rate with M lenses, this is a nice option...Show more →
I agree. At first the Techart AF adapter seemed like the best invention ever, but after a while it started defeating the purpose of shooting manual lenses for me. What I like about non-AF lenses is that I still have to do the work, even on the Zf with its focus confirmation. It's still real, hands-on focusing. AF lenses obviously have their place, but for pure pleasure and shooting experience, I prefer the rangefinder first, and then my new favorite mirrorless, the Zf, just because of how well manual focus was implemented there. Okay, I also just like how the camera looks and handles too.
p.71 #2 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
Fred Miranda wrote:
I agree. At first the Techart AF adapter seemed like the best invention ever, but after a while it started defeating the purpose of shooting manual lenses for me. What I like about non-AF lenses is that I still have to do the work, even on the Zf with its focus confirmation. It's still real, hands-on focusing. AF lenses obviously have their place, but for pure pleasure and shooting experience, I prefer the rangefinder first, and then my new favorite mirrorless, the Zf, just because of how well manual focus was implemented there. Okay, I also just like how the camera looks and handles too. ...Show more →
p.71 #3 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
Yeah, towards the end of the night I turned off the AF and gave the MF with green box confirmation a shot. It worked pretty well. I did find the box would jump between yellow and green quite rapidly. It felt slightly more unstable than continuous AF, but when it was green, it was absolutely in focus.
I'm still looking for a digital solution to shoot my M lenses. I thought it would be the M EV1, but it was mostly a miss for me. The ZF is cool, but it's my partner's, and I just bought it for her as a gift 😅
I still totally think Leica should make one of these for the SL. It's got limitations, but so do their other accessories, lol. Charge a crazy markup for it and profit! They like money over there!
Mystik wrote:
Great set Roman! I've had similar succes with the Techart LMEA9 on my Sony a7cr, and have even used the adapter for some event and wedding work. It works surprisingly well so long as you are aware of that it is kind of slow and moving across long focal distances but is very reliable at making small adjustments. Apply a little rangefinder mentallity of pre-focusing to get the adapter in ballpark range before you to take the main shot. So long as you aren't shooting something moving rapidly across different focal ranges, it works great...including when I used it with the 75 Nokton.
I prefer the MF/RF process for the engaging shooting experience. That to me is the whole point of M lenses. This adapter feels like cheating hah but for use cases where you need to focus quickly with a high hit rate with M lenses, this is a nice option...Show more →
p.71 #4 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
Fred Miranda wrote:
At first the Techart AF adapter seemed like the best invention ever, but after a while it started defeating the purpose of shooting manual lenses for me.
I'm using a LM-EA9 on an A7r V. One custom key is dedicated to activate AF or not.
So I can focus manually most of the time but still use the excellent AF when I need to.
At first, I thought that the lack of smart focusing aids like Nikon's would be an issue but the excellent viewfinder allow me to do what I want.
p.71 #5 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
RomanMF wrote:
Yeah, towards the end of the night I turned off the AF and gave the MF with green box confirmation a shot. It worked pretty well. I did find the box would jump between yellow and green quite rapidly. It felt slightly more unstable than continuous AF, but when it was green, it was absolutely in focus.
I'm still looking for a digital solution to shoot my M lenses. I thought it would be the M EV1, but it was mostly a miss for me. The ZF is cool, but it's my partner's, and I just bought it for her as a gift 😅
I still totally think Leica should make one of these for the SL. It's got limitations, but so do their other accessories, lol. Charge a crazy markup for it and profit! They like money over there!
I think if the M EV1 implemented focus confirmation like the ZF it would be perfect. I've not used the M EV1, but I do have a Visoflex 2 on the M11. The whole magnify to focus process is not great and this is why I migrated from Sony to Leica in the first place. ZF is cool but its kind of bulky. No goldilocks solution out there for sure
p.71 #6 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
Fred Miranda wrote:
I agree. At first the Techart AF adapter seemed like the best invention ever, but after a while it started defeating the purpose of shooting manual lenses for me. What I like about non-AF lenses is that I still have to do the work, even on the Zf with its focus confirmation. It's still real, hands-on focusing. AF lenses obviously have their place, but for pure pleasure and shooting experience, I prefer the rangefinder first, and then my new favorite mirrorless, the Zf, just because of how well manual focus was implemented there. Okay, I also just like how the camera looks and handles too. ...Show more →
I think a lot of us got the ZF because it looks cool hah but kept it because of how it overall performs. MF confirmation is awesome but the AF of this thing is better than it should be at its level too
p.71 #7 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
Mystik wrote:
I think if the M EV1 implemented focus confirmation like the ZF it would be perfect. I've not used the M EV1, but I do have a Visoflex 2 on the M11. The whole magnify to focus process is not great and this is why I migrated from Sony to Leica in the first place. ZF is cool but its kind of bulky. No goldilocks solution out there for sure
100%, I hope Leica is taking note. The Zf's focus confirmation gives a shooting experience similar to the rangefinder, since you don't have to disrupt your flow to magnify the image or hunt for focus peaking which I find very distracting.
p.71 #8 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
And yet, for decades, entire generations of photographers used the flip-up magnifiers on the waist-level finders of their Hasselblads, Rolleiflexes, Pentaxes, Mamiyas and Bronicas to create iconic images—without a single one ever complaining about a disrupted workflow. You lot today are simply far too spoiled.😄
p.71 #9 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
The Visoflex 2 was unavailable during my last digital M loan, but I was curious about it! EVF resolution and frame rate seemed too low, but I still like the idea. Having the traditional rangefinder experience for 70% of use, and then getting the viewfinder for times when you're shooting ultra-fast lenses or the light gets low sounds great.
ZFs are so "affordable," on here I'll probably end up grabbing one to use my M glass more frequently. Mystik wrote:
I think if the M EV1 implemented focus confirmation like the ZF it would be perfect. I've not used the M EV1, but I do have a Visoflex 2 on the M11. The whole magnify to focus process is not great and this is why I migrated from Sony to Leica in the first place. ZF is cool but its kind of bulky. No goldilocks solution out there for sure
p.71 #10 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
RomanMF wrote:
ZFs are so "affordable," on here I'll probably end up grabbing one to use my M glass more frequently.
I highly recommend it, and I like the fact that it's "only" 24MP. This makes M-mount lenses appear to perform better with the camera's thicker sensor stack, without magnifying flaws that come from using M lenses designed for thinner sensor stacks, the way high megapixel sensors tend to.
p.71 #12 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
I barely had to touch the ZF files too. The colors were great, the noise was fine (even at 6400 ISO). I was quite smitten by the experience. It's a little heavy, and definitely needs a grip (not unlike Leicas), but I quite enjoyed it!
p.71 #13 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
I have found Rich Tone Portrait is the best overall built-in profile as a starting point.
RomanMF wrote:
I barely had to touch the ZF files too. The colors were great, the noise was fine (even at 6400 ISO). I was quite smitten by the experience. It's a little heavy, and definitely needs a grip (not unlike Leicas), but I quite enjoyed it!
p.71 #14 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
I got the Shoten M42--->Z chipped adapter a while back. Focus confirmation with focus peaking has given my older manual lenses a fresh leash on life.
All these pictures were shot with the Fujinon EBC 50 f/1.4 on the Nikon Zf. As expected most of the pictures are a bit soft but i quite like the lens. Flair control is non existent though lol.
IMO it's an underrated lens from the SLR days.
p.71 #15 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
Fred Miranda wrote:
100%, I hope Leica is taking note. The Zf's focus confirmation gives a shooting experience similar to the rangefinder, since you don't have to disrupt your flow to magnify the image or hunt for focus peaking which I find very distracting.
Fred, I already bought my alternative to the M EV1, though I have decided upon EVF-lessness, in the form of the tiny, almost-pocketable Nikon ZR. The “yuge” articulating LCD screen won me over. Whether or not a ZF becomes a compelling addition remains to be seen, but if/when attrition starts claiming my Leica M bodies, I cannot foresee replacing them with post-M10-series Leica M bodies.
p.71 #16 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
Did encounter some issues with the Techart adapter today specifically when using manual focus. On my Voigtlander 35 F/1.5, I can't focus to infinity manually. If I flick it back into AF mode, the adapter does its thing and I can hit infinity focus no problem. I'm assuming this is due to whatever position the adapter is last in when you go to switch it into MF mode. IDK. Interesting quirk.
p.71 #17 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
RexGig0 wrote:
Fred, I already bought my alternative to the M EV1, though I have decided upon EVF-lessness, in the form of the tiny, almost-pocketable Nikon ZR. The “yuge” articulating LCD screen won me over. Whether or not a ZF becomes a compelling addition remains to be seen, but if/when attrition starts claiming my Leica M bodies, I cannot foresee replacing them with post-M10-series Leica M bodies.
Nikon really needs to make a compact, photography-centric body like this. The ZR is clearly geared toward video, and for me, half the fun of shooting is using a proper viewfinder. If they ever made a smaller, trimmed-down version of the Zf, keeping the focus confirmation, I'd be all over it!
p.71 #18 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
Fred Miranda wrote:
Nikon really needs to make a compact, photography-centric body like this. The ZR is clearly geared toward video, and for me, half the fun of shooting is using a proper viewfinder. If they ever made a smaller, trimmed-down version of the Zf, keeping the focus confirmation, I'd be all over it!
id switch if NIkon did Zf type camera similiar to a7c body/weight
p.71 #19 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
RoamingScott wrote:
I have found Rich Tone Portrait is the best overall built-in profile as a starting point.
100% agree...RTP just looks right to me sooc about 90% of the time and I barely touch the raw files from my Zf. When I do need to edit it honestly is just a basic curve adjustment or wb correction, I find the Zf runs a little warm indoors when on auto wb (even when using a0 to reduce warm colors).
Even when shooting video with my Zf I just leave it in program mode and use RTP and it just looks nice for my home movies.
I really want to get a MF lens like the voigtlander 40 for the Zf but I have been too indecisive about where to start.
