Vintage Lenses

[revonda]

<p >Is it possible or do they make adaptors to use very old film lenses for Nikon digital bodies? The more I look online to research this the more confused I get. I have a few old cameras that were given to me with Zeiss Ikon, Voigtlander and Carl Zeiss Jena lenses on them. I know to even do this the lenses would be manual focus only (no big deal) but is this an impossible dream for a D300 shooter? If this is possible where do I look to buy these adaptors and what ones should I look for?</p>

[mark_s8]

<p>Revonda, I don't think adapters will work. You would need to have the mount changed I think.</p>

[revonda]

<p>Hi Mark, so I would need to send the lenses in somewhere to be modified? No chance of an adaptor? I wonder if it is worth it?</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>The simple relation of back of lens mount to "film" plane distances is explained at Bob Atkins' site (<a href="http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/eosfaq/manual_focus_EOS.html">link</a> ). It's about Canon, but gives figures for various cameras.<br>

Nikon's distance to the plane is 46.5mm so only the Leica R mount (47mm) of the ones listed could theoretically mount on a Nikon without some negative optics, and it would be hard to design an adapter only 0.5mm thick. Of course, some non-optical adapters could allow use of the lens for macro work, but not for focus to infinity<br>

However, here's the good news, I guess, Nikon lenses will mount with adapters in theory on a huge number of other cameras,if you can find or build an adapter.</p>

<p>However, remember that it's not only the focus that is manual. Lenses like M42, etc. would also have to be used as "stop-down" because the automatic apertures wouldn't link up to Nikon's. Also, on many Nikons, through-the-lens metering is not possible either.</p>

<p>It would have to be a very special lens to actually make it worthwhile to convert to a Nikon mount. Even then, you'd certainly destroy any "collector value" by doing so.</p>

[revonda]

<p>Hi JDM, thank you for the link but I guess the easy conclusion is I need to start shooting with a Canon. I was so excited at the prospect of maybe using these old beauties on my digital cam. These vintage cameras are wonderful to collect but I would rather use them than just look at them. Plus I have had such bad experiences with getting medium format film processed with the one film cam I have used I just dont do it anymore.</p>

[Peter_in_PA]

<p>Micro four-thirds is a good solution to use old lenses, too!</p>

[revonda]

<p>Hi Peter, what do I need to do? Sorry but I have not been shooting that long (digital or film) compared to most on this site and so much I dont know its amazing I can sometimes take a picture.</p>

[Peter_in_PA]

<p>Revonda,</p>

<p>your last email makes me think you should just go out and shoot pics. Stop thinking so much about how to use more and more old gear... Put the old stuff away and just learn to use your camera and lens that came with it.</p>

<p>But there are adaptors available, and more coming, I guess, that will let you use a LOT of different "old" lenses on the new Micro four-thirds cameras. But buying a new camera is not the way to go for someone who is just learning to take decent pics. You have a great camera. Stick with that and newer lenses, learn more, upgrade the photographer (yourself) first...</p>

[revonda]

<p>Peter I agree 100%. And I in no way can afford to buy a new camera for some vintage lenses that I have. When I said I should "start shooting with a Canon" I was trying to be funny...oh well. I thought maybe there were some adaptors out there I could use instead of just having these cameras as a collection. I dont need or can buy lenses and bodies but I would fork over some cash for and adaptor or two which was my original question.</p>

[Peter_in_PA]

<p>Revonda,</p>

<p>fair enough... adaptors for Nikon involve adding lens elements, which pretty much degrades the image in most if not all cases. NOt worthwhile.</p>

<p>For Canon it's different because of the distance between the lens and the focal plane.</p>

[revonda]

<p>Right, I have heard of adaptors with no glass in them but not for Nikon. I am as happy as can be with my equipment and was looking for cheaper way to use some lenses...no such luck with this hobby!! lol</p>

[Ian Rance]

<p>The Schneider Kreuznach lenses for the Retina Reflex fit with an adaptor that does not have any glass in it and still allows infinity focus.</p>

[revonda]

<p>Thank you Ian, I dont have that lens in my collection but this information is good to know.</p>

[revonda]

<p>Peter my camera didn't come with a lens:)</p>

[cc_chang2]

<blockquote>

<p>Hi Peter, what do I need to do?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Do you mean what you need to do with the m3/4 mount? I think he refers to the new cameras from Olympus and Panasonic, Ep1, G1, GH1, and GF1, that use the m3/4 mount, which is essentially a 3/4 sensor in a mirror-less compact camera body. The mount to sensor distance in these cameras is very short, thus making it possible to use adapters to mount just about any lenses out there and the camera meters will still work. The problem with these cameras now is price and availability.</p>

[Ian Rance]

<p>Revonda, you are welcome. These wonderful, low priced, hand built lenses work fine on my Nikon's (in stop down metering mode) and it will only be a matter of time before the secret is out and the prices go up.</p>

<p>PS. The Schneider 90mm f/4 is a wonderful lens for portraits.</p>

[revonda]

<p>Hi CC, and yes that is exactly what I was asking about. Good information to know and thank you. So maybe a possibility for me to use these lenses in the future at some point.</p>

[revonda]

<p>Your secret is safe with me Ian...and I am all for quality without having to spend a ton..thanks again.</p>

[Dieter Schaefer]

<p>You may want to have a look at the leitax.com website - they offer mount Nikon F-mount replacements for Leica R and Zeiss lenses. I purchased one to mount the Leitz Apo-Telyt 180/3.4 on my Nikons. The procedure to replace the mount is simple (in most cases). Recently, some other mount replacements have surfaced on ebay - I have no idea how good they are though.</p>

[revonda]

<p>Dieter are you happy with the results? And thank you for the site.</p>

[Dieter Schaefer]

<p>Revonda - that sounds like an easy question but is a bit tough to answer. The Nikon F-mount one gets from leitax.com is top notch and the procedure to exchange it for the Leica-R mount is well described and easy to perform; fit and finish are perfect. It depends on the lens and also on the camera though, see the site for a list of lenses/cameras that cause problems. One thing that is apparently unavoidable - removing the Leica R-mount also removes the stops at either end of the aperture ring, so now the rings turns freely and requires a bit of care when handling. Stop-down metering can be annoying at times, depends on what one shoots. On my D200 and D300, I have trouble focusing the Telyt (and any MF lens for that matter). While the focus confirmation dot is reliable on static subjects, it becomes much less so when the subject is moving. The helicoids of most MF lenses are fairly flat, allowing for precise focusing, which unfortunately isn't visible on the rather poor AF viewing screens of modern AF cameras. I expect things are fine on MF cameras or if the viewing screen in an AF camera is exchanged for a KatzEye.</p>

[alan_goldhammer]

<p>Revonda, you might visit <a href="http://www.aiconversions.com/">John White's </a>website. He discusses the use of all Nikkor lenses on newer digital bodies and offers a good (and inexpensive) conversion service. He did three of my old Nikkors and I use them regularly on my D300. I realize that the lenses you mention don't fall into this category, but if you are looking for older lenses that can be used with a Nikon DSLR, this is a good resource.</p>

[indraneel]

<p>As Peter suggested, just get an olympus E-P1 if you want to use any lens ever made (if you can find/make an adapter for it). Works beautifully with all my nikkor. That said, newer lenses are much better, especially when I project slides wall high. An AiS 50mm has more chromatic aberration than a 50/1.8D.</p>

[revonda]

<p>Thank you, Dieter, Alan and Indraneel for suggesting these options as well.</p>

[clive_murray_white]

<p>Hi, I've just joined, mainly because of the chat you have about old lenses/cameras! My first real digital camera was a Leica Digilux3 and what I'didn't realise was that it was perfect for a huge range of old lenses, I picked up a Panasonic L1 body as a back up on eBay for a couple of 100 bucks, sold it again and bought a new Olympus E-3.<br>

My advice to anyone entering the playing with old lenses game would be get any four thirds camera with LIVE VIEW because you can use it with the 10x magification to focus unbelievably precisely (always a problem with old lenses on new digital cameras). I wouldn't touch micro 4/3s yet too early better cameras will come along soon.<br>

Keep your Nikon and use it for what it was designed for and pick up a used Panasonic L1 on eBay for next to nothing, then you use Contax/Yashical, minolta, Pentax M42, Nikon Ai, Leica R, exakta etc. and then there's all those wild Soviet lenses.<br>

Big danger you can really get sucked into the half life of scouring eBay for lenses you'd like to try out </p>