old Nikon lenses

<p>I am currently a Canon user but was for many years a Nikon guy. While I am currently committed to the Canon line, I have read that I can use older Nikon lenses on newer Nikon digital cameras. I still possess many Nikon lenses and recently retrieved my 55mm Micro Nikkor lens from storage. I would like to pick up a reasonably priced Nikon digital to use with this great old prime as well as others such as my 105mm and 200mm. Any suggestions as a way to become a "switch hitter?" I can go at least $500 or a bit more to play with my old gear. Thanks for any thoughts. Tom</p>

<p>Unless the D5100 meters with AI glass (not sure), your best bet is to look for a used D300 or D200. Maybe also a used/refurb D90. I am assuming the D7000 is out of your price range or else I would say that one is the ticket.</p>

<p>I personally use a 55mm f3.5 pre-AI (modified) on my D7000 and formerly my D200 and it works great. May be one of the sharpest, best lenses ever produced, by anyone, period.</p>

<p>If you can find a D1x D2x D200 or D300 in your price range they will work very well with AI or AIS lenses. If it was me I would probably be looking for a used D200</p>

<p>An alternative would be to chip the lenses (search 'Dandelion') to get metering with AI/AIS lenses on 'consumer class' Nikon bodies, but since you have to buy a body anyways, the suggestions above are better. But if you go with a consumer (two-digit or four-digit) Nikon, also be aware that only a few of them have the drive motor for older Nikon AF (without the -S) lenses.</p>

<p>It depends on how "old" these lenses are. If they are pre-AI, you might want to use them on a D3000, D3100, D5000 or D5100, but you will have no metering. Pre-AI lenses are not going to mount safely on the D1, D2, D200, and D300 bodies.</p>

<p>If those are AI/AI-S lenses, the D1, D2, D200 and D300, etc. will meter with them. For a $500 budget, the D200 is probably your best choice. I kind of doubt that you can find any D300 in good condition at that price.</p>

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<p>Pre-AI lenses are not going to mount safely on the D1, D2, D200, and D300 bodies.</p>

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You mean, without modification they won't mount safely ;-)</p>

<p>Get inexpensive adapters (via the Big Auction site) to use your Nikon lenses on Canon bodies and save the $500...I use a 55. F2.8 micro (AIS) on a Canon 5D2 body all the time...fine results.</p>

<p>If you do a search here or at any of the other photo web sites there will be many threads of people using Nikon lenses on Canon bodies with recommendations for which adapters to use; what to pay for them; manual Nikon lenses that are great on Canon bodies...</p>

 

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<p>You mean, without modification they won't mount safely ;-)</p>

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<p>If you modify them, they are not really pre-AI lenses any more.</p>

<p>But in general, I tend to discourage people from buying into multiple, incompatible camera systems. The OP could mount those old Nikon lenses onto Canon via an adapter. But IMO the best thing the OP can do is to sell those old Nikon lenses and focus on Canon. Using some old Nikon lenses on an old Nikon DSLR (for DSLRs, anything more than 3, 4 years is quite old) will unlikely match the results from a good, more modern Canon system.</p>

<p>Unfortunately, those old Nikon lenses probably won't fetch much money from the used market.</p>

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<p>If you modify them, they are not really pre-AI lenses any more.</p>

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Fair enough.</p>

<p>I'd follow Roberts suggestion. Use them on your Canon gear with an adapter, that way you save a lot of money and it won't matter if they're Ai or Pre-Ai.</p>

<p>Thanks all. My lenses were all purchased between 1967 and 1970. My cameras (both of which I still have) were Ft and Ftn. The Micro Nikkor, S# 225610, is an extremely sharp lens. I would only shoot in full manual anyway and I think I can still remember how to manually focus. I will look into getting an adapter to use on my 50d if possible but otherwise might try a d200. It was a very fun lens once and perhaps again.</p>

<p>Or............</p>

<p>I would buy a mirrorless camera and 2 adaptors......... 1 to use the Canon lenses on it and 1 to use the Nikon ones. </p>

<p>I suggest this if the OP is just trying to have fun and enjoy his equipment. I think mirrorless cameras are really fun to use.</p>

<p>Lenses from 1967 to 1970 are certainly pre-Ai. They can be mounted on some of the lower-end cameras without modification and without metering - see aiconversions.com for more info. Don't attempt to mount them on a D1, D2, D200, D300 without modification - you risk damage to the follower tab on those cameras. Best option I read so far is to use them via adapter on a Canon camera.</p>

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<p>My lenses were all purchased between 1967 and 1970.</p>

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<p>Nikon's AI era started in 1977. Therefore, those lenses purchased years before 1977 are all pre-AI. Unless you spend money to modify them, they cannot be safely mounted onto most Nikon DSLRs, including the D1, D2, D200 and D300 mentioned in this thread.</p>

<p>However, pre-AI lenses can be directly mounted onto the low-end, no-AF-motor DSLRs such as the D40, D40X, D60, D3000, D5000, D3100, and D5100. But manual focus on those viewfinders can be difficult.</p>

<p>I have around a dozen Ai manual focus Nikkor primes that I use on my D200 (though I mostly use current zooms), including a 55 3.5 and they are work flawlessly. if the quality is any less than a new lens on a new body, my clients are still handing over their money without complaining.</p>

<p>Though it's great to have the backward computability of the older nikkors, I have always been (usually) disappointed with the end results. Good for film does not always equate to good for digital.<br>

Over recent years I have sold off loads of older glass (frequently at a profit), my only 'keeper' from the old days is my 300 f2.8 AIS..... its tatty and battered but produces the most wonderful images. <br /> </p>

<p>I second the advice to go mirrorless with them. Lighter, easier to carry, easier to focus, newer tech chips give great quality. I have a Samsung NX and using my old Nikkor glass with and it's a ton of fun! Makes for nifty video lenses too. The Sony 5n is neat too with focus peaking.</p>

<p>Here is a flower shot I did last week with the Samsung and my old, pre-AI 55mm f/3.5 Micro-Nikkor. The neat thing about going mirror-less for macro is no worries about mirror lock up or vibration. </p><div></div>

<p>Thanks Louis, That is exactly the lens I want to play with and get reacquainted with. I also still play with my Canon Eos Elan 7E which is dated and film but a terrific technology. That clarity is what I would expect, very nice shot.</p>

<p>Adapt them to your Canon body with cheap mechanical adapters. I use a Nikon 8mm f2.8 AIS, Nikon 80-200mm f2.8 AF D, and Nikon 400mm f2.8 AIS on my 5D II. In the past I used the following Nikon lenses on various Canon bodies, 14/2.8 AF D, 28/2 AIS, 50/1.4 AIS, 135/2 AIS, and 200/2 AI.</p>

<p>Your 55 and 105 would be awesome on your Canon body. </p>

<p>I third the mirrorless option. I'm using an NEX with Olympus and Minolta MD glass, and I love it. No, it's not Zeiss ... but some of those old lenses are really good, and the only "cost of a second system" was the camera body and a couple adaptors.</p>

<p>MF doesn't bother me on a walking around camera. I still have my Nikon SLR for low-light and action. And the focus peaking really does help a lot.</p>

<p>The most cost effective thing is to get a $20 adaptor on EBAY to use those Pre-AI lenses on your Canon body. And the big advantage I see (besides the cost saving) is that you won't have to learn another puzzling Digital Camera interface. And a lens is a lens, whether used on film or digital. The formula won't change if it's optically correct, the math is the same. The whole "Optimized for digital" is just a marketing ploy.</p>

<p>I use AIS primes with my D700 for many reasons (I also have AF-D and AF-S Nikkors). I recommend you follow Shun's advice and sell them. I would not want to use a pre AI lens with a modern body as I prefer the metering, manual focus I often like. I don't see the value of buying a older body then upgrading older an lens just to use them buy YMMV. Mixing systems doesn't appeal to me either but I do have a Fuji X100 to go with my D700 system.</p>

<p>I use everything on Canon bodies. No Nikon yet, but they would work. Unless there is a big advantage to having a Nikon body, use the Canon.</p>

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<p>The whole "Optimized for digital" is just a marketing ploy.</p>

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<p>INCORRECT. Google "NEX-7 legacy lenses corner" to find out why.</p>

<p><em>"I would not want to use a pre AI lens with a modern body as I prefer the metering,"</em><br>

The Canon system will meter on Manual and Aperture priority mode using Nikon, or any other lenses mounted using an adaptor. I think it's utterly absurd that Nikon disabled this feature on mid-range bodies like the D90 for AI and AIS lenses. For the record I have a D90 as well as my old EOS 20D. I love Nikon control layout and flash system.<em> </em>If you're looking for an excuse to buy a Nikon body, go for it! But I'd stay away from those crappy Live view mini sensor-cams. Just my opinion. <br>

As for legacy lenses being inferior, well, I guess <a href="http://aggregate.org/DIT/OLDLENS/">cinematographers adapting Nikon AI and AIS</a> lenses to use for Hi Def video don't really care about lens quality.... ;)</p>