NIKON possibilities

mrtoad

mrtoad

Suspended / Banned
Messages
18,182
Name
Geof
Edit My Images
Yes
a chance chat with a fellow cce window shopper
a nikon digital body will take AI lenses from the 35mm era
all you lose is the auto focus

true or false:cool:
 
That is true but it is from the d200 up iirc. enter FITP or puddleduck to correct me:D
 
Depends what body you use them on. As Davec223 says, on the D200 upwards, they will still meter too, they just become manual focus.

You can still fit them on any other Nikon F-mount D/SLR but they will have to be manually metered as well as manually focused. Pretty neat, huh? :D

It's the Pre-AI you might want to give a miss. They may damage your camera. As long as you get the AI/AIS you'll be fine.

http://www.nikonians.org/nikon/slr-lens.html
 
I have a 50mm AI-E (i think) on my D60, cost me £45.

Lovely lens but I have to meter and focus manually which isn't very easy without a light meter. But, trial and error and you start to learn how to get the settings correct!
 
I knew I had forgotten to put something in the post. DOH
 
Harvey_nikon said:
I have a 50mm AI-E (i think) on my D60, cost me £45.

Lovely lens but I have to meter and focus manually which isn't very easy without a light meter. But, trial and error and you start to learn how to get the settings correct!
Click to expand...

Is it really worth the effort when you could get a second hand AF-D 50mm f/1.8 for peanuts?

I can understand for stuff that's exotic, or where the modern equivalent is prohibitively expensive. The best examples I can think of are the old super teles—you can pick up a 500mm f/4 AI-S for like 15–20% of the price of its modern equivalent, which is pretty impressive.

But for a cheapie old normal lens, and an E series at that? What's the point?

Edit: I guess you're going to be focusing manually on the D60 anyway, so that's perhaps one less advantage, but still—to live without metering doesn't seem worth it for the money saved IMO
 
I got the lens because at the time there wasn't a single 50mm second hand that was below £80 and I just didn't have the cash.

Also, we could all let the camera and lens tell us the correct metering etc, however, I've learnt a lot from having to do it all myself. I am relying on knowledge and the on camera graph to get the exposure correct.

Same Robmiller from OCUK?
 
lots of thanks guys
its very interesting since i used ais nikon lenses and now see i should have kept some of them
especially the 105 with hood
as for metering...that would be a little problem as i no longer have a meter...

its a thought for the future and i thank you all again
cheers
geof
 
mrcrow said:
a chance chat with a fellow cce window shopper
a nikon digital body will take AI lenses from the 35mm era
all you lose is the auto focus

true or false:cool:
Click to expand...

i'm trying to work out why the autofocus suddenly stops working ,,,anyone enlighten me please ??
and how is ai connected to af ??
 
i'm trying to work out why the autofocus suddenly stops working ,,,anyone enlighten me please ??
and how is ai connected to af ??
Click to expand...

The autofocus stops working because these old manual lenses simply don't have the capability.

af is auto focus and came in in 1986

ai is automatic indexing, came in in 1977, and refers to the way the lens mounts on the camera. See the links posted above for a better explination.
 
Burgers said:
The autofocus stops working because these old manual lenses simply don't have the capability.

af is auto focus and came in in 1986

ai is automatic indexing, came in in 1977, and refers to the way the lens mounts on the camera. See the links posted above for a better explination.
Click to expand...

thanks burgers...i only used AI and AIs nikkors on manual bodies although i had a body with the ratchet settings for coupling..used the prong
even so i cant explain any compatibility except the bayonet must be a universal F which holds two pieces of metal together
 
so going on the op ,you dont actually lose the autofocus because you never had it in the first place ( manual lens wasnt mentioned )
 
mrcrow said:
a chance chat with a fellow cce window shopper
a nikon digital body will take AI lenses from the 35mm era
all you lose is the auto focus..if using them as opposed to the modern lenses which have autofocus and work really well except they cost a lot and the manual ones may be a less expensive alternative
true or false:cool:
Click to expand...

good by nits:D
 
Can't you chip AI lenses to meter on <D200 bodies, or am I getting it confused with chipping pre-AI lenses to get them to work on >=D200 bodies?
 
Nikon have kept the same basic lens mount for decades so pretty well anything will fit.

BUT - Focusing
A manual lens will never autofocus

AF ones may or may not work. Originally, Nikon didn't use motors in the lenses but had a drive (7 o'clock on the lens mount) that turned the focus on the lens. Newer bodies and lenses have electronic connectors, though some have both.

Exposure
The oldest nikon bodies have a prong on the body which engages a slot on the lens. (AI) Some newer Nikon bodies (usually the higher spec ones) have a small spring loaded lever at 1 o'clock which engages with a raised area on the lens mount. Both of these transmit aperture data to the body.

Some cheaper bodies don't have this facility and you loos nearly all control. In film days I bought a s/h F401 to partner my F801 and returned it as my old lenses simply didn't work. I got an F501 instead - that was OK. The F401 and many of the 'lesser' DSLRs only have electronic connectors and only lenses with the up to matching ones work.

My old Fuji S2 pro (read D70) would take manual lenses but gave no metering whatsoever where the same lenses work perfectly (A & M modes) on my D300.

It's a bit of a nightmare on what works with what but on D200 and up most stuff will work to some extent.

HTH
 
Ai/Ais lenses will be a straight fit for a Nikon, but they can also be used on any other DSLR if used with an adaptor.

I use manual lenses on my E-520 and they generally meter very well but some lenses will not be perfectly accurate so you need to get used to their little ways.

Got a Ais 105mm f2.5 arriving soon, should be a cracker!
 
bronwydd said:
Nikon have kept the same basic lens mount for decades so pretty well anything will fit.

HTH
Click to expand...

pre ai ones ( pre 1977 ish ) wont fit as the notch that makes them ai hasnt been cut out

( as you went on to say a bit further down )
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top