10/28 Good news Nikonians! Remember the days when Nikon didn't release
any FX bodies and instead concentrated on expanding their shitty
DX lenses, while Canon went full steam ahead with full frame
bodies & expanded their full frame lens lines, while taking away all
the Nikon faithfuls with them? Well, I just found out that Nikon
recently introduced a brand new 50mm f/1.4G FX (not DX this time)
lens which will deprecate the old 50mm f/1.4D lens. They also
introduced a more affordable entry level FX body (D700 at only
$2700 instead of D3 $5000). This is an indication that Nikon is
doing a 180 and wants to be serious about full frame again!
old:http://www.nikonusa.com/Find-Your-Nikon/Product/Camera-Lenses/1902/AF-NIKKOR-50mm-f/1.4D.html
new:http://www.nikonusa.com/Find-Your-Nikon/Product/Camera-Lenses/2180/AF-S-NIKKOR-50mm-f/1.4G.html
So don't lose hope! I know 2002-2005 was bleak for Nikonians when
Canon already had a 3-5 year head start, but the new 50mm f/1.4G
and D700 means that Nikon is back in the game. I bet you that in
just 2.5 years, you'll have your affordable sub $1500 FX body just
like Canon has now.
\_ first of all, the "news" you got is old.
Secondly, Personally, I think the new 50mm f/1.4 is a rip off.
There is no need to put a focus motor for short lens like that.
the old 50mm f/1.4 lens focus very fast as it is. and
instead of $270 USD new, how much they are asking for again?
\_ How old? -- !OP
\_ $439 pre-order on Adorama. You DO get USM which is much faster
than the one you're thinking of. In contrast, Canon people
have it good. They can get all of this for 1/2 the price.
\_ I am *NOT* think of. I used it before. It is a perfectly
fine lens. Adding USM and charge $200 USD for it is a
clever marketing/commerical move. I encourge people who
are stupid enough to fall for it to make the purchase, since
I am a Nikon user and I want to see that company commercially
viable.
Please don't make your decision and whine about it. You
could choose to get a 50mm f/1.8 for $110 and you only loose
2/3 of a stop.
If you are getting a 200mm (or longer) lens, I would encouge
to think about getting an USM. But for anything less than
135mm, I think USM is silly.
\_ Not that silly if you have a D40 and D60 which can't
use AF lenses (only AF-S). Nikon is slowly deprecating
their antiquated AF lines and upgrading it with AF-S
similar to Canon's lenses that they had since 1987.
There are hints that newer bodies will also stop supporting
AF lenses. Canon did the painful thing and upgraded
everything in 1987. Nikon is still holding on the legacy
even though it's already the 21st century. Yet another
example of how ass backward and behind Nikon is.
\_ I beg differ. Nikon's move of slowing destroying
backward compatibility is an stragetic error IMNSHO.
Nikon's biggest asset is their wide range of legacy
lenses. It should do everything it can to preserve it,
yet at the same time design lens good enough that
people WANT to buy the new one.
Nikon is destorying their backward compatibility
because they think old lenses is canniblizing ther new
lens sells. The reality is, most people would rather
buy the new lenses if they can. The only reason
why people were buying old lenses was because the new
lenses are not as good optically, or it simply doesn't
have the feature people prefer. My favorite example
is the 70-210mm lens. I went out of my way to get
an old, constant f/4 lenses instead of a much newer
f/4-5.6 because the old lens is 1. optically superior
2. constant aperture, making people like me who use
manual exposure all the time a god-send. The serious
down side for having such old lenses is that 1.
auto-focus is painfully slow even for Nikon standard
2. coating is not very good by modern standard. But
given the trade offs and the type of photo I do,
I made my choice.
The tragic part is, Nikon is looking at what Canon
doing and simply copying it. Canon is smart... pitch
their strength. Nikon was stupid, going to the battle
field which they are not particularlly strong.
Here are examples:
1. auto-focus speed. (Nikon's in-camera motor naturally
slower than Canon's. *BUT* this is only important
for long-focal-length lenses... Nikon should of pitch
the fact that Nikon lenses can still AF at relativly
dark condition, and unlike Canon, many lense can
auto-focus when the aperture is smaller than f/5.6)
2. number of auto-focus sensors
people care about AF effectiveness, not number of
sensors
That, and the fact that Nikon only made their
top-of-the-line camera feature complete totally
destroyed their market share from 80%+ to <40%
In the end, for new comers, it doesnt really matter.
I usually tell my friend to go to store and feel the
camera in his/her hand. if she/he prefer one over
another, i'll tell him/her to buy that one. It
can be Canon, Nikon, or in my friend's case, end up
with a Pentax.
\_ Thank you. An admission that Nikon can't keep up
with innovation. For you newbies out there who
don't have legacy lenses... GET A CANON! It's
a better choice. -Canonboi
\_ I see what you're saying. The focal length is so short
that motorized focus is already lightening fast (or at
least fast enough for normal indoor, people type of
subjects)? Whereas for longer focal lengths, the body
motor tends to "hunt" for the right focus.
\_ *YES* both USM and image stabilization become a
god-send if you are using 300mm or longer. |
http://csua.com/feed/