Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2013/09/17

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Subject: [Leica] OT. Nikon screen brightness and contrast
From: mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner)
Date: Wed, 18 Sep 2013 02:24:51 -0400

Here's the Pop photo charts and review. I've been reading those since 1965.
Erwin said once that they are amazingly good and surprised everybody. (on
the lug)
http://www.popphoto.com/gear/2013/08/lens-test-nikon-18-35mm-f35-45g-ed

http://tinyurl.com/kkerez7

The D lens came out in 2003. An even decade ago.
Should we assume Nikon and the whole camera optics industry has learned a
thing or to in ten years?
The fact that is so light weight it feels hollow is enough to sell me.
Also the lens is groups.
And I'm more concerned that my lens is gorgeous than my pictures be gorgeous
after all...

I'll probably be getting one soon.
The AF-S NIKKOR 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5G ED
http://imaging.nikon.com/lineup/lens/zoom/widezoom/af-s_18-35mmf_35-45g_ed/

$746.95 at B&H pure cane photo. I'm all over it.
Don't need no stinking 2.8's!

I certainly got lots of mileage out of my 12-24 when I was shooting cropped
and this is the full frame equivalent of that. Or visa versa.
Wide zooms are cleaning up. Taking over the universe as we know it.
Is there one for the S serious?
For the M there is the TRI-ELMAR-M 16-18-21 mm f/4 ASPH
And I could convince myself it was a zoom. Its just missing a few of the in
between focal lenghs.

On 9/17/13 9:30 PM, "Frank Filippone" <red735i at verizon.net> wrote:

> I am trying out the 18-35 D lens. Not the G. I am now warned where to 
> examine
> the test shots. If my example shows similar lousy results, i will try to 
> find
> a G lens. Otherwise I will stick with the Leica. The 16-35  weighs too 
> much.
> 
> Lightness counts as much as IQ. YMMV.
> 
> For those who have responded with reasonably monosyllabic responses as to 
> the
> greatness of Leica to Nikon optics.   Please pontificate in more detail. I
> need something reasonably more scientific.
> 
> Frank Filippone
> 
> On Sep 17, 2013, at 11:16 AM, Aram Langhans <leica_r8 at hotmail.com> 
> wrote:
> 
>> Hi Frank.  Which 18-35?  I had the D version and it was a real piece of 
>> crap.
>> Center was pretty good, but the edges, or even the outer third, was pretty
>> bad.  It worked pretty good on my cropped D7000, but when I went to full
>> frame D600, all bets were off.  It had to go.  I dumped it and got the
>> 16-35/4.  BIG improvement.  Then about 6 months later they finally 
>> improved
>> the 18-35 with the G model.   I was thinking, drats, I should have 
>> waited. My
>> father-in-law bought the new G model and it is WAY better than the 
>> original D
>> model but not up to the 16-35.  It is a pretty nice piece of glass, albeit
>> rather big.  His G 18-35 is not bad.  I can easily tell which lens has 
>> taken
>> the photo.  The 18-35G, while MUCH better in the outer third than the
>> original, still shows a lot of CA, where the 16-35 is not bad in this 
>> regard.
>> 
>> My experience with all three lenses.
>> 
>> Aram
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> -----Original Message----- From: Frank Filippone
>> Sent: Tuesday, September 17, 2013 10:19 AM
>> To: Leica Users Group
>> Subject: Re: [Leica] OT. Nikon screen brightness and contrast
>> 
>> I appreciate your comments. I also  have accepted the idea that IF I 
>> switch
>> to a Nikon DSLR, that switch must include the acceptance of AF.  I can 
>> use my
>> MF lenses but I will not consider them mainline lenses for travel.  I do
>> mostly landscape/travel shots. I have the need for lightness of kit 
>> weight.
>> So a WA zoom is what I have selected. In this case a 18-35 lens. I have
>> purchased a reasonably cheap one from Ebay and will do some testing of IQ
>> compared to my Leica gear. If the IQ is lacking, the whole idea goes out 
>> the
>> window.
>> The test will use the M9 as the camera with adapter for the Nikon lenses.
>> Same sensor means the variable in IQ will be the lens
>> 
>> I am pretty certain the D800e body will outperform the M9. But the optics 
>> are
>> the variable. Test them and I will know which is acceptable.
>> 
>> Again thank you for your comments
>> Frank Filippone
>> 
>> On Sep 6, 2013, at 9:52 AM, Aram Langhans <leica_r8 at hotmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>>> My father-in-law had the D300 and I had a D7000 and they both were 
>>> difficult
>>> to focus manually for my 62 (at the time) year old eyes.  The D7000 was
>>> better.  I now have a D600 and it is a bit easier, but still difficult.  
>>> And
>>> the indicators are not much help, as there is quite a range when they are
>>> lit telling me it is in focus.  But when I look at the images, the focus
>>> plane may be in front or in back or right on.  Depends on chance, I 
>>> think. I
>>> find myself focusing wide open and then stopping down to compensate for 
>>> the
>>> miss in focus, but that doesn't work for shallow DOF shots that I often 
>>> try
>>> to do.  The only really solid way to focus at full aperture is with live
>>> view, but that is not great for action or moving subjects.  I use an
>>> eyepiece magnifier and that helps a bit.  I am slowly seeing the writing 
>>> on
>>> the wall and shifting to auto focus lenses with deep regret at not using 
>>> my
>>> Leica R glass as much.  Macro is still fine since I can take all the 
>>> time I
>>> need to focus u
>  sing live view.  It has been a slow regression over the last few years.  
> The
> pits getting old eyes.  I pulled out my R8 the other day to finish a roll 
> of
> film and found I could focus just fine with it.  Too bad they don't make a
> good viewfinder for a DSLR, at least in ones I have looked at.  Have not
> looked at a D3 or D4.  Maybe they are much better at manual focus.  But too
> heavy for me.
>>> 
>>> Aram
>>> 
>>> -----Original Message----- From: Kayai
>>> Sent: Friday, September 06, 2013 9:41 AM
>>> To: Leica-Users-Group
>>> Subject: [Leica] OT. Nikon screen brightness and contrast
>>> 
>>> I borrowed my son's D 200 body to see just how easy it was to focus a MF
>>> lens.  Without using the in focus indicators, it was pretty difficult.
>>> Brightness was not too bad but contrast was miserably low
>>> .  My D1x was both brighter and more contrasty. The D200 would not work 
>>> for
>>> me.
>>> 
>>> I am wondering if someone who has had a D200 and D300s and maybe a D3 or 
>>> D4
>>> could comment on relative focus ease. Keep in mind that I own 
>>> predominantly
>>> MF lenses.
>>> 
>>> TIA
>>> Frank Filippone
>>> 
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Leica Users Group.
>>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> Leica Users Group.
>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information




-- 
Mark William Rabiner
Photographer
http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/lugalrabs/




Replies: Reply from Frank.Dernie at btinternet.com (Frank Dernie) ([Leica] OT. Nikon screen brightness and contrast)
Reply from mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner) ([Leica] OT. Nikon screen brightness and contrast)
In reply to: Message from red735i at verizon.net (Frank Filippone) ([Leica] OT. Nikon screen brightness and contrast)