Anyone Using AI Lenses And Manual Focus On A Nikon D200?

On 2008-05-06 07:17:25 -0700, said:

On May 5, 6:44 pm, wrote:
I find the Nikon AI primes like the 24mm 2.8 to be excellent but am
having a little trouble with the manual focus. Do you always trust
the little green dot on the info screen in the viewfinder for focusing
accuracy ? Unfortunately I do wear glasses so the focusing thing has
been a little hit or miss for me. Other than getting the Katz Eye
Focusing Screen does anyone have a fool proof method for manually
focusing on the D200? I'm looking forward to finding a used 20mm 2.8
AI for this particular camera. And does anyone have an opinion of the
20-35mm 2.8 Nikon lens and shooting architecture and landscapes?
Thanks


Manual-focus lenses are definitely a challenge on the D200/D300. There
is no microprism or split-image rangefinder. You really need to rely
on the ground glass focus screen that is there and look for areas of
detail within the frame. The "green dot" electronic rangefinder is
kind of useful but it takes a lot of practice I find.

I would avoid the aftermarket solutions.

If you wear glasses and your vision can't be corrected with the
eypiece adjustment, I would suggest that maybe you should think abour
investing in some AF lenses.

I have eye problems that can't be corrected with diopter compensation.
I find I absolutely have to rely on autofocus for 85mm and longer*.
With WA I can still use the manual focus classics that I would really
hate to give up (20, 24, 28, 35).

I used to shoot lots of street portraits with a 24 on which I would use
DOF to my advantage (and I didn't even know I was using "hyperfocal"
distance) so that I could look over the top of the camera and talk to
the person while I was shooting. They were much more relaxed and
natural than when I had the camera glued to my face. That reflex is
still there and I often frame without even looking in the viewfinder.

Shooting with the tele lenses is something else again, and I let the AF
do its thing on the 180 200 and several zooms.

For portraits I keep experimenting. I've always tended to do a form of
bracket focusing, and I find most subjects don't mind a string of
shots, a short break, another string, etc. Once in awhile I would do
some exposure bracketing with film, but I prefer to keep good notes on
a given light set-up, then do either automatic focus bracketing or
manual, wher I would focus on (for example) the eye, then lean a little
into the subject or a little back while triggering several shots. I'm
holding the focus lock (if AF) or keeping my fingers off the focus ring
(of manual lens) and this works better for me than accomplishing the
same thing by holding my body still and twiddling the focus ring.

A too-long explanation of a fairly simple tactic.

For the DX format, btw, a 50mm 1.8 is soooo perfect for portraits, that
I don't miss the 105 focal length that used to be my favorite. I still
plan to get either an 85/1.4 or a 105 DC, but I really have those in
mind for shooting Kodachrome, and not so much for the D200.

*(exception to the AF rule) I'm doing macro work with a 6X magnifier
finder. I never have had much luck with AF for extreme close-ups. I'm
fiddling around with my bellows set-up, as I can't decide between a
reversed 28 and several longer primes mounted "frontwards". If I had a
105 bellows lens like the one I owned about 30 years ago, it would
probably blow them all away.

--
"Our ignorance is not so vast as our failure to use what we know."