[Leica] OT. Nikon screen brightness and contrast

[leica_r8 at hotmail.com (Aram Langhans)]

Hi Frank.  Which 18-35?  I had the D version and it was a real piece of 
crap.  Center was pretty good, but the edges, or even the outer third, was 
pretty bad.  It worked pretty good on my cropped D7000, but when I went to 
full frame D600, all bets were off.  It had to go.  I dumped it and got the 
16-35/4.  BIG improvement.  Then about 6 months later they finally improved 
the 18-35 with the G model.   I was thinking, drats, I should have waited. 
My father-in-law bought the new G model and it is WAY better than the 
original D model but not up to the 16-35.  It is a pretty nice piece of 
glass, albeit rather big.  His G 18-35 is not bad.  I can easily tell which 
lens has taken the photo.  The 18-35G, while MUCH better in the outer third 
than the original, still shows a lot of CA, where the 16-35 is not bad in 
this regard.

My experience with all three lenses.

Aram



-----Original Message----- 
From: Frank Filippone
Sent: Tuesday, September 17, 2013 10:19 AM
To: Leica Users Group
Subject: Re: [Leica] OT. Nikon screen brightness and contrast

I appreciate your comments. I also  have accepted the idea that IF I switch 
to a Nikon DSLR, that switch must include the acceptance of AF.  I can use 
my MF lenses but I will not consider them mainline lenses for travel.  I do 
mostly landscape/travel shots. I have the need for lightness of kit weight. 
So a WA zoom is what I have selected. In this case a 18-35 lens. I have 
purchased a reasonably cheap one from Ebay and will do some testing of IQ 
compared to my Leica gear. If the IQ is lacking, the whole idea goes out the 
window.
The test will use the M9 as the camera with adapter for the Nikon lenses. 
Same sensor means the variable in IQ will be the lens

I am pretty certain the D800e body will outperform the M9. But the optics 
are the variable. Test them and I will know which is acceptable.

Again thank you for your comments
Frank Filippone

On Sep 6, 2013, at 9:52 AM, Aram Langhans <leica_r8 at hotmail.com> wrote:

> My father-in-law had the D300 and I had a D7000 and they both were 
> difficult to focus manually for my 62 (at the time) year old eyes.  The 
> D7000 was better.  I now have a D600 and it is a bit easier, but still 
> difficult.  And the indicators are not much help, as there is quite a 
> range when they are lit telling me it is in focus.  But when I look at the 
> images, the focus plane may be in front or in back or right on.  Depends 
> on chance, I think. I find myself focusing wide open and then stopping 
> down to compensate for the miss in focus, but that doesn't work for 
> shallow DOF shots that I often try to do.  The only really solid way to 
> focus at full aperture is with live view, but that is not great for action 
> or moving subjects.  I use an eyepiece magnifier and that helps a bit.  I 
> am slowly seeing the writing on the wall and shifting to auto focus lenses 
> with deep regret at not using my Leica R glass as much.  Macro is still 
> fine since I can take all the time I need to focus using live view.  It 
> has been a slow regression over the last few years.  The pits getting old 
> eyes.  I pulled out my R8 the other day to finish a roll of film and found 
> I could focus just fine with it.  Too bad they don't make a good 
> viewfinder for a DSLR, at least in ones I have looked at.  Have not looked 
> at a D3 or D4.  Maybe they are much better at manual focus.  But too heavy 
> for me.
>
> Aram
>
> -----Original Message----- From: Kayai
> Sent: Friday, September 06, 2013 9:41 AM
> To: Leica-Users-Group
> Subject: [Leica] OT. Nikon screen brightness and contrast
>
> I borrowed my son's D 200 body to see just how easy it was to focus a MF 
> lens.  Without using the in focus indicators, it was pretty difficult. 
> Brightness was not too bad but contrast was miserably low
> .  My D1x was both brighter and more contrasty. The D200 would not work 
> for me.
>
> I am wondering if someone who has had a D200 and D300s and maybe a D3 or 
> D4 could comment on relative focus ease. Keep in mind that I own 
> predominantly MF lenses.
>
> TIA
> Frank Filippone
>
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