How is manual focus on a Nikon D700?

kshapero

kshapero

South Florida Man
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I have an opportunity to borrow over the weekend a Nikon D700 from a friend. All I have are Manual lenses. I tried this once on a D200 and found manual focusing difficult. But my friend says it is no problem on the D700 probably because of the larger VF. Anybody have any experience with this?
 
Manual focus is pretty good since the viewfinder is large and bright. The focusing screen, like those on most autofocus cameras, is not really optimized for manual focus, but it is adequate.

Edit to add that my experience with manual focus on the D700 is based on using the following lenses: 24 2.8 AIS, 35 2 AIS, 50 2 AI, 105 2.5 AIS, and 200 4 AIS.
 
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I don't have an MF screen in my D700 so it's not the easiest in that sense...but just because of the larger VF on it vs. older nikon/canon models (D300, D70, etc) it is much easier than other digi cams I've tried manual focus on. I still use all nikon AF lenses on my D700 though, and use a leica for manual focus because I find rangefinders so much easier than SLRs for focusing.
 
Akiva, I played with a Nikon 50mm f1.2 on my D700 some time ago, and found that the focusing screen works as a huge focus indicator. In other words, if the entire viewfinder looks sharp, the image is probably in focus.

Now, the D700 (like most AF bodies) has an electronic rangefinder that gives you a green dot, visible on the bottom side (a bit to the left) of the VF, which indicates focus is correct. In case of doubt, you can trust it. Just leave the focusing point in the middle and use it as reference for your manual focusing.

Keep in mind that the D700 has a nice VF, so if you use fast glass, you'll be able to judge on your own.

You have very good friends who lend you neat gear. Show them your appreciationg and have fun with the camera! :)
 
Manual focusing on the D700 is definitely easier compared to the D200.

With the D700, I use the green dots, which work well when there is sufficient contrast between the subject and background. When there isn't, I use the focusing screen.

Same techniques on the D200 when I had it, with a little help from a Katz Eye focusing screen.
 
Thanks all. Believe this or not but my buddy is leaving in a few minutes for Nassua for the weekend with his wife, taking only my Ricoh GX200 (we made a 3 day trade). his zoom is in repair. So I'll have a fun weekend.
 
If you have used an F90 or similar camera then you will get the idea. Make sure you adjust the diopter for your own eye.

Bob
 
It's superb from limited lenses I have used (50/1.2, 85/1.8, 35/1.4, 28/2,24/2, 105/2.5) I have no trouble focusing even under most difficult light condition.
 
It's not the same as focusing with an F3 or any split prism.. but the larger finder which is brighter, clearer and bigger then the D200 makes it easier, look for the focus confirm dot, not great, but better then nothing. I understand you're just borrowing the camera, but should you be interested, you can purchase third party focusing screen which have split prisms, micro prims, optimized for fast glass... just like the good old days.
 
at apertures of 2.8 or smaller, it is no problem. the screen isn't really well designed for manual focusing at f2 or f1.4, though. if you get a chance, play around with the in-camera multiple exposure feature. It is a lot of fun, and doesn't seem to be very commonly used.

you may also have to dig in to the menus to let the camera know you will be adjusting aperture with the ring on the lens, depending on the design of the lens.
 
Go with the green dot...I use it on the F4 & F5 when shooting with a MF lens...heck, I even check it when using AF lenses...
 
Does the Nikon have an equivalent focusing screen like the Canon EE-S Screens. I used a lot of manual glasses on the canon previously and the EE-S screen seems to work like a ground glass, where the image "pop" outs from the entire picture when its in focus.

I did try the D700 at the camera stores on a ZF Zeiss 35mm / 50mm and 100mm, for lenses which has a long MF ring to allow precision focusing the D700's screen is more than adequate, however I find lenses such as the 35mm and the 50mm which has a very short MF throw, 5m to infinity in less than an inch of the MF twist, so be a bit of a hit and miss even with the electronic RF confirmation. But being digital, I do bracket my focus with a few shots as I turn the MF ring just to be on the same side. At least thats what I do for now with my D90

hope that helps :)
 
Ciao Akiva

manually focused, relying on the green dot, 105 F/2.5, less than 1m (others similar) @ 2.5 less than 1 m
719170913_CRiS3-X2.jpg


Zeiss ZF 50 @ F/4 - around 1m - always green dot (focus on my uncle's left eye)

500462083_VxsMX-X2.jpg
 
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I had some initial focus problems with my D200. The focus confirmation indication is not as helpful as it could be, since it stays on over a short range of focus rotation and not just at a single point. Focusing by the screen was inaccurate, but only because my screen was not shimmed properly. When I removed one of the two shims, focus improved.

Using the factory screen, focusing is easy with longer, faster lenses. A 50mm f/1.4 focuses well. So does the 80-200mm f/4.5. I wanted to use my MF lenses also, but I eventually bought AF lenses for the 24mm and 35mm, as these focal lengths are harder to use owing to their large DOF. I continue to use my MF 15mm and 18mm lenses. With those, the DOF is so great that scale focusing is quite sufficient.

I don't have a D700 (yet) but with those points in mind, I'm now doing well with my D200. There will be a D700 in my future, I imagine.
 
OK, times up, how did you find the manual lens focusing on the D700?

Bob
 
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