p.1 #1 · Sony shooter with question about Nikon Zf and manual focus
Hi all. I’ve been shooting Sony since 2017 (A7R5 and A7R3) and love the lenses and the entire system, but I also love manual focus with Voigtlander and Thypoch lenses. I currently have the following: Voigtlander 10/5.6, 21/1.4, 35/1.2, 50/1.2, and 50/1.0. I also have the Thypoch Simera 28/1.4.
My question is for those who have the Nikon Zf and have also shot manual focus with Sony. Is the manual focus experience on the Zf significantly better than on Sony? I’m specifically thinking that the eye focus confirmation on the Nikon would be very nice instead of always having to zoom in on portrait images. My thought is that I would use the Nikon Zf with adapter with all my manual focus lenses and then my Sonys with autofocus. Thanks for any info you can give me!
p.1 #2 · Sony shooter with question about Nikon Zf and manual focus
Works perfectly with chipped or non-chipped lenses. The focus confirmation is very accurate. The eye autofocus works well and Id say it's 90% to Sony performance. You have zoom in/out buttons on the back, I've found it more effective to program the video record button next to the shutter to punch in 200%. I can only speak on the Megadap Pro adapter, it works great. There's a new one out the "plus" version.
The autofocus lenses work just as well. I've used about 8 different autofocus e mount lenses on the ZF and no issues.
p.1 #3 · Sony shooter with question about Nikon Zf and manual focus
Be aware that when using adapted lenses, any digital corrections of jpeg and raw files are not incorporated into the file. There are also issues with filter stack differences between Sony and Nikon that can particularly affect wider angle lenses although I've read that different adapters can make a difference.
I've only used the Voigt 40 1.2 of an a7rc and the ZF with a Megadap pro adapter and it seems to work flawlessly.
Note also that Nikon does not support Sony's 'auto enlarge' feature (not sure of the proper feature name) that zooms in the image automatically when you manually focus. You need to assign that feature to a button as Nick mentions above.
p.1 #5 · Sony shooter with question about Nikon Zf and manual focus
Hi mudlake,
Nikon should be commended for meaningfully advancing the mirrorless manual focus experience with the release of the Zf and its manual focus aids. That said, the Zf really needs them because of a somewhat mediocre EVF (relative to what you already own).
You indicated that you have an A7RV, and I think you will be disappointed with the Zf EVF. Any advantage the manual focus aids give you is opposed by the loss of resolution and contrast you will get on the EVF panel. I personally find it much easier to manual focus on one of the Sony 9.44 million dot EVFs, either without any aids except magnification or with focus peaking depending on the situation.
I think someone who has never used a high end EVF may not realize what they are missing and be quite satisfied with the Zf EVF, but it is hard to go back and forth between a top notch EVF and the one in the Zf if you manual focus.
All that said, I still think the Zf is a fun camera and I wish Sony would experiment more in the same fashion. I often take it as my travel cam with a Voigtlander 40mm f/1.2.
p.1 #7 · Sony shooter with question about Nikon Zf and manual focus
Wow. Great info everyone! I really appreciate it. I didn’t consider the evf difference between my A7R5 and the Zf. Looking through the A7R5 with an f1.0 lens is magical.
I’ll have to look at the Nikon Z5ii as Scott suggested. Thanks again.
*edit - it looks like the Nikon Z6iii also has eye focus confirmation with a 5.76 million dot EVF. Wow. Looks like a great camera too.
p.1 #8 · Sony shooter with question about Nikon Zf and manual focus
Glad to help. I think the Z5ii has the same EVF as the Zf, but as you pointed out the Z6iii is bumped up to the 5.76 million dot EVF. It still will not be as nice as your A7RV but those EVFs are significantly better than the ones in the Zf and Z5ii.
To be honest, I do not care as much about the EVF when using AF (and the Zf EVF is perfectly fine for framing AF shots), but for me it is absolutely key for manual focus. It is hard to go back from a large and bright 9.44 million dot EVF but that 5.76 million dot one is closer than the 3.69 million dot one in the Zf for sure.
p.1 #10 · Sony shooter with question about Nikon Zf and manual focus
One thing I did not mention earlier - I find that with apertures of f/1.4 or wider the green focus confirmation box is often too fiddly to achieve critical focus on the iris with using them alone with the EVF at full FOV. You mentioned the 50mm f/1 Voigtlander and if you like to use that wide open a lot, you will still be zooming in to check focus for a portrait, so the focus aids, at least in my experience, are less useful at very wide apertures. I think they shine more if you are trying to quickly snap candids and are more in the f/2.8-or-so range. Then I think they do save more time. Just FYI.
p.1 #11 · Sony shooter with question about Nikon Zf and manual focus
RoamingScott wrote:
It does not which is why I said what I said. It's closer to the Z6iii without the refresh rate bump (more res and brighter).
Hi Scott,
According to the Nikon web site, the Z5ii EVF in fact is the same resolution as the Zf. You are correct that that it can be pushed brighter on the Z5ii. My own feeling is that is probably not enough to make a significant difference as I wouldn't say the Zf EVF is too dim.
Per Nikon (Z5ii tech specs from web site):
".27-cm/0.5-in. approx. 3690k-dot (Quad VGA) OLED electronic viewfinder with color balance and auto and 18-level manual brightness controls"
The Z5ii has an 18-level brightness control vs 13-level for the Zf, but it is otherwise the same panel. I think mudlake is right that you have to go to the Z6iii to get a meaningfully better EVF for manual focus.
