Using Nikon G Lenses on a Canon 450D

I found (Ahem...bought :D) a mono converted Canon 450D and have no Canon lenses...;)

 

My Nikon lens collection goes from pre AI > E.

 

I'm mainly planning on full manual, but am aware i need to manually move the aperture on G lenses.

 

Anyone had much experience with what's available, adapter wise?

Check Amazon..

 

Example : https://www.amazon.com/FocusFoto-Confirm-Adapter-Nikon-Camera/dp/B07L55P56F/ref=sr_1_29?dchild=1&keywords=nikon+canon+mount+adapter&qid=1585338899&sr=8-29

I know what's available. I can search the web as-well as anyone....;)

 

I was after personal experience with such adapters from users here.....whom i trust a bit more than unknown reviewers.

 

Maybe I should post it to the Canon forum?

They're all the same, really, and the caveats and user reports don't vary much.

 

In a nutshell, its a crummy kluge that nobody really enjoys using unless their back is to a wall. You get an external lever that moves the internal G lens aperture lever up and down to roughly set the aperture, but no real indication of what exact aperture you are setting and no reliable repeatability. It works to the extent you can stop-down meter and set the correct exposure, but isn't ideal for situations where you want to quickly dial in a specific repeatable manual aperture (i.e., for video).

 

The gimmick works a bit better with mirrorless cameras, because the adapter is thick enough to include a semblance of an actual aperture ring which you can experiment with and mark to match a favorite G lens. The EF adapter is hair thin, so you're forced to fly blind other than using AE or manual TTL metering. If that is OK for your type of work, then it won't bother you. But most "Nikkor-Lens--On-Canon-DSLR" enthusiasts try to avoid the G lenses in favor of AFD, AI and pre-AI with proper aperture rings: the G is more trouble than its worth except in rare cases of super-great Gs like the 14-24 (and even then- ugh).

 

AFAIK, the G "E" lenses with electronic motorized internal aperture mechanisms (ironically a full-on knockoff of Canon EF) are not fully adaptable to some other mounts like Canon DSLR, as the adapter is too thin to house the electronics and controls required to set an aperture. And Nikon is a lot more rigid and territorial about its current electronic interface protocols than it is regarding the sixty year old mechanical lever.

For the older lenses with full manual control of focus and aperture, the inexpensive Nikon to EOS and Nikon to FD adapters work just fine, if you don't mind stop-down manual use. I use many of my pre-AI and early AI lenses on my Canon digital (and sometimes film) cameras. Lenses like my mirror lenses and my PC-Nikkor are manual anyhow.

 

For the others, "more trouble than its worth" is pretty much it so far as I am concerned. There is nothing that Nikon offers me (for my particular tasks) otherwise that seems to justify the extra difficulties.

I've only used a G adapter on a MILC. As has been said, there's no real indication of what aperture has been set. Wide-open and fully stopped down are obviously easy options, but the middle apertures could be f/4, 4.5 or 5.6, etc. with no easy way of knowing. Unless you can monitor the exposure.

I have Canon 24-70/2.8 L and 100/2.8 Macro will trade for Nikon equivalent:)

Thanks for your input everyone!

 

It summed up what I'd thought. I'll stick with non-G lenses and use a cheap, but well built, manual only adapter.

If it is just to start using that 450D , there are plenty EF mount l50mm lenses at flesbay at the price of an adapter, no hastling with adapters just native EF mount lenses..

 

Alternatively, have a glance at the youngnuo 50mm for canon ataround $60 ...

The main use of the camera will be Multi-Spectral Imaging of paintings and documents. Often the signals are pretty weak so I'd like to use a fast lens. I'd planned to use one of my Sigma Arts's but they're all G lenses.

 

I've found a very inexpensive adapter that has a little lever to shut the aperture down on G lenses, worth a try. The actual aperture value isn't too important, but repeat-ability is. Hopefully there's a way to make a notch or a pre-set mark. Focus was always going to be manual with zoomed in LV at the taking wavelength.

 

If it works well, I might be able to persuade my boss to buy a converted mono FX body.... in Nikon mount!

Alternatively, have a glance at the youngnuo 50mm for canon ataround $60 ...

Why would you do that? When Canon's own 'plastic fantastic' original costs not much more.

 

In a head-to-head (on the same camera) against Nikon's cheap 50mm f/1.8 AF lens, the Canon was noticeably better wide open and down to f/2.8. Beyond that, there was almost no difference.

Why would you do that? When Canon's own 'plastic fantastic' original costs not much more.

 

Just an option, over here the canon is just over 120 euro's the yongnuo under 60 eiro's , so just fr an experiment it would save around 50%