I find this article quite interesting and informative:
http://lenses.zeiss.com/photo/en_DE/other/products/what_makes_the_difference/manual_focusing_with_af_camera_systems.html
"When your aim is to take photographs with wide apertures and extremely accurate focusing, high-precision manual lenses can make your work easier."
Interesting isn't it that Zeiss just happen to make manual focusing lenses and no AF ones?
But nice read, Frank. Thanks! I wish I could afford a few Zeiss glass tough.
Zeiss make many nice AF DSLR lenses - as long as you don't mind a Sony body to stick them on!
<a class="bbc_url" href="http://snowporing.deviantart.com/">dA</a> Canon 7D2, 7D, 5D2, 600D, 450D, 300D IR modified, 1D, EF-S 10-18, 15-85, EF 35/2, 85/1.8, 135/2, 70-300L, 100-400L, MP-E65, Zeiss 2/50, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300/2.8, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Olympus E-P1, Panasonic 20/1.7, Sony HX9V, Fuji X100.
[quote name='Studor13' timestamp='1337179673' post='18247']
"When your aim is to take photographs with wide apertures and extremely accurate focusing, high-precision manual lenses can make your work easier."
Interesting isn't it that Zeiss just happen to make manual focusing lenses and no AF ones?
But nice read, Frank. Thanks! I wish I could afford a few Zeiss glass tough.
[/quote]
Yes, that is true. But overall I feel the article is very objective and informative.
[quote name='Studor13' timestamp='1337179673' post='18247']
"When your aim is to take photographs with wide apertures and extremely accurate focusing, high-precision manual lenses can make your work easier."
...
[/quote]
... as long as you have a decent focus screen or the focus confirmation dot on your DSLR works well. And if I remember correctly from my last visit on that site (months ago), this was already mentioned in the article. The turning angle of a MF ring and the flaws of focus confirmation in modern DSLRs with that regard might give a headache. E.g. 24mm - 35mm MF lenses at close focus used at widest aperture (e.g. f/1.4) with the focus confirmation, might show unexpected results.
OTOH, I believe MF has obvious strengths over AF when it comes to some application areas... And vice versa...
Serkan
[quote name='PuxaVida' timestamp='1337237492' post='18261']
... as long as you have a decent focus screen or the focus confirmation dot on your DSLR works well. And if I remember correctly from my last visit on that site (months ago), this was already mentioned in the article. The turning angle of a MF ring and the flaws of focus confirmation in modern DSLRs with that regard might give a headache. E.g. 24mm - 35mm MF lenses at close focus used at widest aperture (e.g. f/1.4) with the focus confirmation, might show unexpected results.
OTOH, I believe MF has obvious strengths over AF when it comes to some application areas... And vice versa...
Serkan
[/quote]
While for "extremely accurate focusing", I guess whether a lens is MF or AF is not much relevant any more. With good LV and an AF lens (with a focus ring of course) and sufficient patient, accurate focusing can also be reached.
Frank
[quote name='Frank' timestamp='1337251030' post='18264']
While for "extremely accurate focusing", I guess whether a lens is MF or AF is not much relevant any more. With good LV and an AF lens (with a focus ring of course) and sufficient patient, accurate focusing can also be reached.
Frank
[/quote]
By all means the (magified) LV helps quite a lot. But without a longer focus ring turn, it would be still tricky (especially for macro / close-up usage) to nail the focus on the desired point withing the DoF. Even the AF-S micro 105mm suffers from that issue in some cases... I don't say "one cannot focus", but I believe it's harder than using a Zeiss 100mm for the same purpose.
But of course, there's the "focus stacking"... If you have no problems with the required computer power...
Serkan
[quote name='PuxaVida' timestamp='1337251777' post='18265']
By all means the (magified) LV helps quite a lot. But without a longer focus ring turn, it would be still tricky (especially for macro / close-up usage) to nail the focus on the desired point withing the DoF. Even the AF-S micro 105mm suffers from that issue in some cases... I don't say "one cannot focus", but I believe it's harder than using a Zeiss 100mm for the same purpose.
But of course, there's the "focus stacking"... If you have no problems with the required computer power...
Serkan
[/quote]
Yes, with a good MF lens I bieleve it will be a lot easier...
Frank
Probbaly since AF Nikon does not take much effort on MF design any more. I find that the focus distance scale on my PC-E 24mm f3.5 lens is ridiculously incorrect (which is unforgivable for a MF lens I think). While for the older AF lens 28-105mm f3.5-4.5, the focus distance scale is much better, very accurate.
Frank
