NIKKOR -Q NIPPON KOGAKU 135mm F 2.8 on DX

<p>I've been offered some old primes and wondered if anyone uses the above lens on a D5100 DX?<br>

They've also got a NIKKOR -Q 200mm F4.....same question!<br /> <br /> Both have clear glass, no fungus and the aperture seems snappy and the focus smooth.</p>

<p>I intend using them on a tripod at ~f5.6/8</p>

<p>I have the 135 and like it on my D300 and D4. It has it's own kind of look but wide open. Stopped down to f/5. or f/8 it is going to look pretty much like any other lens.</p>

<p>The D5100 has no Index coupler, so you should be abelto savely mount most pre-ai lenses too. You just will have no metering and ofcourese manual focussing with those two lenses..</p>

<p>I haw 3, and using, 2 of the Q & QC 200/4 Nikon factory AI ed, and the 135/2.8 AI ed lenses and compared with the recently acquired new, AF-S 70-200/4 VR zoom at 200mm, and they are as sharp as the new 1300.00 plus dollar zoom. Actually I like the Nikon Nikkor-QC 200/4 the best of all of those lenses. Manual focusing never was a problem for me, and I'm a 75 year young guy. I never trained my eyes to be lazy. The difference between the Nikon Q and the QC, the QC, producing a little warmer images. Still very sharp. So is the Nikon Q 135/2.8 lens. All the images in Namibia, (PN) lions etc., and portrait was shot, with the QC 200/4 AI, full frame D3s. On DX, it mast work even better.</p>

<p>Everything I know about Nikon and older lens compatibility I learned at the <strong>Nikonians®</strong> site:</p>

<p>http://www.nikonians.org/reviews?alias=nikon-slr-camera-and-lens-compatibility</p>

<p>Be sure to read the footnotes too. You will note that the site says non-AI lenses should not be mounted on a D5100. Unless the Nikkor Q lens has been modified to AI, it is a non-AI lens.</p>

<p>Mount any and all non-AI lenses on AI and later bodies with great caution, and NEVER FORCE IT.<br /> But you knew that, right?<br>

<br /> Oh, the lens(es), by the way, is/are quite good--as are most of the old Nikon F lenses.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Sorry JDM, but that isn't true. The D5100 can mount non-Ai lenses without issue. As can the D40, D60, any of the D3x00 cameras, and any of the D5x00 cameras. Basic rule is, if they don't have an autofocus motor, chances are that they can mount pre-Ai lenses without issue. That hilarious website completely contradicts the wealth of knowledge on the internet, along with Nikon's own site:<br>

https://support.nikonusa.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/16436/~/what-lenses-can-i-use-on-the-nikon-d5300,-d5200,-d5100,-d5000,-d3200,-d3100,<br>

And my personal experience as well. </p>

<p>As far as using them, as long as the scene is static, and you are properly shielding the lens, since uncoated lenses are much more resistant to flare and other artifacts from light directly hitting the lens, you will enjoy it. I use many pre-Ai lenses just for fun on a D3100. Just don't overpay for these old lenses, and ensure that they function well.</p>

<p>Sorry, Ariel, but as I said, my source for everything I know was the Nikonians page cited, if it's wrong, then I'm wrong about <strong>NON</strong>- or <strong>PRE</strong>-AI lenses. Actually, I've found that "hilarious" website very helpful over the years. I looked but could only find AI and later listed on the <a href="https://support.nikonusa.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/16436/~/what-lenses-can-i-use-on-the-nikon-d5300,-d5200,-d5100,-d5000,-d3200,-d3100,">website</a> you linked to. Can you point it out to me, I'd really like to know what the story is?</p>

<p>I'm afraid I use such lenses these days on my Canon EOS and FD cameras where they meter perfectly in aperture-priority mode. I appreciate the low prices of these lenses and have steadily added 'new' (to me) non-AI lenses. I also use them on my F2 and older cameras. I know they don't fit on the automatic focus Nikons that I do have (e.g., <a href="/modern-film-cameras-forum/00al2w">link</a>).</p>

<p>I checked Ariel's link and found this:</p>

<blockquote>

<p align="center">Incompatible Accessories and Non-CPU lenses<br>

The following accessories and non-CPU lenses can not be used with the cameras listed above:</p>

<ul>

<li>TC-16AS AF teleconvertor</li>

<li>Non-AI lenses</li>

<li>...</li>

</ul>

</blockquote>

<p>I've always heard the low end Nikons (w/o screwdriver AF motor) could safely mount pre-ai lenses.</p>

<p>Chip, Thanks, I found it at the bottom. My old PC-Nikkor won't work either, according to Nikon.:(</p>

<p>I did some Googling after my last post, and there are lots of claims of the "low-end" Nikons, but definitely not the "top end" post-screw Nikons taking the <strong>non</strong>-AI lenses. On the other hand, there are also claims that the clouds you see in the sky are intelligent beings called <a href="http://educate-yourself.org/cn/sylphandchemtrailindex.shtml">sylphs</a>....</p>

<p>Does she or doesn't she? Enquiring minds want to know.</p>

<p>Thanks everyone for the great info.</p>

<p>I've got the 200mm Q for a small sum and shall consider the 135mm soon.</p>

<p>I'll let you all know the outcome!</p>

<p>I'd never come across the Shift/PC lens issues, most curious as to WHY? Maybe it's possible to shift something inside too close to something else, mirror maybe?</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Shift/PC lens issues</p>

</blockquote>

<p>That's one I've never figured out either, the thing is stop down and so on regardless, so you'd think it would work on anything. </p>

<p>Congratulations on the lens, but, as I said, just be careful when mounting it on anything new. </p>

<p>I use non-AI lenses on my converted D5100 for UV photography, in particular the 45mm/2.8 GN. I've also put a number of other non-AI lenses on this camera since the older lenses are more likely to let through some UV. I've had no problems with lens mounting or removal, or any damage to the lenses or camera.</p>

<blockquote>

<p> the Shift/PC lens issues</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Some of those cause problems using tilt because they hit the protuding mirror box of some camera moddels<br>

There are also some pre-ai lenses and rings which have a thicker mount which can hit contacts inside of the camera it seems . I'm not sure about which ones...<br>

Rings like the BR-2 got a Br-2a version which has a thinner mount so it might be wise to check the individual lenses before mounting them...</p>

 

<p>The only issue I'm aware of with unmodified pre-Ai and some early PC-Nikkors is that their aperture ring extends too far back and can collide with the Ai coupler tab on many Nikon bodies. However the D5100 doesn't have a coupler tab to collide with! The smaller DX mirror also appears to be set further back into the body than with any full-frame camera, while the position of CPU contacts needs to be consistent across all of Nikon's bodies. So I'm at a complete loss to understand Nikon's blanket statement of incompatibility with non-Ai lenses.</p>

<p>The following riders applying to PC-E Nikkors on P197 of the D5100 manual -</p>

<p align="LEFT">"3 Can not be used with shifting or tilting.</p>

<p align="LEFT">4 The camera’s exposure metering and flash control systems may not function as expected when the lens is shifted and/or tilted or an aperture other than the maximum aperture is used."<br /> - don't even make sense. Either the lenses <em>can</em> be shifted and the usual metering procedure applies, or they <em>can't</em> be shifted and the advice about metering and flash is totally irrelevant. Unless they mean the distance between lens mount and prism overhang precludes rise, but that shouldn't prevent sideways shift, or indeed using lens fall and turning the camera upside down to get rise.</p>

<p>Did anyone at Nikon actually try using any of the "banned" lenses on a D5100?</p>