Until last week, I hadn't used my Nikon D40X for almost three months. The last time I did was when I took a couple of shots at the Apec Leaders' Meeting held at the Suntec City Convention Hall in November.
I'd actually thought it was the end of my D40X. I was already planning to replace it with a "pro" digital body.
Then I bought a Nikon F3HP film camera on ebay (after one failed attempt) for a good price. Next came the problem of getting lenses to go with it -- because it's an old-school manual focus camera, I can only use it with old-school manual focus lenses.
The first to come was the Nikkor AIS 28mm f2.8, a legendary wide-angle that respected lens reviewer Bjorn Rorslett calls the best ultra-wide-micro-Nikkor, because it can focus as close as around 11cm from the front of the lens.
When I paired the diminutive lens with my tiny D40X (initially just to test for sharpness), it was like pure magic. To begin with, the 28mm is a joy to use, even though it's a manual focus lens. Like all old-school lenses, it's solidly built, with almost all metal parts, and the focus and aperture rings turned oh so smoothly. The combination balances perfectly and fits into any of my bags, including those that I use for work.
It has totally usurped the AFS 60mm f2.8 as my one-lens solution for the D40X. I can bring it anywhere. It's so light that I can barely feel the weight. It is super sharp at f2.8. (I got an excellent copy)
© Lin Zhaowei, 2010.
Meanwhile, the F3HP has arrived, condition just as described. But with the D40X rising from the ashes, I think I'm moving further and further away from film. While I enjoy shooting film, the tediousness of scanning and colour correction has taken almost all the fun out of it. Maybe I'll just use film for B&W from now on. Still got a few rolls of Kodak Ektar 100 to run through though. The F6 looks likely to go, sadly. Maybe even the 85mm f1.4.
© Lin Zhaowei, 2010.
Next lens to buy: A manual focus 50mm f2 or 35mm f2 lens, since the D40X is hogging the 28mm.
Next to sell: F6?
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