One more from Scotland, somewhere along the way... don't remember exactly where. But we had a nice afternoon tea while enjoying this view. Pano with the 50mm f/1.2 AI-S.
HCE HCE wrote:
Markus A better bet is the 135mm f/2.8. The f/3.5 is not as contrasty, is prone to flare and not as sharp. A lot of f/2.8s were made so these are widely available and inexpensive.
Thanks for the info, Jay! I went on ebay and got stuck with a Zeiss 35mm f/2.4 first, so the 135mm purchase will have to wait (ok ok, it's not a Nikkor... but one should keep an open mind ). One of the best features of the Z6 IMHO: it opens up so many possibilities to adapt great vintage glass. I have a M42 adapter coming, want to look into some glass I've been made curious about on flickr. Of course that doesn't mean I love my Nikkors any less!
Took the 58mm Noct out in the real world for the first time. I am scared to handle this lens.
All shot wide open at f1.2 (because I have other lenses that do smaller apertures :P). Architecture and abstract is not that lens' forte nor mine, but here it is nevertheless:
So who is out in their back yards trying to focus those long MF lenses on the eclipse right now?
I've given up on the MF 600mm f/4 - it is so hard to focus on a bright moon, I don't think I'd get anything in focus when we have that full eclipse in 90 minutes. Having it down to -5F here doesn't help with the motivation to swap out lenses on a tripod that's ice covered the moment I bring it into the house. Crips clear skies, though. Also a good opportunity to wear my big base camp puffer down jacket again. Too warm pretty much for anything other than standing around in -10F weather looking at a steamed up live view screen.
Slowcaptain wrote:
Took the 58mm Noct out in the real world for the first time. I am scared to handle this lens.
All shot wide open at f1.2 (because I have other lenses that do smaller apertures :P). Architecture and abstract is not that lens' forte nor mine, but here it is nevertheless:
Welcome to this forum! Don’t be afraid to use the NOCT it is a fun lens and usually hangs on my Df, 810 and now Z6. Reagan a ling time contributer to this thread wants to know why I always shoot it at 1.2. The answer is simple ... because it great wide open.
Ken Hill wrote:
Welcome to this forum! Don’t be afraid to use the NOCT it is a fun lens and usually hangs on my Df, 810 and now Z6. Reagan a ling time contributer to this thread wants to know why I always shoot it at 1.2. The answer is simple ... because it great wide open.
Like your shots! Terrific library shot!
Thanks a lot for the welcome and kind words. All shots are from Seattle Public Library, it is a marvel. Today, it was a typical Seattle day so there wasn't much sunlight-shadow play which I was hoping to capture.
And that is my point as well! I think the lens was MADE to shoot at 1.2 - that it shoots at other apertures is just bonus.
The lens being asked about is the 50mm 1:1.8S originally made for Japanese distribution.
It was the first 50mm 1.8 Ai-s lens: From Bjorn's website: "The earliest AIS version of the 50/1.8 delivers a truly stellar performance on the D2X. The field is admirably flat, too. There is nothing more to be said here. As perfect a lens as anyone could imagine. What a shining little star this lens proved itself to be."
MontanaKid wrote:
The lens being asked about is the 50mm 1:1.8S originally made for Japanese distribution.
It was the first 50mm 1.8 Ai-s lens: From Bjorn's website: "The earliest AIS version of the 50/1.8 delivers a truly stellar performance on the D2X. The field is admirably flat, too. There is nothing more to be said here. As perfect a lens as anyone could imagine. What a shining little star this lens proved itself to be."
I also have a "long nose" and I have never done critical side by side testing of them. However looking at pictures from both I find them quite similar - in other words not a major difference one way or the other. But at 83 I feel the lighter my equipment the better. Ounces count.
800mm 5.6, lots of clouds and a moment of clarity, using the Z6 for this was pure pleasure, the moon did not fullly center on the earth shadow, red was never even across.
The end nicely clear. Tried many different ISO , high and low, best combo was 12,600 with exposures of about a second when the moon was darkest. Some movement of earth rotation but not much.
The benefit of the Z6 were, low noise at high ISO, spot metering anywhere on the frame, IBIS, focusing on the live view and finder magnified image, electronic shutter, exposure delay. Flipping the dang screen up to avoid twisting my neck while the lens was pointed up.
For the photo below, the moon was fully on the earth shadow, just never quite centered on it, it was very dark. I was focusing on the stars.
Slowcaptain wrote:
Did you, by any chance get to compare it with the other 50mms (Ai/AIS)?
I have compared my 50mm f/1.8 AIS "long nose" and AIS "pancake Japan".
The pankake is a little waeker at large aperture (1.8/2.0) in the center and quite clearly worse until f/4 in the outer region. But it's a cler winner for distorsion, very low, much better than any other manual focus Nikon 50mm, only the old 5.0cm S has the same low distorsion.
cadman342001 wrote:
Thanks Chris! From what I've seen of your travels so far I'm surprised you haven't been already?
Andy
So far I've been 3 times to India, but only in the North; Ladakh, Sikkim (and Bhutan) and Rajasthan (and a little East).
Southern part (Kerala) is on the list.
Chris Dees wrote:
So far I've been 3 times to India, but only in the North; Ladakh, Sikkim (and Bhutan) and Rajasthan (and a little East).
Southern part (Kerala) is on the list.
Venky wrote:
Andy, Have you by chance learnt Tamil.
No, sorry. I have enough trouble speaking English
My father spoke Tamil apparently on his and his families return to Scotland after WWII aged 4 though ! He was born in Poona, my grandfather having been stationed there before being sent to Iran/Iraq on the outbreak of war, my grandmother left behind with 2 children born in Scotland, my dad and Aunt born in India with an Indian Nanny.
Pano with the 50mm f/1.2 AI-S.
