Samsung NX 30 mm f/2 or Nikkor 28 mm f/2.8?

arvidb wrote:

Great replies everyone, thanks!

So it looks like I won't purchase the 30/2.0. I have done some manual focus photography with my Nikon D40 and I think I really won't mind it - as long as the subject is relatively still and as long as the focusing aids are usable (these are totally absent from the D40 of course, which made it quite difficult on that camera).

It's true that the NX500 comes with a 16-50PZ lens, and I hear that it is pretty fast at auto focusing. Maybe it will be a satisfactory lens for daylight "action" photos!

The image below of my cat hunting dry food was shot at night in a room lit with a single compact flourescent uplight. The lens is a manual focus Micro-Nikkor 105 mm f/4 lens (at f/4). I used the D40's maximum ISO of 1600 and had to brighten it an additional 3 EV in darktable (I used curves to somewhat limit the noise in the shadows, but the end result is about +3 EV). I also had to convert it to B&W due to the color noise, but I actually think it turned out great this way!

I really like this kind of natural light (no flash) photography. The noise gets excessive with the D40 and a low exposure like this, but I'm hoping the NX500 will be much better. And I guess that there's not much to be done except a better sensor - a wider aperture had given too small a depth of field, longer exposure would have caused motion blur, and flash would have ruined the "mood".

Well one thing that is known is that fur sucks up light. Supplementing what is there is not heresy just prudent if you want to appreciate the texture. It does not hurt to have some detail in the eyes either. Some fill would have improved this maybe but you have to be aware of the redeye which is worse in animals. Good luck with your new gear.:-)