> Date: Tue, 2 Feb 1999 18:17:29 -0500 (EST)
> From: Richard Mendales <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Subject: Re: The old question: AF vs. MF? [v.04.n227/5] [v04.n229/6]
>
> Some of the MF equipment, in fact, still has no
> AF equivalent, such as my 28mm. F2.0; generally, the wider the angle of
> the lens, the less difference AF makes because of the increased depth of
> field.
>
Well, yes, but having the *fast* wide angles means very slim
DOF wide open, which makes (at least for me) focussing more of
a challenge -- and thus I think AF *does* help. My presumption
is that if you're gonna spend the money to have a fast wide angle,
you'll be shooting it wide open some of the time.
Getting back to the original question, though...
I decided to buy an AF body and lens the very day in Kings Canyon
Nat'l Park that I tried to photograph a black bear in a dense
forest on an overcast day with a 300/4.5 AIS.
I soon purchased an N90 and 80-200/2.8D. And over the few years
since then, I've acquired both new AFD and "new" used MF lenses.
I continue to use my original FE2. That's the beauty of this
F-mount system :^)
<small, but relavant digression>: I was in a camera shop one
day w/ my N90 in tow, looking at used lenses under the glass
counter. I asked the guy if I could see the 200/4 AIS micro
nikkor. He was quite friendly and helpful, and as he brought
it out, in a kidding tone he asked, "why do you want to put an
old MF lens on your AF body?" Without missing a beat, I replied,
"Because I can!" He smiled, laughed. He was an EOS shooter.
In MF I'm still using the 35/1.4 (but only because Nikon hasn't
seen my PLEADING of the past year or so saying I want an AF-D
with M/F clutch!!! ... maybe they're making an AF-S version ;^),
50/1.8E (because it weighs 4.4 oz.), 135/2.8 AIS (because it's
fairly compact and fast), and that ol' 300/4.5 :*)
I have been considering "replacing" the 135/2.8 with the 180/2.8D.
That would be just for the little extra reach -- right now I use
the 135/2.8 for travel and b'packing when the 80-200/2.8 is just
too huge.
And I will probably sell my 300/4.5 WHEN Nikon comes out with the
300/4D AF-S (thinking positive).
I feel very comfortable shooting chromes w/ the spot meter on
the N90 when I don't have the matrix at my disposal due to the
non-cpu lenses.
I do feel slightly naked when shooting w/ a flash, however, and I
tend to try to use AF-D lenses on the N90 when I will be using
alot of flash (parties, people, indoors, etc.)
So, my advice is basically the same as others -- make the
transition gradually. You may very well end up with one
foot in each "world" (MF/AF), and there's nothing wrong
with that. Do the hokey-pokey!
Regards,
Chris
--
Once I lay without moving for days until, \ Christopher Somers
mistaking me for driftwood, birds landed nearby \ Rise Technology
and began speaking in murmurs of Pythagoras + www.rise.com
and winds that blew in the Himalayas. /----------------------------
-> Barry Lopez / Gallery: www.flash.net/~jboy
