Are there any focus-free lenses for nikon f-mount cameras?

[gabriel_moore]

<p>But I don't have a 24 or 28mm lens. I have two very different 55mm lenses. Here are two images showing that. Both set at f8 1/60 shutter and focused at .8 meter<br>

here is the e-series<br>

<img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-WZZBgnlXj9M/ThcBrW08SiI/AAAAAAAAAH0/siAdhQ4j19c/s512/DSC_0078.JPG" alt="" width="343" height="512" /><br>

and here is the micro<br>

<img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-iMmBSmtMYx0/ThcBr25WYfI/AAAAAAAAAH4/wGpDCwX4EN8/s512/DSC_0079.JPG" alt="" width="343" height="512" /><br>

At full size the micro has an almost acceptable focus from 60 - 100 cm and the e-series only from 70 - 90 cm</p>

[gabriel_moore]

<p>I really think that I have to go find a 24mm lens for cheap. Here is my dofmaster.com calculations trying to get the magic 3 meters out of my set up and I think it is impossible.<br>

<img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-qlruFTmDiDM/ThcFUB3tX2I/AAAAAAAAAIA/x5LHb0s00ag/Screen%252520shot%2525202011-07-08%252520at%2525203.20.02%252520PM.png" alt="" width="638" height="346" /></p>

[gabriel_moore]

<p>I just saw your post Tom, I think we were illustrating the same point at almost the same time.. haha. Anyone have a 24mm manual focus Nikon lens that they don't want?</p>

[tom_mann1]

<p>...removed ...</p>

<p>I was posting at the same time as the OP.</p>

<p>Tom</p>

[Andrew Garrard]

<p>Out of interest, if you want a compact design with a fixed-focus lens, why use a DSLR? There are any number of very cheap compact cameras out there with fixed-focus lenses - something they achieve partly because the small sensor size means the actual focal length for a reasonably normal field of view is quite short, so "f/8", for example, is a tiny aperture. Much of the performance problem with compact cameras is the time it takes them to focus, which I suspect goes away if the camera won't focus anyway. Any lens quality advantage that an SLR might have is kind of wiped out by not choosing to focus it, or using a small aperture. An SLR is not the best tool for every photographic scenario.<br />

<br />

Just a thought.</p>

[gabriel_moore]

Well Andrew, you make a good point. And I have a point and shoot that fits the bill mostly. I can even focus lock it and

it is even fast. But it isn't fast enough. Shooting from the hip per say I might shoot a few frames without looking. Most

point and shoots can not do this. Also if I shoot at night or in the dark almost any point and shoot will have visible

noise. Much more so than a large sensor dslr. I did mention that quality was a big concern. I want something that may

bot be veesable. But it never hurts to ask right?

[Andrew Garrard]

<p>Understood, Gabriel. The problem with noise in low light is that the way DSLRs (and other large sensor devices) get good performance is by having a large bit of glass capturing lots of light to feed to the sensor. A large absolute aperture (i.e. a large aperture in f-stop terms combined with anything but a wide lens and a large sensor) means a shallow depth of field, and therefore no fixed-focus. All things are relative - if you only want small prints and can live with quite a large circle of confusion, you can obviously live with a larger aperture and better low-light handling. Although technology (and therefore sensor ISO response) is gradually improving, I think you're fighting the laws of physics a bit. I mention the smaller formats on the assumption that you might want a normal lens field of view - if you're willing to go wide angle, you have much more depth of field to play with, and the suggestions of 24-28mm lenses (or using the kit lens at that focal length) may do you nicely.<br />

<br />

The other thought is: do you <i>really</i> want fixed focus? I've shot blind from my hip (and arm's length, and the far end of a monopod) with some success by putting my D700 in area autofocus and letting it pick what is hopefully the subject. I've used wide angle lenses as well, though - mostly because it's hard to judge where I'm pointing. I appreciate that the D40x's autofocus is a bit less flexible.<br />

<br />

To go with that thought: do you want to shoot blind, or just shoot from the hip? If you want to treat the DSLR as an autofocus camera with a waist-level finder, using live view with any of the cameras with a tilting LCD (especially the latest Olympus, which is supposed to be very fast, or the NEX series with the D7000's sensor) might let you do this. Again, just a thought in case a completely different approach is of use. Or, of course, you can shoot film and get an F5 with a waist-level finder, although that might not meet your "small form factor" requirements.<br />

<br />

Best of luck, and I hope my thinking-outside-the-box isn't too off-topic.</p>