Nikon FM2 Questions

I just bought a used Nikon FM2 and I was wondering what sort of

lenses it uses. I keep seeing AIS lenses and non AIS lenses, and I am

sort of confused what all this means. Can someone please help.

 

 

Thanks

All AI lenses, which includes all AI-S lenses, which includes all AF, CPU, and series E lenses. There are a few exceptions for rare or unusual lenses. Do not even try to attach a non-AI lens. It could damage lens or camera connections at the mount.

Non-AI lenses can be modified inexpensively; some lenses, known as AI'd, have already been modified. See http://www.aiconversions.com for information.

<ol>

<li>You'll probably do well to do a bit of research, a good place to start is <a href="http://www.nikonlinks.com/">Nikonlinks.com</a>

<li>The shortest answer is that most manual and autofocus Nikon lenses made since the late '70s will work on your camera.

<li>Among new (AF) lenses the exception is lenses with a 'G' in their designation. They don't have an aperture ring.

</ol>

Have fun learnig Nikon Lens alphabet soup!

In order roughly of release from Nikon:

 

As mentioned, don't use non-AI (NAI) lenses.

 

AI modified (AI'd) lenses will work.

 

AI lenses will work. I buy these if I can for my FM2, because they are less expensive than the AIS counterparts. As far as I know, the FM2 doesn't offer any additional features (metering or otherwise) with an AIS lens. You'll typically pay 10-30% more for an AIS version of a lens. Since there's no difference for the FM2, I buy the AI version.

 

AIS lenses will work. Some Nikon lenses changed optical formula when they were upgraded from AI to AIS. Many did not. Moose Patterson's Nikon System book is a good source of information for this. I believe the AIS lens is required for Program or Shutter-priority modes for those cameras that support it. So, if you have an N8008, like me, the AIS lens will allow the program and Shutter-priority mode. An AI lens will not. Only aperature priority (or manual) can be run with AI. (Somebody correct me if I'm forgetting something).

 

The very few special AF lenses made for the F3 AF model... will not work. They're fairly unusual and well marked as "for the F3 AF only".

 

All AF (D and non-D), except the G (doesn't have the aperature ring) will work. The AF lenses are in fact AIS. I use AF lenses on my FM2 all the time. I like the feel of manual focusing on a manual lens much better, but the AF lenses work fine on the FM2.

 

Again, I think the older AI lenses are a great bargain. And you can buy them for the FM2 without worrying that you're missing out on any features that the AIS or AF might be offering. Just remember that the latest versions of consumer grade SLRs from Nikon are NOT metering these lenses anymore. So, if you're thinking of a AF body for the future, you'll have to buy an older AF body or a newer pro version in order to meter with them.

Patrick: The AIS feature does NOT allow shutter-preferred or program

modes with the N8008 or subsequent N-series Nikon bodies, only with

the FA. It was sort of a dead-end since its utility died with that

camera............

Most, if not all, AIS lenses have shorter focus throws than their AI counterparts, if this matters to you either way.

Just as a note; the two lenses for the F3AF (80mm/f2.8 and 200mm/f3.5)

will work on any manual focus body. The only autofocus body they will

work on, besides the F3AF, is the F4. It is not recommended that they

be mounted on any of the other autofocus bodies, and I have never tried

it. I have the 80/2.8 that I got with an F3AF kit I bought on sale back

in about 1988. I bought a standard F3 prism and focusing screen and use

it as a normal F3.

Yes, you can practically use all Nikkor 35mm lenses produced since AI was first introduced back in 1977. The only major exception is the latest AF G lenses that have no aperture ring, and hence there will be no way for you to control the aperture unless you always use it at its minimum setting.

 

From the point of view of an FM2, there is no difference between AI and AI-S lenses, although some lenses are optically and/or mechanically different between their AI and AI-S versions.

Just a minor inconvenience:

in the case of the FM2 the aperture value is transferred optically from the lense to the viewfinder (AI, AI-s, E-series and most AF lenses). There is an inner ring in those lenses, apart from the aperture ring, with the aperture values engraved in, where it is transferred from. May you find a good bargain non-AI lens which can be mounted on the body, you can only stop-down meter with it, and won't see no apertures in the viewfinder.

Actually, new and newer Nikon electronic AF bodies (except pro F-series) can't also visualize aperture values in the viewfinder, when a MF lens is mounted on, as far as I know... so one have to take her/his eyes off the viewfinder to check the lens.

If you get non-AI lenses modified by Nikon, or by better converters like John White (http://www.aiconversions.com), there is an aperture scale to use on the FM2n. You cannot mount unmodified lenses, so this is not an issue with those lenses. Mounting them causes damage to the AI coupling tab.

Hello Jim,

 

thanks for your comment. It definitely looks that removing the 'rabbit-ear' from a non-AI lens -as I thought earlier- is not enough solution, for the fixed metering tab on the camera will block the lens to be mounted anyway...

I'm getting used to the idea that surprisingly cheap (very) old 105/2.5 at my local shop will not be part of my equipment soon.

 

Regards,