gyoung143
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 Re: Manual Focus Nikon Glass | |
James Markus wrote:
Thank you Gerry, and Martin! My N>EF adapter is an AF confirmation version, but the beep is occurring so close to the hard stop that I thought it was confirming that hard stop. I will check out the performance on my D800, and I suspect it would then be accurate hard focus infinity lenses. Since all three were off by the same amount, I would assume my adapter (same one used on all three lenses) is the culprit. I had always thought the red dot was infinity for Infra-Red (which is why "IR" is on the labeled photo), but searching online the only confirmation of that is with KR. I was a bit blindsided by the cult status this lowly lens has gathered. Oddly, the oldest version of the 55mm seems the sharpest for infinity.
Jim
gyoung143 wrote:
James Markus wrote:
Multiple sources claim that the 55mm f3.5 non ai, and ai lenses were manufactured with a "hard stop infinity focus". I now have three copies of the 55mm. The last of the non ai (factory ai'd) - the Nikkor P.C, a late AI, and a late f2.8 AIS - none of which have hard stop infinity focus. There is a red dot literally a frog's hair left of the hard scribed infinity focus/distance line on the barrel of all three lenses. Here is the thing - that red dot is the infinity focus point in the visible light spectrum. It is hard to believe that a thirty-second of an inch turn would effect focus so much, but it does. Finally, I can see the bite, or sharpness that Scott (mp356), and Ken (Ballard) get with their 55's when using the 55 as a landscape lens. If you own a 55 try backing off infinity just a tad centering the dot on the intersection of the infinity symbol. I have had other hard stop infinity focus Nikkors, and I just came to trust that they did not focus past infinity. These are 100% (1280 x 800 pixel) views out of the full rez 5DS R (8688 × 5792 pixel) with no sharpening or adjustments.
55mm f3.5 Nikkor P.C non AI (factory AI'd) - Hard Stop Infinity focus
The Red Dot
55mm f3.5 Nikkor P.C non AI (factory AI'd) - Red Dot Infinity focus
But you're dealing with an adapter arent you? Thats where the problem lies normally, only two of several dozen adaptors I have bought have been the right thickness for accurate register. All others but one were too short so the lens focussed beyond infinity, as you are experiencing, and had to be shimmed to use scale focus, probaby impossible with a nikon f to canon dslr adapter. The dot was supposed to be IR infinity I think.
Gerry
I've owned an example of the Ai 55mm 3.5 for nearly 30 years, thousands of copy negs etc takem on it in film days, and since scanners took over for flat copy now used for studio type 'still life' on both Nikon and Fuji. I also have a rather 'well used' 105 f/4.
I've also used the 55/2.8 for many thousands of copy type stuff and macro of models, but I like the simplicity of the slower ones, no CRC to go wrong! Never used any of them for distant stuff, always used 'normal' lenses for that, smaller, lighter and faster, and good enough for the odd 3 dimensional close up with a tube.
And regarding the other debate here, I have a very nice 300/4.5 ED/IF, no comparison items apart from with my old Tokina 400/5.6 AF, and the Nikkor + x1.4 TC14B is sharper than the Tokina till they are similar at f/11. Focussing the ED/UF is like manual focussing an AF lens!
Gerry
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