The Canon Vs NikonSony and the future sensor tecnology.

[Glenn NK]

I don't understand why in these forums people jump on one line in a post and tear it to pieces.

Jim

I used to attribute this to recalcitrance, but I'm leaning towards it being a lack of reading comprehension as the culprit.  I just can't believe that so many people can be so quick to disagree and take issue with so many comments.

This doesn't imply that people don't have reading comprehension; it's more likely a matter of not taking the time to thoroughly determine the meaning of some other persons writings (which can also be the culprit).

Glenn

[Ajoy Roy]

I used to attribute this to recalcitrance, but I'm leaning towards it being a lack of reading comprehension as the culprit.  I just can't believe that so many people can be so quick to disagree and take issue with so many comments.

This doesn't imply that people don't have reading comprehension; it's more likely a matter of not taking the time to thoroughly determine the meaning of some other persons writings (which can also be the culprit).

Glenn

I agree. There is also this inherent impatience which prevents most posters from reading the whole thread, but latch on to the last few and comment immediately.

This attitude, may be the refection of times we are in - brief glance, comment and carry on.

[Jim Pascoe]

But could you do it in time? That's the point. A second or two after I took the shot the fellow on the left turned away, peeved that I was taking his photo. I had hardly any time. I lifted the SL2 to my eye, composed and focused very rapidly, and shot. I had no time to lose.

When you have been working with equipment for a long time, everything becomes second nature. My cameras are 40 years old, and I am used to them. I doubt that AF would have been of any advantage whatsoever here, and quite likely a disadvantage. The fellow on the left was applying makeup to the one on the right. As I approached, he stopped and looked right at me, and that's this shot. Then he turned away, peeved. I had time only for this one shot before it all fell apart.

Well you've picked one particular picture out of hundreds when you focal point is right on the edge of the frame to 'prove' that MF is inherently superior and I cannot argus that in this particular instance for you it was the best way.  Not that you had any choice.  But yes, I probably would have been able to have selected the LH focus point and caught focus then slightly re-composed to frame.  And in case the 135mm lens I might have used for such a shot has full time manual foci over-ride so I would have had the choice.  And the 135mm Canon f2 lens is incredibly easy to manually focus.  I have not used my gear for 40 years but I've been using the 1Ds bodies for 12 years and they are like an extension of my hands and brain.  They are not the only cameras I use but I suppose I may have shot half a million pictures with them so can honestly say I know what I'm going to get when I lift the camera to my eye.

Jim

Ps - it would be useful to now your name as I quite often address people by name in posts and MelchiorPavone is a bit of an effort to type - I guess I could just refer to you as Mel.....

[ErikKaffehr]

Hi,

I am not sure about the validity of Mr Pavone's examples, it's hard to judge from the samples I have seen. He maybe has a point, maybe has not.

It is very nice for him that he is perfectly happy with his 40 years old camera. Development went a different way.

Personally, I find that critical manual focusing is difficult, at least on my Hasselblad 555/ELD. I am only using that camera on static objects shooting on tripod. My success rate is decent in high contrast situations but going down in low contrast. On digital I use magnified live view and manual focus when shooting stationary objects from tripod, in that case success rate is 100%.

I seldom have problems with AF.

Best regards
Erik

Well you've picked one particular picture out of hundreds when you focal point is right on the edge of the frame to 'prove' that MF is inherently superior and I cannot argus that in this particular instance for you it was the best way.  Not that you had any choice.  But yes, I probably would have been able to have selected the LH focus point and caught focus then slightly re-composed to frame.  And in case the 135mm lens I might have used for such a shot has full time manual foci over-ride so I would have had the choice.  And the 135mm Canon f2 lens is incredibly easy to manually focus.  I have not used my gear for 40 years but I've been using the 1Ds bodies for 12 years and they are like an extension of my hands and brain.  They are not the only cameras I use but I suppose I may have shot half a million pictures with them so can honestly say I know what I'm going to get when I lift the camera to my eye.

Jim

Ps - it would be useful to now your name as I quite often address people by name in posts and MelchiorPavone is a bit of an effort to type - I guess I could just refer to you as Mel.....

[NancyP]

Isn't magnified live view THE BEST! No matter how nostalgic I may get, this is one digital innovation that just makes me sing every time I use it. Now I would like to see implementation of "pick any two areas in frame, magnify 10x, put the magnified views side by side on the LCD, allow real time focusing while viewing those two areas". AKA quick hyperfocal focusing technique or quick check-your-tilt focusing technique. Come on manufacturers! Nikon, you are halfway there in the most recent camera. (Nikon allows you to pick a "left" and a "right" area at same pixel on y axis, enlarge, use the comparative view to level your horizon).

[BernardLanguillier]

Nancy,

Nikon is there already if you shoot in portrait orientation, right?

All U need to do is stitch 3 frames if U need a portrait composition.

Cheers,
Bernard

[NancyP]

True. But silly me, I am hoping that the idea becomes widespread - it would not seem to be such a difficult aid to set up. Currently I need to live view - 10x mag - steer box to area #1 - check focus - steer box to area #2 - check focus - adjust focus if needed -keep steering box back and forth to check. The Nikon feature is on the D750, not the D810, unfortunately, and I am already invested in Canon lenses (plus some inherited old AIS Nikkors which are perfectly usable on Canon but Canon EF not usable on Nikkor) - no point in changing platform and leaving lenses behind if I don't get the best possible sensor for landscape, and the D750 is not that sensor.

[ErikKaffehr]

Hi,

I would absolutely agree, but just add that I find peaking quite useful for tilts. The technique you suggest is even better, of course.

Best regards
Erik

Isn't magnified live view THE BEST! No matter how nostalgic I may get, this is one digital innovation that just makes me sing every time I use it. Now I would like to see implementation of "pick any two areas in frame, magnify 10x, put the magnified views side by side on the LCD, allow real time focusing while viewing those two areas". AKA quick hyperfocal focusing technique or quick check-your-tilt focusing technique. Come on manufacturers! Nikon, you are halfway there in the most recent camera. (Nikon allows you to pick a "left" and a "right" area at same pixel on y axis, enlarge, use the comparative view to level your horizon).

[BernardLanguillier]

True. But silly me, I am hoping that the idea becomes widespread - it would not seem to be such a difficult aid to set up. Currently I need to live view - 10x mag - steer box to area #1 - check focus - steer box to area #2 - check focus - adjust focus if needed -keep steering box back and forth to check. The Nikon feature is on the D750, not the D810, unfortunately, and I am already invested in Canon lenses (plus some inherited old AIS Nikkors which are perfectly usable on Canon but Canon EF not usable on Nikkor) - no point in changing platform and leaving lenses behind if I don't get the best possible sensor for landscape, and the D750 is not that sensor.

Nancy,

I am not suggesting you move to Nikon, just confirming that the curent Nikon spec is close to what you need.

It is available in the D810 btw. I will check whether the D750 has it too, but it is true that its sensor us optimized for high ISO and therefore probably less differentiated for landscape.

Cheers,
Bernard

[John Koerner]

Nancy,
I am not suggesting you move to Nikon, just confirming that the curent Nikon spec is close to what you need.

[Glenn NK]

+1

[BernardLanguillier]

+1

 x2

Cheers,
Bernard