Clifton Painter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>> > As was pointed out previously and quite correctly, the speed of certain
>> > Nikon lenses is limited by the diameter of the old F mount which is
>> > considerably smaller than Canons EF mount. That is why you see fast
>> > lenses such as the 200/1.8 and 50/1.0 from Canon and not from Nikon.
>
>> I have some doubt whether this is really the case. Consider the
>> following Nikon lenses:
>Let's put it this way... Who's mount is it easier to design fast glass
>for? Who's mount would you rather design for? There are benefits to a
>complete re-design.
But the originator of the thread and others wrote as if it were a physical
impossibility to design fast lenses for an F mount. Now one is backing off.
Of course there are benefits to a complete redesign. I really doubt Minolta
and Canon redesigned their mount if there was nothing to gain. Each did their
own cost/benefit analysis and Nikon chose to keep the F mount. Even if it
were a physical impossibility to design fast lenses for the F mount, to which
some have provided counterexamples, I believe Nikon made the choice which will
benefit the most customers and Nikon's bottom line (the most important issue
to Nikon).
I got into a Nikon system only three years ago so I didn't have any manual
focus F mount lenses. However, I like the ability to buy an old mechanical
camera (like the Nikkormat I bought 16 months ago) and be able to use it
with my current AFD's. I am certainly glad Nikon kept the F mount.
David Johnson
