eugenio.demmenie

An other link...

<a href="http://www.naturfotograf.com/lens_wide.html">Bjorn Rorslett review</a>

It has already been said. Keep de 85mm 1.4. It is one of the best MF lenses Nikon ever made. It is also well build. The 18-200 is more fragile. Do some shooting with and 18-200 and compare it with the 18-70.

If you like it more buy it, otherwise pass on it and save for a good second hand AF 80-200mm 2.8 and monopod.

No MTFs I am affraid. The Nikkor 45/2.8 is a nice little lens, with nice aperture blades. I have one, bought in one deal with a FM3A (lens came more or less free with the camera).

As you said MTFs can be part of an answer, but the tests has its limitations and there is always some sample variability.

Not a direct answer but Bj�rn R�rslett has reviewed the lens in his traditional way. His views are perhaps subjective but they are very consistent.

http://www.naturfotograf.com/lens_norm.html

Dissect the 180 mm ED only if you are experienced. Otherwise let a professional repair-shop do it (I don't know where you live, but in Holland I would try the Nikon distributor's repair shop or repairman that I know).

The 180 mm ED should not be confused with the cheaper and less performing 180 mm non-ED. I don't find the secondhand 180 ED particularly cheap. But is a great performer, probably one of the best Nikkors.

There is surely something wrong with such a deal. You will be paying money and not getting a camera at all.

Normally an S3 2000 in black sells for at least 2500-3000 US$ and even then I would be cautious...one most always be cautious. If it is an older example, they are not cheap either. Ask Bob Rotoloni or this forum http://p200.ezboard.com/fnikonhistoricalsocietyfrm2, if you want to check serial numbers.

You would gain:

- Better viewfinder and changeable prisms

- a heavier body + motordrive that can be a good counterbalance for a heavy lens

Apart from that the F3 is a dragon to work with :-) If I am using an F3 with a 50 mm...I am constantly asking myself why the combo is so heavy. I can live without my F3, but not with my FM3A :-)

It is good news one can use AI and AIS lenses. Some of the fast AI/AIS lenses are now relatively cheap. A 50 mm 1.4 would be a great portrait lens.

Sorry, I will not be selling my 28mm 2.0 AI :-)

Hi,

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The link to Bjørn Rørslett's review on the Nikkor 85/2.8 PC has already been given. The official list price is 1949 Euro, but I guess second hand it can obtained much cheaper.

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An other interesting option with tilt shift control is the Zoerk ring.

<a href="http://www.zoerk.com">Click here.</a>

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On Sinar - I found the Sinar website (I think it is the US site of Sinar) helpfull for they gave an explanation of the different knobs on this view camera. And as you all know Nikon made/makes some great LF lenses as well.

I am contemplating MF myself, next to LF and 35 mm.<br>

The interesting thing is that Nikon made/makes lenses for all 3 formats.

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They have produced MF Nikkor lenses for Bronica in the sixties/seventies. The Bronica S2A was considered to be the best Bronica, but make sure it has good back.

And the Plaubel Makina 67 had a great 80 mm Nikkor lens. They are not cheap though.

And Nikon has also produced LF lenses. You could use these on a Horseman or Linhof and use 6x9 or 6x7 back. But it works slower than MF.

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If you leave Nikkor lenses, they are very (or even better) solutions, Mamiya (7II) has already been mentioned. There is also the Hasselblad XPAN.

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Or if you want a digital camera (Nikon) you could make several shots and stitch these to one picture. On photo.net some results of this technique can be found in the work of <a href="http://www.photo.net/photodb/user?user_id=59285">Tony Dummett</a>. He also works/worked with MF format (Hasselblad XPAN and Pentax 67).

Hi Detlev

You have a great web-site: Great photos, great tests, great web-design. Thanks for letting people know.

Best wishes

In a blind test, I cannot tell a photo has been taken with an Nikon F5, F4, F3, F2, FM, Fe or even a Canon :-).

The best camera is the camera one is most happy to work with and hence one will make the best pictures with that camera. Here the specs come in, but how to weigh them is rather personal. This how I look at it.

In my view, a camera test is a subjective reflection of a tester's experience with the tested camera. I read them with a pinch of salt.

<b><i>"I understand that non Ai lenses cannot be used... isn`t it? Could somebody tell me if the D2H have the unlocking notch to use with non Ai lenses?" --Jose Angel</b></i>

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If I understand correctly, you are refering to the meter coupling lever (see e.g. <a href="http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/nikonf3ver2/f3manual/detail/detail2.htm#Metercoupling">this link, that shows the lever for an F3) </A>.

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In an F3 and F4 you could flip up this lever and use non-AI(s) lenses. For the F5, I only know this was not a standard option, but at the service center of Nikon in The Netherlands, they could make this work also. I am not sure this is possible for the Digital SLRs and F6.

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With regard to AI(s) lenses mechanical coupling of the aperture still is the case (as far as I know), for Nikon in their new brochures states normal weighted metering and spot metering are possible.

Matrix metering is also possible but then you have to enter diafragm and focal length to the camera's memory. (It means you no longer have to fool the camera by building in a chip in an AI-lens that tells the camera focal length and aperture).

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At least this is how I understand it.

Nikon Europe mentions 4999 Euro's as recommended price for the D2X. I expect that in the shops the price will be lower.

<A Href="http://www.europe-nikon.com/details.aspx?countryId=3&languageId=3&prodId=945&catId=91">Click here</A> to go to the German language Nikon Europe page with price info.

A good remark was made by David Hartman on the batteries of the F6:

"OK, the CR123A(s) don?t actually stink but they give only an estimated 15 rolls at 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius)."

Reading it like this, it looks it is not much for pro. He can easily shoot this in a day.

However, in the brochure I read that the 15 roll at 20 degrees Celsius, where carried out using

"an AF-S VR 24-120 mm 3.5-5.6 G ED lens, with vibration reduction on continuous servo AF mode at S and shutterspeed of 1/250 second. After lightly pressing the shutter release button autofocus operation covers the full range from infinity to the closest distance and back to infinity before each shot. After the exposure meter automatically turns off, the same operation follows for the next shot."

The question that remains is how does this compare to the F100 without battery pack using the same lens and same procedure. How many rolls of film do you get with this body. Otherwise I have the feeling to compare apples with oranges.

If someone can enlighten me or us - so to speak - please do. Knowing a truth cannot hurt me or us.

Just a further thought on how Nikon Corp. must have been thinking. In comparison to the F4 the Nikon F5 never received a 250 exposure film back, while it had been available for the F2, F3 and F4.

Apparently there was not enough market. Apparently they thought they could make a similar decision on the viewfinders...they were not selling enough of them. A pity though...also we don't find these back in the digital pro cameras as well.

Nice is that Nikon still provides a new camera for FILM.

In response to the post above. The F3 was also designed by Giugiaro.

One does not have to laugh out loud, although it is perfecly healthy to do have a laugh..even if the reason is different.

The camera looks like the replacement of two cameras the F100 and F5. Film is already less mainstream.

Just like the FM3A did with the F3 and FM2. I have all three of these and it happens I just use the FM3A more than the other 2.

Ofcourse I had hoped for changeable viewfinder etc.

To be honest I never bought another viewfinder for my F3.

Apart from the D2X, which has already been reported on in an earlier

post, Nikon introduces the F6. Recommended price in Europe is set at

1999 Euro. A price that is higher than that of the F100 and less than

that of the F5.

A brochure can be found at (sorry it is in German - have not found

the english version yet):

http://www.europe-nikon.com/uploads/nde/Brochures/DE/F6_Broch_De.pdf

The main technical data in English can be found at:

http://www.nikonusa.com/fileuploads/pdfs/F6.pdf

I am not sure Nikon will show such a camera at the coming Photokina. I have heard the stories too, but often reality is different.

It would be nice though:

- to have a replaceable back so one can upgrade the digital back when a new sensor comes along. It seems the shutter etc. now easily outlives the cylcic time of a sensor (ofcourse this may stabilize in the future)

- to have changeable view finders (e.g. for macro photography) again on digital SLRs

- to have a "full format sensor", larger than is used now by Nikon. this would mean the same viewfinder (framesize) for digital and film

- once having these options, it would be less trouble to have a film back

But I am not sure Nikon will come with a camera with a changeable back. They are so proud of their DX lenses and I don't think they have a Mr. Ehrenreich nowadays, who tells them what would be nice and to whom they listen.

Also here in Holland, HC-B passing away was not unnoticed. Television did a rebroadcast of a documentary made in 2003. In the documentary HC-B showed modesty about his work, his love for painting/drawing.

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Also the <a href=?http://www.henricartierbresson.org/index_en.htm?>Fondation Henri Cartier-Bresson</a> was mentioned. An institution, created by HC-B himself, his wife Martine Franck and their daughter Melanie, that is aimed at preserving his legacy and to stimulate (young) photographers by a biannual grant program.

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His photographs capture unique, dramatic, decisive moments in life. At the same time the composition in his photographs is exemplary. His work covered all aspects of man?s mortal life: from childhood, falling in love, elder age, till death.

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Many of these frozen moments in time, that are appreciated by so many, will live on for ever (or close to it).

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Among the many photographs by HC-B, that I like, is the picture taken at the Coronation of George VI in 1938. People had been posting all night before the event, in order to have the best place to see the spectacle. The picture shows a man lying on newspapers: he has fallen asleep. A crowd above him is looking at the event an their heads are not directed to camera (they look away from the photographer), only one boy looks directly at the photographer. It seems he is looking at us (perhaps not intentionally ? it does not matter). The picture is not about the pump and circumstance of the coronation, but about ordinary people and their frailty.

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Another one is the little boy, carrying two large bottles of wine. He smiles and is proud, to fulfil this delicate task. As one reviewer rightfully said it, it is as if this boy?s childhood is frozen in time. And so there are more unforgettable photographs by HC-B.

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The greatness of HC-B is perhaps that he has made so many photographs, that are so unique in capturing moments in life and show such great composition. In this HC-B was very special, more special then he wanted us to believe.

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HC-B passed away quietly at the respectable age of 95. And a feeling of gratefulness feels me more than sadness. Grateful for he has left us with so many great touching photographs.

Hi,

Never shot with Leica, so I cannot tell if the Nikkor AIS 45 2.8P is as good as a Leica lens. I did not submit the Nikkor to a rigourous lens test either using tripod, fould up mirror using a camera with exemplary film flatness etc. etc.

I like the AIS 45 f/2.8P I have, for its size, nice color rendition, sharpness. I never used it in shooting against the sun (I rarely do and I prefer my 28 2.0 for this). The lens has a simple Tessar optical design: 4 elements in 3 groups. And thus the reflecting surfaces are fewer than in most other lenses. The aperture has 7 blades, which are rounded and this helps giving a good "bokeh". It is not the first Tessar Nikon made: There is the old GN Nikkor 45/2.8, but this lens has a smaller rear element and it has no coating. It is a lesser lens according to people who have tested it (see e.g. Bjørn Rørslet's site).

I have several 50 mm (all but one they are all Nikkors): HC Nikkor 50 mm/2.0, AI Nikkor 50/2, AI Nikkor 50mm/1.8 (full metal barrel), AIS 50mm/1.8 and a AI-E 50mm /1.8 and the AIS 45 f/2.8P.

The non-Nikkor is a Schneider Kreuznach Componon 50mm/4 enlarger lens (in metal barrel), that I only use for closeup work on a PB-4 bellows (or PK-11A) using two converter rings (converter ring from Nikon bajonet to M39 and M39 to M??). The aperture has about 16 blades ( I lsot count) and I think it is three group design. This Schneider is the cheapest lens I ever bought (second hand it costed 20 US$/Euro). It is also my "sharpest" lens. I like its color rendition too.

This brings me to the price of the Nikkor AIS 45 /2.8P. It is a very expensive lense compared to it's ancestor the GN Nikkor or other 50 mm Nikkors.

I I had this nice 1.4 / 35 mm - you have, I would rather save up for the 85mm/1.4 AIS or AF and buy a second hand 50 mm/2.0 AI in good condition.

That being said, I am glad I have my 45 mm/f2.8P, but I have to admit I made a very good deal buying the lens in combination with a FM3A.