OT: Which Nikon DSLR's have Ai index tab?

[GeneW]

Pentax/Samsung seems stuck on kind-of-old sensor technology.

I think the D200 is a very nice choice in DSLR, but where did you get this sensor impression? As far as I know Pentax and Nikon both use the same Sony sensors -- at least that's what I've been reading.

Gene

 

[fgb2]

How much is the Katz eye and does the Af still function with it? Any negatives at all with it?


Not cheap, which is the only drawback I've found. They list their prices on the website (www.katzeyeoptics.com). The plane of focus was a tiny bit off when I first installed it and I had to go back in and take out the Nikon screen shim, since then it's been just about right on. The company was very responsive to my emails when I found the plane of focus was a little off.

I think the focusing screen may not be in the AF optical path, and AF isn't affected at all.

With a slow lens or lens-teleconverter combination they recommend not using spot metering because half of the split image will black out with a slow enough lens, and the screen is in the metering path. But it's not as bad as the old F screens were in this regard. I think if you really wanted spot metering in this situation you could probably be OK using one of the sensors other than the center one, although I haven't tried it.

I put one of their screens in a D2X recently and checked the (matrix) metering before and after, it was 1/3 stop different with the new screen - although I can't remember whether faster or slower. I adjusted for that with the screen compensation function in the menus. I guess it would be good to do this from the start with any new screen, although it's a small enough difference that I'm not going to go back and check the D200 now that the new screen's in.

 

[Warren T.]

Thanks for your responses. I am now doomed to get the D200 I guess. As one follow-up though, here's one other thing I'm wondering. The one zoom I have is a second-hand 24-120 AF-D zoom. When I put it on my F3HP with standard prism the viewfinder image seems far dimmer than when I put it on my F4 with standard prism. Is this my imagination? Just wondering, since we're more-or-less on the subject. I think I'll throw in an image too. I'm really excited about just having gotten an old Nikon F plain prism. Looks so good. I suddenly started using the camera this past week-end since it's now seems so nimble.

Julian,

I'm sure you'll enjoy shooting with the D200.

That's a beautiful Nikon F/50mm f1.2 combo you've got there .

I did a totally subjective, unscientific test this morning with my F3HP and F4s, both with "E" screens, and a 85mm f2.0 ai lens to compare the relative brightness of each viewfinder.

They are both very close in brightness, but I would have to give the edge to the F4 for clarity, and just a very slight bit better in brightness. In practice, they are both so good that I wouldn't really notice (or care).

Regards,

Warren

 

[JohnR]

My wife wants to drag me kicking and screaming into getting a DSLR. Canon 5D is too much money so luckily that's off the table.

I just got a D40. The metering doesn't work w/ AI lenses but the "electronic rangefinder" does (I have no idea how). Since you seem fairly reluctant to get into DSLRs (like me), this seems like it would be a great start.