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Manual focus lenses

M

mjr

Guest
Evening!

Following on from a few discussions on lenses and adapters etc. I need some educating, what are the must have manual focus lenses that will fit either with an adapter or native for the D800?

I've read about the Leica R 19mm, I have the Zeiss 21 and 135, I've found a 50 f1.2 that I'm tempted by, what else can I buy that is amazing and manual focus?

Any tips?

Thanks

Mat
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
what else can I buy that is amazing and manual focus?
Some suggestions:

1) The 105DC is an older AF lens, but it has a very nice manual focus mode. And it generates a stellar look IMHO.

2) The Nikkor 85/1.4 AIS is in the league of the 50/1.2 -- a GREAT lens.

3) The older 180/2.8 AIS another great MF lens in the same league as the 50/1.2 and 85/1.4 above.

4) In wides, I like the ZF2 18 for the price, but a converted Leica 19R would be the cat's meow in this range.

5) And for the ultrawide bargain of the century, a Samyang 14 is tough to beat!

6) My favorite moderate wide of all time was the Leica R 35/1.4 -- that lens had mojo which is tougher to get in moderate wides. If I loved the 35 focal on 35 full-frame -- which I don't -- I'd get one of these converted.

7) And the final wide I'd like to own, the venerable Nikkor 28mm f1.4 -- another older AF design that has nice MF feel and generates a stellar look, tons of mojo -- but beware it's actually about a 30mm net focal length (which is a plus for me) but is a larger, heavier mid-wide lens which is a minus. And then it costs a freaking fortune at around $2500 used, and was prone to front element mis-alingment if handled roughly, so buying used is iffy at best which is the huge minus.
 
M

mjr

Guest
Thanks Jack!

I'll get busy with google I think! I'd love a really nice manual portrait lens, around the 85 so will have a look for a 1.4. I've not had tried a Samyang so will have a look too!

Are any of the old Hasselblad V lenses worth looking at with a converter?

Thanks again.

Mat
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
105mm f/2.5 AIS is an excellent portrait lens and compact as well as cheap second hand. The 105mm f/1.8 sports some of the same characteristics, plus it's a stop faster, but it's much larger, heavier and more expensive. I still bought the f/1.8 though.
 

JohnBrew

Active member
I second Jorgen with 105. But mine is the Ai version and is stellar. Other than that I recommend the Zeiss 50 Makro - a versatile and very sharp lens. It stays on my D800 more than any other lens.
 

glenerrolrd

Workshop Member
I spent a year finding and converting a half dozen Leica R lenses for the D800E . The biggest disadvantage of the converted Leica R lenses is that you have to manually stop them down to the working aperture . The Zeiss ZF lenses have the advantage of both an auto diaphragm and couplings to the Nikon electronics . (best to go to the Leitax website for examples ).

I put the effort in because I wanted a matched set of lenses that would render in a similar way (like a cinematographer would want). The 19/2.8 and 35/1.4 both required shaving and I had this done by DAG . I also have the 28/2.8,50/1.4 ,80/1.4 and 100/2.8 R lenses ..so that is my set . I will typically work with 2-4 lenses and two bodies at one time .

I am blessed with excellent eyesight and I can easily focus with the faster 1.4 lenses and I ve learned techniques to check my focusing with the slower 2.8 lenses . In Florida its so bright the 2.8 lenses are quite easy to work with.

I enjoy some of the Zeiss ZF lenses as well but they are not as consistent in the way they render ....individually they have some amazing lenses ...the 25/2 and the 135/2 APO are best in class optics.
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
My favorites . Leica 19r, Zeiss 25f2, Leica 35r 1.4 but use a Sigma 35 1.4 instead much sharper wide open, 50 is not a favorite focal length but the Leica 50 R lux is stellar, 85 actually Nikon 1.4 and 1.8 are very nice, Zeiss 135 f2 nothing can touch it, Nikon 200 f2. Those are my favorite in Nikon but it's also a mix of AF in there and a mix in brands. Samyang 14mm is fun and sharp.
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
Be aware also that there are a few converted Zeiss CY 85mm f/1.4 converted to F-mount floating around. When they appear on the great, big auction site, they tend to sell for around $800. Mostly Japanese sellers, so I supposed there's somebody in Japan doing the conversion. I don't think it's a better lens than the zf.2, but it's more compact, has a beautiful rendering and obviously much cheaper.

Right now, there's also a CY 85mm f/2.8 converted to F-mount for sale. While 2 stops slower than its bigger brother, I would rate it just as highly for sharpness and rendering.
 

Jan Brittenson

Senior Subscriber Member
6) My favorite moderate wide of all time was the Leica R 35/1.4 -- that lens had mojo which is tougher to get in moderate wides. If I loved the 35 focal on 35 full-frame -- which I don't -- I'd get one of these converted.
One of my favorites as well, but unfortunately would probably not clear the mirror on most modern DSLRs...
 
M

mjr

Guest
Superb, thanks all! As an enthusiastic amateur I feel like building a kit of classic lenses just so I can muck about with them, this is a great resource, I'll start looking!

Cheers

Mat
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
Jan or Roger or anybody else -- have you shot the Nikkor 35/1.4 AIS? I am wondering if it renders in the same class of the 50/1.2 and 85/1.4, both of which I find as Mandleresque as one can get outside Leica -- if so, it may be an attractive alternative to the 35 R Lux…
 

glenerrolrd

Workshop Member
Jack

I have not shot the 35/1.4 AIS but it has a good reputation among the Nikon users . I was thinking that we may have a shift back to the legacy lenses (similar to what has happened with the Leica M) . As the sensors get better (with greater DR) lenses that place an emphasis on resolution with lower contrast ....can produce a very special "look".

I agree with your assessment that the 28/1.4 AF is the one to find ..good hunting .

It took me forever to find a 35/1.4 R lens (found one in pawn shop in Detroit ) and it took DAG two attempts to shave and calibrate the lens ...but its my favorite lens on the D800E.
 

D&A

Well-known member
Jan or Roger or anybody else -- have you shot the Nikkor 35/1.4 AIS? I am wondering if it renders in the same class of the 50/1.2 and 85/1.4, both of which I find as Mandleresque as one can get outside Leica -- if so, it may be an attractive alternative to the 35 R Lux…
Jack,

I extensively shot with the Nikon 35mm f1.4 AIS in both the film era and earlier days of Nikon DSLR's...on a the D1, D1x on up to the D2x, but in the early days of using the D2x, I sold it. At the time I had no regrets, unlike the 28mm f1.4 I sold (a number of times). The 35mm f1.4 AIS is a very fine lens but I'm not sure it has quite the mojo of the 28mm f1.4 in terms of the look you're after (Madleresque). Sort of in-between the look of the best classics and the current modern day look.

I'd like to see what it does on current sensors though.

Dave (D&A)
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Though modern don't overlook the Sigma 35 1.4 art series. I love mine. Its AF but manual focus is nice on it.
 

Jan Brittenson

Senior Subscriber Member
Jan or Roger or anybody else -- have you shot the Nikkor 35/1.4 AIS? I am wondering if it renders in the same class of the 50/1.2 and 85/1.4, both of which I find as Mandleresque as one can get outside Leica -- if so, it may be an attractive alternative to the 35 R Lux…
I used to have the 35/1.4 AIS and the 85/1.4 AIS in the 90s. Never really liked the 35... it always felt flat and lifeless to me, with no real character. I think the current 35/1.4G is a huge step up. I *did* like the 85/1.4 AIS, but think any of the AF 85's is superior (though marginally).

I had a lux 35 R I used with the DMR, and a cron 35 R before that (before the DMR shipped) that I used with Canon DSLRs and R8/R9. Those are both great lenses.
 

roomycoffee

New member
105mm f/2.5 AIS is an excellent portrait lens and compact as well as cheap second hand. The 105mm f/1.8 sports some of the same characteristics, plus it's a stop faster, but it's much larger, heavier and more expensive. I still bought the f/1.8 though.
105 mm f/2.5 is an old one but still has the superior performance over the years.
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
As the sensors get better (with greater DR) lenses that place an emphasis on resolution with lower contrast ....can produce a very special "look".
Roger, I totally agree -- the older I get or more accurately the closer I've been to owning optical perfection, the less enamored I am with it over glass with a unique visual signature; sharp with smoother contrast and those lovely spherical aberrations at max aperture ;). And here, Mandler was the king of 35mm full frame glass design just like like Cooke was for large format.

Never really liked the 35... it always felt flat and lifeless to me, with no real character. I think the current 35/1.4G is a huge step up.
Jan, interesting -- I had the 35/1.4G and liked it optically, but it seemed basically "flat and lifeless" to me too, and why I sold it. This confirms the older AIS lens is not going to be on my radar.

End of day, I'm going to play around with my 17-35 zoom today locked at the 35 end and decide if I want to give a 35 prime another try. If I do, I am going to take Guy's suggestion and go for the Sigma Art lens -- it seems to have a very nice wide-open signature from the few samples I've seen.

The 28/1.4 will remain on my lust list ;)
 

D&A

Well-known member
Jack as you and most others know well, the Sigma 35mm f1.4 art lens and the Nikon 28mm f1.4 are quite different beasts. Great samples of each are worth having but I can't imagine two dissimilar lenses when it comes to a "look". As much as I like the Nikon 17-35 f2.8 zoom for it's general overall performance, even on a D800 (aside from having to stop down to get sharp corners), if it's absolute performance that's needed close to or specifically at 35mm, especially at wide apertures, Guy nailed it with the Sigma 35mm.

For a gentle almost pastel like rendition under a variety of shooting situations, the Nikon 28mm f1.4 was one of my absolute favorites. Unfortunately fairly substantial sample variation exists with each and that's an important consideration. A mediocre sample of the 28mm was a big disappointment and often lacked what this lens was capable of, especially when shot at f1.4 and f2.

Dave (D&A)
 
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