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beyond_gravity
Jun 27, 2002, 5:10 PM
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I'm looking at replacing my Nikkormatt FT with a real camera
I've never used an SLR with an AF system on it. I'm looking at the F65, but not sure if I want that or the FE10. What would you prefer?
Also, one of my friends has an older EOS that he'd give me for a really good price. The problem is that I have 3 Nikon Lens that wont fit the Canon mount. I have a low Quality 50mm and 35mm lens, and a high quality porite lens...do you think it would be worth switching over to Canon?
Thanks,
Jeremy
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diarmid
Jun 27, 2002, 5:53 PM
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First off - what is wrong with the Nikkormat?! Mine works just fine ... ok, the light meter is broken, but I have a handheld so no fuss ... personally I'd recommend sticking with Nikon, if for no other reason than to save you money on not having to purchase the lenses you already have. Have you looked at the F80? Canon isn't anything to sniff at either, of course ...
One feature you might look into is making sure the camera you purchase has the option to go back to manual as, lets face it, you are still smarter than the little internal computer. There will probably be a time in the future you'll find yourself wanting the ability to choose the own speed and stop. Good luck!
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duskerhu
Jun 30, 2002, 7:41 AM
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And turn off the Auto-Focus too, because there are time when it just won't focus properly with the framing you want.
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sauron
Jun 30, 2002, 1:03 PM
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Typically, good lenses should have the capabillity of doing full-time manual focus - i.e. with the lens (camera) set to autofocus, you can still manually intervene and manually change focus (typically, with the shutter release half depressed, which is when you realise that the camera didn't focus on what you wanted it to)..
Most of my Canon lenses have this capabillity - save one, my 50mm/f1.8 - albeit advertised as being capable of such by canon, it lacks the proper ring-drive motor/clutch setup, and if you try to focus it, you can bust the gears inside.. Grf.
- d.
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kriso9tails
Jun 30, 2002, 1:13 PM
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My mother has an FG and several lenses (most of which I'm stealing for school next year for my F3). She also bought an F60, but of course the older lenses are not compatible because of the new electronics on the F60. You may not be able to use your lenses regardless.
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beyond_gravity
Jul 7, 2002, 2:26 AM
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my Nikkormatt still works, but the I screwed somthing up with the shutter and it doesnt go imediatly after I click the button, thats no good for the skateboarding photography that I do.
Of course, my lenses are not AF...so they probably not even work with the F65, they dont fit on the FE, so now that I think of it...they suck regaurdless!
I've mainly done all my reaserch in Nikon, and dont really know about Canon. I heard somewhere that Nikon makes better lenses but Canon makes better bodys.
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ktwo
Jul 7, 2002, 5:20 AM
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I just got a new Pentax and I absolutly love it. Just thought I would share that with everyone.
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jmlangford
Jul 7, 2002, 5:35 AM
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Auto-focus basically sucks. If you are doing skateboard photography, focus on the spot where the rider will be and then take the pic when he gets there. I like to use a slower shutter speed (1/60th or 1/125th) and follow the action as I take the pic-blurs the background and keeps the rider in good focus and gives a cool look of speed. My experience with auto-focus is that it really can't keep up, especially if there is a lot going on in the frame.
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mobius
Jul 7, 2002, 6:15 AM
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I use the...ehh...uhh...disposiable...i think thats Swiss... maby I shoulden't post here...
Matthew~
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beyond_gravity
Jul 7, 2002, 7:30 PM
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i'd definatly want to be able to turn the AF off. I'm just wondering if it's worth spending the $$$ on an AF or to just get a total manuel.
F80 is outta my price range
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apollodorus
Jul 7, 2002, 8:33 PM
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Hey, MY autofocus camera doesn't suck. I can turn the AF off. Having the choice is pretty nice. I have a Nikon EOS A2e, which is a pretty pricey piece of hardware.
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mumf
Jul 7, 2002, 10:19 PM
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I use a Canon EOS-10s that i picked up cheap a while ago, incidentally to replace my old nikkormat. It's a great camera, though I still prefer my nikorrmat. The only real advantage is being able to shoot Very quick sequences, which just isn't possible with a fully manual camera. The canon system does have a little switch on the side of the lens that allows you to switch between manual and AF.
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dizzy
Jul 7, 2002, 11:51 PM
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Hello!
I bought myself a Nikon F65 about 2 months ago and i can strongly recommend this camera. The autofocus can be a bit dodgey which has already been mentioned, but superb results can be got just using manual. Hence, with your existing lenses i think the F65 is a great choice.
laters,
Dizzy.
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saltspringer
Jul 8, 2002, 3:59 AM
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one thing to check for is whether or not the lens you are using is internal focus or not and if it has an independent motor outside of the camera. The body will also make a difference allowing you to choose different focusing options (tracking, predictable, etc...). I use a Nikon F90x body for my AF photography and all Nikkor lenses: what a combination! I still use an F3 body for my B&W work and all of my lenses are completely interchangeable. One thing to think about is maybe getting a bit better body (F80 or F90) on the used market
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sugarbaby
Sep 3, 2002, 9:34 PM
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ktwo-i just got a new pantax, too. i got the ZX-L and i'm in love. just thought we could share that. :)
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tradguy
Sep 5, 2002, 5:36 PM
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I have a Canon Elan II, and it seems pretty reasonable. Auto focus is really nice for those times when you only have one hand to work with (ie other hand holding the belay end of a rope). On the downside, I've found that it is kind of on the heavy, bulky side - not great traits for a climbing camera. It seems to take nice photos with the 28-300 lens though (handy for not having to tote spare lenses around - though it is kind of slow).
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cyberclimber
Sep 27, 2002, 1:53 PM
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I can't believe no one has mentioned this yet, Nikkormats were made pre-Ai. So if your lenses were made for the Nikkormat (with the external metering lug) then while they will fit on any of the newer Nikkons, they will break off the metering slider on your new camera (not a good thing). If your lenses are of good quality, then you can send them to a camera repair shop and have them convirted to Ai metering and use them on any newer Nikon, though they will still only work as manual focus lenses, of course.
That said, I would still recomend Nikon, and if you are going to buy a new Nikon, why not buy one with Autofocus, you can always turn it off. I use the Nikon N90s, F5, D1, and D1x for my photography, all of which have advanced AF, yet I use them on manual focus about 90% of the time. As for the Nikon/Canon debate, you really can't go wrong with either, Canon makes the best telephotos in the world, Nikon makes the hardest working bodies, all their professional grade lenses are really good. I wouldn't advise going with anything other than Nikon or Canon, so that if you ever get serious or decide to go digital SLR, you can keep what you have and add to it rather than getting to the point where you have to switch. I used Minolta for years and loved them, but it got to the point where I was too serious about photography to be able to keep using them, so I had to make the expensive switch to Nikon. I had to sacrifice primes from 17 to 300mm to make the switch, but as painful as it was, it had to be done.
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jasona
Sep 27, 2002, 2:51 PM
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Not sure what you did to your Nikkor. But these old manual cameras are generally easy to fix. Looks like a shutter problem. Take it into a reputable shop(mom and pop is my recommendation)pay $50 or so and have it toroughly cleaned. you will be surprised at how dirty they are inside. could save you the big $$$ on a new camera. remember as far as equipment goes, images are 90% lens and 10% camera. invest in good lenses over pricier camera bodies.
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tim
Sep 27, 2002, 2:52 PM
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watch out with the N65/F65, it won't meter with your MF lenses. Neither will the N80/F80. You're basically screwed with those.
You might want to look at a used N90s or F90x.
Otherwise you'll probably want to stick to manual focus.
I got by with an Olympus XA for years and got some awesome pictures (a sunset shot of El Cap blew up to 16"x24" with no problems, probably because I was shooting Provia like my pro-climbing-photographer friend had told me to, and the enlargement was made via scan) but then one day decided I'd like an SLR (the XA was tough to focus -- you guessed). I got an FM with a 50/1.8 on eBay. Bought a 20/4 used shortly thereafter.
Oops. It's nice to have interchangeable lenses and see what you're photographing!
Then I tried my father's 8008s. Wow, cool, you can just press a button and the subject pops into focus!
Well, to make a long story short, I ended up with an F100, 80-200/2.8, and sick-fast primes, and am selling my old MF stuff.
Watch out this nonsense doesn't happen to you! Only hobby I can think of (besides maybe heroin abuse) that's as expensive as aid climbing.
nb. jasona is dead right about lenses vs. bodies (although it's the photographer and subject that matters -- the highest rated photo on this site was shot with an APS camera, notorious for being pieces of s--- ). Also right about getting the FTn repaired. At the very least you'll get a lot more for it on eBay if you ever sell it, by having it competently repaired. Jim Mora is who I go to in DC (he fixes Nikons -- only -- for most of the Nikon-using pros in DC); ask some pros in your area who they'd recommend.
pps. most of the modern AF bodies Nikon makes can be set via custom functions to only autofocus when you press the AF-on or AE/AF Lock button. Do this. It rules. You can always hold the AF-on button down if you use the motor drive on moving subjects. (Not that you can't prefocus with an MF body, but that doesn't always work for eg. speedboats)
[ This Message was edited by: jabbeaux on 2002-09-27 08:01 ]
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trkrunner03
Sep 28, 2002, 7:12 PM
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I just picked up a brand new Minolta Maxuum 5 which I love. You can over ride the auto focus and go manual, of leave it in AF and just do the Fstop and ss manual. If focuses super quick and is fairly cheap for all of the options and extras it has on it.
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beyond_gravity
Sep 28, 2002, 7:50 PM
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I picked myself up an F65 and sold my old lenses. I know it's "only an F65" but I can't see anything that an F80 or F100 has over it...exspect it might be faster to adjust the aperture and shutter speed...
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petsfed
Sep 28, 2002, 9:44 PM
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Auto Focus? Funny, I'm still using an old Pentax K-1000. Its nice for climbing because if I drop it the rocks it hits will be more badly damaged than it. My father bought in 1968 and it visited the repair shop the first time last year after it gave out at the Ouray Ice fest. Of course it is heavy as sin. And technologically equivalent to using exclusively hexes (which I do) when I could afford better.
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beyond_gravity
Sep 29, 2002, 12:03 AM
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I honestly didnt think I'd care for the AF, if my lenses fit I would have gotten a FM10...now I love the AF! it's a really nice feature
being lazy rocks
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