Nikon lens Ai conversion in Europe

[walterh]

Hello - I know it is a frequently asked question - but perhaps no answer yet for

people in Europe. Can anybody recommend someone doing pre-AI to AI conversions

(excellent quality only) of Nikkor lenses in central Europe (EU country).

 

Second question where could I find a listing of pre Ai lenses where the

conversion is possible?

 

Thanks for your time.

Cheers

Walter

[akira]

Hi, Walter,

 

I'm afraid I cannot answer your first question. But as for the convertible pre-Ai lenses, you can refer to Roland VInk's famous and excellent list of serial numbers of Nikkor lenses:

 

http://www.photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/serialno.html

 

There you will find "Ai kit XX" description on some lenses in the list, and I think these lenses and all the pre-Ai lenses of the same type with higher serial number can be convertible.

 

Hope this would be of any help.

[sebastianus narendra]

I can do it for you.I live in Prague, Czech Republic. You can contact me with ICQ:328364139 or to email:sebastianusnarendra@yahoo.com

[sebastianus narendra]

And also I can install chip to some type of Ai-s lenses, so they'll meter and work in programmed-mode to modern Nikon SLR.

[walterh]

Hi Akira, I was not aware that it was so easy :-P Just to check one of my most consulted websites again. Thanks for reminding me and thanks to Roland again for his excellent work. Now I can ask specific questions if kits are available. I find so many interesting lenses offered and most of the pre- Ai are so cheap I wonder if it is worth to convert the one or the other lens. Certainly only for special occasions but one never knows.

[walterh]

Sebastianus thanks for mentioning it and thanks for the email. Once I got a lens I want to convert I will contact you. Hmm a visit to Prague- you might just tempt me :-) I heard the light is good in Prague in fall.

[klix]

You might want to send an email to John White at aiconversions.com to see if he'll ship to Europe.

 

I highly recommend his work.

[walterh]

KL thanks for the info. I heard of him several times but the problem is that shipping is expensive for items of low to medium commercial value. I almost had a lens shipped from KEH but they would charge me ca. 45 US$. I would have to pay import tax and VAT so I add about 25% to the cost of the item and the shipping. Besides it is quite a bit of hassle. I would do it without second thought on something rare. What I am looking for is a moderate priced job to try out lenses that are cheap in pre-Ai version. I talk about lenses I do not really need but are courious enough to try out and probably sell again. I used to have someone looking after my old Nikon gear locally but he retired. I offered him to buy the part from him but he keeps using them for his own collection :-P

[jeff bishop]

I convert my own lenses. It isn't hard at all, and getting them dead accurate is really quite simple.

 

With a dremel tool, I spend a total of about 5 minutes from start to finish. I don't remove the ring from the lens, thus my work isn't pretty. I've converted about 11 of my own lenses. All work perfectly with slide film (basically all I shoot).

 

Check out my website for examples of how this works.

 

I don't modify for other people, only myself. If you pay for the work, it should look good. I do this myself because I buy the lenses cheap. Shipping and paying for the mod triples the amount I have into the lens.