D80 or D40X for non-AI lenses?

[tien_le]

Hi all

I'm looking to buy my first DSLR though I have used manual SLR camera before.

This camera will be primarily used by my wife but I also want to use nikon

glass on them. Which camera I can use with non-AI lenses?

Thanks for your advises.

[akira]

Hi, Tien,

 

the only Nikon DSLRs that can accept non-Ai lenses are D40 and D40x. You cannot even mount them onto D80 without Ai-modification.

 

As you might already be aware, neither D80, D40 or D40x can meter with any manual focus lenses, Ai or non-Ai. The AF system in all of them can be used as focus aid, though.

[tien_le]

Thanks Akira!

That's cool. I actually lean to D40X because of its light weight. can you explain the focus aid. Is it focus confirmation?

How about the viewfinder compared to a manual camera such as FE2? Is it bright enough for focussing?

Thanks

[titospna]

To mount a non-AI lens onto the D40, you will need to have it AI'd or (spelled out) AI converted. If you do not, you will damage your camera.

[pisq]

I have seen non-AI lenses mounted to the D40 without a problem. I think the issue is that the D40 does not have a meter coupling switch, that chages against the rim of the non-AI lenses.

[waltflanagan]

Tito is wrong, the D40 is one of the few modern cameras that can mount a pre-AI lens unmodified.

 

Tien, you need to go to a store and actually handle the D40 and look through the viewfinder. The D40 viewfinder is bright but much smaller than the FE2 and there is no split prism focusing aid although you can add an aftermarket split prism screen from Katz Eye. The focus aid is essentially the same as all modern Nikon AF cameras. Again, just go to any store and try one, even Target sells the D40.

[titospna]

Please disregard my previous post, as I was mistaken.

[tien_le]

Thanks all for your replies. I actually went to three stores to check out this camera. All of them don't have lens and battery!!! I just have the non-AI lens today so I haven't had the chance to test it on the D40x.

I used to have a Fe2 and I indeed removed and replaced the split prism for a plain one for ease of focussing.

I saw one of my friends modify his Fuji S1 to use for Non-AI lens. He just filed the apperture level thin enough to void the large diameter of these lens. Of course there will be no AF and accurate metering but for classic leica M user like we are, it is good enough.

This time I'm interested in try out some early nikon lens, especially the single coat 50mm, 1.4 and 2.0.

What is your opinion on the different in single coat and multicoat lens. I intend to use them for B&W.

Thanks

[akira]

Tien,

 

I have D40 myself and have used non-Ai 28/3.5 and Micro 55/3.5 with no problem. In fact they are great performers on DSLR although both of them was designed and manufactured 30-40 years ago!

 

With focus aid, yes, I meant focus confirmation. There is a green LED you see at the lower left corner in the viewfinder which lights up when the subject aligned with the focus zone is in focus, which basically works regardless of the types of the lens: AF, Ai or non-Ai, or even some more exotic lens (such as enlarger lens) mounted via adapter.

 

As for the brightness of the viewfinder, I would say D40 and D40x gives very bright finder image which is comparable to those of FE2. The problem is that the finder magnification factor is smaller when you want the same framing on DX-size DSLR as on 135 film cameras such as FE2, F3 or whatever, which makes the manual focusing on the matte difficult. However, the focus aid makes up for the shortcoming.

 

My standard walk-around lens on D40 is Ai-s 28/2.0 which gives equivalent frame as 42mm in 135 format. The finder image is smaller but focus aid helps greatly.

 

 

Tito,

 

you don't need to worry about your mistake. Nikon has kept the same mount for decades, which is a treat but at the same time this is the very reason for the confusion. :)