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So I have put this into the Beginner Q's cause I'm looking for some help from the "old schoolers" out there.

I have just picked up a Nikon 200 f2.0 lens and am looking for some tips in getting consistent focus results using the manual focus.If you have any tips let me know.

The first for me is to use a monopod, this thing weights about 3kg's without the body. The d300 seems to meter ok once setup.

looking forward to your advice.

MATT

Where did you get stock for one of these? I heard its very rare right now... or at least stock is low.

ok, lets not get confused with the 200 f2.0 AF-S .. see thisthread.

Manual all the way.

MATT

To get consistent focus see an optician first

Firstly, Congrats on the lovely new lens =)
If the focussing module of the D300 is calibrated to spec then you try using the blinking dot and arrow in the viewfinder to indicate focus but since the depth of field is so low at f2 that may be a problem for the ccd module, but never hurts to try. Also, you could try the lens calibrate function in the D300 with one of the focussing charts to check and calibrate focus for the lens specifically. Hope that helps =)

Ken

Edit Apologies for not reading the topic properly; of course the lens calibrate function only applies to the autofocus version of the lens =)

I can tell you what I did when I got my AiS 50mm f1.2...

I find the rangefinder focus confirmation on the D300 is spot on, so always try to manual focus to get it "close enough" and then while keeping your eye on the subject, fine tune it till you can see the rangefinder dot in the bottom left of the viewfinder.

Also I find it a bit more accurate when you focus from the closer focusing distance to the subject rather from infinity to the subject, if you know what I mean.

thanks for the replies. The fully manual has been a little more challenging than I anticipated. Static subjects seem fine using the focus dot in the veiwfinder moving is going to take more practice.

here is a couple of my daughter in the back yard.It was very golden afternoon, these have only been resizedand a little exposure boost no other PP.

this lens seems to give lovely Bokeh , pitty it weights a heap.

The first is 200mm f8 iso 400 1/1000



the next

1/5000 iso200 f2.8



MATT

They look fine to me, I think you've got it anyway.

And I think your lens would be harder to manual focus than mine.

Actually I found the AiS 180mm f2.8 ED very hard to focus, especially when used at f2.8, it's hard enough to focus on a static subject and for tracking erratic things it can easily be ruled out.

The optical quality of it is amazing though.