I do agree. Get the general look that you want out of camera. Trying to recreate in post is not the type of photography that many of us want to do or have the time for. The one thing I remember when meeting PTO photographer Moose Peterson was to strive to get the photo correct from the camera to minimize your time in front of the computer. Looking forward to more info on your adaptor testing journey. Will certainly save me some time when I search. Keep up the good work.
Roger Deakins is also a big fan of getting it right in camera - think he casually insulted a lot of colorists once because he said they’re not necessary if the shot is right from the start (lol)
@ Certainly makes sense.. I know people who capture what they consider the canvas and post is their art. I certainly lean at the other end of the spectrum and prefer to get the shot out of the camera.
What an exciting topic. I love vintage lenses. I don't know what happened. One day, I was buying the "best" lens I could afford. The next, I was looking for old glass. I used to think manual focus was hard, but duh. I just hadn't practiced enough. Loved this post, Jack. Thank you!
Same here. All the imperfections of the old glass is what makes them great. Not sharp corner to corner, not perfectly round bokeh balls... But damn they've got something interesting in each image they create. I would not mind if they had AF though, sure it's usable in MF, but it would be just so much more convenient
Perfectly timed and informative video again Jack ! My Zf has just arrived with the 26 and 40 lenses for family days out and I went with the 40 1.2 voigtlander and Ai 105 2.5 as my slow down character lenses, I really hope Nikon do release a sensibly priced Ftz for purely mf to unlock the focus aids as it seems very expensive to go down the tt art or newer routes just for a dumb adapter to unlock these features, or could a firmware update unlock them?
It should be doable by firmware surely but can’t count on any company to deliver that consistently these days. Congrats on the Zf, it’s the one that has got me out shooting way more this year than last year
Okay... I own both of these lenses. And have done paid gigs with both. I'm going to pause the video at 0:37 and just say that straight away the AI-S 50mm 1.2 is an acquired taste.... and I like it. My customers love it... Its not super sharp wide open, but i don't care about that. I've shot plenty of paid gigs with it ( think sweetheart after ceremony wedding portraits) my 2nd most popular lens in that category is the Laowa 35mm f/0.95... however when It comes to video, the Z 1.4f is amazing. It gives that vintage character people are looking for. Something unique. Basically at the end of the day they are tools in your tool bag. Use them wisely and make sure you get feedback from the people paying your bills. Those are your most important critiques. I personally prefer the 35mm f/0.95 and its a close tie with the Nikon 50mm f/1.2... now I'm going to watch the rest of the video and perhaps eat my words.
Hello! I think photographers are the ones chasing sharpness, most of my friends and family just care about the “vibe” of the photo lol. I love using the manual focus AIS nikkors from a user experience perspective mostly. We are spoilt for choice these days. Thanks for watching!
So excited to see this video! I just adapted my 50mm 1.2 AI-S to my Sony A7CR with the Sigma M11 (I have a stuck canon EF adapter on my 50 🙃) Much easier to focus manual lenses on mirrorless than dslr. This lens shines! ❤
You are killing it with all these Nikon lens reviews my friend! :) Your growth since you started your channel is just incredible and I'm sure you'll close this year with 10k :)
Why did I find this channel so late? Very helpful. Haven't seen much on this topic. I do own the 50/1.8S too and I am still shocked of the optical quality. I don't own any manual focus F-Glas. Tho I do own a few AF-D lenses and I feel screwed (pun intended).
beautiful video! i love vintage glass but with my eyes, i cannot do manual focus anymore. great comparison! i love the out of camera look of the 1.2 lens
i will stick with my 50 1.2 s and my 50 1.8 s. I love the 1.2. It has lots of character compared to the 1.8, but still has the bells and whistles. my 1.8 is for traveling. Great video!
I have the Zeiss Classic Planar 1.4/50mm coupled with my Zf. I would recommend this, if you want to match the Zf's aesthetics. This lens, or the Voigtlander 58 mm / 1:1.4 Nokton SL II - S.
@@BokehTherapy The best option would be to open up the TT artisan adapter and use the electronics and add it to another passive Z to F adapter, but that would be a very technical job, to avoid vignetting. Honestly I use the TT artisan with the Urth m to f adapter and yes there is some vignetting and also some extra lens flare I think from light bounces inside the adapter. But I need the green box and focal length for the image stabilization. And last but not least the trap focus function. where you set the camera to only take a shot when its in focus, this works well with the tt artisan adapter, because the camera thinks its an autofocus lens. Please Nikon bring out a firmware update that allows the green box with manual lenses that have no chip
You’re right - I tested a whole bunch of adapters for the next video, and none are perfect and almost all of them are quite expensive. FTZiii please Nikon
Hi Jack! This is a really good video. I am happy to see that you’re using some vintage glass now. I have that same pre-AI lens. I love the character. I tend to use it and the 50mm f/1.8 exclusively. The pre-AI lenses feel more like a slower walkout versus The 1.8 S. I’m curious to understand your rationale behind using multiple adapters. I have the FTZ but not really clear on what the advantage is of using several at once. Maybe this could be a topic for a future video? Thanks!
Having started with an analog olympus OM-1MD, and now shooting with it still but also with a sony a7rii, I have a lot of fun adapting my vintage manual focus OM mount lenses to the sony, and seeing the difference it makes in the shots, as well as the shooting experience. Great video, helped me be aware of everything involved in adapters when using manual focus vintage lenses. I look forward to finishing school and having a bit more time to actually go out and shoot.
That’s the great thing about adapted lenses - very affordable to get started and even the pros love these results for personal work. hope you keep the hobby going!
The 50mm 1.8 produces albums/photosets with an 'oomph' while the 1.2 AI-S gives me specific single shots with an 'oomph'. While doing street photography if I ever get mugged, I'm choosing the AI-S for self-defence purposes.
I'm sure you looked at it, but the 50mm F1.8 AF-D was my favourite lens when I shot Nikon DSLR's. This was a super cool video though, and was really interesting getting to see a direct comparison between the three lenses. The Sony E mount adapter is wild though, having to go to such a workaround just for things to work like they should natively!
Oh no another great lens to research on and chase down! Haha great problem to have, and yes the Sony adapter is a workaround that works. FTZiii please!
@@BokehTherapy Comparatively, the only thing the 50mm f1.8 AF-D really has going for it is that it's cheap haha. From what I recall it is an identical optical formula to the 50mm F1.8 AI-S, which compared to your 1.2 AI-S it just can't compete. The 50 1.2 really is one of Nikons best ever lenses. And because the AF-D's are screw driven not internal motor, the AF won't even work with the FTZ, and the manual focus ring on the AF-D's is not a joy to use lol
My issue with the F to Z adapters is their size, they always look silly... I wish there was a metal adapter very shallow in size with additional lens maybe to compensate for the flange focal distance difference...
Not sure what it is, maybe the distance is to optimise for performance? M mount lenses on the other hand are much smaller, but not authentically Nikon. Will be testing out lots of adapters in the next video!
@@BokehTherapy it is the flange focusing distance that the adapter needs to compensate because there is no mirror box in the camera anymore... only additional optics could compensate for it, or we would increase the minimal focusing distance (reverse what marco extension tubes do)
If you guys are having issues with the Neewer adapter, another way to go about making old lenses autofocus is with the Techart TZM-02 (Leica M to Z) with a dummy Nikon F to Leica M adapter stacked on it (I use a K&F). This combo is a little more expensive but the AF is serviceable in good light and the build quality is great.
Voigtlander f/1.2 combines the best elements of all three of these lenses into one. Soft and dreamy from 1.2 to 1.8, becoming increasingly razor sharp from f/2… very little CA and the nicest manual focus experience one could ask for. Plus the Z-mount version allows for all tracking features to work. Find a used computer and price is almost equivalent.
@@canadianwatchguy6768 do you get the focus direction arrows with your copy? I get the tracking and green box, but do not get the arrows that appear in videos when people use the m mount lenses via adapters and am unsure if this is correct or not.
@ I didn’t, but I’ve heard from another photog that apparently you can cover up one of the contacts (I’m not sure which one) and it will enable the arrows. I think there is discussion of it somewhere out there on one of the forums.
DO NOT BUY THE NEEWER ADAPTER. I tested it out and it is awful. Real bad quality. I was in fear to damage the bayonett of my GM lens when putting it on the adapter. It felt really bad and then the autofocus was all over the place, very very bad hit rate. I would rate it as unusable.
You’re right, it’s not great for autofocus at all. It is the only one that works for manual focus subject detection? Megadap is better quality but doesn’t allow manual focus assist tools for some reason
@@flol3266 Getting the right fit is tricky, an extra part of the adapter is there to read the chip on the E mount lenses so it's not quite an open mount? I leave an F to E adapter on it, so I'm not playing with the Neewer too much. But... I only want it for manual focus. Hopefully FTZiii is the best of both worlds!
Markers line up OK for me, but infinity alignment on longer lenses is always tricky? It varies lens to lens I think, part of the reason adapters are so tricky to find. That’s the next video!
@@BokehTherapy Yeah when I put it on the infinity mark it stops but it has actually gone out of focus, so I have to back off a hair for it to be in focus. Same for my Shoten and the FTZII adapter.
I am trying to track down an old DSLR to test out these F mount lenses with too. Maybe a Df if I can track one down. Let’s me gauge the lens in its natural habitat lol
@@casaminothat is absolutely normal and not any different on a DSLR . Yet, not every AI/AI-S lens has identical infinity points. If you want perfectly resolved infinity pictures I strongly advise against setting the lens to the infinity hard stop. On some lenses it works (28mm 2.8 AI-S e.g), but on the majority you will have to adjust. And then, on DSLRs, lets not forget about focus shift… on a Z thankfully no issue.
@@Zlaja192 I am completely okay with that answer! Happy to know it's not unusual. I basically just know I can't swing hard to the end and expect focus, I have to just dial a hair back, punch in to confirm and then shoot.
Great comparison. There is nothing quite like the glow on a true vintage fast prime. I think having both the 1.8S and vintage manual focus makes a great kit. Thanks for making this video.
I love my 50mm f1.2 but I have the Ai version, which is older and has one less aperture blade, the bokeh is a little rougher than the Ai-S but gives the same dreamy look wide open. At f2 it was for a very long time the sharpest 50mm of all the nikkor 50mm lensen. Contrast and color rendition is also better than my 50mm 1.8 AF-D. Its a great lens, no surprise that Nikon still sells ir
It is great to see you using an AI-s lens! They really are a joy to use; their build quality is fantastic. This far, I have spent more time with them on the film cameras they were designed for, but finding an adaptor system like you have to get the focus assists would be great. I really do love the 50mm 1.8s. For how inexpensive it is, I can't really imagine seriously considering any other 50mm for regular use!
There are so many great options… the next few months videos will be filled with AI-S glass decisions haha… hope it’s not boring for everyone else because it’s super fun to me!
@BokehTherapy there are so many options! I have been using a 180mm AI-s on my Zf, as it is one of the longest lenses I have currently, and I have been pretty amazed at how sharp it is. It is great they can get new life in this modern era.
I have a lot of AIS lenses and I would love to get that green box. I really don't understand why Nikon has hamstrung the FTZ and FTZII. It's bad enough that they refuse to put a focusing motor in the adapters and the least they could do is add the firmware for focus confirmation.
Totally agree. After testing all the options for the adapter video (coming up next), there still isn't a perfect solution. FTZiii is the only sensible hope, but don't think it's in the cards sadly
Yes I would! But I already own some of this lenses in M mount, doesn’t make sense (or maybe it does lol) to buy them again for Z. There are lots of vintage Nikita out there too so a good F mount solution is handy to have
@ ah I see! I have the 35 and 75 Ultron, and a 50mm zeiss planar in M mount but am on the fence about selling and picking up the 40mm f1.2 - I can’t see myself buying a leica M again.
Well done once again! Now I know that the 50mm 1.4 Z is not for me! That is a relief, as I already own the 50mm 1.8 and 50mm 1.2 Z. The Bokeh of the 1.2 Z and the rendering-very sharp and organic at the same time-beats the 1.4. The problem with the 50 1.2 Z is the size/weight, now that I am already lugging the Plena around the city centres. I like the look of the vintage Nikkor, but I don't like adapters and I think Voigtländer has many very nice MF lenses with better rendering (Swirly and dreamy wide open but very sharp when stopped down more than F4). They are better for street because you can change to "very sharp" by changing the aperture, not the lens!
Haha yes three 50mm lenses would have been a bit much to choose from, right? I just have one for every system I shoot with (one too many) lol. Not a fan of adapters myself, am trying to hunt down an old DSLR to test out vintage nikkors with!
I’m still confused by Nikon Lineup, as a small wedding photographer, 2/3 of a stop is always good to get…but you said it, it’s not clinical sharp but it’s not vintage, there is not a lot a personality behind the Nikon 1.4. I need an AF, so for now as I can’t choose it’s neither the 1.4 nor the 1.8. Furthermore, with the 40mm f2 I also a bit on edge between a 35 and 50 and 1.8 is no so far from the 1.8. I know the 40mm f2 is far from perfect but I love that lens.
I have difficulty choosing between the f/1.8 and f/1.4. I hear a lot of great things about both, and I thought I settled on the f/1.4 because of the character it provides (also I like the extra light gathering and the extra control ring), but after this video I am doubting again... Doesn't help that the f/1.8 can be bought for cheaper on the used market! I always tell myself I don't need the best performance out of a lens, but it is tempting to go for the f/1.8 s and know that you have a lens that just produces very good images
Go with the Megadap ETZPro21. Expensive but better than anything else right now for Sony lenses with autofocus? My video will test the Megadap too but it’s not great with manual lenses for some reason
How about the AF-D primes as (nor weather sealed but probably more weather resistant) manual focus lenses with the af contacts giving them eye focus confirmation, with character...
@I look forward to it.. I've been a Nikon dslr shooter for years, about to get a ZF.... or a used R5... or a ZF.... maybe. Probably. Almost maybe definitely. So thinking about lenses.... I already have 50 1.4 and 105 2.5 ais manual lenses.... but like everyone else wish the ftz both looked and worked better. The AF-D 1.4 50 always had lovely character on dslr (I believe it's basivdlky the same optics as the ai-s 1.4), still looks metal and retro, in an 80s rather than 70s way, but is more like the 40 in terms of its more weather sealed than 70s manual rinds.... and it has the contacts! On frz which is also weather sealed (however ugly section of drain pipe it is!) So I'm very much looking forward to your adapter rings video too...
@@japandrew Hope Nikon has an FTZiii in the works but no money to be made from vintage lenses. Unless they start doing a vintage reissue manual focus series...
@@BokehTherapy I think what everyone really wants is not to have the periscope of ftz, and Nikon to have a series of Fuji-esque weather sealed primes with the design language of the AF-D or AI-S lenses (not fully 70s retro so appeal to z8 users as well as zf, as well as budget cinema people). With AF but manual focus ring override, aperture ring with satisfying clicks but also declickable (then appealing to the videographers wanting less perfect lenses, but also having AF for run and gun).... but that design language doesn't seem to be part of Nikon's roadmap, so I guess the best we can hope for is third party solutions for older Nikon glass.
As much as I want to edit, it's to get even better results from the sooc, not to fix. Hence why I think I agree again with majority here, optical sooc is just different than the hassle of lightroom/photoshop tweaks.
I wish Nikon makes a FTZ apdater with a focus motor and pin to mate with AI/AI-s ear so all AI, AI-s and AF-D lenses will have a new life on Z mount. Speaking for my 50/1.4D, 105/2.5 AI-s, and DC 135/2D.
Heyyy prof. , i am looking for some info about this 50ish lens at this moment. Thanks. Btw, Nikkn AF-S 58mm f1.2 G is one of the good lens you may like. For MF fan like me, Voigtlander 58mm f1.4 SL for Nikon is the lens I love too. ❤
@@BokehTherapy I have also been looking to adapt a Sony Zeiss FE 55mm f1.8, but read multiple horror stories regarding the adapters, all from battery drain, malfunctioning adapters to firmware bricking the adapters until firmware lenses or lenses not working after firmware updates. Have you experienced this or have any thoughts? Megadap seems like the best, but it is quite expensive.
Megadap is better than Neewer for autofocus. It works quite well, the ETZPro21 does at least. It doesn't work for manual focus subject detection though for some reason, but the Neewer does. Go figure, we can't have it all apparently
The first 500 people to use my link skl.sh/bokehtherapywithjackwang11241 will get a 1 month free trial of Skillshare premium!
I do agree. Get the general look that you want out of camera. Trying to recreate in post is not the type of photography that many of us want to do or have the time for. The one thing I remember when meeting PTO photographer Moose Peterson was to strive to get the photo correct from the camera to minimize your time in front of the computer.
Looking forward to more info on your adaptor testing journey. Will certainly save me some time when I search. Keep up the good work.
Roger Deakins is also a big fan of getting it right in camera - think he casually insulted a lot of colorists once because he said they’re not necessary if the shot is right from the start (lol)
@ Certainly makes sense.. I know people who capture what they consider the canvas and post is their art. I certainly lean at the other end of the spectrum and prefer to get the shot out of the camera.
Owning Fujifilm cameras was a good introduction to JPEG only. Even with the Zf, it’s a fine option for most hobbyists.
Good to see this channel growing. You put so much effort in, it's sure to pay off!
Thanks so much for being here from the start!
What an exciting topic. I love vintage lenses. I don't know what happened. One day, I was buying the "best" lens I could afford. The next, I was looking for old glass. I used to think manual focus was hard, but duh. I just hadn't practiced enough.
Loved this post, Jack. Thank you!
Thanks for taking the time to comment Chris, vintage glass is worth our time for sure!
Same here. All the imperfections of the old glass is what makes them great. Not sharp corner to corner, not perfectly round bokeh balls... But damn they've got something interesting in each image they create. I would not mind if they had AF though, sure it's usable in MF, but it would be just so much more convenient
Mmm AF would be nice - Nikon can make it happen in FTZiii hopefully
Perfectly timed and informative video again Jack ! My Zf has just arrived with the 26 and 40 lenses for family days out and I went with the 40 1.2 voigtlander and Ai 105 2.5 as my slow down character lenses, I really hope Nikon do release a sensibly priced Ftz for purely mf to unlock the focus aids as it seems very expensive to go down the tt art or newer routes just for a dumb adapter to unlock these features, or could a firmware update unlock them?
It should be doable by firmware surely but can’t count on any company to deliver that consistently these days. Congrats on the Zf, it’s the one that has got me out shooting way more this year than last year
Okay... I own both of these lenses. And have done paid gigs with both. I'm going to pause the video at 0:37 and just say that straight away the AI-S 50mm 1.2 is an acquired taste.... and I like it. My customers love it... Its not super sharp wide open, but i don't care about that. I've shot plenty of paid gigs with it ( think sweetheart after ceremony wedding portraits) my 2nd most popular lens in that category is the Laowa 35mm f/0.95... however when It comes to video, the Z 1.4f is amazing. It gives that vintage character people are looking for. Something unique.
Basically at the end of the day they are tools in your tool bag. Use them wisely and make sure you get feedback from the people paying your bills. Those are your most important critiques. I personally prefer the 35mm f/0.95 and its a close tie with the Nikon 50mm f/1.2... now I'm going to watch the rest of the video and perhaps eat my words.
Hello! I think photographers are the ones chasing sharpness, most of my friends and family just care about the “vibe” of the photo lol. I love using the manual focus AIS nikkors from a user experience perspective mostly. We are spoilt for choice these days. Thanks for watching!
So excited to see this video! I just adapted my 50mm 1.2 AI-S to my Sony A7CR with the Sigma M11 (I have a stuck canon EF adapter on my 50 🙃)
Much easier to focus manual lenses on mirrorless than dslr.
This lens shines! ❤
It’s beautiful in and out happy shooting!
Why don't you get a techart adapter and you can autofocus the old Nikkor?
Great idea! Rather than sub par AF though I tend to opt for manual focus only. It’s more fun to me that way
You are killing it with all these Nikon lens reviews my friend! :)
Your growth since you started your channel is just incredible and I'm sure you'll close this year with 10k :)
Thanks Phil! 10K is just a number, connecting with the community has been the best part!
Can you make a video about the TZM-02 adapter?
Would love to see some wild combinations with the ZF , like a brightin star 28mm
Or a noctilux
I will see if I can track one down. The adapter video coming up next is already too long lol. Thanks for the suggestion!
Why did I find this channel so late? Very helpful. Haven't seen much on this topic.
I do own the 50/1.8S too and I am still shocked of the optical quality. I don't own any manual focus F-Glas. Tho I do own a few AF-D lenses and I feel screwed (pun intended).
Thanks for watching and welcome to the channel! Nikon has such a huge catalogue of lenses, much more content to come
beautiful video! i love vintage glass but with my eyes, i cannot do manual focus anymore. great comparison! i love the out of camera look of the 1.2 lens
My eyesight is pretty terrible too - let’s see how long I can keep up manual focus. Nice to hear from you!
i will stick with my 50 1.2 s and my 50 1.8 s. I love the 1.2. It has lots of character compared to the 1.8, but still has the bells and whistles. my 1.8 is for traveling. Great video!
All great lenses, Nikon shooters are spoilt for choice these days. Thanks for watching!
I have the Zeiss Classic Planar 1.4/50mm coupled with my Zf. I would recommend this, if you want to match the Zf's aesthetics. This lens, or the Voigtlander 58 mm / 1:1.4 Nokton SL II - S.
Nice recommendations - thanks!
How do you set the focal length with the E to Z adapter? I know the TT artisan has a dial to set it.
It doesn’t work great - setting the non CPU lenses in camera gets overridden by the adapter. Ttartisan has the best implementation
@@BokehTherapy The best option would be to open up the TT artisan adapter and use the electronics and add it to another passive Z to F adapter, but that would be a very technical job, to avoid vignetting.
Honestly I use the TT artisan with the Urth m to f adapter and yes there is some vignetting and also some extra lens flare I think from light bounces inside the adapter. But I need the green box and focal length for the image stabilization. And last but not least the trap focus function. where you set the camera to only take a shot when its in focus, this works well with the tt artisan adapter, because the camera thinks its an autofocus lens. Please Nikon bring out a firmware update that allows the green box with manual lenses that have no chip
You’re right - I tested a whole bunch of adapters for the next video, and none are perfect and almost all of them are quite expensive. FTZiii please Nikon
Hi Jack! This is a really good video. I am happy to see that you’re using some vintage glass now. I have that same pre-AI lens. I love the character. I tend to use it and the 50mm f/1.8 exclusively. The pre-AI lenses feel more like a slower walkout versus The 1.8 S. I’m curious to understand your rationale behind using multiple adapters. I have the FTZ but not really clear on what the advantage is of using several at once. Maybe this could be a topic for a future video? Thanks!
You got it Juliette, that’s the next video on adapters!
@@BokehTherapy oh, thanks so much! 😃
My pleasure - hope that video is useful too
Having started with an analog olympus OM-1MD, and now shooting with it still but also with a sony a7rii, I have a lot of fun adapting my vintage manual focus OM mount lenses to the sony, and seeing the difference it makes in the shots, as well as the shooting experience.
Great video, helped me be aware of everything involved in adapters when using manual focus vintage lenses. I look forward to finishing school and having a bit more time to actually go out and shoot.
That’s the great thing about adapted lenses - very affordable to get started and even the pros love these results for personal work. hope you keep the hobby going!
The 50mm 1.8 produces albums/photosets with an 'oomph' while the 1.2 AI-S gives me specific single shots with an 'oomph'. While doing street photography if I ever get mugged, I'm choosing the AI-S for self-defence purposes.
Those metal rabbit ears will come in handy lol
I chose the 1.8 over the 1.4 as I want to maintain the same look and consistency with my other Z 1.8 primes.
Me too! The f1.4 lineup is a little different lens to lens, how you tune for character seems to be anyone’s guess. I’m sure there will be fans!
I'm sure you looked at it, but the 50mm F1.8 AF-D was my favourite lens when I shot Nikon DSLR's. This was a super cool video though, and was really interesting getting to see a direct comparison between the three lenses. The Sony E mount adapter is wild though, having to go to such a workaround just for things to work like they should natively!
Oh no another great lens to research on and chase down! Haha great problem to have, and yes the Sony adapter is a workaround that works. FTZiii please!
@@BokehTherapy Comparatively, the only thing the 50mm f1.8 AF-D really has going for it is that it's cheap haha. From what I recall it is an identical optical formula to the 50mm F1.8 AI-S, which compared to your 1.2 AI-S it just can't compete. The 50 1.2 really is one of Nikons best ever lenses. And because the AF-D's are screw driven not internal motor, the AF won't even work with the FTZ, and the manual focus ring on the AF-D's is not a joy to use lol
congrats on the sponsorshop mate! all the best.
Thanks to the support of viewers like yourself! Hope to collab with the right brands that add value to everyone
My issue with the F to Z adapters is their size, they always look silly... I wish there was a metal adapter very shallow in size with additional lens maybe to compensate for the flange focal distance difference...
Not sure what it is, maybe the distance is to optimise for performance? M mount lenses on the other hand are much smaller, but not authentically Nikon. Will be testing out lots of adapters in the next video!
@@BokehTherapy it is the flange focusing distance that the adapter needs to compensate because there is no mirror box in the camera anymore... only additional optics could compensate for it, or we would increase the minimal focusing distance (reverse what marco extension tubes do)
Have you tried out the Shoten adapters? Look visually consistent with the AI-S nikkors, quite nice aesthetically
@@BokehTherapy look really nice, can't wait for your adapter video :)
Thanks so much!
If you guys are having issues with the Neewer adapter, another way to go about making old lenses autofocus is with the Techart TZM-02 (Leica M to Z) with a dummy Nikon F to Leica M adapter stacked on it (I use a K&F). This combo is a little more expensive but the AF is serviceable in good light and the build quality is great.
Thanks Larry! Is there any vignetting with your F to M and M to Z combo?
@BokehTherapy hey Jack, it's always been easily correctable, never any hard vignetting.
Great to know, thanks for getting back to me
Voigtlander f/1.2 combines the best elements of all three of these lenses into one. Soft and dreamy from 1.2 to 1.8, becoming increasingly razor sharp from f/2… very little CA and the nicest manual focus experience one could ask for. Plus the Z-mount version allows for all tracking features to work. Find a used computer and price is almost equivalent.
Thanks for sharing - I love my 50mm f1.2 for m mount
@@BokehTherapy oops... forgot to say I was referring to the 40mm
@@canadianwatchguy6768 do you get the focus direction arrows with your copy? I get the tracking and green box, but do not get the arrows that appear in videos when people use the m mount lenses via adapters and am unsure if this is correct or not.
@ I didn’t, but I’ve heard from another photog that apparently you can cover up one of the contacts (I’m not sure which one) and it will enable the arrows. I think there is discussion of it somewhere out there on one of the forums.
What! Covering up one contact to bring a feature, what an insane workaround. Thanks for the intel, time to do a deep dive
DO NOT BUY THE NEEWER ADAPTER. I tested it out and it is awful. Real bad quality. I was in fear to damage the bayonett of my GM lens when putting it on the adapter. It felt really bad and then the autofocus was all over the place, very very bad hit rate. I would rate it as unusable.
You’re right, it’s not great for autofocus at all. It is the only one that works for manual focus subject detection? Megadap is better quality but doesn’t allow manual focus assist tools for some reason
@ aahh I get it. But still the problem with built quality. Is yours also super hard to screw on lenses?
@@flol3266 Getting the right fit is tricky, an extra part of the adapter is there to read the chip on the E mount lenses so it's not quite an open mount? I leave an F to E adapter on it, so I'm not playing with the Neewer too much. But... I only want it for manual focus. Hopefully FTZiii is the best of both worlds!
Which is the best E to Z adapter to get?
@Kevon420 depends on your use case. If it’s autofocus you’re looking for on E mount lenses Megadap ETZpro21 is the best one right now
Jack, have you had any issues focusing to infinity with the AIS lens? I found that I have to back off a hair for both my 50 f1.4 and 85 f2 AI lenses.
Markers line up OK for me, but infinity alignment on longer lenses is always tricky? It varies lens to lens I think, part of the reason adapters are so tricky to find. That’s the next video!
@@BokehTherapy Yeah when I put it on the infinity mark it stops but it has actually gone out of focus, so I have to back off a hair for it to be in focus. Same for my Shoten and the FTZII adapter.
I am trying to track down an old DSLR to test out these F mount lenses with too. Maybe a Df if I can track one down. Let’s me gauge the lens in its natural habitat lol
@@casaminothat is absolutely normal and not any different on a DSLR . Yet, not every AI/AI-S lens has identical infinity points. If you want perfectly resolved infinity pictures I strongly advise against setting the lens to the infinity hard stop. On some lenses it works (28mm 2.8 AI-S e.g), but on the majority you will have to adjust.
And then, on DSLRs, lets not forget about focus shift… on a Z thankfully no issue.
@@Zlaja192 I am completely okay with that answer! Happy to know it's not unusual. I basically just know I can't swing hard to the end and expect focus, I have to just dial a hair back, punch in to confirm and then shoot.
Great comparison. There is nothing quite like the glow on a true vintage fast prime. I think having both the 1.8S and vintage manual focus makes a great kit. Thanks for making this video.
That’s what I opted for - lots of great options for Nikon shooters. Thanks for watching!
Great idea for a comparison. Keep them coming!
More to come! Thanks for watching!
I love my 50mm f1.2 but I have the Ai version, which is older and has one less aperture blade, the bokeh is a little rougher than the Ai-S but gives the same dreamy look wide open. At f2 it was for a very long time the sharpest 50mm of all the nikkor 50mm lensen. Contrast and color rendition is also better than my 50mm 1.8 AF-D. Its a great lens, no surprise that Nikon still sells ir
The AI and AIS versions are all very interesting comparisons - perhaps the topic of another video! Thanks for watching and the feedback!
It is great to see you using an AI-s lens! They really are a joy to use; their build quality is fantastic. This far, I have spent more time with them on the film cameras they were designed for, but finding an adaptor system like you have to get the focus assists would be great.
I really do love the 50mm 1.8s. For how inexpensive it is, I can't really imagine seriously considering any other 50mm for regular use!
There are so many great options… the next few months videos will be filled with AI-S glass decisions haha… hope it’s not boring for everyone else because it’s super fun to me!
@BokehTherapy there are so many options! I have been using a 180mm AI-s on my Zf, as it is one of the longest lenses I have currently, and I have been pretty amazed at how sharp it is. It is great they can get new life in this modern era.
Another one to add to the list! I am testing the 105mm f1.8 at the moment, it is beautiful…
One thing I know for sure, manual focusing on older Nikkors is a thousand times better than on the Z lenses (I might be exaggerating)
@@BokehTherapy 24mm f/2.8, 35mm f/2, 105mm f/2.5 (pre-AI/AI/AI-S all good, I have the pre), 135mm f/2, 180mm f/2.8, 300 f/4.5
I have a lot of AIS lenses and I would love to get that green box. I really don't understand why Nikon has hamstrung the FTZ and FTZII. It's bad enough that they refuse to put a focusing motor in the adapters and the least they could do is add the firmware for focus confirmation.
Totally agree. After testing all the options for the adapter video (coming up next), there still isn't a perfect solution. FTZiii is the only sensible hope, but don't think it's in the cards sadly
Would you not consider a Z mount voightlander?
Yes I would! But I already own some of this lenses in M mount, doesn’t make sense (or maybe it does lol) to buy them again for Z. There are lots of vintage Nikita out there too so a good F mount solution is handy to have
@ ah I see! I have the 35 and 75 Ultron, and a 50mm zeiss planar in M mount but am on the fence about selling and picking up the 40mm f1.2 - I can’t see myself buying a leica M again.
I'm still waiting for proper vintage z mount to fit my ZF without any adapter. It should look really great.
Me too! Let’s see if Nikon does any more retro releases in the next 12 months
Awesome video as always! There's really something about those all-metal Nikon vintage lenses that just screams for you to use them.
Yes and they are for the most part quite affordable I’ve found. Fantastic for enthusiasts. Thanks for watching!
Well done once again! Now I know that the 50mm 1.4 Z is not for me! That is a relief, as I already own the 50mm 1.8 and 50mm 1.2 Z. The Bokeh of the 1.2 Z and the rendering-very sharp and organic at the same time-beats the 1.4. The problem with the 50 1.2 Z is the size/weight, now that I am already lugging the Plena around the city centres. I like the look of the vintage Nikkor, but I don't like adapters and I think Voigtländer has many very nice MF lenses with better rendering (Swirly and dreamy wide open but very sharp when stopped down more than F4). They are better for street because you can change to "very sharp" by changing the aperture, not the lens!
Haha yes three 50mm lenses would have been a bit much to choose from, right? I just have one for every system I shoot with (one too many) lol. Not a fan of adapters myself, am trying to hunt down an old DSLR to test out vintage nikkors with!
I’m still confused by Nikon Lineup, as a small wedding photographer, 2/3 of a stop is always good to get…but you said it, it’s not clinical sharp but it’s not vintage, there is not a lot a personality behind the Nikon 1.4. I need an AF, so for now as I can’t choose it’s neither the 1.4 nor the 1.8. Furthermore, with the 40mm f2 I also a bit on edge between a 35 and 50 and 1.8 is no so far from the 1.8.
I know the 40mm f2 is far from perfect but I love that lens.
I do love the 40mm as well!
I have difficulty choosing between the f/1.8 and f/1.4. I hear a lot of great things about both, and I thought I settled on the f/1.4 because of the character it provides (also I like the extra light gathering and the extra control ring), but after this video I am doubting again... Doesn't help that the f/1.8 can be bought for cheaper on the used market! I always tell myself I don't need the best performance out of a lens, but it is tempting to go for the f/1.8 s and know that you have a lens that just produces very good images
Congrats on the f1.4 - it’s great! Get as much use out of it as you can, you can pick up a used f1.8 S any time down the road. Both great options
I'm in the same boat. I'm honestly leaning 1.8 because I like the bokeh much better. Maybe I'll do that and use actual vintage glass for character?
Please do the review on Sony e mount adapters I want to adapt my 50 mm GM to the zf
Go with the Megadap ETZPro21. Expensive but better than anything else right now for Sony lenses with autofocus? My video will test the Megadap too but it’s not great with manual lenses for some reason
How about the AF-D primes as (nor weather sealed but probably more weather resistant) manual focus lenses with the af contacts giving them eye focus confirmation, with character...
Mmm I have to do more research - down the AI-S rabbit hole for now. Thanks for the tip!
@I look forward to it.. I've been a Nikon dslr shooter for years, about to get a ZF.... or a used R5... or a ZF.... maybe. Probably. Almost maybe definitely.
So thinking about lenses.... I already have 50 1.4 and 105 2.5 ais manual lenses.... but like everyone else wish the ftz both looked and worked better.
The AF-D 1.4 50 always had lovely character on dslr (I believe it's basivdlky the same optics as the ai-s 1.4), still looks metal and retro, in an 80s rather than 70s way, but is more like the 40 in terms of its more weather sealed than 70s manual rinds.... and it has the contacts! On frz which is also weather sealed (however ugly section of drain pipe it is!)
So I'm very much looking forward to your adapter rings video too...
@@japandrew Hope Nikon has an FTZiii in the works but no money to be made from vintage lenses. Unless they start doing a vintage reissue manual focus series...
@@BokehTherapy I think what everyone really wants is not to have the periscope of ftz, and Nikon to have a series of Fuji-esque weather sealed primes with the design language of the AF-D or AI-S lenses (not fully 70s retro so appeal to z8 users as well as zf, as well as budget cinema people). With AF but manual focus ring override, aperture ring with satisfying clicks but also declickable (then appealing to the videographers wanting less perfect lenses, but also having AF for run and gun).... but that design language doesn't seem to be part of Nikon's roadmap, so I guess the best we can hope for is third party solutions for older Nikon glass.
The "glow" (or bloom) is more prominent in the hightlights, so I would mask for hightlights in the glow layer. Select > Color Range...
Haha that might be the last faux vintage edit I do…Thanks for the tip!
As much as I want to edit, it's to get even better results from the sooc, not to fix. Hence why I think I agree again with majority here, optical sooc is just different than the hassle of lightroom/photoshop tweaks.
I spend enough time editing videos, just want the photography edit to be light and breezy. Hope you’re well!
I wish Nikon makes a FTZ apdater with a focus motor and pin to mate with AI/AI-s ear so all AI, AI-s and AF-D lenses will have a new life on Z mount. Speaking for my 50/1.4D, 105/2.5 AI-s, and DC 135/2D.
Yes totally agree. There are no perfect adapters on the market, testing now for the next video!
Heyyy prof. , i am looking for some info about this 50ish lens at this moment. Thanks.
Btw, Nikkn AF-S 58mm f1.2 G is one of the good lens you may like.
For MF fan like me, Voigtlander 58mm f1.4 SL for Nikon is the lens I love too. ❤
I will be on the hunt for a 58mm in Tokyo! The old school f1.2 is so expensive lol... Thanks for watching!
I think you are mixing 2 lenses up. AF-S and G is 58/1.4. AI and AI-s 58 is 1.2. I have 58/1.4G on FTZ on Zf and on GFX50S. Great lens.
To get old F lenses autofocus - F to Leica M -> Techart TZM II
I’ve heard mixed things about TZM II. Are the motors strong enough for F mount glass? M mount should be no problem
Are you in my mind? I have been researching this topic the last couple of days.
Great minds think alike! Glad the video is helpful and thanks for watching!
@@BokehTherapy I have also been looking to adapt a Sony Zeiss FE 55mm f1.8, but read multiple horror stories regarding the adapters, all from battery drain, malfunctioning adapters to firmware bricking the adapters until firmware lenses or lenses not working after firmware updates. Have you experienced this or have any thoughts? Megadap seems like the best, but it is quite expensive.
Megadap is better than Neewer for autofocus. It works quite well, the ETZPro21 does at least. It doesn't work for manual focus subject detection though for some reason, but the Neewer does. Go figure, we can't have it all apparently
7Artisans 50/1.1 is the real fast one for the Zf. :) And Zeiss 55mm 1.8 for autofocus.
Mmm yes the Megadap adapter opens up all the e mount options. Haven’t tried the 7artisans one yet!
I literally just bought a 50 1.2 off ebay for my Z7specifically for the vintage look, great minds think alike
Yes! I am loving my 50mm f1.2 Nikkor!
58mm 1.4g is the best lens for vintage rendering and character of all 50mm nikon has auto focus beautiful bokeh plus a 3D pop
Mmm will need to test it out for sure!
Waiting for Jack to do a Nikon Zf + 50mm f1.2 GM video lol
Haha thanks man! That video is not yet on the cards
i love my zf + 50mm f1.8S combo 🤤
Me too. Its fantastic!
Voigtlander 50 F1 with Z mount. Sometimes you really just need to pay to play 😅
You’re right of course, there’s just too much good vintage glass to try. I love my voigtlanders on M mount!