Are film-era premium lenses good enough for today's high-resolution sensors? (Page 2): Not always. One of the sharpest lenses I've used on my Pentax K-30 is the Pentax-A 50mm f/1.7...

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

toxdoc42 wrote:

Would you buy and regularly use a Model-T Ford? How about the quality of a car built 10 years ago versus today? Use the same logic for other consumer products, electronics?

Have lens and camera quality not had parallel improvements?

Not always. One of the sharpest lenses I've used on my Pentax K-30 is the Pentax-A 50mm f/1.7 lens that was kitted with a camera I purchased in 1984.

toxdoc42 wrote:

In the film era, you had a "choice" of split image or prism aide on the focusing screen. You "knew" the image was "in focus" when the image above and below the split matched or the prism effect cleared and you saw the same image there as in the rest. I have been looking for a way to change out the screen on my D3400 and it doesn't seem right to be possible.

My Pentax K-30 has a "focus confirmation" system. In the past week I have used both the split image system on the Pentax camera I purchased in 1984 and the focus confirmation system on the Pentax camera I purchased in 2013. I can say for certain that the focus confirmation is as easy to use and is at least as accurate as the split image is or ever was. I'm sorry that Nikon has let you down.

Desert Gecko Loc: desert southwest, USA

toxdoc42 wrote:

In the film era, you had a "choice" of split image or prism aide on the focusing screen. You "knew" the image was "in focus" when the image above and below the split matched or the prism effect cleared and you saw the same image there as in the rest. I have been looking for a way to change out the screen on my D3400 and it doesn't seem right to be possible.

Sony offers focus peaking that outlines in your choice of color (red, yellow, or white) and intensity areas that are in focus when you are using manual. This is probably as good as the old split and prism of film cameras. I don't know why all cameras don't have this. Maybe it's Sony's intellectual property, but other brands have it on video.

toxdoc42

Really a shame that others don't. I wonder if they don't because they don't want to encourage the use of "classic, vintage" lenses?

Desert Gecko Loc: desert southwest, USA

toxdoc42 wrote:

Really a shame that others don't. I wonder if they don't because they don't want to encourage the use of "classic, vintage" lenses?

I agree. I'd like to see all brands improve. I mean, I like competition and that's what's really driving the industry right now (mostly the Sony threat, I think), but imagine if all cameras had the best that the others have to offer. We'd see a hell of a lot more pretty pictures.

Davethehiker Loc: South West Pennsylvania

Desert Gecko wrote:

Sony offers focus peaking that outlines in your choice of color (red, yellow, or white) and intensity areas that are in focus when you are using manual. This is probably as good as the old split and prism of film cameras. I don't know why all cameras don't have this. Maybe it's Sony's intellectual property, but other brands have it on video.

I have used focus peaking on my A99II and other camera lens combinations. Remarkably, I find that with the A99II AF works better than I can do with focus peaking. This is counter intuitive but I found it to be true time after time.

splatbass Loc: Honolulu

The most I have is 24MP so I can't comment on higher MP cameras, but two of my favorite lenses are a 1980s Tokina 100-300mm f4 manual focus and a 90s Sigma 28-70 f2.8 AF. They are sharp lenses, as sharp as my Sony G. I use them mostly on an A6000 (with adapter), but also on my D3200 and D300. They are great lenses, sharp with good contrast. And cheap.

splatbass Loc: Honolulu

Desert Gecko wrote:

Sony offers focus peaking that outlines in your choice of color (red, yellow, or white) and intensity areas that are in focus when you are using manual. This is probably as good as the old split and prism of film cameras. I don't know why all cameras don't have this. Maybe it's Sony's intellectual property, but other brands have it on video.

I agree, I think it is better than the old. I recently took some shots with my old Canon A1 (which has been in a closet for 25 years, but still works like new) and the focus peaking on the Sony is faster for my old eyes.

Davethehiker Loc: South West Pennsylvania

splatbass wrote:

I agree, I think it is better than the old. I recently took some shots with my old Canon A1 (which has been in a closet for 25 years, but still works like new) and the focus peaking on the Sony is faster for my old eyes.

I miss the old split image that I had on my old film cameras, but agree that focus peaking may be even better, especially when you use the magnifier option. The AF on my A99II goes a step beyond focus peaking. I'm attaching a photo cropped out of tiny section of an image taken with a 600mm f/4 lens on my Sony A99II. The only way I could focus this sharp was using the AF center spot. I was near the nest for hours trying everything I could think of to get critical focus. AF beat my human attempts hands down. Not to mention that the AF is so much faster than I can do manually. For instance see the second taken of an eagle in flight and his mate. Notice that only the eagle's face who is waiting is in sharp focus. That is because when I saw the dad returning to the nest with his catch, I put the center AF on the waiting eagle and pressed and held down the shutter release taking a sequence of about six shots. Dad is almost in focus because he is close to mom.

Calling Mom
Calling Mom...

(Download)

Dad responding with dinner
Dad responding with dinner...

(Download)

Crombie

Hi,

I've had disappointment using my film Nikon lenses with adapter on my Oly EM1 and EM rmk11. This holds true across the board with the 85 1.8, 50 1.2, 300 f4, 105 2.5 and I've tried several different adapters to no avail. Has anyone else experienced this and any suggestions on a fix?

EricLeeMac Loc: Virginia, USA

This is in responce to the Model T analogy....

I respect your opinion but don't necessarily agree with your analogy. Digital resolution is only now catching up with film. The huge advantage now in camera design is sensitivity, High ISO (ASA for the older folks). I continue to update bodies for speed rather than additional megapixels. The one major advance in lens design is the aspherical elements that have reduced barrel distortion and improved edge-to-edge sharpness, but that is mainly for wide and ultra-wide lenses.

Crombie

It's not really my opinion, in my case it's sharpness and obvious flare at all apertures. You're absolutely on track with the pixel vs film resolution.

EricLeeMac Loc: Virginia, USA

Crombie, Does your adapter have a glass element to correct for focusing to infinity? If so, you might try a body with a shorter lens-mount to sensor (film) plane. This allows for adapters without the extra glass. I get great results with Nikon lenses on Sony mirrorless cameras.

bull drink water Loc: pontiac mi.

a promo lens from yesterday is primo today. I use some primo canon fd lenses on my sony alpha cameras. I also use pentax 645 film lenses on it's 645 digital camera. I also use Minolta primo lenses on my sony alpha cameras. i'm getting great results.

Crombie

Thanks very much. My MFT adapters are glass free. I can't figure this issue out and just maybe this issue has to do with 4/3rds sensor in the Olympus body? It's darn frustrating as I'd love to use my Nikon glass. There's one additional curious thing I will take a close look at and this is a specific m42 (Pentax) lense seems to produce sharp flare free images. Maybe it's an adapter issue with the Nikon adapter vs. the m42???

EricLeeMac Loc: Virginia, USA

I likewise get good results with Mamiya glass on my Sony using an M42 adapter. Good luck!