When I got my D300 and the Tamron 17-50/2.8 VC back from repair, I was really awed by the raw speed of focusing and the enormous precision of the autofocus.
Try that one time: use manual focus for a few days, and preferrably do that with a manual focus lens. I have two of them now, the 50/1.2 and the 24/2.8, and both feel so enormously better when focusing than any modern AF lens, it’s a pleasure to use them. Try using such lenses for a few days, then switch to a decent AF lens and feel the awe 😄
But then, oh my, am I slow focusing manually! On the other hand, this is part of the appeal of these lenses. They slow me down. I wouldn’t use them for action, but for subjects like today’s, there is nothing wrong with them.
The Song of the Day is “Cool Disposition” by Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup. Hear it on YouTube.