manual lenses on D70

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital,aus.photo (More info?)

Ben Thomas <nosp@m.thanks.mate> writes:

> If I put an older manual lens on a Nikon D70, will the in-focus
> indicator (inside the viewfinder) still come on when the subject is in
> focus?

Generally, yes. Possibly with a slow enough lens it won't; but the
manual lenses I use on my Fuji S2 (same rules on which lenses meter
and all, though) are the *fast* ones, so I haven't tested that.
--
David Dyer-Bennet, <mailto d-b@dd-b.net>, <http://www.dd-b.net/dd-b/&gt;
RKBA: <http://noguns-nomoney.com/&gt; <http://www.dd-b.net/carry/&gt;
Pics: <http://dd-b.lighthunters.net/&gt; <http://www.dd-b.net/dd-b/SnapshotAlbum/&gt;
Dragaera/Steven Brust: <http://dragaera.info/&gt;

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital,aus.photo (More info?)

"Ben Thomas" <nosp@m.thanks.mate> wrote in message
news:ar0kg2-jde.ln1@centauri.unico.com.au...
> Hi all,
>
> If I put an older manual lens on a Nikon D70, will the in-focus indicator
> (inside the viewfinder) still come on when the subject is in focus?
Yes provided it is an AI or AI-S lens.
Jim

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital,aus.photo (More info?)

Jim wrote:
> "Ben Thomas" <nosp@m.thanks.mate> wrote in message
> news:ar0kg2-jde.ln1@centauri.unico.com.au...
>
>>Hi all,
>>
>>If I put an older manual lens on a Nikon D70, will the in-focus indicator
>>(inside the viewfinder) still come on when the subject is in focus?
>
> Yes provided it is an AI or AI-S lens.
> Jim
>
>

Thanks Jim. Widens the selection a bit.

The question now is, what is a good AI manual focus lens similar to the AF
80-200 2.8 ED? I'm basically trying to find a cheaper lens that will be just as
fast and sharp. I will buy second hand.

--
Ben Thomas

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital,aus.photo (More info?)

"Ben Thomas" <nosp@m.thanks.mate> wrote in message
news:gr8kg2-mdr.ln1@centauri.unico.com.au...
> Jim wrote:
>> "Ben Thomas" <nosp@m.thanks.mate> wrote in message
>> news:ar0kg2-jde.ln1@centauri.unico.com.au...
>>
>>>Hi all,
>>>
>>>If I put an older manual lens on a Nikon D70, will the in-focus indicator
>>>(inside the viewfinder) still come on when the subject is in focus?
>>
>> Yes provided it is an AI or AI-S lens.
>> Jim
>>
>>
>
> Thanks Jim. Widens the selection a bit.
>
> The question now is, what is a good AI manual focus lens similar to the AF
> 80-200 2.8 ED? I'm basically trying to find a cheaper lens that will be
> just as fast and sharp. I will buy second hand.

The AI 80-200 4.5 is a true classic that still gets good reviews. Not as
fast as you want, but it has one ring for focus and zoom and is still a
great lens. Most are in pretty good shape, and didn't fall apart like the
off-brand copies.
>
> --
> Ben Thomas

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital,aus.photo (More info?)

"Ben Thomas" <nosp@m.thanks.mate> wrote in message
news:gr8kg2-mdr.ln1@centauri.unico.com.au...
> Jim wrote:
> > "Ben Thomas" <nosp@m.thanks.mate> wrote in message
> > news:ar0kg2-jde.ln1@centauri.unico.com.au...
> >
> >>Hi all,
> >>
> >>If I put an older manual lens on a Nikon D70, will the in-focus
indicator
> >>(inside the viewfinder) still come on when the subject is in focus?
> >
> > Yes provided it is an AI or AI-S lens.
> > Jim
> >
> >
>
> Thanks Jim. Widens the selection a bit.
>
> The question now is, what is a good AI manual focus lens similar to the AF
> 80-200 2.8 ED? I'm basically trying to find a cheaper lens that will be
just as
> fast and sharp. I will buy second hand.
That would be the AI-S version of the lens. However, before going out to
spend money, be aware of the limitations of the D70 with respect to non-AF
lenses. While it is correct that the electronic rangefinder works, the D70
will not get exposure information. This can result in extreme frustration.

Jim
>
> --
> Ben Thomas

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital,aus.photo (More info?)

In rec.photo.digital Jim <j.n@nospam.com> wrote:
: That would be the AI-S version of the lens. However, before going out to
: spend money, be aware of the limitations of the D70 with respect to non-AF
: lenses. While it is correct that the electronic rangefinder works, the D70
: will not get exposure information. This can result in extreme frustration.

I've got a friend looking into a Nikon DSLR, so I'd done some research for
him. Apparently one can convert just about *any* of the ancient Nikon lenses to work,
but unless it's AI it won't meter... do I have that correct? My question is what are
the technical reasons why it won't meter? I can understand that it may not know the
min/max aperture ranges on the lens without the right communication in the mount. Is
there some reason why stop-down metering can't be done? (like the Pentax DSLRs with
non-A lenses... )

-Cory

--

*************************************************************************
* Cory Papenfuss *
* Electrical Engineering candidate Ph.D. graduate student *
* Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University *
*************************************************************************

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital,aus.photo (More info?)

Ben .. is your vision stil 60-60 ?  
Knowing that you are a software engineer , its quite rare that you can get
60-60 vision, esp with the tiny viewfinder that D70 has ...
I really advise you to go down and buy an AF lens .. and let the CPU focus
for you.

A friend of mine uses F4 .. and that's fine for him to use MF lenses [large
viewfinder] .... but when he tried an F80 ..
he immediately gives up and put AF lens on.


=bob=


"Ben Thomas" <nosp@m.thanks.mate> wrote in message
news:ar0kg2-jde.ln1@centauri.unico.com.au...
> Hi all,
>
> If I put an older manual lens on a Nikon D70, will the in-focus indicator
> (inside the viewfinder) still come on when the subject is in focus?
>
> Thanks.
>
> --
> Ben Thomas

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital,aus.photo (More info?)

[BnH] wrote:
> Ben .. is your vision stil 60-60 ?  
> Knowing that you are a software engineer , its quite rare that you can get
> 60-60 vision, esp with the tiny viewfinder that D70 has ...
> I really advise you to go down and buy an AF lens .. and let the CPU focus
> for you.
>
> A friend of mine uses F4 .. and that's fine for him to use MF lenses [large
> viewfinder] .... but when he tried an F80 ..
> he immediately gives up and put AF lens on.

Thanks for the advice. I don't think 60/60 vision is required to see the
in-focus indicator light up though.  

--
Ben Thomas

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital,aus.photo (More info?)

ok .. up to you mate.
I am saying that because I had a few prime MF lens ... then when I was using
it on my D1h ...
I think .. "ok .. I give up .. " as to get the In-Focus to lit up .. is much
slower compared when you are
using a MF camera ie FM3A .... manual focusing is much fun in those cam  

But I am still eyeing on the MF 600mm f/ 5.6 up in eBAY now .. I think its a
good lens to shot the moon n some wildlife.
Ken Rockwell said his was re-sell at USD 2k back in 2003 .. I wonder what
it'll fetch now.

=bob=



"Ben Thomas" <nosp@m.thanks.mate> wrote in message
news:48nkg2-4lf.ln1@centauri.unico.com.au...
> [BnH] wrote:

>
> Thanks for the advice. I don't think 60/60 vision is required to see the
> in-focus indicator light up though.  
>
> --
> Ben Thomas

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital,aus.photo (More info?)

<papenfussDIESPAM@juneauDOTmeDOTvt.edu> wrote in message
news 196tg$dr8$1@solaris.cc.vt.edu...
> In rec.photo.digital Jim <j.n@nospam.com> wrote:
> : That would be the AI-S version of the lens. However, before going out
to
> : spend money, be aware of the limitations of the D70 with respect to
non-AF
> : lenses. While it is correct that the electronic rangefinder works, the
D70
> : will not get exposure information. This can result in extreme
frustration.
>
> I've got a friend looking into a Nikon DSLR, so I'd done some research for
> him. Apparently one can convert just about *any* of the ancient Nikon
lenses to work,
> but unless it's AI it won't meter... do I have that correct? My question
is what are
> the technical reasons why it won't meter? I can understand that it may
not know the
> min/max aperture ranges on the lens without the right communication in the
mount. Is
> there some reason why stop-down metering can't be done? (like the Pentax
DSLRs with
> non-A lenses... )
Pre AI lenses which have not been converted (AI'd) can't be mounted without
doing serious damage to the camera, the lens, or both... As for exposure,
it looks to me like Nikon left out the electronics (from the D70) to perform
the task.
Most N series cameras can't do much with the pre-AI lenses either (for the
same reason). The F3 and the F4 can use stop down metering with these
lenses.

Jim

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital,aus.photo (More info?)

I said:
> Pre AI lenses which have not been converted (AI'd) can't be mounted
without
> doing serious damage to the camera, the lens, or both... As for exposure,
> it looks to me like Nikon left out the electronics (from the D70) to
perform
> the task.
I noticed that the D70 does not have the aperature ring which is needed for
exposure setting with AI and AI-S lenses. Therefore, it is mechanically
impossible to perform automatic exposure with the D70 and these lenses. As
the D70 does not have the ring, there can be no interference, thus I suppose
that one could mount a pre-AI lens on it. Somebody else will have to try as
I have no such lenses.
Jim

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital,aus.photo (More info?)

Jim wrote:
> I said:
>
>>Pre AI lenses which have not been converted (AI'd) can't be mounted
>
> without
>
>>doing serious damage to the camera, the lens, or both... As for exposure,
>>it looks to me like Nikon left out the electronics (from the D70) to
>
> perform
>
>>the task.
>
> I noticed that the D70 does not have the aperature ring which is needed for
> exposure setting with AI and AI-S lenses. Therefore, it is mechanically
> impossible to perform automatic exposure with the D70 and these lenses. As
> the D70 does not have the ring, there can be no interference, thus I suppose
> that one could mount a pre-AI lens on it. Somebody else will have to try as
> I have no such lenses.
> Jim
>
>

Yeah, but there's no excuse to disabling the meter -- the only reason
for that is to sell new lenses.

Bob

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital,aus.photo (More info?)

"bob" <not@not.not> wrote in message
news P0_d.51420$%Y4.21406@bignews6.bellsouth.net...
>
> Yeah, but there's no excuse to disabling the meter -- the only reason
> for that is to sell new lenses.
>
> Bob
Not enabling the meter saves quite a few parts and quite an amount of
programming. The camera can be sold for less which is extremely important
these days.
Jim

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital,aus.photo (More info?)

Ben Thomas wrote:

> If I put an older manual lens on a Nikon D70, will the in-focus
> indicator (inside the viewfinder) still come on when the subject is in
> focus?

Manual focus lenses do mount, however you get no metering whatsoever (i
still don't understand why nikon didn't at least leave stop down
aperture priority in - this should require any extra parts / costs).

As for the comment about requiring 60/60 vision to manually focus, this
isn't true. As with most AF cameras, the D70 uses a very bright
focussing screen, which gives more depth of field. This makes it near
impossible to tell if you have accurately focussed on something.

As far as a lens suggestion goes, look out for a 70-210 AF or 70-210
AF-D. These are the push pull type with a rotating front. Both are very
fast, and apparently the D version has very good AF performance
-http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/7021056.htm (i have the non-D
version, which is quite nice)

Cheers,
Phil

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital,aus.photo (More info?)

Phil Cole <phil@urbanoia.net> wrote:

> As with most AF cameras, the D70 uses a very bright
> focussing screen, which gives more depth of field.

Whaaaat?

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital,aus.photo (More info?)

"Bubbabob" <rnorton@_remove_this_thuntek.net> wrote in message
news:Xns96219AF649FB5dilfjelfoiwepofujsdk@216.168.3.30...
> Phil Cole <phil@urbanoia.net> wrote:
>
> > As with most AF cameras, the D70 uses a very bright
> > focussing screen, which gives more depth of field.
>
> Whaaaat?

Odd my Pentax LX screen appears much brighter than my *ist D screen when I
mount the same lenses. Hmmm DOF looks the same, maybe I have been wrong for
36 years when I presumed the f:stop and focal length determined DOF...

 

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital,aus.photo (More info?)

Darrell wrote:

>>>As with most AF cameras, the D70 uses a very bright
>>>focussing screen, which gives more depth of field.
>>
>>Whaaaat?
>
> Odd my Pentax LX screen appears much brighter than my *ist D screen when I
> mount the same lenses. Hmmm DOF looks the same, maybe I have been wrong for
> 36 years when I presumed the f:stop and focal length determined DOF...

Take a closer look, especially when making fine adjustments. Probably
more accurately, as i should have put it, is that the *focussing
screens* on older MF bodies have less DOF (which is basically the same
as what i said, as long as you realise that i was just talking about the
screen, not the lens). Having less depth of field makes it much easier
to manually focus.

Remember that the depth of field (what's considered "in focus") is
largely depends on how much you're enlarging the image.

Phil