Old timer wish list on lenses

[Celtic 77]

Missing infinity or F-stop markings on my DSLR lenses. Am I the only cranky one wishing they were brought back? How about one way focusing? Just a thought.

 

[Basil]

I guess I've gotten used to not having those markings on today's cameras. Most DSLR or mirrorless now days do have a display you can program into the view finder that shows what the focal distance is when you auto focus on some subject or you can manually turn the focus ring and see the distance you are focusing at in the display. But auto focus if so much easier. Just press the focus button, put the focus point where you want and Bob's your uncle. Also, DSLRs and Mirrorless will display the Aperture in the view finder (I can program exactly what I want to see in the view finder or on the rear LCD). It's nice to not have to take your eye out of the view finder to change f-stop. Just turn the appropriate control wheel and watch the F-stop change through the view finder.

My old Canon T-70 film camera (which I still own) has lenses that all have the focus distance and aperture ring on them. I rarely used the focus distance gauge on the lens because the camera has a split prism in the view finder that makes getting tack sharp focus a piece of cake - just focus on the subject until the two sides of the split image lined up perfectly.

 

[DrEntropy]

Most of the AF lenses I've found for the APS-C DSLR's here have the "M-M/A" switch and a small window with distance scale and a couple even have the DoF gradients. The earlier D-series also have an ∱-stop ring, I usually leave it locked at smallest aperture and control it electronically with the front dial. But even after spending a couple years with the DSLR's, it isn't second nature. Still getting accustomed to "dialing" shutter speed and ∱-stop, even if the TTL metering isn't much different than the match-needle of old. What I miss is a DoF preview control. I've set the D7200 to use the Fn1 button to do it, but the D7500 has no such capability.

I will say I can pick up one of the film SLR's and have no problem reverting to old habits with the manual controls. That's been ingrained from decades of doing it "on the run".

 

[Basil]

Most of the AF lenses I've found for the APS-C DSLR's here have the "M-M/A" switch and a small window with distance scale

I just checked and the EF lenses (previous DSLR mount to the new RF) that I have, actually do have a distance scale in a little window and the M/AF switch. I also have an EF-mount Rokinon 14mm ultra wide that is fully manual so it also has the aperture ring like my old FD lenses. I mainly use that lens for Milkyway photography. On the R5, when in manual focus, there is a set of small triangles just above the focus square in the view finder. As you turn the focus ring, the triangles move closer together or further apart. When they are all aligned they turn green, indicating that the area under the focus square is in focus.

 

[DrEntropy]

These Nikons have a similar display, a green dot between two arrows. When sensor "sees" the chosen area is in focus the dot turns green. Left and right arrows illuminate to indicate which way adjustment should be made.

 

[GregW]

My model Nikon has a database built in where you can select up to 6 old (AI or AIS) lenses and program which button to use to access them. Once you've selected all that you own, press the Fn button and rotate the sub dial to the lens being used. The F-stop then shows up in the view finder next to the shutter speed. Aperture adjustment is the manual ring on the lens. What I would call "Backward Compatible".

 

[DrEntropy]

My model Nikon has a database built in where you can select up to 6 old (AI or AIS) lenses and program which button to use to access them. Once you've selected all that you own, press the Fn button and rotate the sub dial to the lens being used. The F-stop then shows up in the view finder next to the shutter speed. Aperture adjustment is the manual ring on the lens. What I would call "Backward Compatible".

The D7500 has the same capability, so I was able to add the AiS 90mm macro and 300mm ∱3.0 Series-1 Vivitars to the Fn2 list. But as you've noted before, the "flat" focusing screen (no split-image, no microprism) makes for focusing challenges. The "green dot" is only somewhat helpful, as it draws attention away from the screen. At least that's my experience.

 

[DrEntropy]

Another disconcerting thing about those "arrows" is Nikon's traditional "clockwise-to-infinity" is reversed with these Vivitar lenses. I got used to it with the analog cameras, so I pay no attention to the viewfinder's arrow indicators.

 

[DrEntropy]

For an experiment this was with the 300mm ∱3.0 at ∱8, 1/500th. Hand-held, focused on the rear wheel of the neighbor's Altima. Did nothing but convert the .NEF to a jpeg and scale it down.



This is one of the lenses I cleaned of fungus.

 

[Basil]

I would say your fungus cleaning was successful! PS: Try taking a shot of something with more contrast, like a street speed limit sign, or similar. I find Zooming in on text with lots of contrast is great for really getting a sense of lens sharpness.

 

[DrEntropy]

I would say your fungus cleaning was successful! PS: Try taking a shot of something with more contrast, like a street speed limit sign, or similar. I find Zooming in on text with lots of contrast is great for really getting a sense of lens sharpness.

I should've kept one of my Japanese newspaper pages.

Meantime, a severely cropped portion of the converted .NEF

 

[DrEntropy]

I would say your fungus cleaning was successful! PS: Try taking a shot of something with more contrast, like a street speed limit sign, or similar. I find Zooming in on text with lots of contrast is great for really getting a sense of lens sharpness.

Tool a bit of time today and put the 80~200mm ∱2.8 on the D7500. Full extension (200mm) using ISO 320, 1/1000 sec. and ∱4.0.

Full frame, distance is 65.5 feet to sign.



Pulled into Darktable and zoomed in, no other software treatment involved: