Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2009/02/04

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Subject: [Leica] Re:Monster High-tech 50mm 1.4 from Sigma and everyone else
From: len-001 at verizon.net (Leonard Taupier)
Date: Wed Feb 4 15:24:40 2009
References: <C5AF393F.496BD%mark@rabinergroup.com> <00a401c986ee$304d23b0$80f510ac@chris0436b6050> <7D1302B2-0EAD-4E1D-9957-ED5D6A81208E@verizon.net> <3ACFE622-ED62-4C46-8275-51E86375E666@cox.net>

Hi Steve,

I find the focus of the older manual focus lenses is just fine. All  
the Nikon AF bodies have focus confirmation no matter what lens you  
put on it, even an enlarger lens on a bellows will get you focus  
confirmation. I think it's easy and fun at the same time. Of course a  
good autofocus lens is great as well as long as it doesn't hunt and  
is fairly fast. The older Nikon AF 50/1.4 lens focuses faster then  
the new AFS 50mm/1.4. But it's still adequate. The new AFS lens is  
very sharp as well, but difficult to see the difference versus the  
older 50's. I think what Nikon is doing now is releasing all the new  
lenses with the AFS motors so they can start eliminating all the  
screw drives on the less expensive bodies like the D40 and D60.  Of  
course they are upgrading the lens formulas and improving the coating  
at the same time. It's surprising how good the old glass is though.  
I'm currently seeing how good a lens I can but for less then $75.  
Tomorrow I have the Nikon 55mm/3.5 micro with the compensating  
aperture and factory converted to AI coming in. It's one of the  
sharpest lenses Nikon has ever made. The price is $62. And it was  
never made in Thailand. The D700 viewfinder is great even though it's  
a 95% view. It pains me to say this but I'm shooting much more with  
my D700 and much less with my M8.

Len


On Feb 4, 2009, at 4:18 PM, Steve Barbour wrote:

>
> On Feb 4, 2009, at 1:26 PM, Leonard Taupier wrote:
>
>> I've already tried the new Nikon. My son bought it two weeks ago.  
>> The focus is very slow but if you have a D40X or D60 it'll work  
>> fine. I found my 1977 AI'd 50/1.4 was just as sharp. The 50/2.0  
>> you can get from KEH for $69 is just as good as well.  I find with  
>> the D700 I prefer using the old classic manual focus lenses. They  
>> certainly are made better then their AF siblings.
>
>
> hi Len...talk to me a bit about focus of those lenses on the D 700,  
> and the quality of the viewfinder....
>
>
> good ? no good?  easy ? fun?
>
>
> thanks, Steve
>
>
>
>>
>>
>> Len
>>
>>
>> On Feb 4, 2009, at 12:29 PM, Chris Williams wrote:
>>
>>> Hey Mark,
>>>
>>> The Nikon 50/1.4 G AF-S is already out, and $499.
>>>
>>> Chris
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mark Rabiner" Subject:  
>>> [Leica] Monster High-tech 50mm 1.4 from Sigma and everyone else
>>>
>>>
>>>> " In 2008, full-frame DSLR's from three makers became  
>>>> affordable, and
>>>> interest in classic 50mm lenses was renewed."
>>>>
>>>> I've had my eye on the new redesign of the Nikon 50 1.4 about to  
>>>> come out;
>>>> For like 333 some odd bucks but with silent built in auto  
>>>> focusing AFS they
>>>> call it which are not on my other versions. Especially my AI  
>>>> version. And
>>>> focusing manually at f1.4 and be there on a cheap body with non  
>>>> groundglass
>>>> style groundglass is hit or miss.
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Leica Users Group.
>>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Leica Users Group.
>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information


Replies: Reply from drodgers at casefarms.com (David Rodgers) ([Leica] Re:Monster High-tech 50mm 1.4 from Sigma and everyone else)
Reply from mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner) ([Leica] Re:Monster High-tech 50mm 1.4 from Sigma and everyone else)
Reply from s.dimitrov at charter.net (Slobodan Dimitrov) ([Leica] Re:Monster High-tech 50mm 1.4 from Sigma and everyone else)
Reply from kididdoc at cox.net (Steve Barbour) ([Leica] Re:Monster High-tech 50mm 1.4 from Sigma and everyone else)
In reply to: Message from mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner) ([Leica] Monster High-tech 50mm 1.4 from Sigma and everyone else)
Message from leicachris at worldnet.att.net (Chris Williams) ([Leica] Re:Monster High-tech 50mm 1.4 from Sigma and everyone else)
Message from len-001 at verizon.net (Leonard Taupier) ([Leica] Re:Monster High-tech 50mm 1.4 from Sigma and everyone else)
Message from kididdoc at cox.net (Steve Barbour) ([Leica] Re:Monster High-tech 50mm 1.4 from Sigma and everyone else)