AI or non AI?
- Thread starter cb1
- Start date
Ryan Patrick O'Hara
Veteran
They can be either AI or Non AI when on 35mm adapters. If you ever wish to buy a photography body and use the lenses, you would best go with AI. Most camera bodies can accept Non-AI but because most photography cameras couple with the lens's aperture, you will not be able to change aperture of the lens.
I've bought several lenses (8) for my 35mm adapter, but can only use the AI'd lenses on my photography camera.
You can also have Non-AI lenses, AI'd, for a small price.
As far as manual or automatic focusing, both should work. Almost all automatic lenses can be manually focused.
I have found, however, that auto focus lenses tend to have shorter (focus ring) throws versus manual. Meaning, if you were to turn the focus ring from infinity to the closest focusing setting, the physical distance the ring turns is less. This makes it easy to accidentally over shoot the focus mark and requires hyper sensitive focusing ability on the operators end. This is not necessarily true for all manual and auto focus lenses. Just a generality I've realized.
I've bought several lenses (8) for my 35mm adapter, but can only use the AI'd lenses on my photography camera.
You can also have Non-AI lenses, AI'd, for a small price.
As far as manual or automatic focusing, both should work. Almost all automatic lenses can be manually focused.
I have found, however, that auto focus lenses tend to have shorter (focus ring) throws versus manual. Meaning, if you were to turn the focus ring from infinity to the closest focusing setting, the physical distance the ring turns is less. This makes it easy to accidentally over shoot the focus mark and requires hyper sensitive focusing ability on the operators end. This is not necessarily true for all manual and auto focus lenses. Just a generality I've realized.
bill totolo
Veteran
Ryan,
I don't think I'm following you. Currently I'm using a non AI Nikkor 50mm 1.4 lens on my D60 without issue. I adjust the aperture manually.
Are you saying, for some reason, you cannot use non AI lenses on your Nikon camera? Why would someone need to have a non AI lens converted to AI?
And addressing the topic of AI or non AI, I would have to say that it depends on the characterstics that you are looking for in a lens. I have for example several 50mm lenses because each has unique properties. Some are sharp, some are soft, some have beautiful bokeh while another is fast. My favorite has beautifully aged coatings that I can't replicate through color correction.
Bill
I don't think I'm following you. Currently I'm using a non AI Nikkor 50mm 1.4 lens on my D60 without issue. I adjust the aperture manually.
Are you saying, for some reason, you cannot use non AI lenses on your Nikon camera? Why would someone need to have a non AI lens converted to AI?
And addressing the topic of AI or non AI, I would have to say that it depends on the characterstics that you are looking for in a lens. I have for example several 50mm lenses because each has unique properties. Some are sharp, some are soft, some have beautiful bokeh while another is fast. My favorite has beautifully aged coatings that I can't replicate through color correction.
Bill
Ryan Patrick O'Hara
Veteran
Hmm, I might have made it sound to common then it is, which is my mistake. My camera (FE2) locks up when I put a non-AI lens on. When researching a camera to buy, the FE2 manual suggested that I not use Non-AI. The aperture ring tries to couple, but it won't budge. This is probably not common for new bodies, but I guess just look into it.
My point was why buy non AI anyhow? You made a good point for using older lenses to achieve a certain look. But considering all lenses have been AI for quite a while now, (30 years?) it's probably just better to settle for AI.
I probably should not have made that general blanket statement, but I just wanted to let people know that some camera's have a problem with non-AI.
Mine does.
My point was why buy non AI anyhow? You made a good point for using older lenses to achieve a certain look. But considering all lenses have been AI for quite a while now, (30 years?) it's probably just better to settle for AI.
I probably should not have made that general blanket statement, but I just wanted to let people know that some camera's have a problem with non-AI.
Mine does.