Is the Tokina 11-16 f2.8 Not Compatible with the F100 Film Body?

Hello,

 

I bought a new Tokina 11-16 f2.8 from a Tokina rep yesterday at

Samy's Camera. I used it on my DX format D300, fine.

 

This morning I mounted it on my Nikon F100 body. (There are internet reports that it cover film full frame at the 16mm setting).

 

 

I depressed the shutter on my Nikon F100 half way, and the AF on the Tokina 11-16 went into action.

 

I depressed it all the way and took two quick exposures without film loaded.

 

 

The mirror moved up but I did not hear the shutter click .

 

 

The camera is now inoperative with a blinking "Err" .

 

 

I tried removing the batteries a few minutes to see if the camera will reset itself to no avail.

 

 

What could have happened? How do I proceed? Both a Nikon Rep and Tokina Rep will be at Samys today and they will of course blame

each other for the incompatibility.

 

I will keep you posted.

 

In the meantime any knowledgeable input will be appreciated.

 

Andre

<p>Turn the camera off and remove the lens from the camera. Make sure the lens contacts and corresponding camera contacts are clean and undamaged. Remount the lens, twisting it all the way counterclockwise until it clicks into position. Does it work now?</p>

<p>I suggest NOT to try that again.</p>

<p>If it can damage the camera, the camera can damage the lens too. It's likely that the mirror of F100 striked and stuck by the back of the lens because it is bigger than the mirror of D300.</p>

<p>It's unlikely to be a bad contact because the lens did autofocus.</p>

<p>If they say "that it cover film full frame at the 16mm", that means it does not cover at 11mm and therefore not supposed to be used on film cameras</p>

<p>That Tokina lens is clearly marked "DX", which means it's ONLY meant for APS sized cameras with a smaller mirror and more clearance for the back element of the lens. So it's hardly surprising if it was clobbered by the mirror of a 35mm film camera. Those "internet reports" mainly originate from one with the initials K.R. - need we say more?</p>

<p>Extract the lens and <em>gently </em>push the mirror back down into place with a cotton bud (Q-tip). If you're lucky no permanent damage will have been done.</p>

<p>A similar thing can happen when fitting certain M42 lenses onto a FF Canon DSLR via an adapter. You do this sort of thing at your own risk!</p>

I put in a fresh set of batteries. No Dice.

 

I brought it to Samy's where the Tokina rep was helpful in the sense he gave me his business card and tech support

contacts at Tokina in Huntington Beach.

 

I then brought the Nikon F100 body over to the Nikon Rep. He opened the back and saw that the shutter curtain was half

activated/opened/closed.

 

He removed the battery grip (I tried that numerous times) reattached it. Then put a big Nikon zoom lens on it (I also tried

resetting the F100 by mounting two different Nikon lenses to it previously). Immediately the Err mesaage dissappeared

and the shutter and AF began to work flawlessly.

 

He put the Tokina 11-16 on it and that lens autofocused and otherwise seem to operate properly when shutter depressed

as well. I loaded some kodak Plus X film and it loaded fine with the Tokina lens removed. I put the Tokina lens back on and the F100 body autofocuses properly.

 

It may have just been a fluke thing.

 

I will contact Tokina. If they say there is no inherent mechanical or eletrical incompatibility between the Nikon film bodies

and the Tokina 11-16, then I will have to eat humble pie.

<p>Glad things are back to normal. I would have been surprised if the mirror had struck the back of the Tokina - after all, Nikon DX lenses can be mounted on all Nikon FX cameras without problems - unlike Canon EF-S lenses that cannot be mounted on Canon FF bodies (though apparently the 11-16 has been used "successfully" on a Canon 5D MkII). Whether or not it makes sense to use a DX lens on an FX camera (not in DX "crop" mode) is up to each user to decide.</p>

<p>Not all Nikon DX bodies have a smaller mirror. Pretty much all of the early DSLRs were modifications from the popular film SLRs around the turn of the century. E.g. the D1 is the digital version of the merger of the F5 and F100. My D100 is the digital version of the F80/N80. Those early DX-format DSLRs have 35mm film SLR sized mirrors. Nikon started using a smaller mirror for DX from the D70 and D2H/D2X (around 2003, 2004) since those were dedicated designs for DX-format DSLRs.</p>

<p>If you intend to use the Tokina 11-16mm/f2.8 DX lens on the F100, even though the image circle at 16mm may appear to be big enough to cover the entire 24x36mm film frame, edge and corner image quality may be very poor. I have never used that Tokina lens, but that has been my experience with many Nikon DX lenses such as the 12-24, 17-55, 18-200, etc. etc. Since you are using the part of the image circle that is not intended to be used, I would verify the quality before depending on its results.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Those "internet reports" mainly originate from one with the initials K.R. - need we say more?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Yes, we can say more. It clearly works quite nicely. I have tried it myself, actually (F100, D700).</p>

<p>There is no electronic/electrical/mechanical prohibition against using a DX lens on a FX or film body. Nowhere in any Nikon manual does it state that a DX lens can damage a FX/FF body. The only issue is that the smaller image circle will cause vignetting. In fact, my recollection is that some of the pro FX bodies sense when a DX lens is mounted and use only part of the sensor to match the DX lens.</p>

<p>Third party lenses that aren't compatible with some bodies isn't a new phenomenon.</p>

<p>Although you can damage a FF Canon camera if you put an EF-S lens on it, this is NOT the way Nikons are designed. The lens should NOT have damaged the camera. There is no issue with mirror clearance at all. I think the fact that it is a BIG problem with Canon is why people have spread this misinformation.</p>

<p>Glad it worked out for you. I will bet that stopped down you can get GREAT 16mm images on full-frame... but if there are real problems at the corners, let us know. I'm curious.</p>

I will look into it further. It may have just been the power

load of AF and shutter/film advance overloaded nearly

exhausted batteries and caused the shutter to lock up due

to lack of juice.

 

 

I really like the build quality of the Tokina 11-16 lens. So I

want to continue supporting that company as it improves its

mechanical and optical performances.

 

If it was just a fluke I will ask the moderators to delete the

tread because I do not want to unfairly malign the

compatibility issue.

<p>Since I love my 11-16.... I think the subject of this thread should be change......</p>

<p>I've also used my 11-16 on a film body - F5 and N80... no problems. Glad to hear the situation got fixed!</p>

<p>I second the suggestion to change the title, I always wonder at the instant rancor towards someone experimenting with a DX lens on a film/FX body. Lighten up! It's fun to play with that sort of thing.</p>

<p>I am changing the thread title from:</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Tokina 11-16 f2.8 Damaged My Nikon Film Body - But How?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>to "Is the Tokina 11-16 f2.8 Not Compatible with the F100 Film Body?"</p>

<p>Thank You, Shun. Emotions got the better of me. I should have titled it that way in the first place. Thanks.</p>