Re: Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
highdesertmesa wrote:
{Cross-posted to Nikon and Leica/Alt forums}
TTArtisan M to Z adapter arrived today. Works well, and I like the cone shape of the adapter, which helps the wide Z mount not look so ridiculous with the smaller M mount lenses.
Face/eye detect with dumb-adapted lenses works perfectly and moves the focus point to a face or eye if detected. Otherwise it works as a single point that can be moved around the screen normally. There is no joystick, but activating the rear screen touch AF while using the EVF works well. I highly recommend changing the speed the AF point moves to "fast" as that makes moving the focus point feel fluid, unlike the default speed, which feels choppy.
For manual focusing, it's helpful to assign zooming to 200% to a function button. I prefer using the AE/AF-L button for this since it allows for having the index finger on the shutter and thumb on the AE/AF-L at the same time.
EVF resolution when zoomed is of higher clarity than older cameras with ~3.69 million dot EVFs I've used. I do not have to strain my eyes at all to focus at wide apertures.
When a manual lens profile is set up with the matching focal length, IBIS works perfectly. I don't know if the new Zf function to link IBIS performance to the focus point continues to work in MF mode with a non-electronically-connected lens, but I don't see why it wouldn't – perhaps someone else can confirm. The Zf's 7 stops of IBIS (8 stops is only "with selected lenses") is an upgrade from the SL2-S I used to own, which was 5.5 stops.
Overall I find the Zf body feels much better to use with M lenses than the SL cameras I've owned: better matching retro design, lighter, and for the subject detection with MF lenses. I wish the Zf had the SL2-S's EVF, but the one in the Zf is good enough that I'm not left wanting when I use it.
From here, I think I will fill as many focal lengths as I can with Voigtlander Z-mount lenses, then only buy M-mount lenses for the gaps.
I'm on the fence about keeping the Nikon 40 f/2 SE (I bought the Zf and 40 separately, not as a kit). Returning it would pay for half a CV-Z lens.
Even though the Zf looks like an SLR, the fact that it is a mirrorless the form factor of adapted m-mount lenses looks so much better balanced than using the huge FTZ adapter and F mount lenses.
We know that many M-mount lenses are not great optically on a Z camera, but the Voigtlander Zs should fill that gap.
Oct 18, 2023 at 12:30 PM
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