Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2013/09/17

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Subject: [Leica] OT. Nikon screen brightness and contrast
From: mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner)
Date: Wed, 18 Sep 2013 02:31:09 -0400

Having just checked the S system I see they do make a standard zoom.
I'm not sure if anybody ever made a wide medium format zoom Hasselblad sure
didn't not Zeiss.
But unlike many I am as fond of normal zooms as I am wide zooms. As I am
long zooms.  And am very ok with no zooms.

"The Leica Vario-Elmar-S 30?90 mm f/3.5-5.6 ASPH. has the same imaging
characteristics as a 24?72 mm zoom lens in 35 mm format."


On 9/18/13 2:24 AM, "Mark Rabiner" <mark at rabinergroup.com> wrote:

> Here's the Pop photo charts and review. I've been reading those since 1965.
> Erwin said once that they are amazingly good and surprised everybody. (on 
> the
> lug)
> http://www.popphoto.com/gear/2013/08/lens-test-nikon-18-35mm-f35-45g-ed
> 
> http://tinyurl.com/kkerez7
> 
> The D lens came out in 2003. An even decade ago.
> Should we assume Nikon and the whole camera optics industry has learned a
> thing or to in ten years?
> The fact that is so light weight it feels hollow is enough to sell me.
> Also the lens is groups.
> And I'm more concerned that my lens is gorgeous than my pictures be 
> gorgeous
> after all...
> 
> I'll probably be getting one soon.
> The AF-S NIKKOR 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5G ED
> http://imaging.nikon.com/lineup/lens/zoom/widezoom/af-s_18-35mmf_35-45g_ed/
> 
> $746.95 at B&H pure cane photo. I'm all over it.
> Don't need no stinking 2.8's!
> 
> I certainly got lots of mileage out of my 12-24 when I was shooting cropped
> and this is the full frame equivalent of that. Or visa versa.
> Wide zooms are cleaning up. Taking over the universe as we know it.
> Is there one for the S serious?
> For the M there is the TRI-ELMAR-M 16-18-21 mm f/4 ASPH
> And I could convince myself it was a zoom. Its just missing a few of the in
> between focal lenghs.
> 
> On 9/17/13 9:30 PM, "Frank Filippone" <red735i at verizon.net> wrote:
> 
>> I am trying out the 18-35 D lens. Not the G. I am now warned where to 
>> examine
>> the test shots. If my example shows similar lousy results, i will try to 
>> find
>> a G lens. Otherwise I will stick with the Leica. The 16-35  weighs too 
>> much.
>> 
>> Lightness counts as much as IQ. YMMV.
>> 
>> For those who have responded with reasonably monosyllabic responses as to 
>> the
>> greatness of Leica to Nikon optics.   Please pontificate in more detail. I
>> need something reasonably more scientific.
>> 
>> Frank Filippone
>> 
>> On Sep 17, 2013, at 11:16 AM, Aram Langhans <leica_r8 at hotmail.com> 
>> wrote:
>> 
>>> 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 u
>>  sing 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
>>>> 
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> 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
> 
> 
> 




-- 
Mark William Rabiner
Photographer
http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/lugalrabs/




In reply to: Message from mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner) ([Leica] OT. Nikon screen brightness and contrast)