Lens Newb Nikon Question

C

ChipThome

Well-known member
So here I am, a complete lens newb and getting ready to venture out and buy some lens, to try out manual focus with a Nikon prime on my GH1/2.

In one of the threads here, Hunter suggested a 50mm would be a good newb lens, so looked on Ebay and found a ton.

I found Series D, E, AI and whatnot, as if any of these letters means anything to me. I researched some online and found the series designates dates of manufacturer, and options of "in lens" features like distance or auto focus.

When I use a converter to a GH1/2, I am assuming all these lens features, are going to be negated as they won't hook into the Panny electronics, correct ???

So will it make any real difference if I get a series D or E, or AI for that matter ??? All appear to have manual aperture and a focus ring.

Also, any potential pitfalls you can recommend a newb steer clear of ???

Thanks guys !!!!

Chip
 
I'm in the same boat! Not sure what all this stuff means. Thanks for helping us out!
 
you'll want at least 3 lenses to cover the ranges. a 28mm f2.8 FD you can get for lower range or thereabouts for wider shots. the 50mm for 'normal' range and get some sort of 85mm or so (not sure if FD has this as I don't have one, i have 135mm fd i believe) though you might want a 35mm also to cover the best ranges
 
Homunculus said:
you'll want at least 3 lenses to cover the ranges. a 28mm f2.8 FD you can get for lower range or thereabouts for wider shots. the 50mm for 'normal' range and get some sort of 85mm or so (not sure if FD has this as I don't have one, i have 135mm fd i believe) though you might want a 35mm also to cover the best ranges
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FD is Canon the poster was asking about Nikon.
 
Ben_B said:
FD is Canon the poster was asking about Nikon.
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i know sorry i was a little under the influence and posted in the wrong thread. i thought there was another FD thread i had open in the tab LOL...but either way at least it's general info about focal lengths....sorry
 
ChipThome said:
So here I am, a complete lens newb and getting ready to venture out and buy some lens, to try out manual focus with a Nikon prime on my GH1/2.

In one of the threads here, Hunter suggested a 50mm would be a good newb lens, so looked on Ebay and found a ton.

I found Series D, E, AI and whatnot, as if any of these letters means anything to me. I researched some online and found the series designates dates of manufacturer, and options of "in lens" features like distance or auto focus.

When I use a converter to a GH1/2, I am assuming all these lens features, are going to be negated as they won't hook into the Panny electronics, correct ???

So will it make any real difference if I get a series D or E, or AI for that matter ??? All appear to have manual aperture and a focus ring.

Also, any potential pitfalls you can recommend a newb steer clear of ???

Thanks guys !!!!

Chip
Click to expand...

AI means it is compatible with the Nikon AI metering system. Most Nikon SLRs and manual lenses made after 1970 use this. For your GH1/2 you want to find an AI or Pre-AI lens (AI will work on any Nikon SLR or DSLR, pre-AI will not but will work fine on your GH1/2 with any Nikon adaptor.) Of these lenses there are some in the E series, which stands for "economy." These lenses are usually not as good as non-E series AI and pre AI lenses, especially those marked "Nikkor" which is Nikon's high end, but they're actually pretty damn good by modern standards, and are much closer to some of these old Nikkors in optical quality than modern AF Nikon lenses (the current plasticy low end) are...although they're made of (high quality) plastic with bits of metal, rather than mostly or all metal. You want to AVOID D series lenses (also G series lenses, though those are the modern expensive high end and you likely will be not buying those anyway) because they are made for Digital and do not have aperture rings. There are adaptors available that use a bolt to control the adaptor on these lenses (there is a little lever on the back of each lens) but the adaptor is more expensive and you'd rather have aperture control. Also price vs performance for these lenses is not as good as earlier Nikons, and you're paying for AF motors and electronic contacts that you're not using.

More info here:
http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/nikortek.htm

Wouldn't trust that site for most opinion stuff, a lot of people disagree with him, but good info on facts like this.
 
I use old nikon glass. Most of the glass is the same between the series. very little changed in the design, mostly just package/looks changes for the most part.

Don't bother with the AF(autofocus) lenses though they are generally plastic shelled and there is no reason to pay the extra expense for them. The AI (autoiris) lenses are fine, they don't seem to command a premium in price like the AF do but your GHx camera won't control the iris.

I'd go for 24/28mm F2.8, 35mm F2.8, 50mm F1.4/F1.8, and 105mm F2.5. Those are readily available and fairly cheap.

IF you can find an 85mm for cheap, get it. However those demand premium prices now as do the more rare superwide lenses like 20mm and below.
 
Svart said:
I use old nikon glass. Most of the glass is the same between the series. very little changed in the design, mostly just package/looks changes for the most part.

Don't bother with the AF(autofocus) lenses though they are generally plastic shelled and there is no reason to pay the extra expense for them. The AI (autoiris) lenses are fine, they don't seem to command a premium in price like the AF do but your GHx camera won't control the iris.

I'd go for 24/28mm F2.8, 35mm F2.8, 50mm F1.4/F1.8, and 105mm F2.5. Those are readily available and fairly cheap.

IF you can find an 85mm for cheap, get it. However those demand premium prices now as do the more rare superwide lenses like 20mm and below.
Click to expand...

In your experience, have you used any of the canon FD lenses in the past? Curious to see how the canon legacy lenses compare to the Nikons.
 
Svart said:
I use old nikon glass. Most of the glass is the same between the series. very little changed in the design, mostly just package/looks changes for the most part.
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This is VERY VERY misleading and wrong. Optical designs have changed radically in some cases, as have lens coatings, and even materials used in construction. Focal throw has changed drastically in some cases. In other cases front optic diameter has changed.

If you are going to offer assistance to people looking for help, please try to be more accurate than this. It can lead them down a bad path.
 
dude I have owned probably 50 different nikon lenses over the years and my grandfather used to rebuild lenses. I've seen the guts of these lenses for decades and it's as true as I believe it to be.

EDIT: but yeah I'll concede that coatings have changed but for the most part the 24/28mm, the 50mm and the 105mm are the same design. I can't speak for some of their more off-the-wall designs but the core set has been pretty much the same lens just repackaged.
 
zm15 said:
In your experience, have you used any of the canon FD lenses in the past? Curious to see how the canon legacy lenses compare to the Nikons.
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I used both for many years. There is a reason that the GREAT proportion of pro photographers used Nikons back then. I dare say at the events I was at it was probably 80-90% Nikon. It's not that FD glass was bad. It just wasn't as good as Nikon's, and didn't fit the cameras we preferred to use. I had a AE1, and a T70. After shooting for the newspaper with a guy who had a Nikon F3, I bought a Nikon F4s and never looked back.
 
Svart said:
dude I have owned probably 50 different nikon lenses over the years. It's as true as I believe it to be.
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Do you consider a change in optical design (different numbers of elements and different groupings) to be "mostly just package/looks changes"?? Because personally, I consider that to be a substantive change to the lens. As I consider the evolution of uncoated, to single coated, to multi-coated elements a substantive change, and one absolutely CRUCIAL to understand for anyone who wants to shoot outdoors on a sunny day.
 
PerroneFord said:
I used both for many years. There is a reason that the GREAT proportion of pro photographers used Nikons back then. I dare say at the events I was at it was probably 80-90% Nikon. It's not that FD glass was bad. It just wasn't as good as Nikon's, and didn't fit the cameras we preferred to use. I had a AE1, and a T70. After shooting for the newspaper with a guy who had a Nikon F3, I bought a Nikon F4s and never looked back.
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Thanks Perrone, have you shot video on both of these lenses over the years as well?
 
Guys.....you are just SUPER !!!!

I was primed to go in on a 1.8 D lens auction or two, they looked nice and weren't that old. I'm really happy I waited. :-) Thanks Ben !

It looks like the 50mm 1.4 is about twice the price of the 1.8 and the 1.2 lots more yet.

Peronne, I have your link bookmarked, a nice simple reference guide that will work perfect for what I need ! Thanks for providing it.

All of everyone's input is fantastic, thanks for sharing.

One last question, for now. I saw an adapter for G series lenses, and then adapters for Nikon lenses. Is there a specific mount style I should be looking at, to fit these legacy lenses ??? Or are the rest of Nikon mounts the same ???

Thanks !
 
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