Using Manual Lens on DSLRs

[smutpow]

My question is how do you focus w/o a split prism? I tried it out on a D50; while I can still guess the approximate speed and fstop, I simply can't seem to get it sharp enough.

Is there a special technique or do I need to just rely on my eye to judge?

[smutpow]

I mean I don't want to resort having to buy a split prism screen just to use some super old lens.

[gktat1]

Originally Posted by smutpow My question is how do you focus w/o a split prism? I tried it out on a D50; while I can still guess the approximate speed and fstop, I simply can't seem to get it sharp enough. Is there a special technique or do I need to just rely on my eye to judge?

There is a focus confirmation 'dot' at the left bottom corner of the screen.
When ur image is sharp, the dot will appear.
Try it..

[RtOaNn]

yup, the AF confirmation light still lights up with manual lenses.

[SilentWave]

Originally Posted by gktat1 There is a focus confirmation 'dot' at the left bottom corner of the screen. When ur image is sharp, the dot will appear. Try it..

Yeah it is either using the focus confirmation or relying on your eyes. I personally use the latter. But with the small viewfinders on DSLR, manually focusing tele lenses (especially when shooting at large apertures and the subject keeps moving) can be quite an exercise itself.

[RtOaNn]

Originally Posted by SilentWave Yeah it is either using the focus confirmation or relying on your eyes. I personally use the latter. But with the small viewfinders on DSLR, manually focusing tele lenses (especially when shooting at large apertures and the subject keeps moving) can be quite an exercise itself.

Yeah, i agree with that. A bit of hit-and-run shooting...haha

[Mendis]

focus bracketing

[lsisaxon]

Originally Posted by smutpow My question is how do you focus w/o a split prism? I tried it out on a D50; while I can still guess the approximate speed and fstop, I simply can't seem to get it sharp enough. Is there a special technique or do I need to just rely on my eye to judge?

DK21m magnifier eyepiece.. works very well on my D70s.

[yilishengxian]

Originally Posted by smutpow My question is how do you focus w/o a split prism? I tried it out on a D50; while I can still guess the approximate speed and fstop, I simply can't seem to get it sharp enough. Is there a special technique or do I need to just rely on my eye to judge?

Use your eyes to look, then use the focus confirmation dot to fine tune . I do that.

[jmmtn4aj]

Originally Posted by gktat1 There is a focus confirmation 'dot' at the left bottom corner of the screen. When ur image is sharp, the dot will appear. Try it..

Hmm, in the viewfinder? In mine the dot flashes.. very inconsistently..

[zac08]

Originally Posted by jmmtn4aj Hmm, in the viewfinder? In mine the dot flashes.. very inconsistently..

If it flashes, it means, the focus is intermittent. Change to a more prominent point where you can fill up the sensor better.

[Culés]

Sometimes the dot disappears completely; what does that mean, its totally out of focus?

It can be very frustrating to shoot with 'legendary' MF lenses to find out that the pics are less sharper than with your plastic kit lens

[lsisaxon]

Originally Posted by Culés Sometimes the dot disappears completely; what does that mean, its totally out of focus? It can be very frustrating to shoot with 'legendary' MF lenses to find out that the pics are less sharper than with your plastic kit lens

If it's a legendary fast lens, then you might have moved and the AF, being so sensitive, will detect that it has already fallen out of focus, but if you know it's still somewhere around there, it should be ok to release the shutter.

[gohaj]

Just wonder which Nikon dSLR can change to Nikon Original split-image focusing screen by Nikon Service Centre?

[Culés]

I meant (in jest) that a 'legendary' Manual focus lens sometimes (due to user error of course) delivers less sharp pics than a plastic AF lens.

The (only) legendary MF lens I have is the 105mm 2.5f portait lens, when I get the focusing right, it delivers amazing portraits. But I am quite reluctant to use it sometimes as I have missed many good shots due to my own focusing errors. Instead I use the 'crummy' 18-200 VR, which is always sharp and in focus

Originally Posted by lsisaxon If it's a legendary fast lens, then you might have moved and the AF, being so sensitive, will detect that it has already fallen out of focus, but if you know it's still somewhere around there, it should be ok to release the shutter.

[nikonrus]

I tried with the green dot method, picture taken looks sharp on preview screen, but when I look again full size on monitor, subject was definately out of focus.

[lsisaxon]

Originally Posted by gohaj Just wonder which Nikon dSLR can change to Nikon Original split-image focusing screen by Nikon Service Centre?

Looks like none..

[lsisaxon]

Originally Posted by nikonrus I tried with the green dot method, picture taken looks sharp on preview screen, but when I look again full size on monitor, subject was definately out of focus.

So is there any part of the image which is sharp? Then you'll know if it's a back/front focus issue..

[lsisaxon]

Originally Posted by Culés I meant (in jest) that a 'legendary' Manual focus lens sometimes (due to user error of course) delivers less sharp pics than a plastic AF lens. The (only) legendary MF lens I have is the 105mm 2.5f portait lens, when I get the focusing right, it delivers amazing portraits. But I am quite reluctant to use it sometimes as I have missed many good shots due to my own focusing errors. Instead I use the 'crummy' 18-200 VR, which is always sharp and in focus

Hahaha... this is wheer technology welcomes us.. Long ago, I remember some Leica shooters were telling me they can focus faster than the AF bodies. It might be true then, but I doubt anyone can claim that now.

Also, whn shooting film, even slight OOF is tolerated with the use of a smaller aperture since the magnification isn't that great. Now you get to pixel-peep unless it's spot on, you can still tell it's not sharp, but most of the time should be sharp enough for the target print size, how many of us print >8x12 all the time?

[nikonrus]

Originally Posted by lsisaxon So is there any part of the image which is sharp? Then you'll know if it's a back/front focus issue..

Nope, everything was out of focus. Not a problem with the lens, I did get some sharp picts with a prism screen slr using the same lens