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2 and a half minutes in & not one single point mentioned. What is it with people trying to drag content out?

One thing that confuses me a little and nobody seems to explain it. Is the correct use of the manual-auto switch on the lense, when your using the light meter, do you have it in the manual or auto setting ? Or dose it not matter what it’s in, what is the switch actually for.

White balance doesn't matter if you shoot raw. It's just metadata on the RAW file. Using Camera Raw or LightRoom you can change the metadata without penalty with RAW files.

harshly disagree on evf in low light it's probably had to be last generation stuff like in Sony A7SIII or something with 9m dots evf in all other cases with my Fuji X-T3 I found MUCH harder to see anything in EVF in low light, especially when manual focusing in macro, and it was MUCH easier to manual focus with my Nikon F4 and Nikon F-301 film cameras

Hi Jules all your points are good true and valuable. For me the main advantage of mirrorless vs dslr is the façt that you see through the evf the photo,like it will be, and so you save a lot of time. This advantage is mainly important when you need to save time like sports and events. For portraits , landscape and even wildlife this is less important. During portrait sessions or wildlife sessions when you have the good settings you don t need to change them so often and for landscape you usually have time. Then comes the price. Mirrorless are expensive and the second market for dslr is huge and cheap. You can get a d810 for less than 800€ , a d4 for less than 1200€ and a Nikon f2.8 or f4 zoom trilogy for less than what you have paid only for one of the three lenses five years ago… so for the price of a good but not high end mirrorless camera you can have a full set remarquably well made with lenses from 12 to 200mm… and it will be difficult to distinguish the difference on the final photo. So mirrorless are more easy to use and are ultimate pro tools but this gets a price. See you next week.

Thanks for this video. Look I was probably late to the but now that I'm in the Mirrorless camp I definitely think there are advantages with the system and especially in handheld situations in lowlight you can even do quarter and half second exposures with ibis. I think ibis is a bigger game changer than actual Mirrorless if you've got a camera that's Mirrorless with Ibis seriously what you can do with those cameras is incredible so if you are looking at getting into Mirrorless have a look at cameras with in bodies stabilisation it makes a huge difference in lowlight Especially handheld with bigger lenses

I just bought this camera with 46 shutter count , I'm waiting to receive it .. I bought it for studio photography

Prices have come up as people have wised up to what a deal they are but still fairly reasonable compared to F100. I just got a F90x this video was very helpful.

Incredible lens that renders images with real magic...

Its my primary lens on my z6ii and I'm honestly impressed with what i can do with it. I have the comfort of rarely wishing for a different lens in like 90% of situations, it focuses super quick, at higher zoom ranges it gives good background seperation, I'm regularly just impressed with what i can shoot with it.

I started out in 1968 with a Nikonos II u/w camera with 35mm lens to document my high school SCUBA adventures after getting certified at Chicago YMCA. I got hooked on photography and started doing photojournalism in college with the Nikonos II, a black NikonFtn, silver Nikon F, 35mm f/2.0, 85mm f/1.8 and a Honeywell/Pentax 1° spot meter I used to learn the Zone System from Adams’ books. In 1972 I dropped out of College after two years moved to Washington DC were my portfolio of Zone System prints taken with Nikons and a willingness to start for $50 per week convinced top wedding shooter/teacher Monte Zucker to hire me as his assistant. I gave up the idea of making my living as a photographer in 1974 when offered a job at National Geographic’s photo lab after becoming acquainted with its assistant manager who was a neighbor. That led me into teaching college classes in reproduction photograph as side-gig and then into printing management where after working in the late 1970s as production manager for a web offset printing company I applied for an got accepted into career position in the US Foreign Service managing the USIA printing Center in Manila, Philippines where I was able to renew my interest in u/w photography with a Nikonos V and SB103 electronic flash in the 1980s and 1990s. I sold the Ftn body but still have the others. I took my first digital photos with a Apple Quicktake100 in 1994 during my second assignment in the Philippines, posting them on web page on the site I managed. I switched entirely to digital in 2000 with a 2.1 MP Kodak DC290 taught a couple classes and started posting tutorials on photography, lighting and Photoshop which now live at photo.nova.org/ I switched to Canon for DSLR in 2004 and currently shoot mostly wildlife with a pair of R6mkII bodies and RF 100-500mm and RF800mm lenses. In retrospect investing in the pro level Nikon gear made a huge difference in my early success as a photographer which opened all the other doors in my career. 😊

As an engineerimg student, 45 years ago, I bought a second hand beaten up Nikkormat. The beaten prism was glaringly obvious, it must have crushed previously and it was beaten back in its original shape; yet the camera worked fine, it had a Nikkor 50 mm f2 lens. A few years later as I was taking to friends the camera slipped from my hand and fell on the mosaic floor. Nothing happened - it worked fine. Then married, had children, we serviced the camera at a German technician familiar with Nikon cameras. Then it was stolen at a break in of our home. Nikon produced fine cameras which were built like tanks! Today, the mechanical Nikons are stored away and I play with the digital ones! They’re still built like tanks!

I'm a Nikon D7200 user who does a lot of museum photography, and I'm looking to upgrade. Your points about the EVF and the silent shutter really hit home with me. I had to once take a photo of a statue that in a room that was nearly pitch black. Do you think I could even see the subject in the viewfinder? Not a chance! And I couldn't get the shot.

I loved my Canon 1Dx but stopped using it when I started using the Canon R6II. I love that my old DSLR lenses focus better on the R6II than they ever did on the 1Dx.

Been shooting with the D810 for almost 10 years ... with the newest 70-200 F2.8, it takes gorgeous pictures... still works great after over 200k shots.

For a professional photographer a mirror-less camera does seem like the way to go. But for the rest of us, the prices are mostly out of range. I've never used a mirror-less camera (or even seen one) so I'm speaking from a point of ignorance. In do own a Sony Alpha 350 which I bought new many years ago and whenever I need digital it's perfectly adequate for my skill level (but nobody will prize me away from my Nikon F2's . !!)

Thanks for discussing these scenarios. I have never had the opportunity to try a mirrorless camera, so I have no idea how to feel about an EVF, but What you See is what you get is very appealing, as well as any kind of help with birds in flight. Sometimes I can track birds in flight with my DSLRs but it is very hard. More than once I have scared away animals with noisy cameras.

Jules, I only have one mirrorless so far, a pre-owned Z7, it is still second to my D850. That said, I totally agree with you and for those reasons, I am saving to purchase a Z8 to finally retire (or sell) my D850. Recently, I have been using the Z7 more and more for things that do not require fast auto focus like birding. Also, one small advantage that you can add to your list is the ability to use non-AI lenses with the FTZ adapter. I recently started doing this after your previous video and I am enjoying playing with these “cheap” old lenses. Today, the only advantage of my D850 would be the ability to auto focus with a screw drive lens. Anyway, thanks again for a great video.

Agreed. My money went Mirrorless and my DSLR stuff to my adult daughter! 😂👍🏽

My opinion is based on sentiment... therefore I prefer all my DSLRs. My favourites are the Df and D750. I also have a soft spot for my favourite film camera, the F3

Hi Jules, I received my Nikon F today and it’s got the photomic t prism on it I believe. However, when it’s on the camera the rear of it comes off the camera very easily when shaken or even when I turn the shutter dial. Nothing seems wrong with the couplers and I am pushing on it hard enough. Any help would be most valued, thank you.

About 2 hrs. ago I pulled My D750 out .... I played with it for about an hour .... I came up with the same things You did... It was the best (for me) at the time but the Z6III n Z8 are amazing !!!!!!! Best to You My Nikon Buddy :) :) :)

Agree completely! I started out with Olympus Evolt DSLRs. Still have my E-520. Excellent color science and camera overall. For digital, I shoot primarily with my Olympus E-10 Mark II (mirrorless) and my Sony a6100 (mirrorless). I also adapt vintage lenses to both cameras. Currently, I’m enjoying shooting with my (1972) Nikon F and my six other 50+ year old 35mm film SLR cameras. I love the differences, the art form the process and versatility of both mediums! Thanks for your video.

Good points… adapting Nikon D lenses on FTZ adapter: while it is true it is manual focus for screw drive lenses, having CPU contacts can have extremely accurate focus confirmation (green box confirmation in the EVF). On your other points, I agree *mostly*. On the Z7ii, the EFV in good light is sometimes more distracting to me vs. optical viewfinder. Also, battery life on mirrorless is not on par with DSLR. All the advantages and disadvantages from either side are somewhat subjective: as you said, tons of choices, and we live in an exciting time for photography. One more thought: while having the EFV pre-rendering the final result is efficient, there IS something to be said for the mind’s ability to abstract and pre-visualize the results. What I mean is that I must know my DSLR’s abilities in various contexts to get what I see in my mind’s eye. The actual process of doing that without the EVF pre-rendering has its own rewards. But all that said, for events etc., having mirrorless advantages (and let’s not forget eye autofocus) is a boon to producing great imagery. Cheers!

I own a D7100, a D3S, and a Z8. Absolutely love the Z8 for the same reasons that you state. Also, the new Z lenses are much lighter to carry and seem to be sharper. So far, I have the Z 14-24 mm, the Z 105 Macro, and the 180-600 mm. I use my F mount 24-70 mm and the F mount 70-200 mm lenses which also work fine on the Z8.

First Sony mirrorless in the Alpha series had a pretty horrible EVF and terrible battery life. I've had a D750 for the past 10 years and I'll definitely switch to mirrorless eventually but I'll still use my D750, F100, D3300, and my dad's Voightlander Vito CLR rangefinder, and my grandad's Voightlander Brilliant

With most current dslr’s there is a live view available. Also, no mirrorless has an optical viewfinder. (Excepting the Fuji x-100 and x-pro cameras). I too started my photography over 50 years ago. And I use both dslr’s and mirrorless. But the camera I use most, currently, is my Nikon Df followed by the D780 and Zf. Cheers!

Good points especially at the z5 price it’s a no brainer

First

Do you know which original lens came on the ftn in 1974?

Thinking about picking this up in 24. I want to get back to making pictures. With my mirrorless I feel I’m just taking pictures.

I do sports photojournalism and used the Plena for a recent horse race and indoors for basketball. I have an extension tube and use it for my flower work. For landscape photography I use it for massively detailed panoramas, so, yah. 👍🏾

I got my Spotmatic SP 2 with whole kit of Takumar lenses with original metal hoods the main lens I got was the Takumar 50mm1.4 Radioactive lens , 35mm 3.5 & 135mm 3.5 . I put the camera on a shelf and let it sit . Somebody gave me a roll of film and nothing came out. In farther checking the camera I found the light seals were worn out so I went to Walmart and for a few dollars I got the supplies to replace the light seals and mirror bumper so now I have functioning camera

I can see the differences in the images. High softening is VERY noticeable in different lighting conditions. The softening effect is great to reduce the harshness of shadows too. It gives a more vintage touch. I wish nikon made more videos of these things, so we can learn how to use them better.

The quality of the lens shines through in your photos,sharp with beautiful background blur

The early version of the F mount 105 2.5 was in facts launched optically identical in 1953 in S mount for the Nikon rangefinder cameras and modified in a second F mount version in 1959 when the Nikon F SLR was launched

so what year did the AIS version come out.

Jule, I love these old lenses, I appreciate you bringing this lens into focus. You reminded me that I have a Nikkor-Q 135mm f/2.8 pre-AI that came as a package with a Nikon F I purchased recently on Ebay. I am going to mount it to my FTZ adapter and see how well it works or not works. More to come…

Prices on eBay range from £50 - £220 (UK)

Wonderful documentary Interestingly as these lenses came in the cups, it’s the reason why the period correct rear lens caps are so hard to get All the very best

GOT a 135mm 2.5 or something ..it works great on my digital D300 Nikon... its a metal tank and weighs a ton but the true glass in it ... SHARP ///

Great video, I thought they had a built in lens hood?

Great video! I've owned the Sonnar version (small rear element) for several years and use it regularly on my Fuji X-T5. Still easily one of my favorite lenses even on APS-C, where the field of view is narrower. The image quality and rendering is truly beautiful.

Mine is original Sonnar and not converted in perfect condition. Non converted work fine on Z cameras.

I believe the chrome version you show here was the earlier Sonnar optical design. I have the P - C pre-ai (factory converted to ai) and I just love it.

I have the Ai-s version (945777). A superb lens. The 135mm f/2.8 is also highly recommended but only look for the Ai or the Ai-s version or, as in my case an Ai converted new K because they have an extra element (5/4 instead of 4/4) and are multi coated. In general I prefer the Ai versions because of their larger focus throw - a dream for a videographer ;-)

Actually just bought the 1977 ai-s version in superb condition. Fun to use on a zf, like the built in hood. Just initial impressions, but something about that rendering is really pleasing. Fun video, thanks.

Love that photo of the lighthouse at 3:04

They have more than one legendary 105. My 105 2.5 is from roughly 76, my 105 1.8 from about 1990, and my 105 f2 DC is roughly 2000. Is there much difference? No. In the right situation the f1.8 is worth the trouble from it's weight. The f2 the same though not as extreme as the 1.8 takes. In general, the f2.5 is the use simple because it does 97% of what the other lenses do at half the weight.

I bought one of these barely used in the early nineties, the one with an extractable hood, just in time for the birth of my first daughter. I wanted the best lens I could get at the time and boy; was it good! Still use it on my trusty FA, F2-DE1 and also on my Sony ZV-E10. Thanks for a brilliant review as always!