Jonathan F. said:
I'm just wondering what's so impressive about the 45mm 'pancake' lens? I'm just wondering what makes it better than the 50mm f/1.8 at 3 times the cost, with no AF? Is it that much sharper? Not trying to doubt the performance, I'm just curious! Thanks for any convincing other-wise!
Jonathan :
Sensei Ron (or "Ron Sensei" if you prefer the other usage) has extolled this lens for some time. I had the opportunity a bit back to shoot maybe fifty photos with it (not Ron's), and I can see why. It's small, focuses easily, and gives crystalline results. I generally find Ron's comments on lens are eminently fair, and he doesn't praise a lens without very good reason.
In a sense, if you need a "lens of opportunity" to shoot quickly, this one has a lot of advantages. It's also pretty robust for those moments when you want to have a body and lens ready to
yank out of the bag to shoot - something we can't always say about other lenses.
Like Paul, I miss the split focusing screens of yore, and that's been a prime reason (pun intended) for me to wait on getting this lens. I find that my manual focus with the D100 isn't always what I want it to be, frankly. I've toyed with replacing the focusing screen in my body, but I haven't done this.
I'm told it works a dream with the better viewfinder on the D2H.
I'd recommend borrowing one and shooting with it to make your own determination.
John P.