dont45
Member
:bang: Just what you all want to hear! I just got my D300. After a couple of days, I really know why we all love the M8. Not bashing the D300 -- I just think of Dee and her comments about the K10D -- "Can't Resolve". Well, the D300 I think is a lot worse with it's about 1 million features. But on to the subject of my post...
For the past couple of months (since I got the 28 cron) I have perceived mis-focus up close. I even ran a series of 'Nikon' test targets which is a ruler target taken at a 45 degree angle. It showed a significant front-focus, about 10mm as I recall. I then tried to take lots of actual pictures to see what I could learn. For example I pushed books in and out at different distances on the bookshelf and photographed them up close. I photographed a newspaper on the wall at a 45 degree angle. As far as I could observe in these actual photographs, the focus was right on. And my actual experience, which led me to all this, was a side portrait up-close where the far eye was in focus and the near eye not, whereas I thought I had focused on the near eye.
Well, on to the post...I took a series of shots, one series with focus on the hunter, included here, and another with focus on the book. All shots were at iso 640 at f2. The M8 are with the 28mm f/2 Summicron and the D300 with the Ziess Distagon 35mm f/2. The D300 with the manual focus lens was focused using the range-finder indicator dot, with focus on the hunter's face, and the M8 was focused on the vertical line of the hunter's nose. The D300 shot at 1/30s and the M8 at 1/25s.
The shots were 'developed' in C1-4 with minor adjustments to white-balance, slight increases to exposure, contrast, brightness and saturation, and some reduction of highlight. Of course the L101... is the M8 file. Attached are the un-cropped shots. The M8 crop (I'll attached the two crops in another message since I can't here) seems to be out of focus, but I really think it is movement blur from the 1/25s. The depth of field difference is interesting too. My guess is that the 28 has a deeper focus field than the 35, but then again, it may be that the actual focus point is in front of the hunter, thus moving the focus forward to the book. I'm not a scientist so I simply don't know how to tell.
I know this is an amature test, but I thought the results were interesting. The D300 receives quite the rave review, but the M8 sure held it's own, and at iso 640. I'd certainly appreciate your thoughts and comments, especially about the mis-focus perception.
For the past couple of months (since I got the 28 cron) I have perceived mis-focus up close. I even ran a series of 'Nikon' test targets which is a ruler target taken at a 45 degree angle. It showed a significant front-focus, about 10mm as I recall. I then tried to take lots of actual pictures to see what I could learn. For example I pushed books in and out at different distances on the bookshelf and photographed them up close. I photographed a newspaper on the wall at a 45 degree angle. As far as I could observe in these actual photographs, the focus was right on. And my actual experience, which led me to all this, was a side portrait up-close where the far eye was in focus and the near eye not, whereas I thought I had focused on the near eye.
Well, on to the post...I took a series of shots, one series with focus on the hunter, included here, and another with focus on the book. All shots were at iso 640 at f2. The M8 are with the 28mm f/2 Summicron and the D300 with the Ziess Distagon 35mm f/2. The D300 with the manual focus lens was focused using the range-finder indicator dot, with focus on the hunter's face, and the M8 was focused on the vertical line of the hunter's nose. The D300 shot at 1/30s and the M8 at 1/25s.
The shots were 'developed' in C1-4 with minor adjustments to white-balance, slight increases to exposure, contrast, brightness and saturation, and some reduction of highlight. Of course the L101... is the M8 file. Attached are the un-cropped shots. The M8 crop (I'll attached the two crops in another message since I can't here) seems to be out of focus, but I really think it is movement blur from the 1/25s. The depth of field difference is interesting too. My guess is that the 28 has a deeper focus field than the 35, but then again, it may be that the actual focus point is in front of the hunter, thus moving the focus forward to the book. I'm not a scientist so I simply don't know how to tell.
I know this is an amature test, but I thought the results were interesting. The D300 receives quite the rave review, but the M8 sure held it's own, and at iso 640. I'd certainly appreciate your thoughts and comments, especially about the mis-focus perception.
Attachments
dont45
Member
Richard Marks
Rexel
Not terribly convinced by this. I dont know how many times this crops up but if you want to do sports, wild life, macro you need an SLR. If you like big heavy with lots of complicated programme modes, radio ttl flash, multiple frames per second you also need an SLR. If you are into available light portraits, and unobtrusive candids and want control over the point of focus step this way.
Best wishes
Richard
Best wishes
Richard
mllanos1111
Well-known
I have the same setup with the Distagon and D300 and I dont seem to have that issue, but what I can say is that manually focusing with the stock screen and relying on the dot is hit and miss.
You really need a Katzeye screen to make focusing easier and more accurate. You also can adjust focusing issues per lens on the D300 to correct back or front focusing issues etc.
You really need a Katzeye screen to make focusing easier and more accurate. You also can adjust focusing issues per lens on the D300 to correct back or front focusing issues etc.
BillBingham2
Registered User
Katzeye has a D300 screen out now. mllanos1111 is right, you need to have a bit of help (split-image or microprism) to focus the old lenses. When I pick up my D300 it will have one as I do not have any AF lenses, yet. I'm thinking of swapping out my 180/2.8 ED for an new 180/2.8 ED/AF. It works great as a manual lens too and I should be able to turn off the AF and use MF without too many buttons.
B2 (;->
B2 (;->
dont45
Member
It's the M8 which I've been questioning the focus, not the D300. I only used the D300 shots as a comparison, it seems to be spot on so far. I do see the potential difficulty without the traditional split-image finder of old, but so far the electronic range-finder indicator seems very good.
I just don't understand the issue, if there is one, with the M8. On the MP, I never saw anything but right on, although I never had the 28mm, and have not yet shot anything with it on the MP. At this point, my biggest remaining question is the repeated results of forward focus on the test target, which is basically a ruler on a typed page, with a focus bar in the middle. The text in focus is 10 mm in front of the focus bar. You can see all about this here.
I just don't understand the issue, if there is one, with the M8. On the MP, I never saw anything but right on, although I never had the 28mm, and have not yet shot anything with it on the MP. At this point, my biggest remaining question is the repeated results of forward focus on the test target, which is basically a ruler on a typed page, with a focus bar in the middle. The text in focus is 10 mm in front of the focus bar. You can see all about this here.
Gabriel M.A.
My Red Dot Glows For You
When shopping for a motorcycle, don't be shocked to see only two wheels.dont45 said:
I'm trying to figure out whether the D300 is made by the makers of the M8; otherwise, I don't understand this post in the M8 forum.
I guess I misread the intent of the post as well.
I have both these cameras and haven't seen issues with either. I spent considerable time investigating each lens on the M8 for possible back or front focus, based on concerns raised on another forum (where people were sending in their lenses for adjustments, etc.)
Across the board (with Leica, CV, Zeiss, & Nikkor optics) I haven't seen any focus issues, and I shoot the majority of my shots at wide aperture.
On the D300 however, I find it difficult to focus my only manual lens, a 50/1.4 Nikkor. The green dot isn't much help. I've decided to get a Katz focusing screen if I go with any other manual lenses. I never had problems focusing my Nikon F2 with the split image focusing screen, so the split image of the Katz should be far better than the green dot at least for me.
I have both these cameras and haven't seen issues with either. I spent considerable time investigating each lens on the M8 for possible back or front focus, based on concerns raised on another forum (where people were sending in their lenses for adjustments, etc.)
Across the board (with Leica, CV, Zeiss, & Nikkor optics) I haven't seen any focus issues, and I shoot the majority of my shots at wide aperture.
On the D300 however, I find it difficult to focus my only manual lens, a 50/1.4 Nikkor. The green dot isn't much help. I've decided to get a Katz focusing screen if I go with any other manual lenses. I never had problems focusing my Nikon F2 with the split image focusing screen, so the split image of the Katz should be far better than the green dot at least for me.
antiquark
Derek Ross
Did you use a tripod and a shutter delay to reduce vibrations?
Also, if you focus on something in the center and recompose so it's not in the center, the object will no longer be in focus.
Also, if you focus on something in the center and recompose so it's not in the center, the object will no longer be in focus.
Richard Marks
Rexel
Its a totally meanigless comparison.
The D300 was shot at 1/30 and no mention of mirror lock up. Waste of time.
Richard
The D300 was shot at 1/30 and no mention of mirror lock up. Waste of time.
Richard
LeicaM3
Well-known
Don't be frustrated.
I think this comparison doesn't tell you or us anything.
I think this comparison doesn't tell you or us anything.