Originally Posted by Fast Glass
Well, I do have the same 40D as Nate, but I don't have the target-rich environment, and probably not the skill. Nate is The Man. I do hope I can get this lens to be useful for me, though. My friend tells me that it was very highy-regarded in its day. I am just wondering how I'll be able to adjust to manual focusing. I am going to give it a shot, for sure!
Just now had time, what with the kickoff of college football season and all, to get the lens out for a closer look. It is a Sigma 400mm f/5.6 and has the designation APO Tele Macro on it. I found this picture on the web, and it is the one on the left:
In the focus display, there is a setting for 1:3 Macro, which I am assuming is 1/3 of life size? There also is a click ring right near the mount that certainly seems to be a manual aperture adjuster. It is marked from 5.6 to 32. This would certainly make the lens more useful if it is what I think it is. There is a switch to limit the range (Full, Limit) for the autofocus, which won't work anyway, but it is interesting in that it seems to allow for 0-3.5m, 3.5m-infinity and full range. The manual focus ring is literally almost as wide as my hand, and workssmoothly, with a nice amount of friction.
There is a plate and collar thing attached which has the name Kirk Enterprises. This seems to allow the lens to mount toa tripod or monopod and rotate the body from portrait to landscape with convenient little markings for either, but would allow for infinite intermediate rotation, and will go 360 degrees +. Nifty little design, quick release, but won't come off accidentally.
Should I get the Fotodiox adapter with the focus confirmationchip ($149) or without ($89)? I don't see the need for the chip, personally, but then maybe I don't understand why it would be useful. If the $60 would be well spent, then I'll get it, but if I'll never use it, I'd rather save for something else. Please, anyone with experience or knowledge of these adapaters, jump in and help me out!
Thank you.
You'll do fine, I have tons of manual lens. Took me a little while to get use too, but I got the hang of it.
I have a lot of manual lens and I think there great forthe price. I have Minolta 600mm f/6.3 and I love it! Hopefuly I can get the 7D and make even better use of it.
If it will AF on Nikon cameras, you could buy a used Nikon D80 for a a few hundred dollars, and use it with the telephoto.
The lens is fully functional. I never thought of buying a cheap Nikon body, but that is certainly a creative way to be able to utilize this lens, and of course it would AF then, too. Hmmm....
Been checking on eBay a little and I'm confused. It seems that D3, D2, D1 are pro bodies. Can't tell beyond that what hierarchy is used. Seems like some of the xx bodies are more than some of the xxx bodies, but many of the xxx bodies are more than the xx bodies. Then there are some like the D40, where the same body seems to have different resolutions, with one being 4.2 and one being 10.? MP. What the heck is that about? Which are older and which are newer? Which are like our xxD and which are like our xxxD? Sheesh, am I ever glad I chose Canon!!
Nobody knows anything about Nikon? Or just too ashamed to admit it ! []
OK, here's how they fit:
PRO: (equivalent to 1Ds-series) D1X, D2X, D2Xs, D3X*
PRO: (equivalent to 1D-series) D1, D1H, D2H, D2Hs, D3*
Low-end pro: (equivalent to 5D series) D700*
Pro-amateur: (equivalent to 7D) D100, D200, D300, D300s
Amateur: (equivalent to x0D series) D70, D70s, D80, D90
Upper-Entry-level: (equivalent to Rebel (xxxD) series [i.e. T1i]) D50, D40x (ten-megapixel), D5000
Entry-level: (equivalent to Rebel xxxxD series [i.e. XS]) D40 (six-megapixel), D3000
* Indicates full frame. All other Nikons have a 1.5x FOVCF.
I think that covers them all. :-)
Ah, of course. Single digit for the top end, then double digit for the amateur (except for some which are quadruple digits!), then back to triple digits for the pro-am stuff, and then back to double digit (and again with the quad!) for the entry level. It all makes perfect sense to me now. [:^)]
Well, I definitely appreciate the information. Now I am off to eBay. I found several D100s that ended at less than $200. Since the adapter for the lens alone is $150 plus shipping, I think I'll be a lot better off just buying a used body and having it just for this one lens.
I think so too, now you have a fully functional lens. Too bad my lens are fully manual....[]
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