40mm keep or trade?

Disaster_Area

Gadget Monger
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I've recently picked up the 40mm Nokton and I'm having some difficulty. Coming from an SLR background and having fairly large hands I'm having some difficulty dealing with the focusing tab instead of just gripping the lens barrel. I like the small size, but I think I would have been better off with the larger 50mm nokton. Anyone else have this problem? I'm thinking of throwing up an add here to see if I can trade it for a 50mm nokton... or do you think I'll get used to it?
 
It does take getting used to. I have and I like it.
Take it around and practice putting the camera to your eye and focusing. Don't just use it with film.
It takes a great deal of repetitive action to teach your muscles where to expect the controls of any device with which you are unfamiliar.

On the other hand, the 50mm Nokton and 35mm Ultron feel very much like quality manual focus SLR lenses that you may be used to (except smaller).

Both are good choices.
 
I never could get comfortable with the tabs. The ZM 50/1.5 is a better fit for my hands, but I did like the 40mm lens.
 
Try to change your grip on the lens with your left hand. Use your pinky and ring finger to support the bottom fully extended. Bring you middle finger around the lens to it's right, perhaps along with the pinky and ring on the bottom. Do not try to grip the entire lens as you would an SLR lens. Use your index finger in the tab or grab the tab with your thumb and index, depending upon where it is.

I liked using a single hand to hold my M4-P most of the time and use my ring finger on my right hand to focus the lens for quick shots and then when time permits, my left hand.

The guys are right, the 35/1.7 is a fine lens and it feels much more SLR in the focusing ring. With the 40/1.4 out for a while and the 35/1.4 on the way, there should be some good ones on the market. I loved the lens, have some great shots with it, but changed to the 40/1.4 for the speed. My read is that all of the new RF lenses will be in this tabbed design (at least the wide ones).

B2 (;->
 
You'll get used to it. After a dozen years of using only an SLR, I got a Leica three of whose lenses -- 50, 35, 28 -- had tabs. No problem. My hands are not large, but they are on the clumsy side.
 
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