Bogin Bob Loc: Tampa Bay, Florida

I recently purchased an Sony A6000 (for weight, size, fast focus and pixels). 2 weeks into the camera and I am very pleased. I have a Tamron 18-270 mm Nikon F (decent) and would like to use that lens to save some dollars using an adapter essentially for outdoor/sunlight scenes where I need a zoom feature. (note: using Lightroom metadata sorts I found to my surprise 70% of my photos with that lens were taken at 80-110 mm). When I confirm my most used focal length I can purchase a second lense after checking possible choices at http://www.the-digital-picture.com/

Questions are:
1. recommended 'steps' to correctly shoot in full manual (never attempted manual)?
2. is anyone familiar with websites/links to one or two guides I could print out that would allow me to 'preset' shutter/focal length for varying scene conditions. As I become more comfortable a printed guide would not be needed?
3. am I wasting my time?

Thanks

Math78 Loc: Scottsdale, AZ

For manual operation, you just need a mechanical adapter to connect your Nikon F mount to the Sony E mount on the camera. It doesn't have to be expensive. Amazon has several choices. This is what I bought recently for $14 and it makes an excellent connection to both lens and camera. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003X1FSCS?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00

To use the A6000 in manual mode:
- Turn on focus peaking to have the camera highlight the parts of your scene which are in focus. Great feature - it makes manual focusing is fast and accurate. (Focus peaking is only active when the camera is set to manual focus mode.)
- You can use aperture priority mode. First focus with the lens wide open, then close down to your desired f-stop. Then use the camera like you normally would to get your desired exposure.

That's it. The A6000 is a great manual camera. You have to slow down a bit to focus and set your f-stop, but that's not always a bad thing.

HOT Texas Loc: From the Heart of Texas

[quote=Bogin Bob]I recently purchased an Sony A6000 (for weight, size, fast focus and pixels). 2 weeks into the camera and I am very pleased. I have a Tamron 18-270 mm Nikon F (decent) and would like to use that lens to save some dollars using an adapter essentially for outdoor/sunlight scenes where I need a zoom feature. (note: using Lightroom metadata sorts I found to my surprise 70% of my photos with that lens were taken at 80-110 mm). When I confirm my most used focal length I can purchase a second lense after checking possible choices at http://www.the-digital-picture.com/

Bob, I will try, I shoot the Sony A6000, and this is what I have found that I like, I don't much like zoom lenses, I shoot old manual focus primes mostly, but will not hesitate to put on my auto focus Sigma 60mm 2.8, the lens is razer sharp, if I need more zoom I will uses the in camera zoom up to about 2X zoom, that will make it like a 120mm lens and of course you have a 1.5X sensor.

The Sony Kit lens 18-70 (older one that came with the NEX-6) is a nice lens and will produce some nice pictures with a little help.

The best Zoom lens I have found is a Minolta manual focus MD 35-70mm 3.5 macro, the IQ from this lens is outstanding.

it is so easy to use a manual focus lens on this camera because it has focus peaking, if focus peaking is set to red, then just focus till the subject you want in focus lights up in red, it is just that easy.

Questions are:
1. recommended 'steps' to correctly shoot in full manual (never attempted manual)?

Press menu button
custom settings
go to page 3
enable release w/o lens

Press menu button
custom settings
page 2
peaking level (I use high in most cases)
peaking color ( use red in most cases)

2. is anyone familiar with websites/links to one or two guides I could print out that would allow me to 'preset' shutter/focal length for varying scene conditions. As I become more comfortable a printed guide would not be needed?

Go to Google and type camera cheat sheet.

3. am I wasting my time?

Absolutely Not.

Sony also has some nice lenses, but the nice price tag comes with them. I'm not a fan of putting big lenses on a small camera unless I'm shooting birds or something and need a longer lens.

Hope this helps you some.

Bogin Bob Loc: Tampa Bay, Florida

Math78 and Hot Texas

Appreciate your feedback re: adapter, steps ... and I am not crazy. Now I am looking forward to trying manual - using adapter. First I save a few bucks initially and secondly, manual mode will help (force) me settle down, think and compose. Also, I am finding that software such as Lightroom is getting so good, it can correct mistakes in exposure, etc (when it can correct composition and scene selection I will be a winner!)

Bob

PS: thanks for the manual steps.

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

Sell the Nikon lens and buy a Minolta "A" ... 1985 to now... the A lenses all work on the camera. Why get an adapter when there are millions of used Minolta A lenses out there just waiting to mate with an A camera.

Find a few photos you have taken on Auto and check the EXIF this will give you a starting point for your manual settings. Auto takes good photos, but manual allows you to take command of the "Auto" values and tweak them lighter/darker, faster/slower, focus on/front/behind ... simplistic view of the situation, sure, but that is what it is about.

To start take the photo in Auto, look at what the camera chose, then take your manual shots of the same but making changes. Do not expect any thing magic.. it is simply logic.

Oh yes, forgot to mention the flash. Low cost flashes are adjustable by using tissue over bulb area or by backing up to take advantage of the inverse sq law. That law says that if you double the distance that lighting is 1/2 X 1/2 = 1/4,,,, if 3x the distance then it is 3x3 or 1/9 as intense.

All the while, HAVE FUN...

PS: shoot JPEG to begin with it is quicker to see the results and in fact if you view a file of photos copied to your camera you can compare the photos by choosing view extra large icon... Or use a viewing program.

Reinaldokool Loc: San Rafael, CA

I recommend the Gary Friedman book--available on Kindle which makes it semi-handy. The downside is no index or TOC. They depend on your doing a search. That will give you some great recommendations for manual and for some of the settings that you can use.

I got the Fotodiox lens converter for my Nikon lens. Worked okay with my Rokinon 8mm.

I'm selling my a6000 with the Sony 18-200 and the kit pancake lens if you know anyone who wants one. I bought it for my Europe trip in May and now want to revert to my Nikons.

I had