Lens interchangability

[joe_brown8]

<p>Would like to know if lenses from an N80 film slr function correctly on digital slr's such as a D3000, D5100 etc? Current lenses from the N80 state "AF NIKKOR" while some of the lenses advertised with digital cameras have "AF-S". Thanks in advance. </p>

[keirst]

<p>Neither the D3000 nor D5000 camera has an AF motor to drive the screw AF of older AF and AFD Nikkors. These cameras can use older AF lenses only in manual focus mode and require AFS lenses for autofocus. Some Nikon DSLR cameras like the D90, D600, D700, D800/D800E, D3, D4 do have AF motors in the body and support. See: http://www.nikonians.org/nikon/slr-lens.html for a big table of lens and body compatibility.</p>

[ann_overland]

<p>If you go to the tech specs of the cameras, you should find this information under 'Compatible lenses'.</p>

<p>This is for the D5100: http://imaging.nikon.com/lineup/dslr/d5100/spec.htm (search: d5100 specs nikon)</p>

<p>This is for the D3000: http://imaging.nikon.com/lineup/dslr/d3000/spec.htm (search: d3000 specs nikon)<br>

Only thing is: Nikon forgot to mention 'Compatible lenses' for the D3000 in the specs.</p>

<p>You will find an extensive camera and lens compatibility overview if you do a search for: lens compatibility ken rockwell</p>

[John Crowe]

<p>I would specifically consider only bodies with AF motors built in. There are still a number of essential Nikon lenses which have not been upgraded to AF-S and also some very affordable and extremely good used AF lenses available too. </p>

<p>A used D2X or D300 is a good starting point. Too bad the D300 has never been upgraded. I am shocked that the D3200 and D5200 do not have motors. It seems Nikon is more concerned with selling more AF-S lenses to make more money. </p>

[johncox]

<p>The N80 (F80 outside the U.S.) was the first camera to accept G (the G stands for gelded) series lenses. For the most part these G series lenses are the only lenses that can be shared between the N80 and the D3000, D5100 and retain autofocus. Any AF, or AF D Nikkors will not auto focus on either the D3000 or the D5100.</p>

[ArthurRichardson]

<p>Note to John Cox. G lenses have no aperture ring, whereas the AF-S non g and AF-D lenses do have an aperture ring. <br>

You need AF-S or similar non nikon in lens motor capability to auto focus on your body.</p>

[Peter_in_PA]

<blockquote>

<p>I am shocked that the D3200 and D5200 do not have motors. It seems Nikon is more concerned with selling more AF-S lenses to make more money.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Or perhaps they know (rightly) that the customers for those cameras rarely have an appetite for older non-AF-S lenses and rarely read internet photo forums and would rather save a few bucks than pay for a feature they have no use for.</p>

[scottelly]

<p>John, the cheaper Dx000, Dx100 and Dx200 series cameras (like the D5000, D5100 and D5200) are cheap, light cameras. Nikon has to figure out what to leave out of a camera to make it cheap (and lightweight), in order to compete with the competition, while still making them profitable. Canon doesn't have to put a motor in the body of their cameras to drive the focusing of their old lenses. Neither does Sony. The problem is that they originally made the mistake of building their lenses with a need to drive their auto-focus feature with a motor in the camera body. That was in some ways a big mistake. Canon just alienated a lot of their customers by totally switching to a completely new line of lenses! So did Minolta. At least Nikon didn't do THAT!</p>

<p>I definitely do wish the D5x00 bodies could drive the old lenses myself, since they are the only Nikons that have a fold-out screen. Unfortunately Nikon is not offering a professional body with a fold-out screen. That is one reason I switched to Sony, buying first the A55 (on sale). I LOVE my Sony A55 (much better than my Nikon D5000). Eventually I will have a Sony A77 (unless Nikon puts a fold-out screen on the D400). You see, there are old Minolta lenses available that can be used with the new Sony bodies, just like there are old Nikon lenses (though the Minolta lenses are not still available brand new, like the old Nikon lenses are). Nice!</p>

<p>It does not shock me at all that Nikon did not put a motor in the body of the cheaper Dx000 series cameras. They didn't put a motor in the D70 or the D50 either. I was actually surprised they put one in the D80 and D90. (I guess they didn't learn much from that experience though . . . or maybe they did, which is why they put a motor in the D7000. I wonder if Nikon will make a D9000.)</p>