Nikon Zf Manual Focus: The New Leica?

[@airdailyx]

So after fooling around with this trap focus and not being able to get it to work with my chipped voigtlander Z mount lenses, it turns out trap focus is a half ass feature. Essentially, it is only intended to work with auto focus lenses, and if you’re shooting with an auto focus lens, why would you wanna bother manually focusing it unless it’s a macro ? Even though the actual work is taking place on the sensor it makes absolutely no sense that a lens would need to be chipped anyway. I put an AF lens on and it worked perfectly. The moment I used any other chip lens, it refused to work at all. So there’s something in the TT adapter that’s confusing the camera and making it think there is an auto focus lens attached and hence enabling the feature. so unless someone else here has figured out another way to get it to work on the Zf it seems that’s the answer. So if you’ve been driving yourself crazy trying to get it to work. Hope this helps.

[@BokehTherapy]

Thanks for doing the testing - another quirk of the TTArtisan adapter. Will pin this comment for others to see.

[@SteveGong]

After testing it myself, it turns out that even AF lenses such as Nikon's AF-D lenses do not work with the Z6III via the FTZ adapter. How disappointing, I thought I was going to breathe new life into my beloved AF-D lenses.

[@BokehTherapy]

Firmware update please Nikon!

[@MassimilianoFiorucci]

af-d lenses do not have autofocus motors, they uses camera motor for autofocus... but the ftz adapter does not have one😢

[@SteveGong]

@@MassimilianoFiorucci this is a common misconception. The 50mm 1.8 D is an example of this - it’s a screwdriver type autofocus D type lens that has a manual aperture.

[@ronnewsome2002]

"Looking at the gravity of these moments, their impact throughout history, my every day photography not only pales in comparison but also lacks purpose." Beautiful. Gravity is out there you just have to let it in.

[@BokehTherapy]

Thank you Ron - it is very humbling looking at the work of the greats. Have to be inspired rather than feel like an impostor. Happy shooting!

[@ebreevephoto]

That comment caught me too...

[@DirkMenker]

Hi Jack, this will become a classic video on KZbin for manual focus with Nikon. Well structured video as always. I've tried some of my M lenses with the TT Artisan 6-bit adapter. Now I'll start looking for old Nikon glass! Thank you for your great efforts!

[@BokehTherapy]

Thank you so much Dirk, the videos make sense in my head but translating it on screen takes more work haha. Hope you’re doing well, more content to come!

[@EricWier]

I feel like I say it every week, but it is always warrented, fantastic video. Your incorporation of photography history into your journey really helps make your videos informative, but also timeless and fun. Furthermore, you do such an amazing job of incorpating your real world experience into the videos. Hearing your comparison of the Zf vrs Leica is so infoamtive and something that would be difficult to find anywhere, and certainly not in such an approachable way. Good luck with finding your first F mount glass! I would generally just recomend any of their Ai and Ai-s glass. They are so well built and a joy to use.

[@BokehTherapy]

Great tips! Ai and Ai-s is high on the list, but it is becoming a huge list haha. Thanks so much Eric, always great hearing from you!

[@EricWier]

@@BokehTherapy yeah there are decades worth of amazing lenses to choose from, which makes it difficult. I am often looking on eBay and local camera shops for old Nikkor glass, ha ha.

[@BokehTherapy]

I think I will need to wait til next time I am in Japan to try these lenses in person

[@EricWier]

@@BokehTherapy yeah, that would be ideal. Most of the lenses I see on eBay are coming from Japan. Being able to see them in person and check for fungus and other issues is better than looking at photos of the lens. I look forward to seeing what you find!

[@airdailyx]

dude, I’m halfway through this video and so far it’s gold! You just introduced two features I didn’t know it had 😅

[@BokehTherapy]

Glad it’s helpful - I couldn’t find a video that covered all these tools in one. Thanks for watching!

[@airdailyx]

@@BokehTherapythe trap focus feature did not work. I set it as shown in your video using the voigtlander z 50mm f1 nokton, and with the chipped adapter with another lens. no bueno.

[@BokehTherapy]

Hrmm let me see if I missed any settings. AF-S, A6 set to AF-on only + disable out of focus release. When you fully press down the shutter and hold it there does it take a photo? For me it doesn’t until I start focusing then hit focus

[@paulboskerphotography]

@@BokehTherapy I have same setup and no these settings do not work with the Voigtlander z 50mm f1. Note my screen still shows MF, not AF-S.

[@BokehTherapy]

Hi Paul, this is a strange quirk of the TTartisan adapter apparently to allow trap focus. Hope it comes in a firmware update for all manual lenses (chipped or not)

[@DCAMM720]

As a big Fujifilm guy, I was super hyped to get the X100VI in my hands. While I liked it, it felt more of a 5.5 model rather than a full upgrade to a version 6. Since the demand is there, someone offered me enough that I could afford the ZF w/40mm kit and boy am I glad I did. Gives the same "retro" itch but just has so much more capability that it's insane. Then I started getting into adapted vintage glass with used cheap lenses from my local shop and it is simply a joy to use.

[@BokehTherapy]

Yes I canceled my X100Vi preorder when I got the Zf in hand. What a beautiful camera and shooting experience - thanks for watching!

[@ApoErylle]

"It is up to us to create our own meaning!" - superb! Well noted.

[@BokehTherapy]

Thanks so much for watching - hope you keep making time to go out shooting!

[@yoki9743]

No one tells the story like Jack.... in a word he is on the "money" with this additional info that Nikon could add just by a firmware update.... Very compelling story... especially as my father was involved in the Korean war ... thanks Jack for another "belting" video.... Peace and love Yoki...

[@BokehTherapy]

Yoki it’s great to hear from you - very touching to hear about your family’s involvement in our collective history. Hope you’re doing great!

[@enricojakobsoriano]

Another great video. You’re really helping me set up my Z6III menu w/ these manual focus tips. I appreciate you.

[@BokehTherapy]

My menu settings are always being tweaked - love a good setting video myself. Thanks for watching!

[@RyBull]

Excited for this one.

[@BokehTherapy]

Let me know if I missed anything - almost too many things to fit into one video!

[@jasontaycs7195]

Thank you so much for such a thorough video! Gonna start saving for a Z6iii/Zf

[@BokehTherapy]

Thank you for watching! I am saving up for the next purchase right now too. Let me know if/when you get it in hand!

[@macmac6479]

Thanks for this! I'm not using half the features you have mentioned for the ZF because I didn't know about them or have forgotten. I have two beautiful manual lenses (Voigtländer 40mm 1.4 and 75mm 1.5) but they don't get used much because in my limited shooting time (mostly on holiday) I have to get the shot/shots.

[@BokehTherapy]

I love both those voigtlander lenses - the 75mm especially - trying to keep my manual lens collection under control especially as there are so many great Autofocus options.

[@poniatowski3547]

Thank you for an amazing channel.

[@BokehTherapy]

Wow that’s high praise - thanks for watching! Viewers make the channel what it is, more content to come soon

[@Martin-nu6ym]

For the MF experience with the TechArt AF adapter, I set the Zf to MF. That gives me a chip'ed lens regardless of what I use. I don't have to set any of the lens profiles in the camera since the TechArt passes through the focal length of the lens. I think the lens that surprises me the most for quick AF on the TechArt is a 24mm f2.8 Nikkor-N from 1971 (only goes to f16, this is not the one that goes to f22). I got the lens for infrared photography and was able to get one that was in pristine condition even came in the plastic case in the box. Smooth focus ring, nice images in visible and IR light.

[@BokehTherapy]

Another vote for the techart adapter - might need to take the plunge, it is very expensive for an adapter though. Thanks for the lens recommendation, I now have 20 new options to agonise over. Good problem to have!

[@enshongmiranda]

Trap Focus also works on AF-C and with the shutter button. Just set the AF Activation as you did BUT return it to Shutter/AF-ON after. This is useful if you want to shoot continuously and manually track something if you also set the Drive Setting to continuous shooting. I like setting mine to Continuous Low at 2 fps. I've set my shutter button to use 3D tracking so when I just put the focus point on a subject, compose and hold the shutter fully down, manually focus and the camera takes a shot. For moving subjects, I do the same except I rack the focus ring back and forth to where I think the subject goes. Basically, the hands become the focus motor. The camera will keep taking photos whenever the subject is in focus unlike in AF-S where it will only take 1 shot. Come on Nikon, update the firmware and enable trap focus on ALL lenses, unchipped or chipped. Clearly the functionality can work without any lens info. It's the sensor that's detecting the subject!

[@BokehTherapy]

Oh nice! I will need to try it in AF-C too. Thanks for the tips, hoping Nikon has a firmware update coming soon.

[@LarsSteenhoff]

Yeah trapfocus works so well with the adapter, nikon should allow it with all manual lenses

[@enshongmiranda]

@@LarsSteenhoff the function has been there since Nikon DSLRs but IDK why Nikon insists on only enabling it on lenses that has an AF/M chip/switch. Even the chipped Nikon manual F lenses aren't allowed to use Trap Focus when those need it the most while the lenses with AF/M switch don't need it as much. 😅 There's little hope that Nikon will make firmware changes to trap focus enabling it for all lenses and be more easily accessible but I hope they see the light! It'll instantly make the Zf and future retro bodies even more appealing.

[@LarsSteenhoff]

@@enshongmiranda We just need to keep asking and mentioning it to Nikon, at some point they will notice.

[@2and20]

Great video! I know you said you’re looking at getting a vintage 50, but I’d also recommend a Nikkor 105 2.5 AIS. I love the results I get from the lens and more importantly the feel. It’s beautiful in the hand and to the eye.

[@BokehTherapy]

That’s Steve McCurry’s go to right? Great suggestion, all the AIS lenses sound amazing. Thanks for watching!

[@2and20]

@@BokehTherapy yes it is! I use it on my film cameras and my DSLR, and have taken some of my favorite photos! I find it a nice change from the more traditional street photography focal lengths.

[@BokehTherapy]

Very tempting to walk on the shoulder of giants with the 105… haha too many options, all of them great

[@chromaticvisuelle]

I got the 105 2.5, amazing lens!!!!

[@BokehTherapy]

@@chromaticvisuelle Another vote for the 105mm. Will try hunting down a copy in Tokyo!

[@neklamp2431]

I now use the Zfc and my oldest 50mm lens is the Pentax M f1.8. Beautiful lens. The only assistance I have is the focus peaking. I like how you mix the past with the presence and it's not just a review video.

[@BokehTherapy]

Focus peaking is more than good enough! Thanks for watching, more to come soon

[@brusselssprout1]

Great video, thanks! Having used Leica M for more than 30 years now, I see one more argument with a +1 for Zf (or a -1 for Leica M): with the Zf you never have any FUD related to the rangefinder/lens combo drifting out of calibration AND you can focus anywhere,on the frame, never to worry about focus plane shifts due to central point (rangefinder patch) focus/recompose. I'll keep my old M6 but have now dumped my digital M. The Zf is king (with Z mount Voigtlander lenses).

[@BokehTherapy]

I still have my digital Ms for the time being - hard to believe the Zf comes so close to the experience, and on Nikon’s first try in this segment! Thanks for watching and commenting, happy shooting!

[@paulboskerphotography]

Another great video! Favorite line "it slows me down and helps me relax" is what the Zf is all about for me. I too love the manual lenses and plan to purchase more beyond my initial Voigtlander 50mm f1.0 Nokton. Want to get the Voigtlander Z 35mm f2 APO-Lanthar.

[@BokehTherapy]

Thank you Paul - you have the 50mm f1! The APOs are beautiful too, they are still all sold out at my local retailer

[@Bean15_]

Thank you for your storytelling. It’s amazing.

[@BokehTherapy]

My pleasure! Thanks for watching, working on the next couple of videos now

[@juliette-mansour]

Ooooh Jack! I have so much love for this subject! I have 5 older Nikon glass. Thank you for this. I might come back with questions....

[@BokehTherapy]

I’m having an absolute blast testing out manual lenses on the Zf - so much fun! Let me know how I can help, I’ll need to pick your brains for the best F mount manual glass to start with

[@juliette-mansour]

@@BokehTherapy I'm about to head out and test a couple. Atm the Nikkor Q 135mm f/2.8 is on the camera. I also have Nikkor AI 28mm f2.8 and Nikkor-H 50mm 1.2 Non AI plus a macro lens I just picked up. No focus confirmation on those non-chipped lenses though. I'll let you know how I go.

[@BokehTherapy]

So many options! I’m looking at a 50mm, or perhaps Steve McCurry’s legendary 105mm f2.8. Decisions decisions

[@barclayjb]

Another fine video. I really enjoy your style of blending tech with history. I just got the Z6III. The manual focus feature was a big draw I use Voightlaner 58mm 1.4 and 40mm 2.0 along with many old manual AI lens. I haven't used all the controls you featured. This video is a big help.

[@BokehTherapy]

I didn’t realise there were so many assist tools until I really started digging. Like many things with Nikon all the good stuff is hidden just underneath the surface. Thanks so much for watching and commenting!

[@BokehTherapy]

Congrats on the Z6III - Nikon have really thrown the kitchen sink at the manual focus lovers out there. More content to come!

[@Cariboukid]

I love this channel. Keep up the truly great work you're doing Jack!

[@BokehTherapy]

Thanks so much Mike - always great to hear from you!

[@janromo9753]

Another well thought out vid Jack. Thanks for sharing. Wish you had made this while I still had my Zf, you are giving me fomo.

[@BokehTherapy]

Thanks so much Jan, I’m sure your current kit is serving you well. Happy shooting!

[@gchristopherklug]

This video really inspires me. I rented a Zf to experiment with the manual focus but all I had was a ‘dumb’ adapter and my Summicron. I did ok, but not great. Your video makes me want to take the dive and go for the camera.

[@BokehTherapy]

Thanks so much! The TTartisan adapter unlocks all these tools, can always try that first before the camera. More to come!

[@jordancalhouncom]

I have watched to many setup guides and reviews of the Zf and this the first im hearing of Split focus

[@BokehTherapy]

I totally stumbled onto it - surprisingly handy feature! Thanks for watching

[@alebo62]

Your videos are really good. Thanks for your work. I found good copies of most of my old lenses when I bought them new 30-40 years ago. 😅

[@BokehTherapy]

Thanks for watching! Working on this week’s video now

[@xemay3203]

Damn, this is sooo indept! Thanks

[@BokehTherapy]

Glad it helps - happy shooting!

[@ignatiuschristianto8286]

ooof.. i bought some manual lenses from ttartisan and 7artisans, and i love the manual focus shooting experience so much. it removes the hassle of selecting auto focus point/area or picking subjects. really tempted to switch from sony to nikon. this feature should be in all cameras.

[@BokehTherapy]

It really should! Sony will implement it if it’s popular enough I’m sure. Nikon should double down and make these features standard no matter the manual lens. Thanks for watching!

[@sofianeb1564]

@4:30: The old Nikkor 8.5cm f2 hasn't the Leica LTM mount but the Nikkor S mount for Nikon's rangefinders (same as the Contax RF mount).

[@BokehTherapy]

Ohhh thanks for the tip - I found a few LTM versions, glad to hear a S mount version exists too

[@garybooth2902]

Excellent overview. Thank you.

[@BokehTherapy]

Thanks Gary for the original idea - hope it answers your questions!

[@philmtx3fr]

Hi Jack good video. All these functionalities of the Zf for using manual lenses associated with its old look really makes him the king of this area I thing ! Personnaly as I have a lot of different old lenses, I use a newer adapter Z to E (very thin which includes electronic contacts) and several K&f basic adaptors for Sony E with different mounts : canon FD, Nikon AI, minolta MD, Zeiss C/Y, Leica M or M39 etc… this combination with the first adapter with contacts permits to activate green box confirmation that I do love. It works perfectly. Thx again and waiting for a new video from you.

[@BokehTherapy]

Oh I wish the Zf has a firmware update to enable these features for all lenses - there are so many workarounds currently, and it doesn’t even work on the official FTZii! Glad to hear you’re having fun, I am having a blast testing manual lenses on the Zf

[@philmtx3fr]

@@BokehTherapy true that the fact of working with an adapter with contacts that do nothing (…) could be bypassed by software and then getting what you wish.

[@dyeremi]

Thank you for this video. The Nikon Zf is a really good camera. I suggest you also try one of the Z-mount Thypoch Simera lenses. I have the 28mm and it is amazing.

[@BokehTherapy]

Thypoch is next week! Testing now, it overcomes the infinity alignment issue of some M mount versions. Thanks for watching!

[@NickDelDuca]

I've been using the 6bit adapter on my ZF! No one seems to be talking about it and it's great! I have a whole host of adapters now to adapt all of my vintage glass to M mount to use with this adapter so I can get the focus confirmation with pretty much any vintage lens that I use. I just don't understand why Nikon can't enable the focus confirmation with any lens as long as you set the non CPU lens data.... They could just pop up a warning on the screen saying non CPU lens attached be sure to set the correct lens data or something to make sure the camera knows the right focal length.

[@BokehTherapy]

Yes this should be a firmware update, especially for FTZII adapters! Rumors of a Zf firmware update soon, hopefully addresses some of this not just AF

[@gshocker77]

Another fantastic video.. As I watched I grabbed my Father’s Nikkor S 8.5cm f2 lens that I am going to be adapting to my Leica M. I had not really thought to try this lens on the Z mount but it might be fun to see if there is an adaptor for that. I have inherited several Nikkor SP bodies and lenses. Not ready to jump to film but excited to try some of these lenses. Keep up the great work. As always I look forward to your next video.

[@BokehTherapy]

You have the legendary 8.5cm f2! What an exciting collection to test out, would love to see your shots and always great to hear from you

[@jtes1442]

Jack, you have great story telling in your videos. Does the Z6III have the same manual tools as the ZF?

[@BokehTherapy]

Yes both have identical manual focusing tools. I thought the Z6iii’s better EVF would make it a lot easier to manual focus without zooming in, but the Zf’s EVF already does a great job. Thanks so much for watching and commenting!

[@franciscosalas6779]

At 3:57 you can see a bar with distance, how do you do that? I can’t seem to find it, it appears on the z9 when manual focus but on the zf only the bar appears, not the meters

[@BokehTherapy]

Another quirk of the TTartisan chipped adapter I think - doesn’t appear on the dumb adapter. The meter reading is off though, not the actual reading. Maybe the chipped Voigtlander lenses do this too?

[@franciscosalas6779]

@@BokehTherapy I think that the zf doesn’t have that meter scale at all. Maybe that scene was from your Nikon z6iii?

[@BokehTherapy]

The distance bar is there on the Zf with the chipped adapter, but the bar with the (incorrect) meter reading is only on the Z6iii. Will see if this is default setting that can be tweaked. Would be more useful if the meter reading was actually right, rather it not be there at all if it’s wrong

[@MuzicNerds]

​@@BokehTherapy solved a lot of my headaches, thank you! Do you know if the distance scale shows up with chipped native Z lenses, and if so how to enable it? Been using the 28mm Ultron with Voigtlander's own adapter, but really want to have the option to switch between autofocus and rough yet reliable zone focusing and that distance indicator would allow that.

[@casamino]

Jack, I recently got a Nikon 85mm f2 Ai lens and the manual focus is incredibly satisfying. In terms of adaptors, I have one coming from Japan, the Shoten FZ1, which matches the ZF aesthetic very nicely.

[@BokehTherapy]

Shoten! Thanks for the tip, I have always liked the look of their stuff. Let me know once it arrives!

[@casamino]

@@BokehTherapy Just came today! It is very well made and so far works well. Love how well it matches the ZF.

[@BokehTherapy]

I might have to grab one next time I'm in Tokyo - deciding between the close focus helicoid version versus the other one, would be good to test out in person.

[@EliBeaversonVisuals]

Jack, what have you found with the adapters in terms of infinity focusing? Do both accurately reflect infinity focus on the lenses you have used so far? I have the Zf and a Voigtlander 28mm Ultron II on the way and trying to figure out which adapter is right for me!

[@BokehTherapy]

Hi Eli! Both these adapters work fine with infinity focus (I use the split digital zoom to check) but it seems to vary depending on the lens as well. Some have more “play” than others, so to be sure the adapters with helicoid close focus give you one more way to fine tune. The TTartisan one is worth a try given all the extra features you get with it anyway? Let me know how you go, congrats on the Zf!

[@mikefoo6842]

Trap focus works on AF-C too. Neewer ETZ actually tricks the Zf into thinking that it is an AF lens, so you can use Trap Focus with manual Sony E lens.

[@BokehTherapy]

Thanks for the tip! Most of the manual lenses for mirrorless are on E mount so it’s very handy

[@alexlindstrom9971]

So what can the Zf do that my Z7 cant with the same adapter? Im having trouble figuring this out.

[@BokehTherapy]

I think the manual focus subject detection is the headline feature on the Zf and Z6III. Your Z7 might have everything else? Correct me if I’m wrong, I haven’t tried a Z7 with the latest firmware

[@scottw5791]

Favorite old Nikkor 50? That's a tough one. I tend to enjoy lenses with imperfections and so I find the 5.8cm f1.4 pre-AI fun but focused at infinity while wide open it leaves A LOT to be desired. The 50 1.2 AIS is better wide open but contrast is bad and again focused at infinity it's nothing to write home about. I actually prefer to use the 50 at f2 and it feels quite magical. The 50 1.8 series-e is cheap and small and you really can't go wrong with it. paired with the FTZ it's the size of a larger 50 so it feels quite nice. All of these lenses were designed and built between '62 and '82 so CA and LOCA are definitely a present. If you're on the hunt to find one that works best for you I would recommend looking at these three.

[@BokehTherapy]

Great suggestions, they all go on the list!

[@d.idowuolutosin4250]

Jack, I shoot with both the Leica M10-R and Nikon Zf. I share my Voigtlander lenses on both systems which makes life easy for me. I use a dumb adapter however, so I’ll have to check out the TTArtisan chipped adapter to see if I like it. I agree with you in that the Nikon Zf has the best manual focusing experience of any digital mirrorless camera out there. I don’t compare it to a rangefinder however. I compare it more to the Fujifilm X-Pro3 and LUMIX S5II because of focus assist/peaking features. The only camera in my opinion that comes close to a digital rangefinder experience would be Fujifilm’s X-100 and X-Pro series of cameras with their OVF/EVF hybrid viewfinder. Where the Nikon Zf supersedes all other cameras is with subject and eye detection with manual focus lenses. My favourite Voigtlander lenses to shoot on the Zf are the 35mm and 50mm f2 APO-Lanthar and the 90mm f2.8 APO-Skopar especially for portrait shoots. If it’s for street photography it’s the Voigtlander 28mm and 35mm f2 Ultron and Zeiss 50mm f2 T Planar. Not to mention the Canon 50mm f1.4 LTM. Also good quality photos with all of these lenses. It’s my hope that Nikon makes significant changes in its next firmware update for the current Zf and that they get rid of the flippy screen in the Mark II of this camera and replace it with a multi-angle tilt screen instead. This camera needs to be a photocentric camera opposed to trying to make it a hybrid camera like the Z6 series of cameras.

[@BokehTherapy]

Thanks so much for your feedback - lots of food for thought, and lens suggestions. Great cameras to shoot with while we wait for the next gen!

[@quite1enough]

I have Voigtlander 58mm f/1.4, Nikon 28mm f/2.8 AIS and Tokina 100mm f/2.8 macro 28mm one is staggeringly sharp even wide open

[@BokehTherapy]

So many great choices. Thank you!

[@bkmintie]

What soft release are you using on the Zf? Really enjoying your videos on the Zf! Just ordered a Zf after taking a break from photography after having kids. Coming from Leica M previously so very excited to try the manual focusing modes!

[@BokehTherapy]

Thanks so much - It's the official Nikon AR-11 one they made for the Df. It is sadly quite expensive for a button but it does match the Zf's aesthetics perfectly. I've met quite a lot of Leica shooters who also shoot Nikon - the two are really a nice pairing. Working on this week's video now - some new M-mount glass!

[@bkmintie]

@@BokehTherapy Thanks for the reply, will source a AR-11 then! Looking forward to your video this week and keep it up!

[@ThatAndre]

Hi Jack, awesome video! I've been using the ZF and the Thypoch 28mm 1.4 for M Mount through the TT Artisan 6-bit adapter. I find it very frustrating that infinity is so off. For example, when I'm 5m away, the lens marks about 2.3m. At 3m, the lens marks 1.7m. This makes zone focus impossible. How have you dealt with this? Thanks! Looking forward to your next video.

[@BokehTherapy]

Argh that does sound frustrating. There is the native Z mount version that has better alignment at infinity. A helicoid adapter might be the way to go to give you another level of fine tuning? Voigtlander and shoten make one I think. You will lose the focus confirmation green boxes but zone focus is more important.

[@ThatAndre]

​@@BokehTherapy Thanks for the reply! You are right, an helicoid/close focus adapter seems to be the way to go. I have a shoten one for Fuji X and they are pretty awesome, especially for rangefinder lenses since they have quite limited MFD. I find that, for my style of shooting, the focus confirmation box is more important for longer lenses, so I don't mind losing that on the 28mm. I'll order one now. Thanks for the advice and good luck!

[@BokehTherapy]

Awesome! Yep at 28 or 35mm focus peaking without zooming in gets pretty close anyway. The digital split zoom tool should let you fine tune the infinity focus once your helicoid adapter arrives. Let me know when you get it!

[@MadefromJava]

I know aesthetics doesn’t matter, but visually the thickness of the adapter would bother me. Curious to see if other brands would make 6-bit coded adapters. Patent bred 1s 🔥I didn’t keep my pair. Thypoch Simera in the next video 🤔 Great vid Jack!

[@BokehTherapy]

Yep the M mount adapters are some of the thinnest out there. Nikon should just make their own! Yes Thypoch is next week, and I love my patent bred 1s (might be my favourite!). Hope you’re having a great trip with the family!

[@MadefromJava]

@@BokehTherapy Thanks Jack, we’re back home. Just now catching up on editing all the photos 😅

[@BokehTherapy]

Haha tens of thousands of edits to go through I’m sure. Good luck!

[@airdailyx]

if Nikon makes a full frame rangefinder style camera it’ll be killer

[@BokehTherapy]

Nikon ZS - I have been trying to speak it into existence for months!

[@trym2121]

Stop. Fuji doesn't like your idea

[@BokehTherapy]

Haha rumor has it Fuji is trying to make a medium format fixed lens rangefinder. We all win if everyone gets in the game

[@omichalek]

My thought exactly! If they made it affordable enough, somebody would finally give Fujifilm a run for their money. I wouldn't be surprised if they managed to release it before X-Pro 4 :)

[@BokehTherapy]

@@omichalek I hope you're right - so... Christmas this year? lol

[@batou18]

Thank you for the comprehensive video on manual focusing on the Zf. I have a Zf, 2 TTartisan 6-bit adapters and 3 chipped Leica lenses. Using all 3 lenses on both adapters I need to set the aperture via the command dial to the largest aperture ie. f/1.4 on the 50mm Summilux before I can adjust the physical aperture on the lens or my pictures will be overexposed. I tried matching the camera's aperture setting to the actual physical aperture and although the EXIF is correct the exposure is often off. Have you come across this or is my Zf defective? Thanks Keep up the great work!

[@BokehTherapy]

I think the aperture control via the TTartisan adapter doesn’t work perfectly. I get more consistent metering on dumb adapters without setting any aperture at times. I do use matrix metering though (I’m guessing the one with the biggest margin for error?) so it doesn’t affect my pictures too much - doesn’t sound like your Zf is defective to me.

[@Shiftingsideways]

Thank you for the video, really enjoyed it, I learn’t about a couple of things i didn’t know existe, split screen and trap focus, so thank you. Can I ask about the green, combat style jacket, what make is that?

[@BokehTherapy]

Hello! Thanks for taking the time to comment, I was surprised how many manual focus assist tools were buried in Nikon's menus. The jacket is a M65 from Buzz Rickson in Japan. You can order from Denimio online when they're in stock, or go to Ueno in Tokyo - my favourite place to shop for jackets!

[@inbloom9083]

really enjoyed this video. Can i ask how well the 35mm lux performs on the ZF as i use mine on a leica sl but when i attached it to my a7iv the corners were terrible and smeared

[@BokehTherapy]

The 35 lux performs pretty good on the Zf - the larger Z mount gets the lens closer to the sensor than E mount I think. Wide angle M lenses always work better on M mount though, I like shooting adapted 50s a bit more. Thanks for watching!

[@Cleverconveyence]

Artralabs is about to drop a 50 1.2 in the z mount that calls back to these vintage optics. Definitely looking forward to the reviews because i cant exactly afford any new glass rn

[@BokehTherapy]

Artalabs is making some interesting stuff. I might reach out to see if I can borrow a review unit. Thanks for the tip!

[@shanecaut1063]

Great video to share the manual focus features. By the way, what case is on the Leica M? That colour is awesome!

[@BokehTherapy]

It’s from Arte DiMano - they have great leather options but man it’s expensive. Better than buying multiple cases that don’t quite fit haha - thanks for watching!

[@SingleTrack66]

An extraordinary video Jack. Do I need another 4th Nikon Z body? It looks like I do. 😂

[@BokehTherapy]

Haha maybe you do. What are your other 3 bodies?

[@SingleTrack66]

@@BokehTherapy Z8 which truly is brilliant. I mainly use it for wildlife and action. But it is noticeably larger than my Z6ii which I use for street and also put the 105 macro on when I’m out and about with the Z8 in the countryside. And a Z30 which I bought for the wife and ended up loving myself as a better option than my iPhone. I put the 26 pancake on it and it fits in my jeans front pocket.

[@BokehTherapy]

Great setup! I had a really close look at the Z8 but it’s a little bigger than I need for my workflow

[@larsingrain]

Still wondering about the 6 bit adapter; do you get focus confirmation with the green box when you use the adapter with a m mount lens that has no 6 bit coding/electrical contacts?

[@BokehTherapy]

Hello! Yes the Voigtlander 50mm f1.2 that I used in this video. has no 6 bit coding or electrical contacts. Green box confirmation works with the TTartisan adapter.

[@larsingrain]

@@BokehTherapy that's amazing! My 50mm f/2.2 color skopar is coming in today, can't wait to try it on my Nikon zf, that could actually be a great 'compact' setup for me! Thank you for making this video, there was very little information on the adapter out there

[@BokehTherapy]

Yep I found out about the adapter from KZbin comments… even TTartisan doesn’t talk about this adapter much on their feeds. Glad it’s helpful, excited for your new setup!

[@larsingrain]

@@BokehTherapy just got the adapter and lens! Somehow the camera refuses the close down the aperture further than f/5.6 in camera, so when i close down further on the lens, I can't compensate for that in camera. Do you have any experience with this or potential solution? The lens itself is great though and looks beautiful on the ZF!

[@BokehTherapy]

Getting exposure right with any adapted manual lens is a bit tricky. On my Voigtlander (no 6 bit coding) I see the same thing as you - only can stop down to f5.6. On my Leica 50mm f1.4 with 6 bit coding I can stop down to f14 using the adapter… I try to use matrix metering so the camera has more room for error, still get usable results. Enjoy your setup!

[@rob1n1206]

does the z8 have the same features. especially focus confirmation and subject detection with the ttartisan adapter

[@BokehTherapy]

I don’t believe so but I haven’t tested it on a z8? Manual focus subject detection is limited to the Zf and Z6III for now

[@TCMx3]

I think it's cool if it works for people. But I have a Zf and M11 and I use AF Z lenses on the Zf. They are pretty big and not as good as Leica but I just don't find the manual focus experience even with all of the assists as good as the M11 or something like an F3. It's an AF camera better to just use it that way. Also, you are giving up all the weather and dust resistance to use lenses that are ultimately going to fight the sensor cover. The manual focus lenses I use on the Zf are my old Olympus macros. Btw the best Nikon 50mm is the f2.0 AI, most likely, or the Zeiss 50/1.4 F mount planar if you like that kind of look.

[@BokehTherapy]

Dedicated tools for dedicated uses - Zf is a great option if you don’t have a M, but very hard to beat the M experience. Thanks for the tip on lenses, and for watching!

[@patpaw]

Does it really give you a focus confirmation while using a contact pin adapter and no contant lenses?

[@BokehTherapy]

It's kind of amazing but yes! The TTArtisan 6 bit adapter does at least, I think the Techart autofocus adapter when set to manual focus does the same. It tricks the camera into using its existing MF aides typically reserved for autofocus lenses. Nikon could probably add this via firmware for every dumb adapter

[@picturemaker]

Those focus arrows need to be on the box and not the bottom of the frame. That simple change would make for a significant improvement.

[@BokehTherapy]

That would be super useful - takes you out of the moment glancing on the bottom corner. More cues from rangefinders would be welcome

[@picturemaker]

@@BokehTherapy Yeah, even though it's accurate it's awkward being down there. it should be attached to the focal point. That would be great for manual eye tracking too.

[@BokehTherapy]

Hope a firmware update brings these features to all dumb adapters. Pretty sure the camera knows when some thing is in focus regardless of which lens it’s using (otherwise how does focus peaking work!)

[@이진우-x8k4c]

I have a question. Digital spilt zoom is not in my ZF Where is in menu??

[@BokehTherapy]

You will need to “customise i menu” (f1 in pencil menu) - it’s “split screen display zoom”

[@Chum_chumi]

The ZF will be know as classic. The manual focus success rate is better than anything out there. Leica is a better experience but not as successful hit rate. Im already excited about the ZF 2 as i believe that with a better evf and the ability to do what the TTartisan adapter can but integrated in to the camera, the camera could be perfect 👌🏽

[@BokehTherapy]

Yes! The TTartisan adapter is a weird third party accessory that adds first party functionality - maybe it’s a firmware update for the Zf. Thanks for watching and commenting, nice to hear from you as always!

[@Scooter-dm3qo]

My favorite 50 is a lens I purchased used back in the 1970's. It is the 50mm f2 Nikkor-H, the finest 50mm lens that Nikon ever put into the F mount. Note the HC version is the same lens with multi coating made up to about 1978 when the less expensive to manufacture 50mm f1.8 showed up. Nikon really needs to spend some engineering time working on it's feature set for Manual Focus. Flaw One is that focus assist only works with chipped lenses when the DSLR's provided focus assist with all of the F mount lenses chipped or unchipped. Flaw two is no drive motor for the AF Nikkor lenses in the FTX adapter. Nikon made some superb lenses that were no re-produced in the AF-S mount, such as the 180mm f2.8 EDIF. They keep claiming they support legacy lenses but that support is actually rather poor.

[@BokehTherapy]

The FTZ adapters needs a mark iii I think. Can’t let the third party adapter beat them in terms of feature set! Hope Nikon listens, thanks for watching!

[@Jgheiler]

Which 35mm manual lens would you recommend to make my zf smaller and lighter in profile than my 35mm f1.8s? It doesn't have to be super tiny. Just would like it to be shorter in length and maybe less.than 320 grams. Any ideas. I do prefer f1.4 or less, but not at the expense of high chromatic aberrations.

[@BokehTherapy]

Thypoch makes a 35mm f1.4 Simera! You can buy it in Z mount or Leica M mount and use the TTartisan 6 bit adapter. If you want something (a lot) cheaper pergear make a 35mm f1.4? But there is more CA there unfortunately

[@Jgheiler]

@BokehTherapy I saw, but frosts charts shoes alot of CA and purple fringing wide open. I'm thinking of maybe going zeiss 35mm f1.4 or the slightly heavier but still smaller.profile by an inch the 35mm f2 apo lanthar. Not sure yet 🤔

[@BokehTherapy]

Yep I think Thypoch’s best corrected lens is the 28mm Simera - video coming out about it this week. I haven’t tried too many Zeiss M mount lenses, but the Voigtlander options are great! Pity most M mount glass is quite pricey

[@BokehTherapy]

What's your favourite manual focus F-mount lens, and how well does it work with FTZ adapters?

[@frankygamaliano7058]

Zf is almost the new Leica for me…but not for their ginormous Z lenses. The FTZ adapter also makes their older lenses became unnecessarily larger. I have used my dad’s manual Ai lenses (50/1.4, 55/1.2 and 55/2.8 macro) but my favourite would be the 45/2.8 P….well…it would be my ultimate compact lens if not for the FTZ adapter. But once Leica comes out with EVF, I’ll be all over it 😬

[@BokehTherapy]

@frankygamaliano7058 Thanks for the tip - do all these manual focus assist tools work for you on FTZ? I have read some mixed reports depending on the lens

[@frankygamaliano7058]

@@BokehTherapyall my Nikkor Ai lenses don’t have electronic contacts so only subject detection & peaking works but not the green focus confirmation. Oddly my 55/1.2 doesn’t work with FTZ II so I got Shoten adapter just for this lens instead. I also have Z mount 40/1.2 CV and M mount 75/1.5 CV with TTArtisan 6 bit adapter. But so far the 45/2.8 P is the one I love using.

[@BokehTherapy]

@frankygamaliano7058 it is strange how the green box focus confirmation doesn’t work on Nikon’s own FTZ adapters! TTartisan really got it right with their 6bit coded adapter. I am testing out some Thypoch lenses next, video coming soon

[@Chum_chumi]

​@@BokehTherapy only on the auto lenses. The old manual don't work. If you buy a F to m and attach it to a M to Z (6bit) it works. It actually doesn't look too bad and you can use the old manual Nikkor glass with all the manual focus perks.

[@표백]

You should definitely try Voigtlander 40mm f1.2 or 50mm f1.0 MF Nikon Z mount lenses.

[@BokehTherapy]

Yes I'd love to! Sold out in Australia for almost a year now

[@stkuj]

Does the MF on the Zf work the same way on the Z6iii?

[@BokehTherapy]

Yes both work identically as of the current firmware on both cameras. Thanks for watching!

[@paulmatthews8708]

My two cents. Firstly, super helpful, useful video. You make a great case for the Nikon, so much so that you’ve actually got me considering selling my M10P. I’d just like to comment SLOW DOWN! Too many jump cuts, talking a bit too fast - I’ve had to watch your video four times - and I’ve done so because your content is gold and your argument compelling. Also the historical stuff breaks the flow, although I see what you were trying to achieve. Anyway, thanks for making this, great work. Don’t suppose you’d know if the same options are available on the Z7ii?

[@BokehTherapy]

Hello Paul, thanks for the feedback - KZbin is pretty ruthless with smaller channels and slower videos, people don’t have much patience (hence the rather fast pacing). Still working out the best format, really appreciate your comments. These manual focus features only work for Zf and Z6iii at present? Hopefully firmware support comes for every Z camera soon

[@norwegianoutdoors4437]

Can someone explain to me how Pentax K-1 is able to manually focus with confirmation on unchipped, "dum", lenses? It seems no one else is...

[@BokehTherapy]

I’ve never shot with Pentax but Leica does this mechanically via the rangefinder? Based on focus peaking it should be doable for every lens right?

[@norwegianoutdoors4437]

@@BokehTherapy Well do you actually? On my Leica M you can align the squares but there's never any electronic confirmation?

[@BokehTherapy]

Mmm I think you’re right, it’s only mechanical on Leica not electronic.

[@LeePierre]

Nikon obviously implemented all focus assistance means they could think of. Though seems ro me at least overkill (esp. the menu is a friggin labyrinth).

[@BokehTherapy]

I agree - the menu is not built for beginners, and manual focus options are spread out all over the place. Custom “My Menu” is how I manage. Thanks for watching!

[@NCSTalkid]

nikon need to add more manual focus assist for all their z camera, just like fuji.

[@BokehTherapy]

Hopefully firmware adds all these features to the old lineup!

[@Abc1987]

I think of my Zf as a “budget” Leica SL2S

[@BokehTherapy]

I haven’t used the SL2S myself, think the Zf has more modern autofocus though. Great value for the segment, thanks for watching!

[@Chum_chumi]

@@Abc1987 I just bought SL2 S because of the evf res. It's a nice shooting experience, simple and feels next level quality but the ZF is a far more capable camera.

[@airdailyx]

except as a budget, it’s a far more capable camera 😂

[@ThoughtFission]

Slowing down for lanscapes and portraits I get. But isn't slowing down for street couter productive?

[@BokehTherapy]

Manual focus doesn’t have to be slow (zone focus is quicker than autofocus) but spaces matter more than faces for my street work. Getting the framing right in a specific location needs me to slow down a bit more, but to each their own. Thanks for watching!

[@ThoughtFission]

@@BokehTherapy OH, I get it. Thanks for explaining 🙂

[@eldengard23]

Don't go for the Nikon Ai-s lenses. They're decent with few gems like 28 2.8 50 1.2 and 108 1.8, but it isn't (in my opinion) as spectacular like zeiss classic zf.2 optics. Better feeling and performing with same mechanics (and with chips). i'm usinga 28 f2.0 and 50 1.4 and i'll add 15mm 2.8 soon for my f3 kit

[@BokehTherapy]

Zeiss as well - there’s the rabbit hole! They’re chipped as well, will need to do a deep dive

[@cronufc]

Criminal that you don't have more subscribers

[@BokehTherapy]

Thanks for watching!

[@FabriceLeblus-jf1xd]

Techart adapter was very underwhelming for me..

[@BokehTherapy]

Thanks for the tip - have you tried the new version?

[@FabriceLeblus-jf1xd]

@@BokehTherapy yes the v2, but so many time the adapter lock up..can t focus...or miss focus...i reckon that manual focus is much better..

[@BokehTherapy]

@@FabriceLeblus-jf1xd OK you've just saved me $500! I don't need autofocus on my manual focus lenses but wanted to try the adapter for focus confirmation

[@NetvoTV]

Hey man, I am into psychology and if you don't mind, can I ask some questions which might offend you but I just oukd like to know more about people and their mind, base on the way you look on your thumbnail and also in video, do you think when it comes to disagreement with people, you often not likely going to admit you don't agree with the person you talk with in person directly and straight forwardly but will talk about the disagreement behind that person or when it's not face to face like on online? Also, why you always have the same facial expression on your thumbnail?

[@BokehTherapy]

Thumbnails are about packaging? Haha my face is my face, not sure why it looks the way it does. I don’t have a problem with disagreeing with people online, every piece of feedback is helpful even when it is negative.

[@NetvoTV]

@@BokehTherapy I see, I just feel like you could express different emotion on your thumbnail each time maybe but depend on your direction! Oh no, I actually mean in real life, not online, I mean do you think you most likely won't disagree with people straight to their face in real life and will more likely to say disagreement to them when it's online or behind them?

[@BokehTherapy]

Thumbnails are mostly about curiousity and consistency. Different expressions may make a difference but I just want people to know it’s my video. I don’t think I am the right person to give advice on how to navigate online or in person arguments, I am still learning just like everyone else!

[@NetvoTV]

@@BokehTherapy i see, it's a branding you want to be consistent for your audience to see then! Oh okay, I just try to see pattern in human appearance and their action, I can see some, but still discovering, for this I just try to see if there is another example of certain looks that will have a personality of not really like to disagree or have strong opinion toward the person you are talking to and more likely to say it in less straight to the face situation like behind that person and online, but is ok, tanks for your sharing!

[@CareyMoulton]

there is a pancake 50mm f1.8, designed only for Japan with 0.45cm close focus, 1001 nights suggests it has a flat field and low distortion. The AIS35mm f1.4 surprised with with it's sharpness at f1.4, and is dead easy to use with focus peaking,

[@BokehTherapy]

Thanks for the suggestion Carey - what an amazing catalogue of choices. Might have to go and visit some vintage stores next time I am in Japan

[@macmac6479]

Why do we keep shooting? We scientists/doctors need a creative outlet, we need some meditative soul-feeding activity-this is the best I have found. Maybe playing speed chess or listening to (quality) music comes close.

[@BokehTherapy]

Haha I was never good at chess, let alone a sped up version. Many of my colleagues are into painting and sculpting too, but can’t beat photography for me!

[@paulf3353]

looks great, but all this clutter in viewfinder is soo distracting....

[@BokehTherapy]

You can minimise what’s shown I think - not as minimal as an OVF of course. Thanks for watching!

[@What_Other_Hobbies]

All photos were shot with Mamiya 645 80/1.9 with 0.71x focal reducer on Zf, all manual focus, very happy with it. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mIKvo2WwgrNnhaMsi=CL-6YPnvOSGf5PwF

[@BokehTherapy]

Whoa mamiya lenses on the Zf! Sounds awesome, photos look great

[@Frank701129]

作品不怎麼樣，但就是很會理論的POSER

[@BokehTherapy]

Haha amazing. Your comment is nothing special and not very well reasoned. Better luck next time.

[@cryptobyt2403]

No. Nikon lacking manual focus assist like fuji.

[@BokehTherapy]

Fuji has some great assist tools as well - I’ve found the offset focus window to the side in the XT line is not as handy as manual focus subject detection for staying in the moment. Thanks for watching!

[@TabasumMahajabin]

Gonzalez Betty Jones Kevin Wilson Maria

[@BokehTherapy]

Thanks for watching

[@louiscyphre2555]

buy a Z Mount Voigt...problem solved lol

[@BokehTherapy]

Apparently trap focus doesn’t work too well on the chipped voigt Z lenses - think everything else works Ok?

[@CocoKoi321]

Manual focus smells bad

[@BokehTherapy]

Haha sure thing. Whatever works for you

[@cyrilhamel8289]

Sorry, but ergonomy is appalling!! What's the sense in making a camera with wheels controls, if you can't control the camera with the wheels??... 🤔 So, since it's so badly designed, they had to keep a PASM knob! 🤦🏻 Dumb camera. And God knows if I was dreaming when it was first rumored...

[@BokehTherapy]

Not every camera has to be for everyone - the Z6III has great ergonomics but loses that retro touch. Hope you find the best camera for your workflow, happy shooting!

[@Project_2501]

Too much blah, too many narcissist shots of yourself holding the camera instead of showing us actual photos you took with the Nikon in conjunction with the Voigtlander optics. Thumbs down.

[@BokehTherapy]

Hahaha “too much blah”. Just found the new working title for this channel

[@FfortheT]

@@BokehTherapy ignore him, you're doing a good job. I am following channels with a personality.