Is this a reason to switch?

Well, to start off with I currently use Nikon. And as most of you

probably know nikon has "backwards" mounting and focusing/zooming.

This has not been a problem untill now. I went to the camera store to

buy a medium format camera and it hit me. It was weird for me to

mount and unmount backwards. So do you think this is reason enough to

switch? I know the decision is mine, but I would like some help!

This is a very odd question.

by switch i mean from nikon to canon

Does Canon make a medium format camera?

No, I wish to use both 35mm and medium format so do you guys think it would be difficult to use a nikon and say a pentax 67 without confusing myself?

i thought only leica users were this quirky.

A Vivitar lens will rotate the other way; and solve all the worlds problems :)

Who is Vivitar? :-), my grandfather used to tell about someone who made lenses called Series 1, and that they gave oem lens manufacturers a run for the money, but i heard that only people from long ago like Wild Bill Hickock and Frances E. Schultz used them.

One of the best lenses that I have used is the Vivitar 90mm F2.5 - one of the Series I lenses. I used it a lot until it was stolen from me. The lens was tack sharp, and contrasty even when it was wide open. The lens body was well made too. I really miss it.

Andy, If you think it's reason enough then switch away. I, personally, can't even fathom where the question arose from. There likely many many thousands of Nikon shooters that also shoot MF, LF, and various other systems without difficulty. But, if it creates confusion or difficulty for you then by all means switch to something that makes your life simple.

--evan

Most all of the Pre WW2 Canon Rangefinder's optics were designed and built by Nippon Kogaku; ie Nikon. The camera body was even marked "Nippon Kogaku" ; on some models made in the mid 1930's. The screw mount was similar; but not the same as Leica's on the prewar cameras. After the war; the canon name was on a portion of the lenses made; with the Nikkor name still being used on canon products thru the late 1940's. This spilt occured roughly when Nikon was introducing their own rangefinder product; the Nikon 1 camera. Nippon Kogaku was formed around WW1; and made all of Canon's lenses until 1947

After a while you just develop a reflex and do what�s needed for each system. Don�t worry about it.

 

Years ago I had a 400/6.3 preset telephoto lens. This lens focused the reverse of my Nikkors that ranged from 24mm to 105mm. When I got an 80~200/4.5 I found I would focus the correct direction when at the short end and the wrong way at the long end. I was conditioned to focus backward for telephotos. You will learn to mount and focus backwards for medium format. Once it�s become a reflex it�s no problem, you just do it.

 

You could buy a Pentax 6x7. They focus the same way as Nikkors.

 

Hope this helps,

<em>"...but i heard that only people from long ago like

Wild Bill Hickock and Frances E. Schultz used them." --larry

lambert <br>

</em><br>

I think "Wild Bill" Hickoks favorite camera was

call a "Peace Maker" and his favorite film was 45 Long

Colt.

I use mainly EOS myself but always catch myself when trying to do things on my Nikon FM backwards. It's a funny mistake and you laugh, but I don't think it's worth switching systems unless you are left-right disabled.

Nikon and Pentax lenses focus and change apertures in the same direction, but Nikon lenses mount and unmount backwards. Can you get used to it? yes, but it takes a while. At least it too me a while to get used to it after changing from Pentax to Nikon.

I use Nikon 35mm cameras, pentax 67 and Hasselblad medium format

cameras. I have never found it to be a problem. the ergon omics ofthe

cameras are different enough that you will very quickly develop what i call

"muscle memory" and unconsciously adapt to whichever camera you are

using at the time, even when using them near simultaneously.

Having 3 Nikons around the neck; with 50, 135, 400mm primes at a football game in the 1970's ; sometimes the one different focus direction lens would add to the focus quickness when trying to follow a moving player. Today with fast zooms and AF; this seems like a real moot point. The cheaper Vivitar 135mm F2.8 T4 of mine was from my Exakta era. The Exakta was quicker to change a lens with than a Nikon; but a real exercise to wind quickly with its super long stroke left hand wind.............<BR><BR>Whether one calls Nikon "backwards" or Canon "backwards" is all just a point of reference. Before the 1971 Olympics; Canon was not really marketed well. Before the original Canon F-1; it wasnt really even considered a professional camera system by many; and was the Bell and Howell "Canon". A full bore professional camera catalog of the late 1960's had only a 2 inch square covering the bell & howell canon's; while Nikon had 2 entire pages; Beseler Topcon 3/4 page; Honeywell Pentax 3/4 page; Rollieflex 1 page; Hasselblad 2 pages; Kodak Instamatic reflex 1/2 page...<BR><BR>I believe Canon had free loaner lenses at the 1971 Olympics; and Nikon didnt.......Maybe Marketing helped Canon abit !

Andy,

I can only say that because I´m using "forwards" focussing lenses for my work as a filmmaker (Canon, Zeiss etc.)I´m really getting confused when using my Nikons after a period of filming, can never really adapt... and it would indeed be my best personal reason to switch to Canon or Minolta.

Guys, click on "andy rew" and see what comes up. Anonymous person who, you'll note, hasn't responded to any of the responses to its original post. Just another person trying to stir things up, I fear.

 

From now on I think I'll check a poster's credentials, such as they are, before I reply.

 

Cheers,

 

Dan