NikonGear'23
Gear Talk => Lens Talk => Topic started by: Michael Erlewine on December 08, 2023, 01:51:45
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This has become one of my workhorses, the Nikon Z 105 MC S.
This one today.
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Wow -- the level of detail is really impressive, but the way it renders is also incredible.
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At last Nikon delivered a Micro-Nikkor that is excellent, and we can bear over with the concomitant lack of the 'Micro-Nikkor' designation :( The 105/2.8 MC is -- by Z world standards -- inexpensive and has near APO qualities. Bokeh is smooth and pleasing as well.
However, the fly in the ointment is the lack of a tripod support. Maybe not an issue when the lens is combined with the heavy Z9, but definitively an issue for the lighter models. There is a quite well built third-party alternative by 'iShoot', but it only provides support for the lens + camera in landscape mode. Or does it? Intrepid action for a few minutes with a Dremel and voilá, the lens now can rotate within the tripod collar. As evidence, see below with the 105 MC on my Zf. (I also took the liberty of replacing the bulky lens hood with a shorter one, as the stock version blocks light for close-up due to the shortening of the working distance as one focuses closer).
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Yes, I have one of those rotating collars and tried it out. Too much trouble, IMO. I am so used to switching verticle to horozontal and back, that it's no bother for me. I stopped using it.
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I've used an iShoot collar on my 300mm PF for some time.
It's worked well and I haven't had any problems
Worth checking the knurled knob that allows locking or release of rotation from time to time.
Though maybe more important for me, where the camera is actually being supported by the carrying strap attached to the iShoot "foot" (balance works best for me and leaves the rig ready for shooting - I use a Black Rapid shoulder strap and this makes walking about with the 300mm & D500 very comfortable)
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Do note the iShoot tripod collar does NOT rotate on the 105 MC -- unless you modify the collar itself.
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I've used an iShoot collar on my 300mm PF for some time.
It's worked well and I haven't had any problems
Worth checking the knurled knob that allows locking or release of rotation from time to time.
Though maybe more important for me, where the camera is actually being supported by the carrying strap attached to the iShoot "foot" (balance works best for me and leave the rig ready for shooting - I use a Black Rapid shoulder strap and this makes walking about with the 300mm & D500 very comfortable)
Some iShoot colooars are designed with the cut-out to avoid the interference of the switche(s) on the lens. When such a collar is rotated in either direction, the edges of the cut-out will hit the switch.
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Yes. That is when it is required to bring in the Dremel :)
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iShoot has taken my feedback to improve their products before. I use their circular Arca-swiss clamps for my optics setup exclusively due to how versatile, well-made and cheap it is. An equivalent from Thorlabs will not only be inferior, it will cost around three times more with the addition of some 20-paged abomination form I might have to fill out. If I recall correctly, the small company iShoot is ran by a bloke who started as a photography enthusiast.
If I do purchase this lens after seeing what Nikon has to offer for their Z6-iii, I will try and ask them to improve the collar.