I'm planning to get a DSLR body and an adaptor so I can use my old manual (OM) lenses. Obviously I'll have to focus manually (I'll be using it for portraits, not action). Which is the best reasonably priced DSLR for manual focusing? I'd prefer not to have to fit a new focusing screen.
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Best cheap SLR for manual focus
- Thread starter tomalban
- Start date
Cipher
Senior Member
Nikon FM2n
Tim the Grey
Veteran Member
Doug Pardee
Veteran Member
I'm curious why not. At least on the Canon DSLRs, it's not a lot harder than changing the lens. Well, okay, you have to both remove the lens AND swap focus screens, but you know what I mean. I hope.
Svein Eriksen
Senior Member
As far as I know no cheap dslr body is designed for manual focus. You don't mention which lens (focal length) you plan to use, but I belive that buying a dslr body and a 50mm 1.8 AF lens is a better option. The 50mm is equivalent to 80mm when you figur in the crop factor and wouldn't add much to the package. Remember that both a new screen and an adaptor also cost something.
If you're still sure you want to use your old lens and do a lot of manual focus you'll probably want to get a different focusing screen. So check if any of the cheapest bodies offer interchangeable screens before buying.
If you're still sure you want to use your old lens and do a lot of manual focus you'll probably want to get a different focusing screen. So check if any of the cheapest bodies offer interchangeable screens before buying.
Caoedhen
Senior Member
I woulkd suggest either a Pentax, or possibly the Nikon D80. The Pentax *ist series had the best viewfinder going, you could actually see through it. The D80 is supposed to be good in that respect too, but I haven't tried it.
AS for the OM to K or F adapter... no idea.
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Crime Scene Photography
AS for the OM to K or F adapter... no idea.
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Crime Scene Photography
I did a little reading around and some pentaxs will tell you where the af thinks you should be focusing like some of the AF systems in the 80's with up / down arrows. I'm not familiar with how other companies handle mf lenses.
K1000Photographer
Veteran Member
The D80 is supposed to have the D200 viewfinder, which is good. Other than that, the only good viewfinders would be on Pentax. I tried a K100D and it is very impressive. The AS works very well and the viewfinder is quite good.
nickleback
Forum Pro
Last I looked the FM2n isn't a DSLR.
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nickleback
Forum Pro
And you'll have to stop-down manually, too.
You have two choices, Canon EOS and Olympus E. Everything else, if an adapter is made, will need glass in the adapter.
Best manual focus in the EOS line is 1Ds (any version), followed by 5D, 1D, 10/20/30D. You can get split prism focusing screens from Canon for 1 and 5 series, from 3rd parties for other cameras.
In the Oly E series, the E1 is decent for manual focus (similar to Canon 10D/20D/30D), the rest aren't so good (unless you use live focus on the E330). I don't know about split prism finders for E series.
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PhotoTraveler
Forum Pro
No such adapter exist for any lens-body combo far as I know. Maybe on some adaptors for putting Medium Format lenses on 35mm bodies you might find such a thing.
nickleback
Forum Pro
OM to EOS and E system exist. Oly has (and may still do) distribute an adapter for their E system, and third party adapters for EOS mount are easy to come by.
High quality adapters (but note the price):
http://www.cameraquest.com/frames/4saleReos.htm
http://www.cameraquest.com/adapt_olyE1.htm
Adapters of varying quality:
http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?sofocus=bs&sbrftog=1&from=R10&satitle=om+eos+adapter&sacat=-1%26catref%3DC6&sargn=-1%26saslc%3D2&sadis=200&fpos=44122&ftrt=1&ftrv=1&saprclo=&saprchi=&fsop=1%26fsoo%3D1&coaction=compare&copagenum=1&coentrypage=search&fgtp=
http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?sofocus=bs&sbrftog=1&from=R10&catref=C6&satitle=om+e+adapter+-%28nikon%2Cleica%2Cm42%2Cpentax%29&sacat=-1%26catref%3DC6&sargn=-1%26saslc%3D2&sadis=200&fpos=44122&ftrt=1&ftrv=1&saprclo=&saprchi=&fsop=1%26fsoo%3D1&coaction=compare&copagenum=1&coentrypage=search
Note that some of the Canon EOS adapters come with a set of contacts that trick the camera into thinking an AF lens is mounted so that focus confirmation (i.e. AF points light up in viewfinder when they are in focus) works. You can buy that piece individually as well:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Canon-EOS-autofocus-module-chip-for-manual-focus-lenses_W0QQitemZ250028907324QQihZ015QQcategoryZ4687QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
I don't understand this. Medium format to 35mm adapters would be completely the wrong size for OM.
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If you want something cheap that will readily take your OM lenses the Olympus E1 is the obvious choice. It has a nice bright viewfinder (compared to the other olympus cameras), and an OM adapter is available.
The main downside is that it is 'only' 5MP, but it is currently available at bargain prices for a camera with such good build quality.
Tringa
The main downside is that it is 'only' 5MP, but it is currently available at bargain prices for a camera with such good build quality.
Tringa
fstoponepointfour
Well-known member
This is a great thread on using alternative lenses on DSLRs
http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/421535/0
This little gem will help your manual focusing. I'm just waiting for the Contax to EOS to become available again!
f1.4
Just Lookin'
http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/421535/0
This little gem will help your manual focusing. I'm just waiting for the Contax to EOS to become available again!
f1.4
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Just Lookin'
Cephalotus
Senior Member
afaik Olympus OM lenses will only work on Canon EOS and fourthirds cameras because the sensor to mount distance has to be significantly smaller than on the OM mount...
There are no cheap Canon DSLRs available with a good focusing screen (maybe you can get a used 1D but that could be quite overkill and is not really cheap) and in fourthirds world the old Olympus E-1 would give you the best screen.
I use OM 50/1,4, Vivitar OM 100/2,8 macro, Tokina OM 400/5,6 and OM 20/3,5 ultramacro lenses on my E-1 and i can focus them manually (I prefer the viewfinder on my E-1 for MF over that on on my previous Canon 10D).
I would not recommend the optical viewfinders of E-300, E-500, E-330, 300D, 350D and probabyl 400D and E-400 for use with OM lenses.
My suggestion would be the E-1 but you need at least a new fourthirds wide angle lens because of the crop 2 with your OM lenses...
On Pentax you only have close focus, on Nikon (D50-D100) you only have close focus and no metering with OM lenses!
There are no cheap Canon DSLRs available with a good focusing screen (maybe you can get a used 1D but that could be quite overkill and is not really cheap) and in fourthirds world the old Olympus E-1 would give you the best screen.
I use OM 50/1,4, Vivitar OM 100/2,8 macro, Tokina OM 400/5,6 and OM 20/3,5 ultramacro lenses on my E-1 and i can focus them manually (I prefer the viewfinder on my E-1 for MF over that on on my previous Canon 10D).
I would not recommend the optical viewfinders of E-300, E-500, E-330, 300D, 350D and probabyl 400D and E-400 for use with OM lenses.
My suggestion would be the E-1 but you need at least a new fourthirds wide angle lens because of the crop 2 with your OM lenses...
On Pentax you only have close focus, on Nikon (D50-D100) you only have close focus and no metering with OM lenses!
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