Time for me to ditch the mirror, maybe leave Nikon?

[mrca]

Zulu, if you shot nikon, all your lenses would work on every slr and dslr including the 850 and with an adapter on the nikon mirrorless I'm just packing 2 bodies for a street shoot tomorrow, an fm2n with a 40 yr old 50 pancake and a d850 with a 20 yr old manual focus zeiss 35 distagon. They can be switched between the 2 bodies if desired. But if you are photoing grandkids, you might like the 24-70 with auto focus. That lens has made more money for photographers than any other for a reason. For my portrait work, the lens is way more important than what it's hanging on. My film slrs are real complex, only adjust aperture/shutter speed and focus. No buttons, toggles, auto focus. I shot for 40 years with a similar camera and did just fine.

 

[ac12]

Zulu, if you shot nikon, all your lenses would work on every slr and dslr including the 850 and with an adapter on the nikon mirrorless I'm just packing 2 bodies for a street shoot tomorrow, an fm2n with a 40 yr old 50 pancake and a d850 with a 20 yr old manual focus zeiss 35 distagon. They can be switched between the 2 bodies if desired. But if you are photoing grandkids, you might like the 24-70 with auto focus. That lens has made more money for photographers than any other for a reason. For my portrait work, the lens is way more important than what it's hanging on. My film slrs are real complex, only adjust aperture/shutter speed and focus. No buttons, toggles, auto focus. I shot for 40 years with a similar camera and did just fine.

Not quite. The D8xx will autofocus the mechanical AF lenses, but the Z cameras will NOT. The FTZ adapter does NOT support mechanical AF lenses. So those lenses have to be manually focused, or replaced if you want to autofocus on a Z.

 

[mrca]

Yes, but they do work on those cameras. Of course, manual focus lenses won't auto focus either. But older lenses are used not only for their lower cost, often a fraction of the newer glass, but for their rendition and character, ie, micro contrast, 3D look rather than flat rendering, bokeh. The 135 dc works both auto and manual focus, digital and film, and was released in 1995, 25 years ago. Nikon is still making it unchanged. Same for the 180 2.8.

 

[ac12]

Yes, but they do work on those cameras. Of course, manual focus lenses won't auto focus either. But older lenses are used not only for their lower cost, often a fraction of the newer glass, but for their rendition and character, ie, micro contrast, 3D look rather than flat rendering, bokeh. The 135 dc works both auto and manual focus, digital and film, and was released in 1995, 25 years ago. Nikon is still making it unchanged. Same for the 180 2.8.

Working, but in a degraded manner, with no autofocus, may or may not be acceptable. This depends on what you shoot.
Example, I've shot sports since 1970, with manual focus lenses on my film cameras. Today, for most of the sports that I shoot, I will not willingly go back to a manual focus lens, and give up the advantages of autofocus.
So, if you want/need autofocus, you have to buy a lens that will autofocus on a Z camera.

Second, if I were going to use a manual focus zoom lens, I want it to be the single ring zoom (like the Nikkor 80-200/4.5), so that I can focus AS I am zooming. The two ring zoom is OK, only if you don't focus or zoom much.

 

[mrca]

AC, horse for courses. but they can be used, unlike canon where many cannot. Over half my lenses are manual focus and after 40 years of mf, no big deal. For things like sports, birds in flight, parts of events and weddings, yes, critical. Landscape and portraits, which I expect is the useage of most folks. auto focus is not necessary.

 

[Tinstafl]

I have the 850 and D5 as well as their predecessors and moved to the z7 but it was nice but still would grab one of the dslrs when I had to get the shot. Then I got the Z6ii and I can say that the D5 has not been used since. I still did not like the z7 so I tried a canon r5 and wow. I bought it with three lens to try for a year. i will see what nikon does but may switch. If their z9 focus does not match canon I will leave my home for 30 years and turn the zoom ring the other way. I found the r5 to be what I hoped the z bodies would be. The issue I have is that the r5 has different skin tones out of the camera.

 

[davidkachel]

Since I've been improving my film SLR lenses lately, I've been wishing to adapt them to a digital body. It has me considering selling my trusty D800 and going mirrorless. I figured it would be natural to go to Z6 or Z7. Then I read Ken Rockwell's reviews recommending switch now to Canon. I'm still leaning Nikon but I like the way Rockwell reviews, so I hope for a little discussion. I have 4 Nikon lenses, nothing high dollar, so I'm a little invested in lenses but not prohibitively. I'd miss the 105 only. Anyway, what are your opinions. I miss Derrell.

Most of the people in the world who own Nikons, Leicas, Canons, etc., are not photographers. They are photographic equipment collectors. (Those are the people telling you that you should upgrade.) If you are the latter, you definitely need to upgrade. Go whole hog. You absolutely should invest in Leicas. If instead, you are a photographer, the equipment you have should serve you quite well. You can get a significant boost in quality by paying someone to remove that stupid filter in front of the sensor. And another huge boost by unloading any zoom lenses you may have. Manufacturers have been swearing up and down for decades that 'zoom lenses are now as good as fixed focal length lenses'. They're still lying about that, though the current zoom lenses (the very expensive ones) are indeed substantial improvements, but they still rob a lot of resolution from our images.

 

[adamhiram]

I do wish that the FTZ adapter supported more existing glass

It looks like Nikon will be releasing a new version of their FTZ adapter, although the consensus is that it will likely not support additional lenses, but will probably just have the tripod mount removed so there is nothing protruding on the bottom.

It would be great to hear at least that Derrel is doing okay, even if he's not interested in the forum.

I have definitely noticed his absence and hope he is doing well!

 

[petrochemist]

One has to love the OVF, I do, and I will possibly never move to mirrorless.

For some types of shooting I do love an OVF, but for most of what I shoot even a 5 year old EVF will beat it hands down.
Little things like boosting the brightness of macro & low light shots, showing focus peaking, histogram etc in the viewfinder are not to be ignored. When shooting IR (which admittedly most people don't do) an OVF is completely useless.

When you're shooting action in good light there's no beating an OVF.

 

[zulu42]

Most of the people in the world who own Nikons, Leicas, Canons, etc., are not photographers. They are photographic equipment collectors.

That's silly, I disagree. I think most are both. I consider myself both. I'm not a pro and don't need to justify investment with any return. The gear is absolutely, unashamedly, part of the enjoyment of the hobby for many people.

 

[Soocom1]

it's not the equipment, it's the photographer.

 

[zulu42]

oy vey

 

[zulu42]

Folks, not everybody who posts here discussing which equipment suits their needs best is thinking that their new body or lens will make them a better photographer.

 

[jcdeboever]

Thanks very much, gk. It really is a good solution to use all my lenses one one body. I will try to talk myself into considering aps-c. I don't think full frame makes inherently better images, I have an idea that I "see" in full frame FOV and DOF when I try to envision my shots. Having different sensor sizes between film and digital seems like it would be a mental roadblock. I will have to think more about it.

Don't settle, life is to short. Personally, I don't get all the negative comments on the full frame Nikon mirrorless other than the retro FM digital camera. Also you can still rent cameras. The camera is a tool, you just have to find the one that fits you and makes you want to shoot. My current favorite camera is the Agfa Billy Record FWIW.

I'm going to tell you something interesting, if I was forced to only have one camera, it would be the Fujifilm X100V. No fusssing around with lenses, just grab and go. I recently was laughed at by a professional photographer at a soccer game because I was using the 100V and prior to that the Agfa Billy Record. He made a snarky comment and instead of beating him up (my old self), I just smiled and walked to my vehicle. He came up to me last night and apologized. He said his wife was raving about my photo's so he took a look and admitted was shocked. I said no worries and thank you. I also told him it's the 12 inches behind the camera regardless of make or model. This is a huge crop but hey, the best camera is the one you have with you.

 

[jcdeboever]

Th

@cgw thank you I would strongly consider Fuji just from the imagery I've seen here. - I really wonder why they don't have a full frame sensor in their lineup.

Because they have medium format.