p.65 #4 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
Bifurcator...and I was so looking forward to the 'tiny m4/3 with large lens' photos with my new FD 50-300L when it gets here tomorrow. Then you had to go and ruin it by posting a G2 with a 500/4.5.
Looking for more and more samples with my lens to be, it seems that there are VERY few detailed reports with that lens, so I may have to do a full writeup for the good of the internet. Too bad I won't be able to try it on a larger sensor, but it'll make for an interesting supertelephoto zoom on m4/3. It appears (by serial number) that the lens coming to me tomorrow was the 391st made of these lenses...and I have no idea how many Canon produced. Wonder if I e-mailed Canon if they'd tell me.
p.65 #5 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
sebboh wrote:
until the new releases, and restricted to non-pro bodies (anything below a 1D), yes. for comparable bodies canon wasn't even close anywhere till they released the 7D (which seems to almost match the d300). the 5DmkII vs D700 comparison is not even close. this is all just conventional wisdom among photographers as i've encountered it, and i think based mostly on focus tracking ability, not my personal opinion – i just turn autofocus off when i've used any of these cameras.
Well for the FFs D700 compared to the 5D2 it holds, but that's more a direct cam to cam comparison rater than a general statement.
Then if you as you did remove the 7D (2009) from Canons lineup it holds somewhat comparing the D300(/s) to... nothing - as there were no Canon equivalent. Pricewise or APS-C AF-wise.
But while talking about APS-C's Nikon never had anything as affordable as the Canons 40D series with it's semi-advanced AF system with multiple crosspoints etc.
p.65 #6 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
carstenw wrote:
I am not sure if it is that easy, but it is commonly stated as a reason for switching, especially in the pro bodies.
.
I dont think it's that easy either.
I've heard several reasons for ex-Canon new/press agencies to switch to Nikon, subsidies and better super-high ISO performance are among those. But not improved AF.
On the sub-pro level you need more than anecdotal talk - but the pendulum has for some time swung towards Nikon, to that I agree. Great cams for sure.
But other than that it sounds more like the usual Canon bashing. That is, if I dont totally missed the point of your "first person in the universe.."-statement.
p.65 #7 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
Well, sort of kind of bashing, but not really.
There are valid reasons for switching in both directions (the specifics change with every generation), but AF has traditionally been a pretty solid Canon-to-Nikon reason. Canon had a spot of trouble with some pretty significant cameras, like the sub-mirror debacle of the 1DIII, and the 5DII has a load of trouble on its own. The 5DIII seems like it may finally shake this.
The main reason for this is obvious: Nikon traditionally stuffs almost the same AF system in all their mid-to-high-end cameras, from D300 through D700 to D3/D3s and D3x, whereas Canon usually keeps its high-end focusing systems only for the 1D/1Ds range (the 1DIII problems notwithstanding). The 7D was an early indication that something was changing, and the 5DIII is another.
Anyway, it isn't really truly bashing, in spite of my phrasing, but based in fact.
p.65 #8 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
Well then you know that implementation and feature focus among manufacturers shifts over time. And that any camera out on the market in this league is a product of 18 month+ development. And given some recent comments initiated by you in another thread, the AF in D800 is sub par the 5D3. I dont think you should be worried, and I am not worried either. But I dont find your statement based on facts, rather opinions. It still looks like bashing, not only given your choice of words.
Addendum: For someone with a Nikon 12MP FF body buying the D800 is a no-brainer. For someone with a 5D2 shooting sports, the 5D3 is an equal leveled no-brainer. The Nikon owners in that situation can be found here, but you have to move over to the Canon forum to argue about the other part.
p.65 #9 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
carstenw wrote:
There are valid reasons for switching in both directions (the specifics change with every generation), but AF has traditionally been a pretty solid Canon-to-Nikon reason.
wfrank wrote:
Well then you know that implementation and feature focus among manufacturers shifts over time.
Yes, as I wrote.
The point is not that something shifts every generation and sometimes Canon is on top, sometimes Nikon. The point was that for AF Nikon was on top for at least the last couple generations, consistently, and the difference got larger when you moved down from the high end. This generation is the first which may change something significant here.
Apart from Lloyd Chambers' D800, which consistently back-focuses with all his tested Nikkors (make your own conclusion here), are there other indications that something is not right with the D800?
p.65 #13 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
I just bought another Contarex 50mm f2 Planar, this one is in near mint condition, and it's the Blitz-Planar version. Even got the original hood and a couple of filters. It's a superb lens, such a precision instrument, and so sharp, with bokeh to die for. I wonder when this lens will be "discovered".
I also bought a Contax 50mm f1.4 Planar, even though I have the f1.7. I bought it just for the extremly high serial number 955xxxx, and because it was boxed and in mint condition. I've never seen such a high serial Contax lens. At some point I'll test it against a regular serial Planar.
I think these two fifties are the ones I'll keep, I'll sell all the others I own. Maybe.
p.65 #14 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
wfrank wrote:
I dont think you should be worried
carstenw wrote:
Apart from Lloyd Chambers' D800, which consistently back-focuses with all his tested Nikkors (make your own conclusion here), are there other indications that something is not right with the D800?
No, as I wrote.
It's just unsubstantiated fact with faint connection to reality. But it has the power to be senselessly used by Canon fan-boys to bash Nikon. Let's hope people here are better than that.
p.65 #15 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
I haven't been following the D800 hype on the net very closely, mostly just comments here and in one or two other places. I have one on order and I will see how good it is or not when it gets here. There could easily have been major hysteria which I have missed.
Anyway, my aim was not really to bash Canon at all, I was just puzzled at the against-common-wisdom remark from Jim. The 5DIII sounds like it is a fantastic camera, and fixes pretty much everyone's complaints about the 5DII.
p.65 #16 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
briantho wrote:
I just bought another Contarex 50mm f2 Planar, this one is in near mint condition, and it's the Blitz-Planar version. Even got the original hood and a couple of filters. It's a superb lens, such a precision instrument, and so sharp, with bokeh to die for. I wonder when this lens will be "discovered".
I also bought a Contax 50mm f1.4 Planar, even though I have the f1.7. I bought it just for the extremly high serial number 955xxxx, and because it was boxed and in mint condition. I've never seen such a high serial Contax lens. At some point I'll test it against a regular serial Planar.
I think these two fifties are the ones I'll keep, I'll sell all the others I own. Maybe....Show more →
what do you mean discovered? it seems to sell for nearly the price of the current makro-planar already. if you've go a source for cheap contarex lenses pm me.
p.65 #17 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
carstenw wrote:
Anyway, my aim was not really to bash Canon at all, I was just puzzled at the against-common-wisdom remark from Jim. The 5DIII sounds like it is a fantastic camera, and fixes pretty much everyone's complaints about the 5DII.
p.65 #19 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
briantho wrote:
.... I wonder when this lens will be "discovered".
....
Didn't Erwin Puts "discover" those a couple of years ago? He has a spiel about the Contarex lenses and how superior they are to everything that's ever existed and so on and so forth...
p.65 #20 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
sebboh wrote:
except mirror clearance.
..and even moreso the lack of a tiltable screen. Guess the majority of the FF population that governs Canons and Nikons decision departments (assuming they listen) are super conservative.
