graytrekker wrote:
yes, the 16 looks quite a bit better. Maybe I should include looking into that one as a possible alternative?
The 16 f/3.5 is deemed by most to be one of Nikon's best manual focus lenses. There weren't a large number made, about eight thousand, but you're in luck... there are two available on E-Bay at the moment... one mint and pricey, the other in good condition for quite a bit less. Here's a link...
I recently bought a 180mm f/2.8 ED AIS lens from the buy and sell forum here for a good price. Just had the chance to use it properly this past weekend. I'm still getting used to focusing (I'm more accustomed to manually focusing ~50mm lenses), but I'm really liking the results when I do focus it right.
Noah, I consider this a desert island lens... I love it. And you did well with it. Keep playing and keep commenting. That's the way we do things here and EVERYONE who enjoys Nikon manual focus lenses is welcome to participate.
graytrekker wrote:
yes, the 16 looks quite a bit better. Maybe I should include looking into that one as a possible alternative?
Doug,
Yes the 16/3.5 is a wonderful lens. Check out Ronny Olsen's images.
Of course I had to de-fish before stitching the Milky Way pano. I used the Nikon 16/2.8 lens profile built into LR.
Post processing makes a difference in astro. Both of my previous shots have had different manipulation.
My copy of the 24/2.8 NC doesn't do infinity so well so now I am wondering if it is focusing past infinity?
Something else to put on the to-do list.....
A few from Florence, my favorite city to visit. It would have been a blast to have been able to use Rafael's super wide angles.
Street artist at Santa Maria del Fiore enjoying the dolce vita @ f/4:
I would be all smiles as well if this were my business address. The restoration of the exterior has been extensive and one can see the before/after difference in this one.
The amazing and massive cathedral is hugely popular and long lines are the norm. Zooming with my feet and this is as far back as the walls would allow.
Fuji X-E1 and the little Nikkor 28/2.8 AIs.
Thanks to all for the likes.
Regards,
Serge
Throwing another 24mm in the mix; this is the 24/2 AIS which is fast becoming a favorite of mine.
I shoot with a crop sensor X-T20 and depending on the adapter I use, I get to stick to its original focal length or as a ~36mm.
I remember asking for advice before purchasing and to my glee, Georg, our fellow photographer from Germany, dropped in to say that it's actually quite a decent performer. It's known to have weird bokeh wide open but if your application is mainly landscapes, I don't think you'd go wrong with any of the Nikon MF offerings.
Here's when I visited Curtis last year, en route from Vegas back to Singapore. I am glad we had the chance to meet up.
This is a shot I took of you around the time you took the first shot above. It was drizzling rain when you marched off to take the second shot... I stayed in the car.
And you wandering down a hillside to get closer to the Pacific Ocean... good luck with that from this elevation...
NightOwl Cat wrote:
You could try doing a pano next time
Laura, panos are the way to go. I’ve made several using the NOCT shooting perhaps four to six frames. It is challenging to compose through the lens, paying attention to continuity of the horizontal lines so as to ensure a good pano. Light and exposure sometimes has an affect too so I usually have a fixed ISO and aperture.
You're working too hard Ken, either that or I'm too lazy to do all that work.
I simply try to hold my camera steady, slowly pivoting it as it is cradled in my left hand and pressing the shutter button from time to time. I rely on Photoshop CS 6 to put the images together. Of course, I generally shoot distant subjects when contemplating a panorama and set the aperture at f/11 or f/8 while focusing the first shot. From there I wing it. This is a panorama I shot with Chin when we were on Mount Tam that turned out quite nicely using my rather casual technique... shot with the 135 f/2.8 K AI.
Thanks for the suggestion - I do actually have the 24mm f2 AIS that I got in the early 90s.
I started my backpacking photography journey in the late 70s with a used Nikkormat that came with the 50mm f2 (non-AI, HC Auto). Back then, a friend's husband repaired cameras for a living and he unequivocally recommended the Nikkormat for the robustness needed for backpacking. As a testament, I still have it.
Everyone back then kept saying faster is better (especially with the 50s). With no internet forums to consult, I went for the faster 24 mm when I had the cash - because "faster is better". Now, much later, I read that the slower version (f2.8) supposedly performs better! (Bjorn Roslett, Galen Rowell, etc). I see I can get reasonably good ones (non-AI, NC Auto) for around $100. Well, it wouldn't be a large investment, so I thought I would get one and test them side by side with my Df. I am not convinced I'll see a difference. Turns out, Bjorn rather liked the old 50mm f2, and I still use that lens today.
There also seems to be a back and forth on the 28mm - f2 vs f2.8, depending on whether one is focusing close or at infinity - but that's a different post to come..... :-)
Nice capture. Both my son and daughter now live in the Bay Area and we often go up "Mt Tam" when we visit, but have yet to hit it when "Karl" is in town. I guess I'll just keep trying!
You definitely belong on this thread Doug, given your background and how attentive you've been in exploring such matters. This is what folks who gravitate to this thread do with their photography. It yields an always satisfying conversation with a bit of playfulness added in. We have a fellow living in Missoula who has intermittently been involved but who is quite often a lurker who will jump in if the occasion calls for it. His name is Jack and noting you're from Montana he might feel inclined to join us.
Next time you're in the Bay Area, if you feel so inclined drop me an email and we can get together for a ramble in my back yard, which happens to be the watershed around the north slope of Mount Tam. I'm afraid I don't know what your reference to "Karl" refers to however. Am I missing something?
Curtis - Thanks, and yes, I have seen Jack on here, but have never met him. I live about an hour north of Missoula.
"Karl" is the nickname of the fog, is it not?
NightOwl Cat wrote:
You could try doing a pano next time
Hi, Laura:
Should have thought of this when taking the photos but was probably too relaxed at the time to think about it.
"Next time" is easier said than done but certainly possible.
Great to see that you are feeling better and taking photos.
Regards,
Serge
I am interested in getting an older Nikkor 24mm f2.8 manual focus lens. My main use will be for landscapes.
I have read that the older non-AI versions had 9 elements in 7 groups, while the AI/AIS versions had 9 lenses in 9 groups. Is there a noticeable difference in IQ between the two, especially when comparing the coated NC version of the non-AI? I am thinking Nikon wouldn't have made such a change without a reason. I have seen a few very old discussions on this topic - like 15 years old. I thought I would seek a more current opinion.
I will be using it on a Df, so it doesn't matter to me whether its AI or not.
I've been using both the 24/2.8 ais version and the N.C-24/2.8 (ai'd) and I'm not really sure which one performs the best, havent really compared. I sold the ais - version years ago and got stuck with the N.C-version. I'm really satisfyed with it. I even use it for with extension rings for close-ups. Just love that lens!!
