I think some of the lenses you picked up were pretty good performers. They may not be the latest and greatest but they can all probably take good photographs. Check out some of the topics here in the equipment forums. You'll see many people still using dslr's, film cameras, manual focus lenses, vintage gear, etc. The new gear is nice to have but you can still do pretty good with what you have. Get a decent camera body and put them to use, you may be surprised how well you can do with them.
My AF-D 200 Micro does not seem out of the ordinary to me with focusing noise, but it is not quiet either. AF does not set any speed records, but works. In MF mode, focus is nicely smooth though. I have had a couple of copies of this lens over the years and they have all been similar in this regard.
I would suggest using the lenses for a bit and see how they perform. Not one of the lenses you listed is a poor performer optically. While they may not be as crazy sharp as some of the current generation Z lenses, they are all very close, and capable of producing professional results. Just using them for a bit can *sometimes* bring them back into good order.
jcw1982 wrote:
I think some of the lenses you picked up were pretty good performers. They may not be the latest and greatest but they can all probably take good photographs. Check out some of the topics here in the equipment forums. You'll see many people still using dslr's, film cameras, manual focus lenses, vintage gear, etc. The new gear is nice to have but you can still do pretty good with what you have. Get a decent camera body and put them to use, you may be surprised how well you can do with them.
I got excited about the purchase because there are some well known performers in the bunch, and also because I remember enjoying some of them when I had them many moons ago. I'm not hear for the latest and greatest gear, I simply cannot afford it and don't want to have to worry about damaging really REALLY expensive gear. Heck one of my favorite lenses back in the day was a 400mm f3.5 AIS. It was a tank, but when paired with the D700 especially on vintage subject matter the images it rendered were just different then what modern lenses were producing.
aisnikkor wrote:
My AF-D 200 Micro does not seem out of the ordinary to me with focusing noise, but it is not quiet either. AF does not set any speed records, but works. In MF mode, focus is nicely smooth though. I have had a couple of copies of this lens over the years and they have all been similar in this regard.
I would suggest using the lenses for a bit and see how they perform. Not one of the lenses you listed is a poor performer optically. While they may not be as crazy sharp as some of the current generation Z lenses, they are all very close, and capable of producing professional results. Just using them for a bit can *sometimes* bring them back into good order....Show more →
I have a pretty good ear for mechanical noises, especially when they are inconsistent or sound a bit off. The sound of the focusing changes somewhat dramatically when moving through the range. I don't know if what I am hearing is wrong, but it sure doesn't sound right.
I agree on just getting out and using them. I needed to decompress yesterday and set out with the 70-200 and 1.4/1.7 tele's. I had a great time, and concentrated on being in the moment and worked on my breathing just slowing down. I paid extra attention to things I haven't bothered to care about in a long time, and it was a fun adventure. The stiff/lumpy focus of the 70-200 sure did bother me though.......
So many red flags here I don't even know where to begin...
Hopefully, you didn't pay too much for moderately to heavily used pro gear that is what 10-20 years old?!
I also personally wouldn't buy DSLR gear at this point, the technology and market has moved on. Then again, it all depends on what you plan to photograph, and if you want to learn to shoot video or not.
I wouldn't touch gen 1 of anything DSLR glass related just due to the fact it's impossible to find parts for that stuff. I'm always tempted to try getting a 200F2 latest gen, but just don't because I'm never sure if it ever needs maintenance it could actually get it. AF-S version 1 of a 300 2.8 ain't on my radar. patotts wrote:
So many red flags here I don't even know where to begin...
Hopefully, you didn't pay too much for moderately to heavily used pro gear that is what 10-20 years old?!
I also personally wouldn't buy DSLR gear at this point, the technology and market has moved on. Then again, it all depends on what you plan to photograph, and if you want to learn to shoot video or not.
patotts wroteI also personally wouldn't buy DSLR gear at this point, the technology and market has moved on. Then again, it all depends on what you plan to photograph, and if you want to learn to shoot video or not.
No direct offense to you, more about the broader statement of " I really don't know what you want to do, but old gear won't get the job done". It's really frustrating to try and lead myself down a path that won't put a deep hole in my budget yet allow me to photograph images and create content I enjoy.
I honestly really still want a D700 due to the feel/look of the images, especially with old glass. I really don't NEED the sharpest, best, newest anything photography related gear to enjoy myself and print occasional wall displays at home or for friends.
Meh, don't beat yourself up about it. I think everyone here has run into an issue or two. I have. I bought a GF 23mm along with some other GF lenses. In my rush, I bought it all. Every lens was great except that 23mm that on the outside looked clean, but when I shined a light from the mount forward, towards a wall, it was horror. But that wasn't the biggest issue, because when I mounted it to my GFX100, it functioned properly. About 2-weeks later, I mounted it again and the camera through an error, over and over. It was a dud, and I had to send it to Fuji to get it both fixed and cleaned. So now I paid more than it was worth, and sold it less than I paid for it (probably one of the least desired GF lenses?), but someone got a cleaned, good lens. Oh well.
My advice as owner of multiple F mount and Z mount bodies and lenses is don’t listen to naysayers that tell you can’t get good results with older F mount bodies and lenses. Composition, technique, remain most important.
jonshonda wrote:
No direct offense to you, more about the broader statement of " I really don't know what you want to do, but old gear won't get the job done". It's really frustrating to try and lead myself down a path that won't put a deep hole in my budget yet allow me to photograph images and create content I enjoy.
I honestly really still want a D700 due to the feel/look of the images, especially with old glass. I really don't NEED the sharpest, best, newest anything photography related gear to enjoy myself and print occasional wall displays at home or for friends.
Buy a refurb Z5II for $1200, buy a used 50/1.8 for a few hundos, buy a Z 24-120, take the best pictures of your entire life with ease and every possible quality of life issue from the F era will already be behind you.
Of course you can still shoot F and get decent results, but my god, is it more enjoyable than ever to use a camera that has actual technology in it.
jonshonda wrote:
No direct offense to you, more about the broader statement of " I really don't know what you want to do, but old gear won't get the job done". It's really frustrating to try and lead myself down a path that won't put a deep hole in my budget yet allow me to photograph images and create content I enjoy.
I honestly really still want a D700 due to the feel/look of the images, especially with old glass. I really don't NEED the sharpest, best, newest anything photography related gear to enjoy myself and print occasional wall displays at home or for friends.
No offense taken. Of course you can get great results with any camera gear. My point, perhaps not well expressed, is that that I wouldn't buy very old used pro DSLR gear at this point if I was starting from scratch. If I owning it already, having used it since long, the investments has been repaid in fun, learning, good images, etc I would happily keep using that gear. I still shoot film with my Nikon F100, it is a lot of fun. Also, there is a difference in buying old camera gear that is mechanical and can in-theory work for many, many years (e.g. Nikon F3 with some nice F glass) vs buying older digital cameras and AF lenses that may be hard or expensive to service.
It is all up to you, of course. When I review old images taken with a D70, D200 or D300, there are images I absolutely love in there. But that doesn't mean that I would go buy a D70 today, given the chance. As pointed out, a nice refurb Nikon Z5 II with a minty used or refurb 24-120/4 and a little Z 40/2 in the pocket will go a long, long way, and that is where I would start if I was beginning again.
jonshonda wrote:
No direct offense to you, more about the broader statement of " I really don't know what you want to do, but old gear won't get the job done". It's really frustrating to try and lead myself down a path that won't put a deep hole in my budget yet allow me to photograph images and create content I enjoy.
I honestly really still want a D700 due to the feel/look of the images, especially with old glass. I really don't NEED the sharpest, best, newest anything photography related gear to enjoy myself and print occasional wall displays at home or for friends.
PixiPhotography wroteMeh, don't beat yourself up about it. I think everyone here has run into an issue or two. I have.
My problem is I'm trying to do too much with too little $$$ wise. I race cars, mountain bikes, and firearms...and now decided it was a good time to get back into photography and REALLY wanted to impress myself with the price paid and the gear purchased. Part of of the fun for me is scoring good deals.
CATProductions wrote:
My advice as owner of multiple F mount and Z mount bodies and lenses is don’t listen to naysayers that tell you can’t get good results with older F mount bodies and lenses. Composition, technique, remain most important.
I had forgotten that this was also an enablers hobby...we talk each other into all sorts of fun stuff. If I listened to all the suggestions from people in the other hobbies I'm involved in I would be living in a Porsche on the side of a racetrack.
RoamingScott wrote:
Buy a refurb Z5II for $1200, buy a used 50/1.8 for a few hundos, buy a Z 24-120, take the best pictures of your entire life with ease and every possible quality of life issue from the F era will already be behind you.
Of course you can still shoot F and get decent results, but my god, is it more enjoyable than ever to use a camera that has actual technology in it.
I will certainly have to test out new tech at some point, but for now I'm finding I really like shooting longer glass. Something about the compression and isolation appeal to me. I remember having lenses in the 28-50mm range and they sat in the bag more often then anything above 85mm.
patotts wrote:
No offense taken. Of course you can get great results with any camera gear. My point, perhaps not well expressed, is that that I wouldn't buy very old used pro DSLR gear at this point if I was starting from scratch.
Hope it works out! Happy snaps!
I get it and appreciate the time you took to provide input and insight. I'm going to ride the F-Mount Pro horse until I get bucked off, then probably try a few more times. I light the size, girth, and weight of the big stuff. Was I regretting bringing the 400 2.8 to the game last night even though I didn't use it....sure, but it's good training for this desk jockey.
OffTrail wrote:
Shoot with gear that you want to shoot with. It's as simple as that.
snapsy wrote:
Thanks. That actually makes me genuinely suspicious, whereas my previous suspicion was just in jest. You would think a buyer getting a great deal on those bodies would've also partaken on the lenses, assuming they were offered at the great prices implied in your OP. I'm thinking maybe those who bought the bodies might've tried the lenses you wound up buying and discovered the same issues you did only later, which would imply the window might've observed that and thus learned of the problems.
I was originally leaning against the idea of you asking for a concession or for her to take the lenses back, based on my belief the responsibility was on you to test the lenses and the fact she's a widow. Now I'm not so sure......Show more →
my take exactly.
sketchy dishonest people don't suddenly die at 50 or something, they grow old just like honest people.
bulllhockey on whether old gear can't get the job done.it's more the nut behind the viewfinder and keyboard than anything else.
jonshonda wrote:
No direct offense to you, more about the broader statement of " I really don't know what you want to do, but old gear won't get the job done". It's really frustrating to try and lead myself down a path that won't put a deep hole in my budget yet allow me to photograph images and create content I enjoy.
I honestly really still want a D700 due to the feel/look of the images, especially with old glass. I really don't NEED the sharpest, best, newest anything photography related gear to enjoy myself and print occasional wall displays at home or for friends.
What motor? The 200/4 AF-D Micro is shaft drive from the cameras AF motor.
Many times the old AF or AF-D lenses are noisy, sometimes due to the gear train in the lens and sometimes in the camera. It may be possible to CLA the lens. Of course manual focus with that lens works also.
EB-1 wrote:
Many times the old AF or AF-D lenses are noisy, sometimes due to the gear train in the lens and sometimes in the camera. It may be possible to CLA the lens. Of course manual focus with that lens works also.
EBH
If I send a few lenses into KEH for repair, I will have them give an evaluation if they feel it needs CLA. I will likely plan on manual focus for the most part w/ this lens anyways..so as long as remember to turn the focus to M on the camera it won't bother me right....right?!?!?
Sell the ones that don't work the way you want - it sucks, but you can recoup some of the losses and use that money for something new(er) that you will enjoy. e.g., sell the 70-200 and 300mm (esp. since you have a 400mm now) and even in their condition I am sure you will have enough to get a third-party 70-200 (Sigma/Tamron).
jonshonda wrote:
If I send a few lenses into KEH for repair, I will have them give an evaluation if they feel it needs CLA. I will likely plan on manual focus for the most part w/ this lens anyways..so as long as remember to turn the focus to M on the camera it won't bother me right....right?!?!?
There is a switch on the lens to engage the manual focus. Most people don't need AF and that lens was never very good anyway. 200/4 is a unique focal length for a macro/micro, so keep it if the glass is good.
austinschutz wrote:
Sell the ones that don't work the way you want - it sucks, but you can recoup some of the losses and use that money for something new(er) that you will enjoy. e.g., sell the 70-200 and 300mm (esp. since you have a 400mm now) and even in their condition I am sure you will have enough to get a third-party 70-200 (Sigma/Tamron).
Yeah I'm planning on sending them into KEH to get the down-low on the situations with them. For some reason I'm just not a third party lens guy....idk why but my stick is stuck pretty firmly in the Nikon mud.
