ANY Nikon DSLR bodies (10mp+) that take N/Ai Lenses w/o any modifications?

I checked, and it seems only the Df has a fold up Ai pin....Great camera, too far out my budget.

No Dxx or Dxxx models?

 

I own 3 N/ai lenses: 35mm f/2 Nikkor O, 50mm f/1.4 Nikkor S, 105mm f/2.5 Nikkor P

+ 2 Ai/s lenses: 24mm f/2.8 Ais, 28mm f/3.5 Ai

I will not modify my N/Ai lenses, I use a 1967 Nikon F and 1979 Nikon F2 as my main cameras.

 

I would like to consider an older Nikon DSLR that I can use in manual mode obviously.

A few hundred bucks is in my budget. I thought maybe a D200 might, but no....

Have a look here:

 

Nikon Lens Compatibility

Df is the only one with a folder out aperture follower tab. However, you can directly mount non-AI lenses on a bunch of low-end DX DSLRs such as the D40, D60, and many in the D3000 and D5000 series. Obviously there is the "crop factor," and there will be no metering, but you can capture a test image and use the histogram to help adjust your exposure. Edited February 17, 2018 by ShunCheung

Df is the only one with a folder out aperture follower tab. However, you can directly mount non-AI lenses on a bunch of low-end DX DSLRs such as the D40, D60, and many in the D3000 and D5000 series. Obviously there is the "crop factor," and there will be no metering, but you can capture a test image and use the histogram to help adjust your exposure.

I don't think it would damage the camera but in the manual Nikon said the Pre AI lenses are not compatible to the D3xxx and D5xxx lines.

Here's a list of those cameras that allow those lenses to be mounted without conversion - in addition to the ones Shun listed above, the D7500 has now entered that field too:

Compatibility Table

 

As Shun already pointed out - no metering and all those cameras are crop-sensor.

Even the D2, D3, and D4 can't mount Pre-Ai lenses!

Arggggg.....

 

I would like to stay with Nikon for a Digital, but, looks like I will need to go to a different mirrorless brand......

I'm sure the Nikon Mirrorless (if they make one) won't be much more than a so-so consumer grade body....

Even the D2, D3, and D4 can't mount Pre-Ai lenses!

Arggggg.....

 

I would like to stay with Nikon for a Digital, but, looks like I will need to go to a different mirrorless brand......

I'm sure the Nikon Mirrorless (if they make one) won't be much more than a so-so consumer grade body....

Nikon already made the mirorless the Nikon 1 series and I agree they are so so cameras.

However, the rumored FX mirrorless camera should be much more than just so so. But of course they won't take Pre AI lenses either. Also I expect it priced about the same as the Df.

I believe you can mount non Ai lenses to the D100 also. No metering but since the OP said ANY Nikon DSLR it's an inexpensive solution. I can live without no meter, it's an easy workaround.

 

Rick H.

I believe you can mount non Ai lenses to the D100 also. No metering but since the OP said ANY Nikon DSLR it's an inexpensive solution. I can live without no meter, it's an easy workaround.

 

Like a lot of low-end to midrange cameras(going back to the N4004-remember that the D100 is more or less an N80) the D100 has a "Servo EE switch." This uses the Servo EE post on the AI ring(which was used to give aperture priority on F2s) to signal to the camera that a lens with an aperture ring is set to minimum aperture. It interferes with mounting non-AI lenses, and also "AI conversions" with a milled aperture ring where only the AI tab area was milled.

 

I have a D40x sitting next to me as I type this, and although it does still have a switch in this position, the design is different relative to the D100, D70, and the like and it simply folds down out of the way if you mount a non-AI lens. I haven't looked at a recent low end camera, but I'm guessing that if they still have a switch it is of the same design as the D40.

 

I'll also mention that I personally own two lenses that will mount safely(although do so at your own risk) on cameras with an AI tab. The two lenses are the 5.8cm f/1.4(note-5.8cm, made I think only to 1962, not the MUCH more common 50mm) and the 20mm f/3.5 UD(72mm filter). Both of these are fairly scarce lenses. The 5.8cm aperture ring is constructed in such a way that it will "step" over the AI tab, while the 20mm ring is "thin" and will not contact it. Again, try at your own risk.

So the D40x has fold-away Ai pin on the camera's lens mount?

Those pre-AI compatible low-end DX DSLRs have no aperature followers tabs to begin with. Therefore, there is nothing to fold out. Again, the Df is the only one DSLR that has the fold out tab.

 

I bought my first Nikon in the year they introduced AI, namely 1977. Therefore I own no pre-AI equipment. If you own lenses older than 41 years, they are unlikely going to perform well on digital anyway.

I own 3 N/ai lenses: 35mm f/2 Nikkor O, 50mm f/1.4 Nikkor S, 105mm f/2.5 Nikkor P

+ 2 Ai/s lenses: 24mm f/2.8 Ais, 28mm f/3.5 Ai

I will not modify my N/Ai lenses, I use a 1967 Nikon F and 1979 Nikon F2 as my main cameras.

 

I sent my non-AI lenses to John White at AI Conversions for Nikon Lenses: Effective, Fast and Affordable! for conversion. They continued to work properly on my 1970 FTn (until it was stolen) as well as my F100 and now my D750. Mr. White does not remove the "rabbit ears" that couple with the older FTn meter; he simply adds the AI cut. Your lenses, if converted, should continue to work perfectly on your Nikon F and F2.

 

The conversion allows TTL metering with the lenses.

 

I have the same 105mm f/2.5 that you have. It is, IMHO, perfectly satisfactory on my D750 - at least for my purposes.

The low end D3x00 and 5x00 cameras will accept unconverted pre-AI lenses with no problem at all, because they changed the actuation of the servo switch referred to above from sideways to up/down action. A pre AI lens will just push it down with no harm. John White's web site lists which low end cameras have this feature.

 

I would respectfully disagree with Shun on one point, which is that in my humble opinion some of those old pre-AI lenses make very nice images on digital. I've used several on a D3200, and been very pleased with them. The lack of metering is not all that hard to get used to. Manual focusing is more of an issue with the little viewing screen, but I found it pretty easy to do with a DK-21M eyepiece.

Just like everything else, lens design has improved quite a bit in the last 4 decades. Today, aspherical elements from molded plastic is pretty common, so are low-dispersion elements and modern coating. Wide-angles with telecentric design are far more suitable for digital sensors. While I own no pre-AI lenses, I still have some AI and AI-S ones, e.g. the 35mm/f1.4 AI-S, which was highly praised back in the 1980's. Compared to the Sigma 35mm/f1.4 Art, the AI-S Nikkor has fairly serious chromatic aberration and doesn't have the sharpness we enjoy from modern lenses. I am keeping that old lens around just for fun; I wouldn't use it on today's high-pixel DSLRs.

 

I know some collectors would rather not make the simple AI-conversion on their old lenses because it may serious affect their value (for collectors). From a photography point of view, not converting them to AI makes them difficult to use. While you can mount them directly onto a D3000 series camera, those camera don't have a good viewfinder to support manual focusing, and since they are DX bodies with plenty of pixels, pixel density is high and therefore they are demanding on lenses. Even a consumer-grade DX zoom will likely be far more convenient to use than some old pre-AI lens that was never designed for the DX image area.

Edited February 18, 2018 by ShunCheung

I follow another dozen photo / Nikon forums and this thread is on all of them. Lots of information, mostly conflicting.

I follow another dozen photo / Nikon forums and this thread is on all of them. Lots of information, mostly conflicting.

Opinions about the merit of using old pre-AI or even AI and AI-S lenses on modern high-pixel DSLRs may differ, but the fact that one can safely mount pre-AI lenses on those low-end DX bodies shouldn't be conflicting. As usual, some people simply don't know what they are talking about. If you still have questions, please read Michael Freeman's (mfreeman) explanation from 30 July, 2009 in the following thread (towards the end of that thread):

D40 Body - small button

 

Back in 2009, those low-end DX bodies only consisted of the D40, D40x and D60. The original D3000 and D5000 were introduced that year and there was no Df yet.

Edited February 18, 2018 by ShunCheung

Lots of information, mostly conflicting.

Rockwell and White's information, both linked to above, should do away with the conflicts. Whether or not it is worthwhile to mount such lenses on modern cameras will always be open to debate - to each its own I guess.

 

It's unfortunate for the pre-Ai lens users/collectors that replacing/modifying the Ai follower tab on cameras is not an easy operation.

From what I hear, some older models do not even have the Ai Pin, but use the contacts to key the f/stop of the AF lenses. So there should be no mechanical hazard mounting a Pre-Ai lens on them. Promising....

 

Yes I posted in 2 other forums, more references help filter out the bad ones.

 

Thanks for the links above.

Do the lens need to have contacts to use the electronic RF in MF? Since I think it would be optical anyway.

My Fuji XE2 had focus peaking that worked even with adapted lenses that had no electrical connection,

So I assume Nikons Electronic RF should work also.....?

I'm not sure about your last post and what to make of it, but I took some pictures to show what we're discussing with regard to the Servo EE tab(which is SEPARATE from the AI follower tab, and only present on bodies that don't have the AI tab) and the differences on various models.

 

First of all, here's the "old" style lever. This lever style-as far as I know-goes back to the N4004. The one pictured here is on a Kodak DCS 14n, which is fundamentally a Nikon N80 body(also the basis for the D100, Fuji S2, and Fuji S3). My D70 and D80 use this same style lever, and I think there are several other bodies that use it. Notice that it moves forward and back.

 

 

Here is a D40x, and AFAIK this style is used on all current cameras without an AI follower tab. This moves up and down.

 

 

With the older style, the tab would move and then foul when you attempted to rotate the lens into place.

 

 

By contrast, with the D40, when a non-AI lens is mounted the tab just gets pushed down.

 

Do the lens need to have contacts to use the electronic RF in MF? Since I think it would be optical anyway.

My Fuji XE2 had focus peaking that worked even with adapted lenses that had no electrical connection,

So I assume Nikons Electronic RF should work also.....?

If you are referring to the electronic range finder, i.e. the arrows and circle inside the viewfinder of AF bodies that indicate whether the AF point is in focus, that is optical. Pre-AF lenses without any CPU electronics can still work with that feature on AF bodies.

Okay, good to know, I am reading DPR review on the D5100, seems like any MF lens that is f/5.6 of faster will allow the Electronic RF to work.

 

The D5100 seems like a good deal under $200-300 used, though, the D5200 with a 24mp sensor is a nice jump for $325-400 used.....

 

I didn't really think I would find what I wanted, This thread has educated me for sure!

On the D3200 at least there is a difference between the focus confirmation dot and the "electronic rangefinder" which actually places a scale in the viewfinder. The focus confirmation dot works with all lenses, although its accuracy is a little questionable in difficult scenes. It's pretty good most of the time, but unlike those in some higher end cameras it does not have arrows to tell you which direction to go. The rangefinder scale, which is very nice, replaces the meter in A,S and P modes when AF is switced off, but not in M mode, which means it does not appear at all for un-chipped lenses. It's a great help when manually focusing an AF lens for macros, or with chipped MF lenses, but with manual lenses all you'll get is the confirmation dot.

On the D3200 at least there is a difference between the focus confirmation dot and the "electronic rangefinder" which actually places a scale in the viewfinder. The focus confirmation dot works with all lenses, although its accuracy is a little questionable in difficult scenes. It's pretty good most of the time, but unlike those in some higher end cameras it does not have arrows to tell you which direction to go. The rangefinder scale, which is very nice, replaces the meter in A,S and P modes when AF is switched off, but not in M mode, which means it does not appear at all for un-chipped lenses. It's a great help when manually focusing an AF lens for macros, or with chipped MF lenses, but with manual lenses all you'll get is the confirmation dot.

 

That's good enough... I mainly use 28/35/50 on my F and F2, with a 1.5x crop.... 24/28/35, plus I am not a "wide-open" shooter, I shoot from f/8-f16, so the focus error won't show in most cases.

You should be OK with the dot. I've found that if not in a hurry it can help to focus past the dot and back again a time or two to zero it in.