A/F v Manual Lenses

gramps

gramps

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'Gramps'
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Some long range A/F lenses are megabucks new but their older manual predecessors can sometimes be picked up at a good price - what do you guys think of older manual lenses?
 
I love using MF lenses, but I'm not sure if long range lenses would be the best, focussing might be quite tricky I would have thought.
 
I think it's good fun shooting with older lenses, particularly the long ones which always raise an eyebrow!!

Here's my Hanimex 400/6.3:

1032_main_2.jpg


And a shot:


Little Egret looking over the water by ManualFocus-G, on Flickr
 
grum said:
Nice pic - do you find the stabilisation on the Sony useful for stuff like that?
Click to expand...

Thanks :) I've still not decided if it's that useful to be honest. I had to buy an adapter with the correct focal length programmed in, in order to utilise the stabilisation. I'm sceptical of it's usefulness though. I'd say I get at best 1 stop of stabilisation at that length.
 
gramps said:
Some long range A/F lenses are megabucks new but their older manual predecessors can sometimes be picked up at a good price - what do you guys think of older manual lenses?
Click to expand...

Are you thinking of Ai/AiS Nikkor lenses? If so, most have a great reputation -- though some are reported as showing a little colour fringing on some bodies.

If you are looking at stationary objects or can pre-focus they're a great option.
 
I have used Manual focus lenses for over 30 years, started with Praktica and ended up with Canon T90, F1 and an A1. Focus problems were almost unheard of due to the excellent and bright viewfinders.

I bought a 350D in 2007, got an adapter to use my FD lenses on it, spent a lot of time learning to adapt to a much dimmer viewfinder, but in the end I can focus just as quick and easy as I do with the other cameras, birds in flight I find easier with manual focus, also birds hiding in trees with lots of small twigs around them, aircraft and trains.

For low light I put the 50mm F1.4 FD on the 350, it becomes a 100mm F2.0, which suits me, best of all my 31 FD lenses ranging from 17mm to 600mm cost me less than £1000 total.

It took me the best part of a year to learn how to focus properly with MF on a digital camera, but as I am only an amateur that's ok, so I do not have to only photograph still objects or pre-focus on others I can use the set up just as well as I do with my T90.

Many others have gone down this road and have found the same, plus saving a fortune on more expensive AF lenses which do not always measure up, as I find reading threads on here and other forums day after day.

For me older manual focus lenses are great, but do take some practice to get used to on digital, I say go for it.


John:)
 
manualfocus-g said:
Thanks :) I've still not decided if it's that useful to be honest. I had to buy an adapter with the correct focal length programmed in, in order to utilise the stabilisation. I'm sceptical of it's usefulness though. I'd say I get at best 1 stop of stabilisation at that length.
Click to expand...

Ta, good to know I am not missing that much :)
 
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