07-15-2010, 12:10 AM
This is an interesting topic, and it often (sadly) descends into a purely technical discussion about resolution, distortion, and so forth.
But there is a certain magic about using any kind of equipment which demands a more active participation from the user which is hard to describe. Just as the magic of hand-developing prints creates an excitement that using Photoshop cannot ... though it will not necessarily guarantee better results.
Personally I am much more content to pit myself against 'basic' equipment, and to see if I can grab the moment I want at just the right time. This does indeed require practice, and it also means frustration at 'lost' shots. On the other hand, you as a photographer are not just an operator of an automatic machine that will (these days) capture perfectly any scene at which you point it - you are required to anticipate, wait, and consider what you will photograph. The use of manual lenses does bring you closer to the feeling that it is 'this moment' that is important, because in the next moment, your subject may have moved.
For landscape photography, focus is a purely technical function, so if you have good eyesight, the movement of the lens can be either mechanical or manual without affecting the results. However, no sport publication will thank you if you turn up for a basketball game with a Zeiss 100mm on your Canon 1D.
In terms of focus accuracy, I don't notice any major differences between manual/auto lenses - I've had some AF lenses that focus wrong 50% of the time, but it depends on the lighting and the subject.
But there is a certain magic about using any kind of equipment which demands a more active participation from the user which is hard to describe. Just as the magic of hand-developing prints creates an excitement that using Photoshop cannot ... though it will not necessarily guarantee better results.
Personally I am much more content to pit myself against 'basic' equipment, and to see if I can grab the moment I want at just the right time. This does indeed require practice, and it also means frustration at 'lost' shots. On the other hand, you as a photographer are not just an operator of an automatic machine that will (these days) capture perfectly any scene at which you point it - you are required to anticipate, wait, and consider what you will photograph. The use of manual lenses does bring you closer to the feeling that it is 'this moment' that is important, because in the next moment, your subject may have moved.
For landscape photography, focus is a purely technical function, so if you have good eyesight, the movement of the lens can be either mechanical or manual without affecting the results. However, no sport publication will thank you if you turn up for a basketball game with a Zeiss 100mm on your Canon 1D.
In terms of focus accuracy, I don't notice any major differences between manual/auto lenses - I've had some AF lenses that focus wrong 50% of the time, but it depends on the lighting and the subject.