Manual Lenses on Digital Cameras

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

"carrigman" <carrigman@deathtospammershotmail.com> wrote in
news 7dbkr$66v$1@reader01.news.esat.net:

> I have a collection of Nikkor manual lenses and am wondering how
> practical it is to use them on a D70s or any other Nikon digital . I
> appreciate that I would not have any camera metering facility but
> other than that are there any other issues?

You would actually be better off with a Canon D-SLR and an adapter plate.
You would then be able to use the cameras metering.

Ignoring metering there is no reason you couldn't use the old manual lenses
on any new Nikon D-SLR. You would need to use the camera in M mode and
guess the exposure settings, but you could use the image review with
histogram on the LCD to check you exposure settings then adjust and try
again.

Unfortunately you don’t get very good focusing screens in the viewfinders
of most D-SLRs (unless you go for a Canon 1D series model, which all
feature interchangeable focus screens).

The Canon 1D or 1Ds 2nd hand or the 1DMkII or 1DsMkII would work well with
an adapter plate and a better focus screen (maybe split prism).
Unfortunately you are unlikely to find any of these going cheap, though a
2nd hand 1D might not be too badly priced.




--
Mark Heyes (New Zealand)
See my pics at www.gigatech.co.nz (last updated 3-May-05)
"There are 10 types of people, those that
understand binary and those that don't"

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

In article <d7dbkr$66v$1@reader01.news.esat.net>,
carrigman <carrigman@deathtospammershotmail.com> wrote:
>I have a collection of Nikkor manual lenses and am wondering how practical
>it is to use them on a D70s or any other Nikon digital . I appreciate that I
>would not have any camera metering facility but other than that are there
>any other issues?

At least one other -- depending on how old the lens is.

It must at least have the AI aperture ring, with projections and
areas removed. Otherwise, it will bind on the lever which senses
whether the lens is properly set to the minimum aperture (for the D70),
or the other lever which tells other cameras (the N90s is one which I
know, but some of the other Nikon DSLRs may be similar). Almost all
lenses have these notches in the aperture ring -- but really old ones,
for the Nikon F will not have it. If the lens has the "half-moon" clip
to couple to the Nikon F Photomic finders, it is quite likely to not
have the AI aperture ring -- though some do appear to have both,
including a few of mine.

Aside from that -- there are some lenses which are mechanically
incompatible with the D70 in other ways.

Some of the early Fisheye lenses project far enough back into
the body so they will not mount without a provision to lock the mirror
up. The Nikon F had this, but quite a few later cameras do not --
including the above-mentioned N90s film camera.

Other lenses which have potential problems are some of the PC
(Perspective Correction) lenses. I don't have one of these to check,
but I suspect that the offset of the lens may cause interference with
the contacts which talk to the lens' CPU if it is so fitted.

Look in your D70 manual and you should see a fairly short list
of lenses which will *not* work, and a few others which require an
accessory -- such as the 200mm Medical Nikkor, with the built in ring
flash, which requires an adaptor on the D70 to provide it with a PC
flash sync terminal. (The AS-15 is the adaptor in question.)

There may be yet others with problems, but I don't know them.

I would expect that large telephoto lenses (and Nikon made a lot
of these through the years) would not do well with the polycarbonate
body of the D70 if the camera were mounted on the tripod and all of that
long weight of lens were left hanging on it for a while. (But most
lenses with such problems have their own tripod socket, thus allowing
the heavier lens to support the lighter camera body.

Enjoy,
DoN.

--
Email: <dnichols@d-and-d.com> | Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564
(too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html
--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

MarkH <markat@atdot.dot.dot> wrote:

>"carrigman" <carrigman@deathtospammershotmail.com> wrote in
>news 7dbkr$66v$1@reader01.news.esat.net:
>
>> I have a collection of Nikkor manual lenses and am wondering how
>> practical it is to use them on a D70s or any other Nikon digital . I
>> appreciate that I would not have any camera metering facility but
>> other than that are there any other issues?
>
>You would actually be better off with a Canon D-SLR and an adapter plate.
>You would then be able to use the cameras metering.


It is truly sad that pre-AF Nikkors work so much better on a Canon EOS
body than on a consumer grade Nikon AF body.

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

In article <Wdrme.26747$Yr4.17701@fe07.news.easynews.com>,
MarkH <markat@atdot.dot.dot> wrote:
>Unfortunately you are unlikely to find any of these going cheap, though a
>2nd hand 1D might not be too badly priced.

I don't know what you have to pay for a 2nd hand 1D, but I noticed that a
2nd hand D1X becomes more or less affordable.

I have a D1, which is a great camera and works very well with manual focus
Nikkors. It just that the sensor is quite dated.


--
That was it. Done. The faulty Monk was turned out into the desert where it
could believe what it liked, including the idea that it had been hard done
by. It was allowed to keep its horse, since horses were so cheap to make.
-- Douglas Adams in Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

carrigman <carrigman@deathtospammershotmail.com> wrote:

> I have a collection of Nikkor manual lenses and am wondering how practical
> it is to use them on a D70s or any other Nikon digital . I appreciate that I
> would not have any camera metering facility but other than that are there
> any other issues?

On a D70, you can use any AI or AIS manual lens that doesn't need the mirror
locked up to mount it (the manual has a list of ones that won't work), but
you will lose the light meter. Also, the D70's viewfinder is not well
suited to manually focusing, though you can use the AF system's rangefinder
to help (you'll get the green dot when the AF system thinks focus is
achieved).

On a pro-level body like the D2x, you can meter, and the viewfinder is
worlds better, so it becomes a whole lot more practical.

Non-AI lenses (the really ancient ones) cannot be used.

--
Jeremy | jeremy@exit109.com

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

carrigman wrote:

> I have a collection of Nikkor manual lenses and am wondering how practical
> it is to use them on a D70s or any other Nikon digital . I appreciate that I
> would not have any camera metering facility but other than that are there
> any other issues?
>
> Regards,
>
> Carrigman
>

If you consider that not having any TTL metering is practical, then in
*most* cases no problem. But there is a list of AI lenses in the D70
handbook that cannot be used with a D70. I believe that you can
download a manual in PDF form if you need to check this out.
A D2x will provide TTL metering with AI MF lenses. I expect that there
will also be a list of lenses that cannot be used (same ones?) - as the
mirror mechanism would hit the back of the lens.

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

On Mon, 30 May 2005 10:10:23 +1200, Frederick
<nomailplease@nomail.com> wrote:

>carrigman wrote:
>
>> I have a collection of Nikkor manual lenses and am wondering how practical
>> it is to use them on a D70s or any other Nikon digital . I appreciate that I
>> would not have any camera metering facility but other than that are there
>> any other issues?
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Carrigman
>>
>
>If you consider that not having any TTL metering is practical, then in
>*most* cases no problem. But there is a list of AI lenses in the D70
>handbook that cannot be used with a D70. I believe that you can
>download a manual in PDF form if you need to check this out.
>A D2x will provide TTL metering with AI MF lenses. I expect that there
>will also be a list of lenses that cannot be used (same ones?) - as the
>mirror mechanism would hit the back of the lens.

How about for a D2x?

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

In article <119lc4lbqadg651@corp.supernews.com>,
Jeremy Nixon <jeremy@exit109.com> wrote:
>carrigman <carrigman@deathtospammershotmail.com> wrote:
>
>> I have a collection of Nikkor manual lenses and am wondering how practical
>> it is to use them on a D70s or any other Nikon digital . I appreciate that I
>> would not have any camera metering facility but other than that are there
>> any other issues?
>
>On a D70, you can use any AI or AIS manual lens that doesn't need the mirror
>locked up to mount it (the manual has a list of ones that won't work), but
>you will lose the light meter. Also, the D70's viewfinder is not well
>suited to manually focusing, though you can use the AF system's rangefinder
>to help (you'll get the green dot when the AF system thinks focus is
>achieved).

A pity that they did not retain the focus direction indicators
which the N90s has -- a pair of triangles (as arrows) to tell which
direction to rotate the focus ring to approach focus. But in general,
the viewfinder is sufficient for that, at least -- just with the
possibility of starting to focus in the wrong direction.

>On a pro-level body like the D2x, you can meter, and the viewfinder is
>worlds better, so it becomes a whole lot more practical.
>
>Non-AI lenses (the really ancient ones) cannot be used.

Though for some of those, there are still replacement aperture
rings available to allow it to couple to the AI sensor(s) on the camera
body.

And, for some lenses which I have, I am tempted to machine the
notches into the existing aperture ring, since I will be shooting
manually anyway, it does not matter whether the coupling to the body
metering is accurate, as long as it lets the lens mount to the camera
body. (The one on which I am most likely to do this is a 300mm f4.5,
which is old enough to not match the serial number range for which the
ring is available.) I'm tempted to order the ring for the later ones,
and see whether it can be fit on anyway.

But -- if I do machine the rings, I intend to make a fixture for
laying out the rings to make sure that the rings are as accurate as I
can manage, at least. (It helps to have a fairly well-equipped machine
shop in what used to be the garage. :-)

Enjoy,
DoN.
--
Email: <dnichols@d-and-d.com> | Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564
(too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html
--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

"Father Kodak" <dont_bother@IDontCare.COM> wrote in message
news:jlcl91tb1b2c6vosfgch2ftn3f3om4u0se@4ax.com...
> On Mon, 30 May 2005 10:10:23 +1200, Frederick
> <nomailplease@nomail.com> wrote:
>
>>carrigman wrote:
>>
>>> I have a collection of Nikkor manual lenses and am wondering how
>>> practical
>>> it is to use them on a D70s or any other Nikon digital . I appreciate
>>> that I
>>> would not have any camera metering facility but other than that are
>>> there
>>> any other issues?
>>>
>>> Regards,
>>>
>>> Carrigman
>>>
>>
>>If you consider that not having any TTL metering is practical, then in
>>*most* cases no problem. But there is a list of AI lenses in the D70
>>handbook that cannot be used with a D70. I believe that you can
>>download a manual in PDF form if you need to check this out.
>>A D2x will provide TTL metering with AI MF lenses. I expect that there
>>will also be a list of lenses that cannot be used (same ones?) - as the
>>mirror mechanism would hit the back of the lens.
>
> How about for a D2x?
>

The D2 bodies also have a list of lenses which cannot be used. D2H, D2X and
D2Hs should use the same list as none have the ability to mechanically lock
the mirror up out of the way, shoot the picture, then lower the mirror.
They have mirror lock-up for reducing vibration, but not for using excessive
rear projecting lenses.
The D2 series will also meter with any MF lens that will engage the mount
properly (i.e. not interfere with the aperture-sensing ring surrounding the
mount opening).
Bob

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

On Mon, 30 May 2005 06:20:05 -0000, Jeremy Nixon <jeremy@exit109.com>
wrote:

>carrigman <carrigman@deathtospammershotmail.com> wrote:
>
>> I have a collection of Nikkor manual lenses and am wondering how practical
>> it is to use them on a D70s or any other Nikon digital . I appreciate that I
>> would not have any camera metering facility but other than that are there
>> any other issues?
>
>On a D70, you can use any AI or AIS manual lens that doesn't need the mirror
>locked up to mount it (the manual has a list of ones that won't work), but
>you will lose the light meter. Also, the D70's viewfinder is not well
>suited to manually focusing, though you can use the AF system's rangefinder
>to help (you'll get the green dot when the AF system thinks focus is
>achieved).
>
>On a pro-level body like the D2x, you can meter, and the viewfinder is
>worlds better, so it becomes a whole lot more practical.
>
>Non-AI lenses (the really ancient ones) cannot be used.

There is a guy who does AI conversions at a very reasonable price.
www.aiconversions.com. He doesn't use a replacement aperture control
ring. He actually uses machine tools to cut away some material from
the aperture control ring already on the lens to get the desired
result. This site has lots of good compatibility info as well.

Not affiliated in any way with this site. I haven't been a customer
(yet) because I had all my Nikkor lenses AI-ed by Nikon back in 1977,
when Nikon first introduced AI.

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

On Mon, 30 May 2005 06:20:05 -0000, Jeremy Nixon <jeremy@exit109.com>
wrote:

>carrigman <carrigman@deathtospammershotmail.com> wrote:
>

>
>On a pro-level body like the D2x, you can meter, and the viewfinder is
>worlds better, so it becomes a whole lot more practical.

I read somewhere that the original AI lenses work differently than the
AIS lenses. The important point was that some electronic film and
some/all?? digital bodies use "command dials" to set lens aperture.
This approach supposedly works OK with AIS lenses but not AI lenses.

On my N90s, I have no problem with my AI lenses. If I am in P or S
mode and mount an AI lens, the camera shifts automagically to A mode.
Does the D2x work this way?
>
>Non-AI lenses (the really ancient ones) cannot be used.

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

Father Kodak <dont_bother@IDontCare.COM> wrote:

> I read somewhere that the original AI lenses work differently than the
> AIS lenses. The important point was that some electronic film and
> some/all?? digital bodies use "command dials" to set lens aperture.
> This approach supposedly works OK with AIS lenses but not AI lenses.

I don't think that's correct; someone will correct me if I'm out of my
depth here, but I don't think there is any difference at all on any
current Nikon body between AI and AIS lenses. You set the aperture
with the aperture ring.

> On my N90s, I have no problem with my AI lenses. If I am in P or S
> mode and mount an AI lens, the camera shifts automagically to A mode.
> Does the D2x work this way?

Yes, P and S modes are not available, a fact I generally forget to
mention since I only ever use A and M anyway. The camera cannot set
the lens aperture.

The manual lenses that can have the aperture set by the camera are
the later "AI-P" lenses. I've never used one of those, but I assume
they work the same as the autofocus lenses, where you lock the aperture
at the minimum value to enable automatic operation. These are CPU
lenses.

--
Jeremy | jeremy@exit109.com