550D w/Nikon frame grab, or, "holy crap"

[Michael Carter]

Shot a commercial yesterday using the Rebel - 550d, with an Adorama Nikon adapter.

Holy crap. Gorgeous. The D90 sure is a nice still camera though...

Shot this scene with an old Series-E 100mm manual lens, probably around F4.

I used the following glass:

Series E manual 28mm 2.8;
Modern AF 50 1.8;
Modern AF 85mm 1.8;
90's era ED 80-200 2.8 AF (Schweet!!!)
I had some wider glass with me but never used it.

If you go Nikon-glass-on-Canon, you really have to sorta practice with that adapter - get second nature with which dots line up where. The thing was pretty solid, just a little, ummm - "persnickity" my later father would have said. Having an adapter for each lens might be wise - of course you'd likely need Canon rear caps, too.

I gotta say, I've shot fashion & commercial with these same lenses for ages (and small-sensor stills for 4 or 5 years, too), and reaching into my bag knowing the specific look I wanted from glass I know back & forth - it was really just cool as hell.

Here's a grab - natural window light & a 650 open face (you can see the blue gel in this frame, yeah I moved it later).

Here's a link if the DVX thing doesn't work:

http://mcarterphoto.com/MVI_0146.jpg

 

[ProfessorU]

Looks nice! I dream of a world where I have my own lenses and just rent or borrow whatever camera the client wants.

 

[Michael Carter]

Well, under $1k for the 550D makes it hard to resist (I sure couldn't).

IMHO, it's kind of a cheap-toy feel compared to the D90, but I can live with that.

While we're still in the era of DSLR AF being weak or nonexistent, I'd say you could really get by with older manual Nikon primes for wide, maybe a 28-70 2.8 (gorgeous lens in the AF series) for general use, and maybe an 80-200 2.8 for long stuff. Throw in the 50 and 85 1.8's for super DOF and super-sharpness.

Apparently the Scarlet brain-only model will have a Nikon AF adapter with useable AF as well. Wonder how backwards compatible that will be though - most of my lenses rely on the camera's motor.

I really did learn that I need a WIDE range of ND filters - I'm used to just clicking it on with video cams. There were times I could have used 6-8 stops of ND - ended up pulling out the DVX.

For now, I'm thinking of selling my low-hours DVX and the Rebel, getting the full-frame Canon and a field mixer. Best of both worlds, as I never got an HVX or HD video camera.

 

[jimbee]

550D with Nikon lenses / focusing? / which adapter?

550D with Nikon lenses / focusing? / which adapter?

A couple of newb questions, Michael, but when you use an older manual focus Nikon prime on the 550D, does the 550D's zoom-in focus-assist still work? Or do you have to get critical focus just on the LCD with no magnification? And could you give the name of the adapter that works with the Nikon glass? Also, what Nikon series lenses will work with the adapter, is it just the E? And just to make sure, the 1.6 crop factor is the same with Nikon glass, right? Sorry, more than two questions, but I have no clue on using anything besides Canon EF-S USM lenses.

Thanks for any advice,
jimbee

 

[Michael Carter]

when you use an older manual focus Nikon prime on the 550D, does the 550D's zoom-in focus-assist still work?

No, but I believe there's a pricier adapter that will light-up the focus dot (or whatever - that's what it is on a D90) - I read about that somewhere while googling, I'm sure you can find some scoop on that.

There is a two-level magnification button; if you're doing a static shot, or have a follow focus & puller, that would be more than adequate for setting marks. Since the Canon video seems so much cleaner than Nikon, you'll be shocked at how crisp images are when you hit the zoom button to focus. It's pretty stunning - we were doing a beverage product and I'd focus on the logo, and it was just freakishly clear.

Also, I did get my Rebel with the wide kit lens (reviews are way divided on it, but I saw a fairly comprehensive test where it seemed decent). It's a digital-only lens, like 18-55 or something, so I do have AF for wide shots that don't need a huge aperture. It has no-tracking AF, hold the shutter button & seek-grind-seek deal.

Or do you have to get critical focus just on the LCD with no magnification?

That's how I did it - I still need to get something like a z-finder (shooting out in the Texas sun was really rough at times for seeing the LCD) - I've found that a cheap pair of "readers" - those skinny drugstore reading glasses - is a HUGE help with live-view type situations. You can just leave 'em on the end of your nose. I also have a so-so 7" LCD (lcd-4-video guy) - same deal, the magnifying glasses do help a lot for me with that as well.

Could you give the name of the adapter that works with the Nikon glass?

Supposedly there are scads of $25-chinese deals on eBay; I got mine from Adorama.com, it's all-metal and pretty solid. Adorama has several Canon adapters on their site.

Also, what Nikon series lenses will work with the adapter, is it just the E?

Anything that will work on a D90 as far as I can tell - likely not the old non-AI stuff. The series-E is manual AI (or maybe AIS??) I've also used the no-internal-motor AF glass (stuff from the late 80's through the 90's), some Sigma & Vivitar AF & Manual stuff. Haven't tried a DX (small APS Size) but they**should** work.

The 1.6 crop factor is the same with Nikon glass, right?

I believe so, or it's close - seemed the same to me from being very used to my lenses on the various Nikon D bodies I've owned - I'm sure you could google up the exact crop factors for Nikon vs. Canon somewhere.

I did a fair amount of my day on rails with an FF - but if you've shot stills forever and you get to that "are we getting behind" end of the day - I ended up just dumping the rails and using the focus ring - didn't "look" that cool, and I'd have a guy holding a black card as a french flag - but it really speeds up lens changing and feels very familiar.

Funny, one actress was like, "wow, we're really doing video?? With that tiny thing??" The girl next to her was, "I did a shoot this morning with a Canon SLR, I said the same thing!" Times are changing I guess…

Hope that helped!

 

[jimbee]

Thanks much!