leighton w wrote:
I grew up on MF lenses with my last set up being the Nikon F3. I sold that and was out of photography for a while until I was hired as the market manager of our local farmers' market. That job required that I take photos and post them on our social media sites so I bought a D70 and then a D7000 and only used AF lenses. I was thinking about getting a micro lens and started doing research and that's when I found this thread that some dude named Curtis started. Well, the rest is history and I became so hooked on these lenses that I sold all of my AF lenses and still do not own one to this day. ...Show more →
My first digital Nikon was a D70; I did own a F100 that I sold to buy the D70. Unfortunately, my D70 suffered a water accident, and eventually, I bought the D200. That was when I started to buy my prime lenses.
I need to celebrate once again my good fortune in coming upon an advertisement on FM for three manual focus lenses for sale. I'd seen the same lenses listed on E-Bay but the seller didn't get the price he wanted. Although he listed them at a lower price here, I still felt I should offer less. Fortunately, he accepted my offer. Those three lenses were with me when I traveled to the Netherlands... THESE beauties...
THIS is what this thread is all about folks... beautiful OLD lenses we have the opportunity to use while taking photos. The 20 mm lens at the time I bought it was the last serial number listed on photosynthesis.co.nz... our favorite resource. These lenses all appeared to be brand new.
CGrindahl wrote:
So you shared SOME of my adventure... traveling with a manual focus lens. That shot looks like it might have come from the main square but all of Delft is a delight. I visited Rinie in the Netherlands again, but we stayed only a few days before heading off to Turkey. Like so many Europeans, she had quite a bit of leave granted each year and she loved to travel. I was happy to be her companion both in Europe and when she visited California where I live. The invitation to visit is always there but the combination of COVID and advancing years have slowed me down. Glad you were able to take a trip....Show more →
I was supposed to have gone to Paris in March 2020, and then Covid came! Finally, I took a few days to meet a friend in Holland.
CGrindahl wrote:
I need to celebrate once again my good fortune in coming upon an advertisement on FM for three manual focus lenses for sale. I'd seen the same lenses listed on E-Bay but the seller didn't get the price he wanted. Although he listed them at a lower price here, I still felt I should offer less. Fortunately, he accepted my offer. Those three lenses were with me when I traveled to the Netherlands... THESE beauties...
THIS is what this thread is all about folks... beautiful OLD lenses we have the opportunity to use while taking photos. The 20 mm lens at the time I bought it was the last serial number listed on photosynthesis.co.nz... our favorite resource. These lenses all appeared to be brand new....Show more →
They are beauties. We have started referring to such nice lenses as "Rafael grade" around here now.
CGrindahl wrote:
I need to celebrate once again my good fortune in coming upon an advertisement on FM for three manual focus lenses for sale. I'd seen the same lenses listed on E-Bay but the seller didn't get the price he wanted. Although he listed them at a lower price here, I still felt I should offer less. Fortunately, he accepted my offer. Those three lenses were with me when I traveled to the Netherlands... THESE beauties...
THIS is what this thread is all about folks... beautiful OLD lenses we have the opportunity to use while taking photos. The 20 mm lens at the time I bought it was the last serial number listed on photosynthesis.co.nz... our favorite resource. These lenses all appeared to be brand new....Show more →
I mainly used the 24mm f2.8, 50mm f1.2, and 45mm f2.8P in my trip.
leighton w wrote:
They are beauties. We have started referring to such nice lenses as "Rafael grade" around here now.
I was around enough to understand that phrase, though to be honest, it was Dean in Hong Kong who motivated me to seek out the cleanest lenses I could. Of course, he had access to all those camera shops in his hometown while Rafael and the rest of us were scrambling on E-Bay and local camera shops. All that said, both Dean and Rafael had much deeper pockets with which to support their buying sprees. And who could forget Andy from Europe who owned pristine copies of just about everything Nikon produced. I'll never forget his collections of digital cameras and 80-200/70-200 lenses. I actually found it...
Takes my breath away. He was the first to bring a NOCT to the thread. He also introduced me to the excellent 25-50 f/4 AI-s. Those were the days my friend...
Ben,
The tie-in is what many consider to be old obsolete hardware being pressed back into service and allowed to shine again. I rescue old computer hardware all the time, and old Nikkor lenses. I image the photos on mainly old computers, but recently dipped my toe into more current computer offerings. I love that last line about Intel and the tone curve just right!
Jim
BSPhotog wrote:
I'm struck by the irony of talking about cutting edge computing in a thread full of photos from 60 year-old-lenses. What if we talked computers like we do lenses? "I really feel like the Intel processors help me slow down my editing process and really focus on getting the tone curve just right. Apple silicon is fine, but I really feel more connected with this experience"
Barb picked tomatoes recently, and I imaged this shot from the RAW file using software that I own, but disliked on Windows. Luminar v4 has the same problem on both platforms - the DAM is useless. However, as a light-weight editor it worked well. (As did Aftershot pro v3 that I got for some linux work) What was impressive - the mini is twice as fast on some imaging operations than one of my ten year old tricked out PCs
Imaged on the mini using Luminar v4
Finished up on one of other PCs because on the PC display the image looked flat. Preferrence?
BSPhotog wrote:
I'm struck by the irony of talking about cutting edge computing in a thread full of photos from 60 year-old-lenses. What if we talked computers like we do lenses? "I really feel like the Intel processors help me slow down my editing process and really focus on getting the tone curve just right. Apple silicon is fine, but I really feel more connected with this experience"
Never thought of the irony, but you're right. Having said that, I am LOVING Apple silicon mainly for the fact that my machine never heats up, nor do I ever hear the fans cut on while processing images. I can't say that about my old intel MBP. Besides that, my photo processing app of choice never ran all that well on my MBP. No problems with my Mac Mini. I guess if I would have had a different intel processor things might have been better.
James Markus wrote:
Barb picked tomatoes recently, and I imaged this shot from the RAW file using software that I own, but disliked on Windows. Luminar v4 has the same problem on both platforms - the DAM is useless. However, as a light-weight editor it worked well. (As did Aftershot pro v3 that I got for some linux work) What was impressive - the mini is twice as fast on some imaging operations than one of my ten year old tricked out PCs
CGrindahl wrote:
I was around enough to understand that phrase, though to be honest, it was Dean in Hong Kong who motivated me to seek out the cleanest lenses I could. Of course, he had access to all those camera shops in his hometown while Rafael and the rest of us were scrambling on E-Bay and local camera shops. All that said, both Dean and Rafael had much deeper pockets with which to support their buying sprees. And who could forget Andy from Europe who owned pristine copies of just about everything Nikon produced. I'll never forget his collections of digital cameras and 80-200/70-200 lenses. I actually found it...
Takes my breath away. He was the first to bring a NOCT to the thread. He also introduced me to the excellent 25-50 f/4 AI-s. Those were the days my friend......Show more →
BSPhotog wrote:
I'm struck by the irony of talking about cutting edge computing in a thread full of photos from 60 year-old-lenses. What if we talked computers like we do lenses? "I really feel like the Intel processors help me slow down my editing process and really focus on getting the tone curve just right. Apple silicon is fine, but I really feel more connected with this experience"
Excellent (and hilarious) point Ben! So help us out by picking up some MF Nikon glass and a Pentium PC, and join in on the slow-motion fun!
I'll add my 2 cents to the how-I-got-here discussion. My first digital camera was a Canon Powershot A20, which was followed by a Powershot G7. I had a great time with these impressive little instruments, but I soon felt limited by the permanently attached zoom lens, and my Dad had a Nikon D50 (with an 18-55 kit zoom) that he wasn't making much use of, so I cajoled him into selling it to me. I was smitten by the newfound wide world of possibilities and it wasn't long before I upgraded to a D300 and a well-rounded collection of AF lenses. That fantastic camera was followed in 2012 by my D800E and some really fabulous AF glass (e. g. 24-70 f/2.8, 70-200 f/2.8 VRII, 85 f/1.4 D, etc.). Then I came across this thread during a time when the 50-135 f/3.5 had become popularized here as the"Leighton lens" and was being used by its namesake and others to produce very pleasing results. I was resonating with the idea that turning the focus ring (and the aperture ring) by hand could slow down the photographic experience and make it more immersive, so I bought a 50-135 and got started on the MFNG path that led me, as of today, to owning zero AF lenses, two visible spectrum camera bodies, and two IR converted bodies, and an increasingly enjoyable stable of MFNG.
milt wrote:
I mainly used the 24mm f2.8, 50mm f1.2, and 45mm f2.8P in my trip.
Those are great lenses for rambling around a European city with their narrow streets. I came to the 24 f/2.8 AI-s quite late in my journey and I'd become familiar with the 28 f/2.8 AI-s and seldom use the 24. Funny thing is I bought it from a lovely Japanese gentleman who was selling it so he could buy his FIRST AF lens. His son facilitated the transaction at a filling station where we met. His dad didn't speak English. It is a beautiful lens... that deserves more attention.
CGrindahl wrote:
Those are great lenses for rambling around a European city with their narrow streets. I came to the 24 f/2.8 AI-s quite late in my journey and I'd become familiar with the 28 f/2.8 AI-s and seldom use the 24. Funny thing is I bought it from a lovely Japanese gentleman who was selling it so he could buy his FIRST AF lens. His son facilitated the transaction at a filling station where we met. His dad didn't speak English. It is a beautiful lens... that deserves more attention.
Curtis, the funny thing is that I did not remember having the 24mm f2.8. It came with the Nikon F2A I bought in 2015 for my son to take photography classes at high school. Eventually, he became more interested in film production and completely ignored his F2A. I almost bought a 24mm AF (used) for $1,000. Not knowing if I would like the range, I finally remembered that the F2A had a 24mm f2.8, so I started to use it and loved it. End of the history, I decided I did not need an AF one. I saved a lot of money!
Love hearing your story Glen. Honestly, something like that has been said by a great many people who've found their way to this thread. I take no personal pride in the fact these lenses speak so beautifully to those willing to take the risk of turning the focusing ring. Your experience echoes mine is a certain way.
The first thread I started about manual focus Nikon lenses was devoted to the lens that started everything for me... the venerable 105 f/2.5 AI-s. I suggested in that conversation that perhaps it made sense for SOMEONE to start a thread about ALL of these amazing lenses. I figured as a relative newcomer to these lenses that it should be someone else who started the thread. But the days slipped by and no one did! And so I jumped in, fully expecting a conversation that would last for three or four pages. I think Laura was one of those who suggested this conversation had staying power. Little did any of us know it would last thirteen years. And, honestly, I can't imagine why it would ever stop. These lenses aren't going away... they are built like tanks and definitely perform well. Yes, some are strange but then who wants the same old, same old?
Glad you found us Glen and decided to come play with us. Now you've become a regular, showing newbies what it is all about. I appreciate your photos by the water but I also love the car photos... one of my favorite ways to exercise these lenses...
milt wrote:
Curtis, the funny thing is that I did not remember having the 24mm f2.8. It came with the Nikon F2A I bought in 2015 for my son to take photography classes at high school. Eventually, he became more interested in film production and completely ignored his F2A. I almost bought a 24mm AF (used) for $1,000. Not knowing if I would like the range, I finally remembered that the F2A had a 24mm f2.8, so I started to use it and loved it. End of the history, I decided I did not need an AF one. I saved a lot of money!...Show more →
You are obviously a very smart and discerning woman Regina. I eventually liberated about $12,000 by selling Canon professional lenses and the 5D... all of which I put to good use in building my Nikon kit. I had fun building that Canon kit but even more fun USING the Nikon manual focus lenses I bought. We each have our story, don't we?
How did you stumble on this thread? Clearly you found an online home where you can share this particular passion...
With all this renewed talk of our beloved lenses, and the fact that I passed my 3rd MRI since my last liver operation with flying colors, I am feeling motivated to get out and shoot more. Think I'll go to the market tomorrow morning to see what I can find.
CGrindahl wrote:
You are obviously a very smart and discerning woman Regina. I eventually liberated about $12,000 by selling Canon professional lenses and the 5D... all of which I put to good use in building my Nikon kit. I had fun building that Canon kit but even more fun USING the Nikon manual focus lenses I bought. We each have our story, don't we?
How did you stumble on this thread? Clearly you found an online home where you can share this particular passion...
Curtis, as you can see, I registered on FM in 2006 when I bought my D200. However, I never participated or posted pictures. Time passed, and in 2015, I bought a couple of manual lenses, and I use those lenses sporadically. One day, I was searching on the internet about manual lenses, and then the "Manual Focus Nikon Glass" thread came into my search. Initially, I was only checking out the posts and pictures until one day, I dared to post some pictures, and everybody was so welcome. I enjoy using my manual lenses, and my collection has increased (I will need eventually to sell some of my AF lenses)
leighton w wrote:
With all this renewed talk of our beloved lenses, and the fact that I passed my 3rd MRI since my last liver operation with flying colors, I am feeling motivated to get out and shoot more. Think I'll go to the market tomorrow morning to see what I can find.
Exciting news my friend. We're all here on borrowed time. Often we're preoccupied with the challenges that life brings us, but occasionally we're given a bit of time to simply breathe. What we do with that time is the open question. Honestly, I think picking up a camera with a manual focus lens attached and then wandering around our world a bit, is a VERY sensible choice to make. I'll be at the farmer's market with Sue on Sunday. Perhaps I'll bring my Df with a 55 f/1.2 S.C. AI attached to see what I come up with. We can compare notes next week...
