RexGig0
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 p.1 #3 · So Back to Pondering the ZR | |
The ZR’s LCD is not only big, it is bright, and very high-resolution. Mid-day, harsh August sun, In southern Texas? No problemo! I am SOLD on EVF-Less-Ness. I never liked the idea of looking into a tunnel, at a small TV.
I wear prescription eyeglasses, while shooting. An articulating screen, usable in a wide range of conditions, reduces wear and tear on my eyeglasses. Having said that, I do still like nicely-sized OVFs, so, am still using cameras that have OVFs. Rather than replace my D5 and D850 DSLRs, the ZR can complement them.
As for living without Back-Button-Focus, well, I am already accustomed to using cameras that do not offer this feature, such as Leica M. It is not all that difficult for me to know that having a small rectangular camera in my hands means there is no convenient Back Button with which to AF.
The ZR is noticeably compact. It is almost Leica M or Q small. (Actually, with that huge, honking, permanently-affixed lens, a Leica Q is NOT a compact camera! Plus, I think that a Q is also a bit taller than an M.)
Manual focus, with an F-mount Voigtlander 40mm f/2 lens having electronic communication with the camera, through the FTZ adapter, seems excellent. Next up, a 90mm Voigtlander. When I remember where I stored it, it will be a 58mm f/1.4 Voigtlander. Then, I will try non-electronic-contact F-mount lenses.
A separate experiment will be using M-mount lenses with a non-electronic-contact Voigtlander M-to-Z adapter. This may give a new lease on life, to my 75mm, 85mm, and 90mm M-mount lenses, or, may result in them being sold or traded. Still lovin’ my Leica M cameras, but, 21mm to 50mm, only.
While I like the idea of shooting video, the brief thrill I got from experimenting with the Z30, for a few weeks, did not transmit to my use of the ZR. So, to paraphrase the saying, I came (to the ZR) for the video, but stayed for the stills, thanks to the huge, bright, hi-rez LCD.
Nikkor AF-S 35mm f/1.4G: WOW! I had thought my sample of this lens was a bit too soft, unless stopped well-down. I now think that I should have tried AF Fine Tuning, a decade or more ago. I had meant to sell this lens, a few months ago, when a KEH buyer came to Holland Imaging, in Austin, Texas, but, as I got ready to leave, could not remember where I had put this lens. Yes, of course, this fast 35G does sharpen-up as it is stopped-down, but thanks to Z-cams’ more accurate AF, I was able to see the lovely, “classic” wide-open rendering, for the first time. Now that think about it, I had only used this fast 35G on a Nikon Df and maybe a D3s. I had never tried it on my pair of D5 cameras, or a D850, with their easier-to-use implementation of AF Fine Tuning.
Nikkor AF-S 58G: Again, wow! Don’t take my word for it. See the long-running thread on this this lens. Z cameras love this lens, and, it loves them back. Notably, however, I liked the accuracy of my 58G on a D5, so did not “need” a Z camera, to have a good result. The 58G is actually not a large lens, overall, so, the FTZ adapter does not result in an overly-long combo. The front element of the 58G is quite recessed, so, rather than buy a “proper” hood, I use a step-up ring to protect the front of the lens. (I had bought my 58G pre-owned, locally.)
I do not feel a need for a grip on my ZR. Perhaps it is because I am actually left-handed, with small tools, or, perhaps because I did not start using interchangeable lens cameras until a couple of issues had already started afflicting my right thumb, hand, and wrist. Or, perhaps it is because “long lens technique” was important to my shooting, early on, but, I not only support the lens and camera with my upraised left hand and forearm, but also carry them in my left hand. So, the ZR being so small is not a problem, for me. YMMV/OMMV…
The menu and controls being so much touch-screen-driven is certainly different. I bought a second Z30, to test the concept, before buying the ZR. (My wife had “seized” the first Z30 that I had bought.)
Sorry for the scattered randomness of my thoughts. Caffeine is slowly taking effect, this A.M.
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