Can the F6 and the 58mm 1.4G play nice?

[Speedgraphic]

Looking for some advice and experience here. I shoot the 58/1.4G all the time on my digital bodies. I had to calibrate it of course, but once I did, it's fantastic even at 1.4. Sharp enough for the portraits I want to shoot anyway.

I love film though, and the F6 has no ability to fine tune AF. Is it even possible to calibrate the two together? Nikon hasn't been very clear on the subject, film has been an afterthought for them for a while now. It would be great if the 58mm could be calibrated so that it is consistent across all my bodies.

I know what I'm trying to do is a little niche but has anyone had their lens factory calibrated? With an F6?

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

Looking for some advice and experience here. I shoot the 58/1.4G all the time on my digital bodies. I had to calibrate it of course, but once I did, it's fantastic even at 1.4. Sharp enough for the portraits I want to shoot anyway.

I love film though, and the F6 has no ability to fine tune AF. Is it even possible to calibrate the two together? Nikon hasn't been very clear on the subject, film has been an afterthought for them for a while now. It would be great if the 58mm could be calibrated so that it is consistent across all my bodies.

I know what I'm trying to do is a little niche but has anyone had their lens factory calibrated? With an F6?

For some reason, there never seemed to be a need for calibrating with film. I've never had the need with any lens on the F6. I don't have the 58mm though.

 

[Speedgraphic]

For some reason, there never seemed to be a need for calibrating with film. I've never had the need with any lens on the F6. I don't have the 58mm though.

That's the issue with the 58mm though. I haven't needed to calibrate any of my lenses before either. It's the 58mm that requires adjustment. I'm not sure if this is part of Nikon's ongoing QC debacles or something inherent in the design of a lens that is seemingly made FOR beautiful bokeh. Luckily on digital the fix is a simple AF adjustment. (+12 for me). I just need to know if it can be paired with the F6 by a technician since I can't do it myself.

 

[Jack]

Film has built-in focus latitude due to its inherent thickness. Is it enough for the 58? IDK, but my guess is it will be...

The issue with AF fine tune was never any "issue" until we hit about 7u pixel-pitches on the dead-flat, zero-thickness and thus zero-tolerance digital sensor; our accepted "Circle of Confusion" (CoC) went from a negative magnification and viewing distance based calculation to fixed pixel diameter as soon as we had "actual pixel view" on a computer monitor...

 

[Speedgraphic]

Film has built-in focus latitude due to its inherent thickness. Is it enough for the 58? IDK, but my guess is it will be...

The issue with AF fine tune was never any "issue" until we hit about 7u pixel-pitches on the dead-flat, zero-thickness and thus zero-tolerance digital sensor; our accepted "Circle of Confusion" (CoC) went from a negative magnification and viewing distance based calculation to fixed pixel diameter as soon as we had "actual pixel view" on a computer monitor...

I wish this were true, but unfortunately my 58mm 1.4G clearly front focuses on both my F100 and F6, and it is pretty obvious in scans. It did the same thing on my D750 until I fine tuned it.

 

[Jack]

I wish this were true, but unfortunately my 58mm 1.4G clearly front focuses on both my F100 and F6, and it is pretty obvious in scans. It did the same thing on my D750 until I fine tuned it.

Then send your 58 in for adjustment -- I am certain it can be adjusted, but Nikon's willingness to do so may be more of an issue...

 

[Speedgraphic]

I am certain it can be adjusted, but Nikon's willingness to do so may be more of an issue...

Hahaha that's what I'm thinking too!

If I get it fixed I'll hopefully post some beautiful portraits made with the 58mm and some 400H! That would be a dream combination.

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

There is that other 58mm, you know, the one where you do the focusing work yourself. It's supposed to be rather good. Half a stop faster as well

 

[ChrisLivsey]

There was an interesting discussion here:
http://www.reikan.co.uk/focalweb/index.php/2016/04/nikon-d500-automatic-af-fine-tune/
Referencing the D500 but the graphs were interesting in showing some curves which demonstrate the effect of placing the plane of focus and the drop off each side =/- six steps if spot on. Obviously outside your +12 but is there a focus shift with stopping down on that lens?

Again not directly on your specific combination but a series of posts here http://blog.kasson.com/?p=14902 discusses the effect of wavelength and the lens focus point, given the special character of the 58mm that may be a factor.

 

[Speedgraphic]

There is that other 58mm, you know, the one where you do the focusing work yourself. It's supposed to be rather good. Half a stop faster as well

Honestly if I had my druthers I would use the Voigtlander. It renders in such a lovely way and retains maybe a smidge more detail wide open. But at a busy, sometimes frantic wedding, I need AF. AF is just much more consistent shot to shot, let alone with tracking a moving couple. I have an easier time focusing my Rollei 2.8 with a maxwell screen than I do my 35mm cameras.