Is there a guide or something to work this thing out?
I recently bought a Quantaray 75 - 200mm 2.8 for my D700 and I love it but it's so difficult to know when the picture is in focus or not by looking in the viewfinder!
Suggestions?
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Camera-Specific Properties: Equipment Make NIKON CORPORATION Camera Model NIKON D700 Camera Software Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5.3 (Macintosh) Maximum Lens Aperture f/1.0 Sensing Method One-Chip Color Area Color Filter Array Pattern 668 Image-Specific Properties: Horizontal Resolution 240 dpi Vertical Resolution 240 dpi Image Created 2016:05:18 19:02:36 Exposure Time 1/640 sec Exposure Program Manual ISO Speed Rating 1000 Exposure Bias 0 EV Metering Mode Spot Light Source Unknown Flash No Flash Rendering Normal Exposure Mode Manual White Balance Auto Scene Capture Type Standard Gain Control High Gain Up Contrast Normal Saturation Normal Sharpness Normal Subject Distance Range Unknown
Live view.
The focus indicator icon is also useful and usually works.
There is the option to replace the viewfinder mirror with a split-prism one, like they had on the old manual SLRs. However, KatzEye is dead and I'm not knowledgable enough to know if anyone still makes such mirrors.
Your best bet without modifying your camera is using life view and zooming in
The D700 has the round eyepiece that takes D3 eyepieces, right? You can try a DK-17 or whatever it's called. I borrowed a Zeiss 2/100 and DK-17 from a friend once, and it was a piece of cake to focus on my D3S.
>>2842252
Use AF focus assist or Liveview peaking.
>>2842252
The focus indicator is more of a range than a spot on focus. You can start from one end of indicator, shoot continuous and rack focus slightly.
>>2842252
>git gud
Nah, Liveview definitely helps, but it'll still be a matter of practice. Especially when you're in the sun and can't see the LCD well
Not being a jew and paying for an autofocus lens usually works.
>>2842252
You could switch to the Pentax 645D. It has a nice, big and bright viewfinder.
Otherwise, use the liveview (maybe with a display loupe, works a treat!) , an alternative focusing screen (dunno if that's available for a D700) or a lens with a focus scale.
>>2842259
this is the only viable choice
>>2842252
The formulas for DoF are online, but you're fucked either way.
DSLR are created for autofocus, the eyepieces are incapable of the magnification needed to tell the difference between a slightly out-of-focus picture and an in-focus picture until you pull up the laptop, download the image and find out you missed.
For still-life, you can simply spray and pray, take a dozen pictures with slightly turned focus knob and delete the out of focus ones... but getting and using a non-1950s lens would be more intelligent.
