Jump to content

Zoom Lens for a Nikon FM


gordon_kwan

Recommended Posts

Hi, My Dad recently gave me his old Nikon FM camera and I'm looking

to buy a zoom lens for the camera. I've been told that most the

Auto Focus zoom lenses (minus the G-series) work fine on the FM body

and since manual lenses seem hard to find I started looking at the

new AF zoom lenses.

 

So far the lens that I've been considering is the Nikkor 70-300/4-

5.6D ED

 

I figure the ED lens is one of the main reasons why the lens is

kinda pricy and I was just wondering if the ED lens has any use /

effect on my FM camera or is it something only the newer AF cameras

take advantage of.

 

I'm also open to any suggestions to other zoom lenses I should

consider.

 

Thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

ED means that the lens uses low dispersion glass. As an optical property, this doesn't

meaningfully interact with your camera body save in the obvious way, and so it

should work on your FM.

<p>

A more important part is actually that the lens have an aperture ring, which the 70-

300/4-5.6D ED does. The 70-300/4-5.6<b>G</b> (note suffix) does not have an

aperture ring, and as a

result won't work on your FM. So don't get this one. Don't get G lenses at all, in fact,

unless you have a body that can use them.

<p>

Other things that won't work on your FM: vibration reduction requires camera

support. Obviously you're not going to get full benefit from AF-S lenses, but they

still function. You derive no benefit from having a D-type lens but it doesn't hurt.

DX lenses are for digital bodies and will not cast a full image circle on your FM.

<p>

Other things that will work with your FM: IF lenses have a special internal focusing

element, which again doesn't interact with the body and so will work. DC (defocus

control) lenses should similarly work, although I don't possess one myself.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Manual lenses feel better (not to mention look better) on a manual camera...I would

stay away from AF lenses till you've tried some MF classics. Such as:

 

50-135mm f3.5

 

75-150mm f3.5 Series E

 

28-85mm variable aperture (built like a rock)

 

All of these should be less expensive than the 70-300 f4-5.6 AF-D and they are

faster and they will last longer and they are beautiful lenses and etcetera etcetera...

 

I personally detest the Nikkor 70-300 f4-5.6 and it may not even be a honest to

goodness Nikkor...some believe (with merit) that the lens was designed be Tamron.

 

Ultimately, try the lens out on the body before purchase and please try to find a

decent place to get used Nikkors, they are a treasure.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I use the Nikkor variable aperture 70-300D-ED on my N90s body quite frequently, and love it. When used in manual focus mode the "feel" for focusing is pretty numb but it certainly works with no difficulty as a manual focus lens.

 

The image quality is quite nice. At maximum (widest) aperture it gets a bit soft, especially at the 300mm end. If you stop down to f/8 it's more crisp.

 

 

I do also have the 75-150 f/3.5 Series E manual focus zoom. These tend to have a loose zoom-and-focus ring, in the sense that the zoom will creep on its own if the camera is tilted up or down. That's about the only flaw in the lens, and if you're shooting handheld you'll never notice it. It takes great pictures. Even when paired with the TC14A teleconverter the results are lovely. The manual focus feel is much more satisfying than that of the made-for-autofocus 70-300.

 

Either lens would work just fine on your FM. Clearly, one has a much longer reach as a tele zoom than the other.

 

The 70-300 has its detractors (you've heard from one already) and I do not doubt the sincerity of their dislike of the lens. Also, I agree it is at least a first cousin to the Tamron, if not an unacknowledged twin. But my experience with the lens is all sweetness and light, no complaints, and so I am in the camp that recommends the lens as a good value.

 

Certainly your other choices in Nikkors hitting 300mm cost buckets and buckets of money by comparison. I think you could get sharper results at 300mm with Nikon's 300mm fixed focal length tele models, or with the 80-200 f/2.8 zoom plus a 1.4x teleconverter, but you'll have to pay more than twice the price of the 70-300D-ED zoom to get that improvement. For me, the higher-priced options weren't cost-effective.

 

 

Good luck and have fun,

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The focus feel isn't like a manual focus lens, but it may be Ok for you. However, the 70-300, either version, isn't exactly a stellar performer as far as distortion goes, at both ends. It's also relatively slow, and when zoomed in, it may not be that useable without a tripod.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Three manual focus zooms that are excellent are the:

 

50-135 mm f/3.5

 

75-150 f/3.5

 

28-50 f/3.5

 

You might consider them pared with a fast lens:

 

35 mm f/1.4 AIS and 50-135 f/3.5 or 75-150 f/3.5

 

28-50 f/3.5 and 85 mm f/1.8 or 105 mm f/2.5

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for all the great advice. I'll hold off buying an AF lens since it seems that most agree that although it works as a manual lens the feel of it is awkward and for me, one of the major points of using a manual camera is that is feels comfortable.

 

I'll take a look at the old 75-150mm f3.5 Series E.

 

I was hoping for something with a higher zoom (around 200mm to 300mm). Are there any/ does anyone recommend any good manual lens that can reach this far?

 

I was also wondering if anyone who lived in the Los Angeles / Pasadena area knew of any good camera shops which sold used lenses. It seems that its a good idea to actually try out a used manual lens before purchase, although people have told me that FEH is fairly reliable.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gordon,

 

The Nikkor 100-300mm f/5.6 AIS would be a good choice for use with an FM body. This lens is another of Nikons sleepers. It has a constant aperture and is reputed to sharp throughout the zoom range. It has a filter size of 62mm and is a one-touch design.

 

I hope this helps.

 

Vernon

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Gordon, I have an older FM too...you've already been given alot of good info on lens choices. One thing I've experienced is that with slower lenses/maximum apertures (f4 and up) half of the center split prism darkens in all but the brightest of lighting conditions making it impossible to use as a focusing aid. I mention this as the focusing screens in the FM (original) are not interchangeable...only with the FM2 series and FM3A. Otherwise great camera body, enjoy.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd like to comment about the AIS 100-300 f5.6, I used to own this lens and I think it is not a good mix with an FM. It IS wonderfully sharp at all apertures and has a semi-useful macro function and is very well made and has the all-important constant aperture for a manual camera.

 

BUT it is very hard to focus because of that relatively dim 5.6 aperture, combined with the fairly dim FM screen. Plus it is practically impossible to handle unless you have a MD on your camera, and there is no tripod mount on this bulky lens. With my aging eyeballs I was unable to constantly focus this lens fast enough to capture any moving subject. I sold it and bought a 180 f2.8 ED and this works far better for my uses. I would advise that you find a lens with a constant aperture, f4 or faster preferably and that is easy enough to hand hold with a light camera.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow! I'm astonished that nobody has mentioned the perfect lens choice, given Gordon's wish for something longish -- the manual-focus Nikkor 80-200 4.0/4.5 AI/AIS. It may not hit 300mm, but it's a better lens for an FM than any variable-aperture AF zoom. It's built like a tank, can be had for less than $200 in awfully good shape, and will beat the plasticky 70-300 AFD ED in handling terms by a very wide margin -- including a much brighter screen. I have and use both lenses, and others in this general range as well, so I can speak from experience. Get the 80-200, either version, and don't even consider an AF zoom unless you can spring $500-plus for an 80-200 AF 2.8. I wouldn't bother. The only other affordable option that will leave you with reasonable screen brightness is the 75-150 E 3.5, which I've also had and which is also a fine lens. This one's pretty much a no-brainer, IMHO.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was about to wow like Rolf did. I second his sentiments. :)

 

You can get the 80-200/4.5 for under $100 if you get lucky. Mine was less than that, and has perfect glass. It was AI-converted (by Nikon), but it works just like an AI lens on every Nikon body except the F4, and close enough on that one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...