I agree completely. Sadly I really believe many people would simply give up photography if they could not have AF and other auto features.
rook2c4 wrote:
Photographers who avoid manual lenses out of principle or because they don't have enough confidence to do themselves what their digital cameras are doing for them are really missing out on some great and often very affordable lenses.
The big black mark in the bottom of the window. The window was up high.
Bugfan wrote:
Hear Hear!!
Today's budding photographers can perhaps be forgiven for thinking that auto focus, auto exposure and all the other auto features have been around since the days we lived in caves. So it's only natural that they have a hard time relating to a manual lens.
Back in the seventies my right hand controlled the shutter and the shutter speed dial. My left hand supported the lens, adjusted zoom, adjusted focus and adjusted aperture. My eye, looking into the view finder instead of on an LCD, worried about the light meter built in to show you the exposure and of course my eye also composed.
All of those activities had to be completed to take a picture. Surprisingly it was still possible to photograph sports, macro and all kinds of other challenging subjects. It was just a matter of practice and more practice until the hands and the fingers are all coordinated. I used to take pictures as quickly then as I do now. It simply demanded more hand eye coordination.
When I got my first manual lens for my DSLR I struggled to use it. How soon we forget. Then I was reminded of what I used to do in my film days and with some practice it all came back again.
Ignore those people who poo poo manual photography. They are the ones we should be feeling sorry for since they have a long way to go to finally master the art of photography.
Hear Hear!! br br Today's budding photographers ... (
show quote)
Excellent commentary. I fully agree. I do not shoot sports or action shots so manual is not an issue to me. Manual lens has me using full manual most of the time and it is great. I am managing to get better shots than when I was using full auto. The more I practice setting the speed and aperture myself the better I am getting.
authorizeduser wrote:
This was taken with my 100mm 2.8 series e lens with no flash @ 7:20pm. This lens is amazing. Beats the crap out of the 28-105mm 3.5-4.5 lens as far as light capability goes.
The image is slightly soft as it was shot through a double glass window and the glass is dirty. I like manual focus on my Nikon D200. It will only work as Aperture Priority or Full Manual but the matrix metering works. Forces me to learn how to use the camera.
I've used my Zeiss 80mm f/2.8 on my Nikon D700 numerous times. Manual focus and aperture. It gives super results. I've several older, completely manual Nikkor lenses, 80~200 f/2.8 ED, 180 f/2.8 ED, 50~300 f/4.5-5.6, they work exceptionally well. Nothing wrong with the combination of older lenses and newer camera bodies.
--Bob
Those focusing screens are still available but rather expensive
wingclui44 wrote:
Don't forget those days of hard working in the dark room!
Forget 'em??!!! I still do them, and love it.
--Bob
Bugfan wrote:
Hear Hear!!
Ignore those people who poo poo manual photography. They are the ones "we" should be feeling sorry for since they have a long way to go to finally master the art of photography.
Who is "we" old man? Don't worry, for few will ever master the art of photography, manual or otherwise.
All the reverse snobbery of using crap old manual lenses don't seem to be helping anyone get better photos.
It's pretty easy to spot the guys who's photographic evolution has run its course. They're all the ones talking about the, "good ole days", and how crappy the new auto technology is today.
Real men don't shoot manual with a cheap manual lens on a disabled, fancy DSLR body. You wanna brag about shooting manual, do it with at least a view camera, and at least look like a real man.
If your work sucks now, it was definitely worse then. When you stop worrying, promoting and defending how your photography is done, it will finally get better. Or you could stay stuck in your manual rut and let the young kids today kick your a$$.
So, are you irritated yet ?
Good, put away your laptop, climb out of that Lazy-Boy, and go out and prove me wrong !
Disclaimer: this is NOT directed at Bugfan, but to ALL.
SS
JR1 wrote:
NO disrespect to people who want to revert to manual everything but I moved on, or we would all still be on horse and cart
:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:
FredB
Loc: A little below the Mason-Dixon line.
SharpShooter wrote:
Who is "we" old man? Don't worry, for few will ever master the art of photography, manual or otherwise.
All the reverse snobbery of using crap old manual lenses don't seem to be helping anyone get better photos.
It's pretty easy to spot the guys who's photographic evolution has run its course. They're all the ones talking about the, "good ole days", and how crappy the new auto technology is today.
Real men don't shoot manual with a cheap manual lens on a disabled, fancy DSLR body. You wanna brag about shooting manual, do it with at least a view camera, and at least look like a real man.
If your work sucks now, it was definitely worse then. When you stop worrying, promoting and defending how your photography is done, it will finally get better. Or you could stay stuck in your manual rut and let the young kids today kick your a$$.
So, are you irritated yet ?
Good, put away your laptop, climb out of that Lazy-Boy, and go out and prove me wrong !
Disclaimer: this is NOT directed at Bugfan, but to ALL.
SS
Who is "we" old man? Don't worry, for fe... (
show quote)
+1 exactly right. Just because it's old and manual focus doesn't
automatically mean its better optically than a modern lens, and I get the impression that many of you "Manual focus" fans feel that way. Since virtually all modern AF lenses can be switched to MF for those who like to do it by hand, there is no practical reason to seek out pre-1985 MF lenses to slap onto your modern DSLR. This is not to say that SOME old lenses, such as those from Zeiss, are not top quality, just that MOST consumer lenses from the 1960s are crap compared to even kit lenses of today, and there's no comparison to higher quality glass.
authorizeduser wrote:
This was taken with my 100mm 2.8 series e lens with no flash @ 7:20pm. This lens is amazing. Beats the crap out of the 28-105mm 3.5-4.5 lens as far as light capability goes.
The image is slightly soft as it was shot through a double glass window and the glass is dirty. I like manual focus on my Nikon D200. It will only work as Aperture Priority or Full Manual but the matrix metering works. Forces me to learn how to use the camera.
Standing in both worlds
Taken with:
Nikon D700 / SB-800 , Nikkor 28~85mm , Full Frame 35mm Sensor
Taken of:
Graphic View II / Schneider-Kreuznach 210mm f/5.6, 4x5 inch sensor 8-)
Graphic View II
planepics
Loc: St. Louis burbs, but originally Chicago burbs
bull drink water wrote:
it's all about what you feel like trying. i have a number of old canon lenses.with an adapter i use them on my sony alpha,some are top notch lenses. sometimes i just feel like taking them for a spin. these were shot with a canon fd 200mm f 2.8 lens.
I have 3 FD (manual) lenses from my AE-1 Program film camera - 2 primes and a telephoto - that I also can use on my Alpha using a Fotodiox adapter (I have to set my camera to manual mode, otherwise I get an error message saying no lens is attached). I've used them occasionally, but I really can't wait to test them out on my new toy coming sometime between the 10th and the 16th...a new A77 body which will be replacing my A330. I've never sold anything on line before. Is UHH a good place to sell or go EBay?
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