[Ferdi]

hi ooheadsoo, I am sure it is an F70. It is a film camera.

[JohnR]

So Ferdi, how are the Safari plans coming along?

[ooheadsoo]

hi ooheadsoo, I am sure it is an F70. It is a film camera.

Oh, my bad.  Interesting choice.  I just picked up a F100 a month or two ago but I haven't shot with it yet, since it's been in the shop for repairs.

[JohnR]

Hey, what was wrong with it??

[ooheadsoo]

Broken film door latch, it cost me a LOT more than I expected to fix.  Now I have it back and it's ready to go.  I plan on practicing head shots with my D40 before doing some with the F100.

[TONEPUB]

Even though Nikon has used the same bayonet for years, you couldn't use too old of a lens w/ a digital camera because the aperture is set by the camera electronics (even in manual mode) It's actually one thing I like about new cameras.....change lenses and your aperture stays set where it was previously.

You're correct, if the camera does not have a full frame sensor, then you get approx. 1.5x the focal length....good news for tele fans.

There's nothing inherently wrong w/ using a lens for a film camera on a digital. I think some manufacturers claim that lenses specifically made for digital applications are built to more exacting standards, but this is probably more for specialty lenses used w/ very high resolution digital backs on view and medium format cameras.

I've noticed some chromatic abberation problems on the edges of images made w/ a 28mm 'film' lens on my Canon 1Ds II (full frame).

The difference between the "designed for digital" lenses from Nikon, Canon and Olympus is that they are designed for the flatness of a digital sensor.  Film inherently has a bit of a curvature to it and the pressure plate doesn't take care of all of that. 

The older "film" lenses take some of this into account and when used with a digital back at maximum aperture can sometimes be less sharp than when you used them for film.  Usually, by the time you get up to about f8, it evens out and the older film lenses, especially the fixed focal length ones are indeed a bit sharper...

The digital only lenses also have a smaller image circle, as they are intended to be used with the smaller digital sensor.  If you use them on a film camera there is not enough coverage to fill the frame.  This allows the digital lenses to be a bit smaller and lighter than their counterparts in the film world.

[Ferdi]

Hi all,

I have since been able to pick up the new Sigma lens as well. It is indeed a 70-210 AF lens. I like the build quality much better than the Tamron. The mount is metal and it fits on the camera with a more reassuring click. AF seems a bit faster, more accurate as well.

On picture quality, I have done some walkaround pictures with both with an effort to duplicate the shots but on different days, with different light this is definitely not a good comparison. Still, I feel the Sigma is a bit sharper and also produces a bit brighter pictures.

I have decided to take the Sigma with me on my trip and sell the Tamron lenses again. That then gives me the Nikkor 18-135 kit lens (that I really like) and the 70-210 (105-315 on DX format) telezoom for lenses. I will be back with real pictures from the trip.

I did come across one other question: The F70/Tamron set also came with some filters. I understand these are very useful in analog photography but have not seen/heard of them being used much with digital. Would it make any sense to use for example a UV filter? Any thoughts on pros and cons?

[Ferdi]

Almost ready to go! This is what I am taking:

- Nikon D80 with extra battery
- 2Gb and 8Gb SD cards (Sandisk Extreme III)
- Nikkor 18-135 3.5-5.6 and Sigma 70-210 3.5-5.6 lenses
- Lenovo X61s laptop (for storing pictures as well as having some music along)
- Olympus Mju 750 compact camera
- Sony HC94E DV camera

Will be back in 10 days or so.

[thunderbrick]

Keep the UV/Haze filters on at all times, film or digital, EXCEPT possibly for night scenes where reflections bouncing between the filter and the lens can, in some cases, cause ghost images.
If you have a polarizing filter, take it and keep handy, but do not keep it on the lens all the time.  I know a few people who are told the Polfilter makes the photos better so the leave it on all the time, even indoors.  Bad move.

[Ferdi]

Hi all, wanted to say thank you for your comments. It has been really helpful in getting me ready for the trip. I am posting some pictures in another thread.