D700 and AFS “PF” lenses

Hi everybody,

I'm back into shopping for a pro-level telephoto and would love to experiment the newest Phase Fresnel technology. However, I heard about possible metering issues – or incompatibilities – with my good old D700.

Thanks for your input... ; - )

Nikon has only one PF lens so far, namely the 300mm/f4 AF-S VR. I am not aware of any compatibility issues with the D700. Where did you hear about such issues? You should check with the source of such comments.

 

That 300mm/f4 PF is an E lens. Older Nikon DSLRs, especially those introduced before 2007, cannot control its aperture. But all Nikon FX DSLRs (including the D700) are compatible with E lenses and can electronically control their apertures.

Edited April 6, 2018 by ShunCheung

I recall that the D3X required a firmware update to control the aperture of 800/5.6E. Be sure to check that you have the latest firmware with the D700 as well.

The lastest firmware for the D700 is A:Ver.1.04/B:Ver.1.03 from 2013/05/21; it specifically was to introduce support for the AF-S 800/5.6E. Essentially all Nikon DSLRs introduced on and after 23rd August 2007 (the day Nikon introduced the D3 and D300), with two exceptions the D90 and D3000, are fully compatible with E lenses: Nikon E lens compatibility chart?

Essentially all Nikon DSLRs introduced on and after 23rd August 2007 (the day Nikon introduced the D3 and D300), with two exceptions the D90 and D3000, are fully compatible with E lenses: Nikon E lens compatibility chart?

Dieter, I missed one exception in my original post. There are actually three exceptions among post-2007 Nikon DSLRs that are not fully compatible with E lenses: D60, D90, and D3000. All three are DX.

 

Nikon introduced the D3000 in 2009. After that, all Nikon DSLRs introduced in 2010 or later are fully compatible with E lenses.

D60,

Didn't realize the D60 came out after the D300 :(

Another way of stating incompatibility with E lenses would be to list the ones that definitely aren't: every single-digit camera with a model number smaller than 3 (D1 and D2 series), any double- or triple digit camera with a model number smaller than 300 (all D40 models, D50, D60, all D70 models, D80, D90, D100, D200). And then the D3000 as the only four-digit-camera that isn't.

Because of Nikon alphabet soup what you may have heard was a muddled version of the fact most* AF-P lenses wont work with your D700?

 

PF ... FP ? Who knows?

 

*Understanding the AF-P Lenses | DSLRBodies | Thom Hogan

There is only one FX AF-P lens and that is mostly compatible with the D700 except the focus is reset on standby or power off so may be ok for casual use but would be annoying for tripod based landscape photography. I don't see why someone would want to use a DX AF-P lens on a D700 today; it is an ill fit since the D700 would only provide 5MP images.

 

Nikon initially promised very little in regards to compatibility with AF-P but now they've solved the focus standby problem for most recent (2012 and newer) cameras via firmware updates. It is a pity that they haven't done so for all 2007 and newer models (since I don't doubt they could). The compatibilty is becoming a real soup. I suspect this is one of the reasons Nikon sales declined in 2016. They did a number of releases which either worked poorly or introduced incompatibilities we are not used it. Thankfully they have cleaned up the situation a bit now.

 

But, the 300 PF is an AF-S E lens, not AF-P.

Edited April 7, 2018 by ilkka_nissila

The OP has made it very clear that he is talking about AF-S PF lenses and even spelled out “phase fresnel” in his opening post.

 

AF-P lenses is a totally different topic, and most of the compatibility issues come from those cheap DX AF-P lenses where Nikon doesn’t provide a VR on off switch, hence you cannot switch off VR on some older bodies. Since the OP has a D700, compatibility with some DX lenses is merely a tangential topic.

 

As I asked the OP earlier, where is the source of his information? I happen to still own a D700 and the 300mm/f4 PF. If there are specific concerns, I’ll be happy to personally check those for him.

Edited April 7, 2018 by ShunCheung

I did emphasize...

 

"what you may have heard was a muddled version of the fact most* AF-P lenses wont work with your D700"

 

I know the OP was talking specifically about AF-S PF lenses, but what he had heard may not have been.

Out of curiosity and hopefully this is somewhat helpful to the OP, I took out my old D700, popped in an EN-EL3e battery and a CF card, both of which I hadn't used for months, and captured some test shots. I took a few pictures indoors and it is 7am in a rainy day here in California, but I managed to take a few pictures outside from my front door. Everything looks normal, metering is good (indoor and outdoor), and VR works just fine.

 

Again, I wonder exactly what the OP has heard and what is the source of such information? Without specifics, it is hard to customize a useful answer. But generally speaking, the AF-S 300mm/f4 E PF VR lens (the only PF lens Nikon has ever introduced so far) works fine on the D700.

 

Additionally, since the D700 is such an old DSLR, I wouldn't base any lens purchase decisions on compatibility with it. Keep in mind that Nikon introduced the D700 in 2008; that was 10 years ago. Ten years is a very long time for digital electronics. Both the D800 and D810 have come and gone, and the D850 is the latest Nikon DSLR in the $3000 area. Since the OP is interested in a high-end lens, it is probably time to upgrade the body as well.

 

Edited April 7, 2018 by ShunCheung