[Mike Cash]

<Pulls pin and tosses grenade>

Auto-focus is cheating

<Runs for cover>

[Voe]

I found my old Topcor 58mm f/1.4 better than my Voigtlander Nokton 58mm f/1.4 regardless of the fact that the Nokton is a modern version of the Topcor.
Topcor has almost no CA wide open, while there is plenty on the Nokton.
Both are equal at f/2.
Topcor is sharper from f/2.8 to f/11
Topcor has smoother bokeh.
Mind you, the Topcor cost me only $50USD cheaper than the Voigtlander Nokton. But still if I have to keep only one, it will be the Topcor.

[fractal]

Run you god damn swine!

No, I don't mean that at all Mike. I just wanted to give myself a laugh. I have really fallen in love with my Super Takumar 55 that I purchased a few months ago, but.. I am big on hip shot candids and won't dare manualize it.

This world is going down a very paranoid path and for me, AF might save me being accosted and hassled by people who have rights.. or even questioned by police. Well in Australia anyway. I've just come back from China and there was none of this crap there. Anyway, i'm off on a tangent but you get my drift.

[seacapt]

OK I see I'm not alone. Don't get me wrong folks I think AF is a nice tool for certain applications . For example 2 friends and I went to Venezuela marlin fishing a few years ago. They both had AF equiptment while I was using my Canon A1 with L series glass , yes my prints were of crisper but they had more shots of the fish coming out of the water in focus while I had more pictures of big splashes. The end to that story was we polled our best shots and sold them to Salt Water Sportsman magazine and split the check.
Auto focus deffinately lends itself to action / sports photography , I just wish I could find more AF lenses that don't cost more than my first car and have the IQ I love..
A side note I still am looking for an AF long zoom to shoot kid sports that really impresses me . Any suggestions or should I just buy a M42 adapter and a big old Super Tak or Tamron SP 300 and give up on AF

[fractal]

Well it depends on the length you want, but Pentax is not all that well known for its awesome performance in sports photography but in any case for an AF long zoom you will pay for it anyway. I do not own it myself but have heard very good things about the DA 50-135mm.

[raymeedc]

I have a collection of screwmount M42 Takumars & manual focus Bayonet K prime lenses that I use exclusively. I don't even own an autofocus lens. I sold the kit lens that came with my DSLR a long time ago. I don't have metering accuracy problems with my lenses, as I meter with GossenLuna Pro & Super Pilot handheld meters. In other words, I use my DSLRs as Polaroid backs.
If I'm shooting light with only one lens, it'll usually be a 50 or 55.

[seacapt]

Well it depends on the length you want, but Pentax is not all that well known for its awesome performance in sports photography but in any case for an AF long zoom you will pay for it anyway. I do not own it myself but have heard very good things about the DA 50-135mm.

Oh boy here I go getting way off track. I think it would be great if someone built really solid AF zoom with a range of 135-350mm , f4 , full frame , superior IQ and a price tag around $500.

Back to the original discussion: other than for sports/ action/ "from the hip" shots MF works just fine for me and if my images are OOF I can only blame myself. The other side of that is that when the image is just right I get to take all the credit.

[séamuis]

All of my lenses are manual.

yep, that pretty much sums it up.

[fractal]

Well if you can take hip shots with MF.. hats off.

[seacapt]

Well if you can take hip shots with MF.. hats off.

Nah , You read me wrong . That F35-70 is my quick "face in the crowd "lens.

[séamuis]

Well if you can take hip shots with MF.. hats off.

ive done that a few times. just guesstimate the distance for the shot and rotate the focus ring to that distance. if you are good at guestimatting then its rather easy. remember manual lenses have proper distance scales!

[redneckwes]

I don't know if the better AF zooms would make a difference or not, but the "kit" lans on my K110D is a pretty sorry thing in image quality compared to older MF glass. Nine times out of 10 I have a plain old M50/2.0 on the front. I've started digging for M series glass here and there, really impressed with my $20 M200/4!

One thing I need to do is buy a meter, but since I used to eyeball meter "Back in the day" I get by pretty well.

P.S. I still think autofocus is a passing fad, and I don't know why they forgot to put a slit focusing screen on the K110.

[séamuis]

I don't know if the better AF zooms would make a difference or not, but the "kit" lans on my K110D is a pretty sorry thing in image quality compared to older MF glass. Nine times out of 10 I have a plain old M50/2.0 on the front. I've started digging for M series glass here and there, really impressed with my $20 M200/4!

One thing I need to do is buy a meter, but since I used to eyeball meter "Back in the day" I get by pretty well.

P.S. I still think autofocus is a passing fad, and I don't know why they forgot to put a slit focusing screen on the K110.

even with my digitals, my sekonic is my best mate.

Hey Captain...

Well you know where I stand on this issue.... Being cheap and dang near out of work, I am all about the cheap old glass.

Since you seem to like old zooms there is one I got for almost nuthing that has blown me away from day 1... that is the Tamron adaptal 103a 80-210 F3.8...

But my bag usually has these lenses in it. Vivitar 28mm 2.8 close focus - Helios 44M 58mm F2 - Jupiter 9 85mm F2 - Tair 11a 135mm F2.8
For quick AF needs the DA 40 always comes along because of size and if the kids are with me the Tamron 28-75 2.8...
It is my fave bag o' glass for most shooting.

Now I am off to ride the Fireball Express... Don't hate the ones who bring you Rock and Roll

[Canada_Rockies]

Well if you can take hip shots with MF.. hats off.

Here are the steps to hip shots with a manual focus lens.

1. Buy, borrow or steal an SMC-P M 28mm f/3.5 lens.
2. Set your DSLR or SLR to Manual Focus.
3. Set your DSLR to Manual Exposure
4. Mount the M 28 on the camera
5. Line up the orange marks on the lens.
6. Press the green button.
7. Snap away without touching anything other than the shutter release.

It's easy as pie. If you have a lens without the orange marks, have a look at f/8 and hyperfocal distance with your chosen lens and use those settings.