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AFD lenses, which are worth looking at?
- Thread starter Stacey_K
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- nikon d7000
HyperCypher
Senior Member
it sounds silly, but, for some of us who are a little older, just enabling the aperture ring is a pleasure while shooting in "A" or "M" priority ... nice and tactile ... so there is that ... and then the D primes are all as small as an F mount lens can get, so you can go out for a "one lens" outing and be very compact, or in my case take quite a few of them along in one very small bag, or a few in a big coat pocket ... so that is something to think about ... and then of course; cost - my whole "crew" below cost less than a 24mm 1.4 G
D lenses will work with old film bodies, which I actually still shoot every so often ...
I own the 24mm 2.8, 35mm 2.0, 50mm 1.8, and 85mm 1.8 D primes ... and I own a few more manual focus Nikkors (28mm 2.8 AI-s, 55mm 3.5 Macro, and 105mm 2.5 AI being the most notable). And at one time or another have had quite a few others which have come and gone (given away, lost, stolen, busted) ... !
I think what I would like to say about having a zoo of lenses like this is that you stop judging them on some kind of absolute objective scale (usually sharpness), and start to relate to them for what they provide subjectively as image makers. Of the prime lenses I have now, the 35 2.0d and MF 105 2.5 AI have something about them that can't be quantified ... for some reason, people look great photographed with them, maybe because they are NOT razor sharp, but really its more about how the whole image looks ...
I think its pretty telling how there is so much discussion about lens accuracy, and then in post a lot of what we do is degrade the image in an attempt to knock some soul back into it ...
Strange isn't it how those old film shots with their grain and questionable optics and "out in the outfield" processing look so "photographic" and what comes out of a DSLR looks so overtly clinical ... be careful what you ask for ...
D lenses will work with old film bodies, which I actually still shoot every so often ...
I own the 24mm 2.8, 35mm 2.0, 50mm 1.8, and 85mm 1.8 D primes ... and I own a few more manual focus Nikkors (28mm 2.8 AI-s, 55mm 3.5 Macro, and 105mm 2.5 AI being the most notable). And at one time or another have had quite a few others which have come and gone (given away, lost, stolen, busted) ... !
I think what I would like to say about having a zoo of lenses like this is that you stop judging them on some kind of absolute objective scale (usually sharpness), and start to relate to them for what they provide subjectively as image makers. Of the prime lenses I have now, the 35 2.0d and MF 105 2.5 AI have something about them that can't be quantified ... for some reason, people look great photographed with them, maybe because they are NOT razor sharp, but really its more about how the whole image looks ...
I think its pretty telling how there is so much discussion about lens accuracy, and then in post a lot of what we do is degrade the image in an attempt to knock some soul back into it ...
Strange isn't it how those old film shots with their grain and questionable optics and "out in the outfield" processing look so "photographic" and what comes out of a DSLR looks so overtly clinical ... be careful what you ask for ...
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I agree. There are some OM lenses that look "special" and it's not just resolution numbers. I guess that is more what I was asking, which lenses have "something special" and always seem to make great images.
One example is an old medium format camera I have, a 19050's vintage rolleicord. It's their lower end model with a 75mm f3.5 xenar but for whatever reason it simply takes amazing looking pictures. There is something about the way it renders the image that if different.
So far the images I am getting from the 180mm F2.8 have this some "something" to them. I might take a look at a 35mm f2.0D given you seem to find something special about it. I've heard others say the MF 105mm f2.5 is worth looking for too.
Giovanni_1968
Senior Member
By personal experience I can talk about lenses I own and shoot with keeping in mind that being on budget I buy what I can afford and not what I wish (say I have the 35-70D but I wish I could get the 28-70AF-S), for portraits, especially to unaware people or to capture a non posed one I love the 300AF-ED (non AF-S) f4 one, shortcoming is short minimum focusing distance which is about 2.5 meters which, to me, is not a deal for portraiture since even at 20 meters wish a dx camera like mine it is still too narrow, the colors are warm and nice, same as for skin tones and transition between tones, maybe it is the coupling with my Fuji S5 but for the money you can't go wrong, if you can afford the AF-S then better for action and a bit sharper as far as I know, I only had experience with new glasses by testing the 70-200VR which is actually more detailed/colder than both my 300ED and my 80-200 double ring which is then my second fav for portrait, same as above, warm and soft wide open but sharp when you stop down, no falloff and not too heavy, again, for faster action get the AF-S at the cost of less "warmth", the 80-200 doesn't mean you will not want the 85 and here the debate is hard, 1,4 vs 1,8, big price gap, I handled the 1,4 and it is rugged as hell and takes wonderful pics, the 1,8 is said not to have the same creamy bokeh if you love it that way, being me like you I am not looking at an 85 right now but I'll wait and if a chance comes I will go for the 1,4D. I tested the 105DC, it is simply great but needs skills and time to get the best shoots, in my opinion it is a studio lens or for posing subjects, not for my kind of shooting even though I'd love to have it as well as my friend's 200VR, wow, one of the best things ever attached to my Fuji I own the 50D f1,4 wonderful lens for short distance portraits, very nice out of focus, sharp, very sharp and fast even though not AF-S, actually the newer one is said to be slower. Then the 35-70D, this is a bargain and a keeper, weird focal range but solid, made all of alloy and glass, at 35 and 50mm it performs like a prime and is sharp and warm like all the old D lenses, caution in choosing a hood and never have the sun in front of you! I have a 28Ai f2,8, actually on sale, nice lens very similar rendering of the AF-D ones, compact and solid, I sell it since I have my dad's old 28f3,5Auto one and I make no use of it after I got my only AF-S which is the 10-24 with which I can play with landscape as much as I want but it is not really my field, I am not good at it, no way! It is a nice lens, from 12mm up distortion very well controlled, little vignetting but cold and sharp which is not a defect but good for landscaping, in this case my camera is limited having a heavy low pass filter and a low megapixel count.
All the D lenses have nice rendering, soft and warm, there are exceptions of course but it is normal, as far as I know both the 20, 24 and 28mm never made Nikon's fortune in their f2,8 incarnation and that's a lot of Nkkoneers complain, from 50mm up you never go wrong and should I sell the 28 I will save what I get to get myself an 85 sometime later.
happy shopping!!!
All the D lenses have nice rendering, soft and warm, there are exceptions of course but it is normal, as far as I know both the 20, 24 and 28mm never made Nikon's fortune in their f2,8 incarnation and that's a lot of Nkkoneers complain, from 50mm up you never go wrong and should I sell the 28 I will save what I get to get myself an 85 sometime later.
happy shopping!!!
Leif Goodwin
Senior Member
sd40
Senior Member
Is it too much to ask that you read your own post above, find the words "one less element," and thereby identify the erroneous information?
I did not set out to correct you, but simply to make sure that the OP has correct information. If you have some reason to question the accuracy of the specific information contained within the link I provided, by all means enlighten us. I don't disagree that Rockwell can be wrong from time to time and that one must read through the hype to get to the info, but this one is a simple question of fact. Attacking the source, regardless of your view of his reliability, adds little or nothing to the sum of our knowledge.
Leif Goodwin
Senior Member
What are you talking about? The 28mm F2.8 AF lens has 5 elements, the AFD version has 6 elements. Hence the 28mm F2.8 AF lens has one less element than the 28mm F2.8 AFD.
See above.
primeshooter
Veteran Member
Agree completely. But, back up a second. You are talking about using D lenses and moving the aperture ring? Is this what you mean? If I don't have them all locked off with the switch at f/16 or f/22 ERR displays. It seems you can only really use the aperture ring on film camera's or what? Please explain.
It depends on which mode your camera is set to. I think full auto mode is the only one showing ERR.
primeshooter
Veteran Member
As far as I remember no, it does it on AP and M. I, having never used auto mode and gotten the error you must be wrong.
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sd40
Senior Member
Your information conflicts with the info in the link I provided.
Leif Goodwin
Senior Member
What are you talking about?
You posted the following:
"If I understand it correctly, the well-regarded 28mm f/2.8 AIS has eight elements. The 28mm f/2.8 AF (perhaps early versions only?) had five elements and was developed from the cheap 28mm Series E lens, not the AIS version. The 28mm f/2.8 AF-D was a slight upgrade of the AF and had six elements."
As far as I know all copies of the 28mm F2.8 AF had 5 elements, Hence we agree. Why are you arguing with me? What is your problem?
sd40
Senior Member
Leif Goodwin
Senior Member
sd40
Senior Member
It depends on a setting in the menu. There you can set the camera to use the aperture ring on the lens _or_ the dial on the camera. The dial on the camera is default. Setting this to use the aperture ring, you use the aperture ring in M and A. In P and S, you have to set the aperture ring to the smallest aperture anyway.
Leif Goodwin
Senior Member
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