Need your lens expertise for a D90

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Need your lens expertise for a D90

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mb

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ted2001 said:
I've tried my 50/2 and 60/2.8 micro for portraits on a D90 and am not impressed. The 50 feels too short to me and the 60/2.8 doesn't provided sufficiently shallow DOF for my taste. In the next few weeks I hope to try the Voigtlander 58/1.4 as a potential solution.

At least we agree on focal length for portraits on DX, as for DOF it really depends on taste and I don’t like nose, hair and ears so much out of focus as they are with faster lenses but I see your point.
As for Voigtlander 58/1.4 I hear it is very good lens, though manual focus …

Posted 3 years ago #
ted2001

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re: no AF on Voigtlander

Even though I'm old, I still have the strength and vision to focus a camera. Besides, most portrait subjects don't seem to be moving either quickly or unpredictably, so I think I should be ok!. (I'm just pulling your leg...)

I use manual focus frequently when doing macro work and I like carefully choosing my plane of focus (I could not live without depth of field preview). I most frequently used very shallow DOF for B&W shots of women. As long as I nailed the focus on the eyes, it was often flattering.

Posted 3 years ago #
jonnyapple

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Have you considered getting a Katz Eye focus screen, ted? I'd like to get one for nostalgic value, but it sounds like you could use it for macro work, and especially if you're planning on getting some manual focus lenses. It doesn't affect autofocus perfomance or the viewfinder markings and only slightly affects metering (1/3 stop or something, which is basically nothing with the exposure latitude the D90 gives you).

Did someone on the forum try one of these out or am I remembering wrong?

Posted 3 years ago #
kyoshinikon

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The 50mm 1.8 and 1.4 on my D90 and D80 has pretty sufficient Dof and great Bokeh... I still know what you mean about the Dof though. I've shot with a D3 and D700 and found the Dof handling much more pleasant and sensitive...

Posted 3 years ago #
mb

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Katz Eye focus screen darkens the image and may not be as useful on D90 small and not so bright viewfinder. And yes I remember a thread about it but as I remember someone was asking about it, and Panamon_Creel has it.
http://nikonrumors.com/forum/topic.php?id=913#post-14993
I tried one mounted on D300 and it really works well, but it is around 200$ and I decided not to invest because it could most likely be used only on a this specific body and certainly not on FX, there is also a question about warranty being void and when you sell it will usually not add to the price as much as you pay for it.

ted2001 you do not seam that old and for macro MF is the only way, and you are right about studio portraits unless you are shooting someone nervous and jumpy ;)

Posted 3 years ago #
heartyfisher

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I have a KatzEye on my S5Pro(D200 clone). Works great. I find it is very useful with my 50mm 1.4 ais and with my 150 macro. Its nice to "see" the focus confirmed on the area you want to be in focus even when using af lenses. I will be getting one for my D400 or D700 if I ever get one... I dont think it darkens the viewfinder...

Posted 3 years ago #
jonnyapple

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Thanks for the info, mb and hearty. I may get one for my D90.

Posted 3 years ago #
ted2001

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Years ago I tried a third party screen for my F3HP and just did not think it worked as well as the "E" screen I was used to (plain ground glass with grid). Now with my D90, I find manually focusing works just fine. I don't do it for the speed of focus, just that I can more carefully choose what elements I want in focus, only an issue when DOF is shallow. In all other circumstances I use AF, since I'm usually shooting at f8-f16 anyway. I'd also be reluctant to change the screen in my D90. The F3HP was made to make screen changes quickly and easily, even in the field. The D90 is not.

Posted 3 years ago #

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Need your lens expertise for a D90

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