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Using Manual Focus Lens

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John Cerra2

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This past Sunday, I brought my D70 to Yankee Stadium, with a Tamron 75-300 zoom lens on it. In a word, I was dissatisfied with the optical qualty of the lens at 300 mm. (You can see a few photos at http://www.johncerra.smugmug.com )

I am going again in a few days, sitting in the same seats. My 180 mm f 2.8 Nikkor is my longest great lens, but I don't think it is long enough.

I am thinking about picking up a 300 MM f 4.5 manual focus Nikkor at Adorama. I can use the histogram to manage my exposures, right?

I just can't justify the money needed to buy the 300MM or longer AF Nikkors. It looks like I can spend $150 to $200, and get a lens of superb optical quality...and a friend for my Nikon F.

Whadda think?

John
 
Maybe a monopod would help out your shots. Not sure if you'd be able to take one into the game or not. I don't usually care for my Sigma lens at 300mm, but with a Monopod and good light I got some decent shots at a semi-pro game.

Here's one of a guy who took a line drive to the face. He was ok.



--



Wanting my work to stand out because of my Photography skills, NOT because of my Computer skills.

http://www.betterphoto.com/gallery/free/gallery.asp?memberID=162336

http://home.fotocommunity.de/bradwaldera
 
'Maybe a monopod would help out your shots. Not sure if you'd be able to take one into the game or not. I don't usually care for my Sigma lens at 300mm, but with a Monopod and good light I got some decent shots at a semi-pro game."

It's an afternoon game. Early in the game, the camera was picking 1/500 at f9 for ISO and the exposures were good. In the 9th inning, f5.6 was being selected by the AE program.

The high shutter speed takes out any advantage of the monopod. I'm afrai the $150 Tamron just isn't going to stand up to the standard set my the 4 prime Nikkors that I have. It is a consumer grade lens, and I want more. But the 300 mm f4 Nikkor is $1125. A bit steep for the rather limited use it presents. (THe Yankees a few times a year and my daughters soccer...)

That is why a great MF lens at $200 seems interesting to me.
 
--I have one word for your low budget TOKINA. At $200 and less I did pick up Af 100-300mm f4 ($200) pro grade lens and AF 400mm f5.6($165) both produce exellent pictures and can work with TC1.4X for even longer rich.

Heck I did get AF 300mm f2.8 for $765 thats less than most get Nikon used AFS 300f4
Mironv

Smu g mug mentions in signatures are not allowed due to 'account code' commercial marketing
So How the heck I can place a picture Phill??????
 
I don't mean to be a lens snob, but when I saw the difference between the 18-70mm kit lens and the 85 f 1.8, I decided that life was too short to not buy the best glass possible.

In film, I have all these great Konica Hexanon lenses, just dying for a digital camera...
 
--You are a snob with out a knowlage of optical quality of lenses.Older Nikon 300mmf4.5 manual is good but both Tokinas blow that lens.
They both AF.
It is very hard to be a snob with out big money.
Mironv

Smu g mug mentions in signatures are not allowed due to 'account code' commercial marketing
So How the heck I can place a picture Phill??????
 
--How is my comments inappropriate??

DSLR VF is not for manual lenses specialy sport pics on 300mm tele and I do understand that you don't wonted to be a lens snob but you are if you think that if Nikon lens be a better tool for what you ask on this tred.

I just offered info on 2 good lenses that will do what you looking for at your budget.
PS. Tokina was started by few Nikon optical guys that left Nikon.

Tokina AF100-300mm f4 was introduced same year as Nikon 2 ring 80-200f2.8 and was sold for $1150-1300 at that time Nikon went for $1350-1550.Getting lens of that caliber for $200 is a exellent budget buy.

Mironv

Smu g mug mentions in signatures are not allowed due to 'account code' commercial marketing
So How the heck I can place a picture Phill??????
 
First of all, I actually own a Tokina lens for my Konica. It's a good lens. It is not as good as the Hexanon glass.

Second, I think it is one thing if I call myself a lens snob. I think it is another for you to stick it in my face.

HAve you actually used the Nikon lens you were dissing? Done a reasonable examination between them? Your Tokina may be a great lens for the money, but does it really EXCEED the quality of a Nikon lens, which is the claim you make in rather colorful and unneeded language.

Btw, I own a Nikon F body, with with I could also use a manual focus lens on...

FOr the record, I shot the game today with the 180mm f2.8, which is a superb lens. I haven't had a change to look at the shots yeat, but 180mm was to short for our seats. I don't know how much cropping I have to do...we will see.
 
--I change my mind you are not a snob you are masochist.

Your Nikon F have BIG VF with split center to make manual focus lenses a snap. How Tokina comapres to Nikon 300f4.5 well it AF and meters and thats what matters and as far as optics they as good or better than 25 years old Nikon glass.
Mironv

Smu g mug mentions in signatures are not allowed due to 'account code' commercial marketing
So How the heck I can place a picture Phill??????
 
I don't have a press pass, so I am shooting from the stands. My brother splits a season ticket with a friend, and I can sit in these seats as much as 8-10 times a year if I want. I am far enough away that the focus on the lens doesn't vary much, the lens didn't budget if I was locked on to first base, second base, the pitchers mound, or the batter's box. I had to move from centering on first base to third base to get any kind of shift.

Manual focus won't be problem under these circumstances. Nor is it that difficlut. I did it for 30 years.

There are plenty of threads on the d200 forum or the general Nikon forum about using manual focus lenses on a digital camera. I would have to disagree that the optics of today are better than those oif yesterday.

I think that today's technology can be better, when you are shooting a top notch lens, but if you are shooting a modern day consumer grade lens, you can easiily find lenses from the 1970's that produce better optical quality. I still haven't found a Nikon lens to match my 40 mm Hexanon f 1.8 "Pancake lens." Further, the best lens I think I have ever used is on my dad's Vouightlander (Contessa?) , a 35 mm rangefinder from the 1050's with a bellows lens.
 
Mironv,

I'm pretty sure English is not your first language. You are trying to be helpful, but be careful of calling someone a snob. We use the term around here to talk in the third person, but we normally don't call each other snobs directly. That usually makes a native speaker angry, then they won't listen to anything more you have to say.

I won't get angry if a person like you might call me a snob. I would guess that you don't realize how ugly it sounds.

I think it can be helpful if you notice you made someone angry to start the next reply like this "I'm sorry if I offended you because English isn't my first language, what I was trying to say was......"

This can give the other person a chance to re-read what you said and realize that you were just trying to be helpful.

Most people once they know that you are speaking English as a second (or third or forth) language will try to listen more intently and try to understand your meaning better. Calling a person a snob maybe won't hurt as much. People will maybe try to understand what you really meant.

I was just at a wedding and a man said in his speach that the bride was "overbearing". I was shocked. I was hoping he made a joke.... Later I found out that overbearing in Danish is not the same as in English. It's an insult in English but it means something positive in Danish.

I like your enthusiasm and I hope you continue to keep trying to help people here. You seem to try to find the most economical way to solve problems and that is how I like to think, too.

Guy Moscoso
Mironv said:
--You are a snob with out a knowlage of optical quality of
lenses.Older Nikon 300mmf4.5 manual is good but both Tokinas blow
that lens.
They both AF.
It is very hard to be a snob with out big money.
Mironv
Smu g mug mentions in signatures are not allowed due to 'account
code' commercial marketing
So How the heck I can place a picture Phill??????
Click to expand...
 
If you want to see a few of the shots, I posted some from last Sunday, and just one from today, at:

http://www.johncerra.smugmug.com .

More to come in the future, including some shots in Monument Park.

Thanks for all the help. My conclusion is that I need at least top notch zoom that reaches 300, or a 300mm prime to do this...

John
 
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