Old Nikon's

[barry]

I noticed at the bottom of Gary Starks posts he has an FE2 and an FTn.

This made me think what other old Nikons are out there and are they still being used.

I used to have an FTn (traded on FE2) as my first Nikon and still have the FE2 which I use very occassionally.

What do other people have.

Barry

[huynhie]

F5 for me,

I am on the lookout for an F3, F2 and F if a nice specimen pops up at the right price than I'll snap it up.

[Grev]

I have a f401s, which was from my auntie. And it's broken, the film won't roll, not sure if I should get it fixed or not.

[JordanP]

FE2 for me. Tough little camera that has seen plenty of work, outlived 3 x MD12s, survived falling out of a canoe (inside an esky) and has a broken light meter after beeing in the hands of a friend who fell off a cliff (onto a ledge fortunatley).

Outside the busted light meter it works like a charm

[daniel_r]

Nikon EM (first Nikon, 3rd SLR)

Not that bad, probably still has something to do with why I still shoot Aperture Priority a fair bit

[Paul]

I just recieved my F80D, totally refurbished at Maxwell's (So I expect it to fail at any second! )
Can't wait to use it, the problem is finding a nice subject to reel off a complete roll of film.
Might give it a blast at the 2 weddings I have this weekend.

[avkomp]

2 x f3 for me
both done plenty of work but both havent taken a shot for 15 or more years.

Steve

[gecko]

FM and 801 in my draw.
Both work still in good working order.

Gecko

[Nikkofan]

Have an FG, which worked it's heart out for me and is now defunct

So, 2 weeks ago, I got an F100, which I am still getting used to. BTW, can anyone tell me if you can use an old (non-CPU) lens with the F100 and also the D70? I've got a number of old lenses with the metal "ears" that stick out and have been told they have to be converted to work with the D70 and the F100. I rang Maxwells and they said they don't do conversions anymore, but that someone else might.

Can anyone with an old Nikon and presumably a newer Nikon DSLR tell me if you've tried your old lenses with the D70 and if you've got one, a F100? And can you tell me if you know of anyone who does conversions?

Thanks

[poiter86]

FM that came with very popular 50mm f/1.4

Very solid & weighs a ton ... good for self defense

Pete

[avkomp]

I am able to use my AIS nikkors on my d70.
have tried them on a d2x also.
work on both although on the d70 you have to use sunny 16 rule to figure out exposure.

On a d2x (and I guess d200 also?) you can tell the camera what non cpu lens is fitted and maximum aperture and the metering just works.
Although you still have to focus the old fashioned way

Steve

[baboo]

FM2 with a 50mm f1.4

Love shooting B&W with it.

[gstark]

Have an FG, which worked it's heart out for me and is now defunct

So, 2 weeks ago, I got an F100, which I am still getting used to. BTW, can anyone tell me if you can use an old (non-CPU) lens with the F100 and also the D70? I've got a number of old lenses with the metal "ears" that stick out and have been told they have to be converted to work with the D70 and the F100.

They work fine, but you lose some functionality.

Perhaps AF, perhaps metering. Often both.

Depends on the lens.

[barry]

Nikkofan,

Lately I have been using my manual focus 50mm f2.8 macro (ex FE2) on my D70. Picture quality is good but you need to work out exposure manually. I take a couple of test shots and bracket around the best one. I'm sure with some practice I would be able to get the exposure more quickly.

Barry

[barry]

 PS the lens has not been modified at all.

[moz]

but you lose some functionality. Perhaps AF, perhaps metering.

I'm curious about this. How come the lens loses metering? That other brand just loses aperture control but TTL metering continues to work. Surely the light still comes through the lens and hits the exposure sensors?

[Oneputt]

A Nikonos II plus an F401 in excellent order.

[avkomp]

I'm curious about this. How come the lens loses metering? That other brand just loses aperture control but TTL metering continues to work. Surely the light still comes through the lens and hits the exposure sensors?

you lose metering because although light still gets thru, the system doesnt know what the maximum aperture is.

The D2x for example works fine because you have a menu item where you can specify the maximum aperture f1.4 for example and focal length when an old lens is connected.

These lenses will have the aperture controlled on the lens itself and after setting this info on the d2x and maybe others, not d70 though, the metering works fine.

on the d70 you need to use experience to get exposure and/or firing off a guesstimate shot and correcting as appropriate (with bracketing if you wish)

Steve

[moz]

on the d70 you need to use experience to get exposure and/or firing off a guesstimate shot and correcting

Eww! I mean, it makes sense after a fashion that on some cameras you get auto aperture control, but the fallback being no metering is a bit ugly. Canon just brings up "00" for aperture and the camera meters what it sees (so it's "manual with metering").

Ok, file this under "things you were never silly enough to ask": the Lensbaby is compatible with both Canon and Sigma teleconverters. Having been prompted to slap it on the 350D that I have handy, it works quite well in all modes including the scene modes and "green" dummy one. Metering works, including popping up the flash in modes that do that to you. Aperture, of course, stays at 0.

I've left the EXIF on this for those that are curious:

(and yes, that's how a lensbaby photo is supposed to look.

[gstark]

but you lose some functionality. Perhaps AF, perhaps metering.

I'm curious about this. How come the lens loses metering? That other brand just loses aperture control but TTL metering continues to work. Surely the light still comes through the lens and hits the exposure sensors?

Wot Steve sed.

In the late 80's Nikon introduced it's AF stuff, and with that (or about that time) they introduced electronics, still using though the same ole' F-Mount.

Before electronics, metering information was carried mechanically, originally through the rabbits ears that Nikonfan referred to, and then (we're talking early 70's now) through the AI ring at the base of the lens.

The D70 doesn't carry any AI coupling mechanism, but the the D2x/D2h//D200 all do, so they will also know what the current selected aperture setting is.

With the post late-80's lenses, the aperture setting details are passed electronically, and for non-G lenses, you always set your lens to its maximum aperture, and allow the electronics to strut their stuff.

That's why a G series lens (a relatively new concept) can work on a 801 or similar vintage (16 or so years old) camera: they're always set to maximum aperture in terms of this discussion.

Does that help?

[gstark]

Eww! I mean, it makes sense after a fashion that on some cameras you get auto aperture control, but the fallback being no metering is a bit ugly. Canon just brings up "00" for aperture and the camera meters what it sees (so it's "manual with metering").

And you can still manually meter on the D70 too. You do need to stop down to do it though, but it's easier to just shoot using your best estimation (shoudl be pretty good as a starting point) and then chimp the histogram to refine.

We certrainly have no issues using <strike>our</strike>my old 55mm pre-Ai 55mm micro.

[moz]

Does that help?

Yeah, I understand it more now. It makes a certain amount of sense, even

thanks
moz

[Ivanerrol]

My F100 is on consignment to a dealer. I prefer the old manual focussing so I still use an old FA.
I use 'e' lenses (AIS Spec) on the D70s and guesstimate the exposure. Years of having an old pentax with a non working meter conditions the guesstimites.

I bought a new manual focus Voigtlander last year to captilise on the fine M42 Super Takumar lenses I still own. (The FA still meters better.)

Old Takumar lenses lenses are getting popular overseas as there is an Canon adapter for M42. These old Taks are highly rated and are reputed to be second in line to the Zeiss. Nikon, Canon and Contax even licensed their Lens Coating system back in the 70's.
Apparently even with the M42 adaptor modern Canons can still aperture prority meter (or I could be stood corrected).

[jdear]

Im same as IVAN...
I have an F100, FA and 801 (801 soon to go to gary)

I regularly shoot the F100 with my 15mm and 20mm AIS lenses... I usually meter with my AF 50mm first and then bracket either side for good measure (on a critical shot)

Id be curious to stick my 15mm on a FF 5d body with the appropriate adapter and see if it works... I cant bare to part with such a beautiful lense.

J