RE: how to use zoom lens-nikon f55

["Paresh R. Pandit [India]" <pp.photo@xxxxxxxxxx>]

 

 

Hello Vinod…

 

Congrats on the purchase!

 

I suppose you have got confused between focus and zoom…

 

Read on…

 

The lens you have is 28-80mm Zoom lens…

The three markings on the lens are indicators of the Focal Length…

viz. 28mm[widest for this particular lens], 50mm [‘normal’ for 35mm photography] and 80mm[highest achievable telephoto for this particular lens]

These are only indicators of the Focal Length you have zoomed to…

You can have your ‘zoom’ anywhere between the 28mm and 80mm markings [not strictly on these three only]…

 

Now, zoom helps in composition of the picture [its about the field of view]…

However, focus is a totally different story, it is about adjusting the elements in a lens at a selected focal length in order to have a sharp latent image on the film…

 

In simple words… Zoom is for Composition, & Focus for Sharpness…

 

Every Lens has at least two rings… Zoom Ring and Focus Ring [Latest Auto Lenses… Sometimes don’t have Aperture Ring] …

So, there are separate controls for both…

Your markings are the Zoom ones…

 

There is a ring in front [upfront of the lens] of it that is the focus ring…

 

Now, Auto focus cameras determine the object in view as subject and focus on it…

Mostly, the computer chips in the camera are not efficient in determining the subject… in difficult situations, one may want to use manual focusing…

In Auto Focus mode, the focus ring is locked for manual usage [the zoom ring is not!]…

The camera manual says don’t touch the ‘Focus’ ring [not the zoom ring…] as, since it is locked, you may damage the lens in an effort to turn it…

 

However, zoom is always at your disposal…

Anyway, No camera does and can/should zoom for you!!!

The composition lies in the head of the photographer, no chip can replicate that…

Also, these skills make you different…

 

I hope this answers your queries…

 

No? Feel free to write-back anytime…

 

Happy Clicking…

 

 

Regards

 

Paresh Pandit

Mumbai, IN

Thursday, February 12, 2004

 

P.S.: The question is NOT Stupid! It is better you ask rather than shooting at just 28, 50 & 80mm all your life w/o realizing that you could have used all the possible FLs in-between…

[Not that shooting at these fixed lengths is bad… in fact if you do it for a while, it will help you enhance your compositional skills… anyway, another topic altogether… :-)]

 

 

 

----- Original Message -----

From: vinod

To: List for Photo/Imaging Educators - Professionals - Students

Sent: Friday, March 12, 2004 8:17 AM

Subject: how to use zoom lens-nikon f55

 

I have recently purchased a nikon f-55 with 28-80 mm lens.Please guide me about the following :

the lens has 3 markings on it 28mm,50 mm & 80 mm. When I use manual focus I can rotate the lens as per my choice.but when I use auto focus am I supposed to keep the lens at 50 mm marking always or I can use all the 3 markings on the lens i.e. 28 mm as well as 80 mm. I am in doubt as the manual says in auto focus don't move the lens.But does it mean donot move from any of the 3 markings or keep at 50 mm only.?

 

I know it is very stupid of me to ask such naive questions.But frankly I am a novice in the field of auto focus.Please help.

vkwadhawan