[pschlute]

Liveview zoom isn’t perfect in my experience. A good split image focusing screen was typically more accurate in my experience. But softness in the film era wasn’t examined in the same way.

I agree completely that poor focus was not recognised to the same degree as today. But having used plenty of split prism screens in the past, in my opinion they have nothing on LV zoom

[UncleVanya]

I agree completely that poor focus was not recognised to the same degree as today. But having used plenty of split prism screens in the past, in my opinion they have nothing on LV zoom

I had problem getting good results with an a* 85 that was easier to use prior to dslr use. Liveview is also lower resolution than good EVFs and both aren’t as detailed as the lcd on my desk. It might be our ability to look deeper into the detail that makes satisfaction with today’s methods of focusing manually a bit less than in the past.

[stevebrot]

You are right I could also use the DOF preview, but that is for me more or less the same. And an external light meter is even worse.

I suspect that you might not be remembering how stop-down metering with automatic aperture actuation (ala Spotmatic) has traditionally been done. As long as the light and/or subject has not changed, there is no reason to change your exposure. The process is very fluid and "organic" with no need to fiddle with anything other than focus. If one has a hand-held meter in the bag capable of an incident reading, that is even better.

Pentax K with aperture ring and lever for aperture actuation (Pentax-K/M) delivers that functionality quite easily. Shoot in M mode and be happy.


Steve

[peggers]

Yes, the manual lenses are great. They allow you to focus on what is of interest to you, and in many cases quicker than an AF lens.

[DWS1]

MF causes me to slow down and think about composition more. Using a tripod slows you down even more.

[VSTAR]

Ha ha
My NX was acquired purely as a cheap digital platform for my pre-existing Russian M39 r/f lenses … for that it serves it's purpose.
I do feel for those who "invested" extensively in the NX system, their lenses must be depreciating on an almost daily basis

Hate to burst the bubble…NX lenses are still in demand and not depreciating any faster than other company lenses even though the camera and lenses are discontinued. Just like other companies, some camera and lenses are more in demand than others. Got an 85mm lens? Could be sold in 5 min.

[lytrytyr]

But softness in the film era wasn’t examined in the same way.

Never cranked the enlarger up to the ceiling?

[ramseybuckeye]

I bought a Pentax K-50 camera with two kit lenses a few months ago. Prior to that I had a Mamiya 645 medium format film camera, which was sold a few years prior.

Since the end of April 2021, I have purchased a few MF lenses to use with this camera. Some are old M42 thread lenses, others are Pentax-M lenses. I initially did this because I wanted a set of good prime lenses, and I couldn't afford to buy many of the more expensive modern AF lenses.

A curious thing has happened. I like how my MF lenses work with my K-50 better than with the auto-focus ones. Some of what I like most has less to do with the MF lenses than it does with the slower, but familiar task of getting the right focus on things. The relatively slow speed of focusing a MF lens works for me, because I tend to take photographs of still, or slow moving subjects.

The thing I like about my Pentax K-50 camera body is it allows me to verify whether I "got" the shot I wanted within a moment of taking the shot. No more wondering how things will turn out in the photo lab. No more anxiety about whether I had the right settings on my film camera.

Setting aside the technical aspects of using a DSLR with MF lenses, I find that using this combination tends to encourage better photo taking habits. I spend more time thinking about how I want to frame my photographs before taking them. I verify I am using the right focal length lens, and then I adjust the focus on the lens. Once the green hexagon flashes in the viewfinder, I trip the shutter button.

I am not advocating that everyone follow the same path I have taken, but for those who were once used to a medium format film camera and lens set, this path might bring back fond memories... without all the weight, or the wait we used to go through while our film was being developed.

When I saw Mamiya 645 in the first line I thought you were talking medium format lenses, then realized it was manual focus. That is a very good point about it "slowing you down", that can certainly make you think more. When I'm shooting landscapes on a tripod I will use manual focus often, not always, even on autofocus lenses. And I always use live view on the tripod, and take advantage of focus peaking and magnification. I feel using the tripod slows me down and helps my composition even more than the focus, even though there are times that you have to work pretty fast because of the light. I like to get to a spot well early so I can scout it before the good light can happen. I'm not getting into the argument of Live View/Focus Peaking vs Split Prism Viewfinder. I'll use live view on digital and the split prism on film, they are both very useful tools. But if I'm shooting birds or wildlife, the autofocus is on.

[UncleVanya]

Never cranked the enlarger up to the ceiling?

Lol. I’ve definitely enlarged things but no, not to the ceiling. Lol.

[pacerr]

As long as the light and/or subject [environment] has not changed, there is no reason to change your exposure.

Put that statement on your morning coffee mug.

Micro-managing TTL exposure on a shot-to-shot basis can become a detrimental habit, especially with current post-processing options. Incident light is relatively stable.

OTOH, TTL reflective light metering can change significantly with very little lens or target aspect movement; especially if using a narrow spot metering mode.

E.g., I've noticed as much as 1-1/2 stops difference with breaking surf, aspen leaves in a breeze and panning with moving targets with varied backgrounds. While that may offer some interesting and unexpected alternative images intentional bracketing works better if you plan it.

[aaacb]

I kind of got used to eyeballing the metering from using a rangefinder that required a 1.35v battery which I never got. It's really rewarding to see that I guessed the exposure right (within pp margins of error) on the k1ii with my m lenses, and the green button is always there if I'm unsure. Or shoot wide open Same goes for zone focusing, though I also use focus confirmation.

[GUB]

As long as the light and/or subject has not changed, there is no reason to change your exposure.

Ain't that the truth!! And that it actually needs to be said says so much about how lost in tech people are .
People have got so lost in what marketers have said they need.

[pentaxus]

I like using M42 lenses on my K-50. It is kind of half way between using a spotmatic and new auto.

[AfterPentax Mark II]

I suspect that you might not be remembering how stop-down metering with automatic aperture actuation (ala Spotmatic) has traditionally been done. As long as the light and/or subject has not changed, there is no reason to change your exposure. The process is very fluid and "organic" with no need to fiddle with anything other than focus. If one has a hand-held meter in the bag capable of an incident reading, that is even better.

Pentax K with aperture ring and lever for aperture actuation (Pentax-K/M) delivers that functionality quite easily. Shoot in M mode and be happy.


Steve

Unfortunately I remember it very well. And it is not a problem for me to work with it. And a long long time ago I used a handheld lightmeter as well, before I got my first camera with one in it. Let us say I am spoiled with what can be achieved nowadays with modern camera's. And that I do not understand why certain things took so long to get inclusive in a Pentax branded camera.

---------- Post added 18th Jun 2021 at 09:32 ----------

The same was true for photographers with film in their cameras 30 years ago. You should use LV and the zoom function for perfect manual focus.



Then do not use old manual focus lenses. The lenses were designed long before the current cameras.

Well Peter, your first remark is not exactly true. If I look through the OVF of a film camera (I still have several of them) I see a lot more and the view is much clearer. I always wore glasses when taking pictures, because I have them from when I was seven years old. Of course the split screen was very helpful, but manually focusing with a SFX or an MZ-5 is easier than with a GX-10 or a K-3 II. The second remark: that is what I did!

[GUB]

If I look through the OVF of a film camera (I still have several of them) I see a lot more and the view is much clearer.

I think your film camera might have a rose tinted filter on it.