Which Nikon Lets You See Best?

[gene_aker2]

<p>Which Nikon lets you see best? Which Nikon inspires you the most?<br />Cameras are not merely tools; they are devices that inspire the photographer. In my hands, the vintage slr Nikon— with its manual focus lens-- shows me shapes, shadows, details, and urges me to notice how the light strikes the subject. It’s a little known fact that an ais lens mounted on a vintage body will eliminate color! Wow! I preview in black and white---good for me because I only shoot black and white film. <br />Oddly my AF bodies with their AF lenses, will not eliminate color. I have to think about it. Strange, isn’t it?<br />When I look through the viewfinder on my Nikon 5000, it’s like seeing a candy counter at the checkout stand—a jumble colors and over-saturated colors. Which Nikon lets you see best?<br /></p>

[Matt Laur]

<p>I like the 100% viewfinder of the D300. I'm sorry, Gene, but it does allow the entire spectrum of colors to make it through the lens and all the way to my retina and thus into my brain. If I want to see in black and white, I simply read the Off Topic forum. </p>

[Lou_Meluso]

<blockquote>

<p>Which Nikon lets you see best? Which Nikon inspires you the most?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>The one in my hands</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Cameras are not merely tools; they are devices that inspire the photographer</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Gene, in thirty years of making pictures, I've never been inspired by a camera. I've always treated it like a tool. It had never urged me to do anything, except, perhaps, to buy batteries for it. In fact, I seem to make my best pictures when I can forget about the camera. The more that happens, the better I like the camera. Brushes don't make great paintings, typewriters don't write great novels and cameras don't make compelling photographs. It could just be <em>me</em> so if cameras do inspire <em>you</em>, god bless and take your inspiration where and when you can.</p>

[vrankin]

<p>Gene, it seems to me that those cameras are all merely windows out onto the same reality. I think it's more about how you perceive your cameras as tools, that is affecting the way you're working. But I'm not being critical of you. Yesterday I received a used camera from an online auction that felt like having an old friend back in my hands. I went out at sunset last night and made better photos than I'd been able to make in a long time. Interacting with the chosen scenes through that particular camera brought something to life in me, and it showed in the results. But for me, it's a slippery slope to saying that using that particular camera would get better results for other people as well. It seems to me that photo marketing plays on that kind of thinking, so that people want a certain camera in order to be better image makers. This played out last week at a program I gave in our community. After an hour of seeing my photo presentation a member of the audience asked, "If you could have just one camera and it could be anything you wanted, what would it be?" When I gave my answer, people were visibly taking notes. I ended by trying to assure them that it's more about the subject, the light, and capturing the right moment, than it is about the particular camera that is in one's hands. But hey, all truth is paradoxical. Maybe it's about both.</p>

[Peter_in_PA]

<p>It depends on how I'm seeing that day! My newest lens is usually the one I like the best... for a while...</p>

<p>But my favorite lens to shoot with is an ultra-wide, although I can't always find something that is worth shooting with it.</p>

[jean_yves_mead]

Sight-wise, it's a toss-up between an F2/DE-1 and an S2. For inspiration a pint of Broadside knocks 'em

both into a cocked hat.

[SCL]

<p>I'm taking your question literally. My F3hp lets me see best, as I wear glasses and the high eyepoint gives me full view of the scene plus aperture and shutter speed even with my eye an inch or so away from the viewfinder.</p>

[Palouse]

<blockquote>

<p>I like the 100% viewfinder of the D300. I'm sorry, Gene, but it does allow the entire spectrum of colors to make it through the lens and all the way to my retina and thus into my brain. If I want to see in black and white, I simply read the Off Topic forum.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Matt, how can I clean coffee off my laptop screen? That was hilarious! Thanks for a great start to what probably would have been a mundane Tuesday!<br /> But seriously, I'd think that any black Nikon with a severe viewfinder crop, and a lens with an max f of say, f8.0, would let in less light and remove color. One could use a polarizer, ND filter, and for good measure sunglasses or welders goggles to help banish color. Viewing the resulting pictures at night on a monochrome 1980s vintage IBM monitor will also help.</p>

[ShunCheung]

<p>Unfortunately, when I looked through the D5000's viewfinder, I did not see any candy store.</p>

[Palouse]

<blockquote>

<p>Unfortunately, when I looked through the D5000's viewfinder, I did not see any candy store.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Try shooting when you go to the 'Big Rock Candy Mountain'!</p>

<p>and for B&W vision, read this: http://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=299017</p>

<p>or try this trick: http://digital-photography-school.com/do-you-see-in-black-and-white</p>

<p> </p>

[gene_aker2]

<p>Today, My Best Friend, is the FM3A with the 2.5 105. I can be assured I will see no noxious colors, although I will not see 100% of the scene. Probably, there will be evil colors and candy out there!<br>

Thanking everyone for your thoughts and experiences. I confess, in college --50 years ago-- I was an English major, not an Engineer; so from reading all that English Lit, I have a tendency toward "anthropomorphism"---now my friendly little FM3A rides in the passenger seat and I sneak him little doggie treats! </p>

[rossb]

<p>I have an N80. The viewfinder is not particularly bright but if I went to a candy store I would be able to see it in the viewfinder. I would like to go to the Mars Candy store and watch them make M&M's and take a few snaps. I probably would be inspired to grab a couple and let them melt in my mounth and not on my camera lens. As far as photography goes I only shoot in Color or B/W.</p>

[Sanford]

<p>D50. I like the small rectangular box that sits way out there letting you see all the exposure information around it. I have to move my eye around to see everything with the D300. But, I made the mistake of looking through the viewfinder my old Nikon FE the other day and forgot how great these obsolete film camera finders were.</p>

[StuartMoxham]

<p>My FM2 and my F801 let me see the best. I just like the viewfinders of those bodies. They make the viewfinders of my D1h and D80 look tiny.</p>

[lex_jenkins]

<p>TLRs and square format usually came closer to matching my view of the world. The DW-3 and DW-4 peep-down finders I borrowed from Todd Peach years ago for my F3 seemed to suit me better than the eye level finder. I'd like a square format, large sensor dTLR (that little Rollei toy dTLR that came out several years ago looked interesting too).</p>

<p>Anyway, the F3HP and D2H have bright, crisp finders and suit my needs for a rectangular format camera for available light candids. I guess that's why I'm in no big hurry to replace either.</p>

[andy_k8]

<p>The F-5 and I are a pretty good team. I think it's given me more "keepers" than any other Nikon.</p>

[jukka1]

<p>My best seeing lens is my 50/1.8 and 85/1.8. With them the screen is brightest.<br>

I dont see as well with 2.8, because my screen is not so bright then.<br>

My d700 has a better viewfinder than my em.<br>

Jukka</p>

[john_tran14]

<p>Some people have Achromatopsia and they don't see colors, like the guy "John Doe" on TV.</p>

<p>I think it would be interesting if one day they can make an optical viewfinder or filter that is in Black and White. Maybe this is one thing that EVF is better than optical viewfinder</p>

[dan_south]

I'm not sure if the question is about lenses or cameras, but the D700 let me see the world in new ways thanks to its

extended exposure latitude. I spent a number of years shooting slide film with very little latitude, so the D700 was a real

delight. The clean high ISO performance makes it seem that much more amazing. I only wish that the viewfinder were

better - being a bit off center is a real PITA - and it would be nice if you could use live view and mirror lockup and a self

timer simultaneously as on a Canon. Other than those two complaints, the D700 is absolutely wonderful.

 

Lenses? I am partial to midrange zooms that start at 24 mm on the wide end. These cover the world as I see them. If

Nikon ever makes a 24-120 with high quality optics I'll be a big fan. The 24-70 is a little short and needs VR, but optically

it is quite good.

[tholte]

<p>"Which Nikon inspires you the most?" I am counting on the new (yet to be released) D800 to inspire me and allow me to see the world as it really is. My old D70 and my current D300 were nice efforts by Nikon but I really think they can jack it up a notch over the D700 and D3 series. </p>

[Landrum Kelly]

<p>In a dimly lighted room, I was just looking through my old F3HP with a Nikkor 50mm f/1.2. I cannot imagine seeing any brighter than that.<br>

--Lannie</p>

[g-man1]

Nikon s3 or sp reissues ;-)

Rangefinder viewfinder 1:1 bright and clear and 3D because you look with

both eyes open

[charleseagan]

<p>I find my Nikon d700 inspiring because of the awesome low-light capabilities. It inspires me to be brave and disengage the flash to take natural light photos. It inspires me to try things I never would have attempted before, like using a telephoto lens, indoors, in natural light.</p>

[dennis_george_miller]

<p>think I am seeing best nowdays with the waist level finder and the wide angles. the sky has been amazing toward evening, & I like the little flip up lens to see even better. small tripod and a little hike helps, with old tech pan film. </p>

[photo5]

<p>Overall my F100 and F3HP are the best viewfinders I have. But my D300 is great for a digital body. I appreciate the 100% viewfinder, this means what I see is what I get, no surprises. The D700 was only 90-92% coverage in the viewfinder, so it was a pain with things jumping in to the frame that weren't there when I composed the image! Very subpar and a major disappointment. I want a digital with the same viewfinder my F100 has, but I know it may never happen.</p>