Using Lenses From Old Film Camera On DSLR (Page 2): kind of right manual km lenses don't need an adapter because it is the same physical mount (with additional contacts for more modern...

blackest Loc: Ireland

marki3rd wrote:

To further clarify what I said in the above post a... (show quote)

kind of right manual km lenses don't need an adapter because it is the same physical mount (with additional contacts for more modern lenses). Green button metering is used since with a km lens there is no way to know what the aperture is.
If Image stabilization is on then the camera body will invite you to enter a focal length these are at various pentax prime lengths e.g there is 85mm and 100mm but no 90 mm with a zoom lens your best to figure out what focal length you intend to use.

If image stabalization isn't on and the value hasn't been inputted there will be a blank in the exif for focal length as there is for f-stop. KA lenses will give aperture but will not give focal length.

There is a potential problem with using Pentax lenses on Canon there is an aperture lever on the lens which can interfere with the mirror. It does with my 1D MKII so would be an issue for FF Canons, might get away with it of EF's Crop sensored Canons.

jethro779 Loc: Tucson, AZ

marki3rd wrote:

I have both Canon and Pentax DSLR Cameras and many... (show quote)

It depends on the age of the lens. Almost all lenses from 1959 till now will work on any Nikon camera. The difference is in the cameras themselves. The D3xxx, D5,xxx series cameras will use the lenses, but you have to shoot in full manual mode. All lenses but the noncpu lenses will work, but if there is no focus motor they have to be manually focused.

Specs from the D3400:

(Download)

marki3rd Loc: Columbus, Indiana

Peterff wrote:

Are you sure? A 'chipped' adapter is programmable, and can provide both focus confirmation, and focal length and max aperture information. The chip needs to be programmed for each specific lens, so mating adapters to individual lenses can be a good idea, but I do not think that your assertion is correct. If you wish it is even possible to modify EXIF data to show the actual lens information, although not normally the manually set aperture data.

Absolutely nothing I said is incorrect. I didn't mention "chipped" because that didn't impact anything else I said. A chipped adapter will provide "In Focus" information to the camera and yes, some chipped adapters will also provide focal length information, but not all will, and as you said, the user will have to go through a procedure to program them to provide focal length. I don't think this is of particular advantage to any user that needs to have multiple adapters. The in focus indication is a benefit at the time of exposure and therefore worthwhile (they will possible minimize out of focus shots). The adapters that can be programed for focal length provide nothing vital, especially given the ability to modify exif in post,a feature I did mention i my previous post.

marki3rd Loc: Columbus, Indiana

blackest wrote:

There is a potential problem with using Pentax lenses on Canon there is an aperture lever on the lens which can interfere with the mirror. It does with my 1D MKII so would be an issue for FF Canons, might get away with it of EF's Crop sensored Canons.

I have no experience with FF Canon DSLRs so thanks for your additional input on the subject. Not all Pentax manual lenses have that lever to control aperture, but it is no doubt a good idea if the lever is present to insure that it does not interfere with the camera's mirror.

These levers do not interfere with the mirror in the crop sensor Canons I have used but it would probably be wise to check for interference on any Canon Camera if the lens has the lever.. Thanks again for the heads up.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

jethro779 wrote:

It depends on the age of the lens. Almost all lenses from 1959 till now will work on any Nikon camera. The difference is in the cameras themselves. The D3xxx, D5,xxx series cameras will use the lenses, but you have to shoot in full manual mode. All lenses but the noncpu lenses will work, but if there is no focus motor they have to be manually focused.

Specs from the D3400:

And no metering.

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

marki3rd wrote:

Absolutely nothing I said is incorrect. I didn't ... (show quote)

Respectfully, I disagree. Your assertion " The Canon Camera will always assume 50mm focal length" is in my experience incorrect. Perhaps it varies from camera to camera. Perhaps it does that if it doesn't have any other information. If it has a chip that supplies focal length data then it accepts that data. Remember, it only needs a single exception to disprove your categorical statement.

Don't get bent out of shape, but you don't actually have to be correct with everything. The assertion "nothing I said is incorrect" is a losing value proposition for anyone, and never a good stance to take. It may be true in your personal experience, at least for now, but a single exception sinks it.

You clearly know your stuff, but there are many different aspects to these discussions, and everyone has different priorities. Your perspective is not the only one that matters.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

I use quite a few "old" lenses from my F on my D700 and D800. One just needs to be careful that no part of the lens construction hits the electrical contacts inside the camera.
--Bob

olddad60 wrote:

I have several lenses from my film days that I want to use on my Nikon D3300. They are Canon FL mount, but I have an adapter that will let me mount them on my Nikon. I have a Sigma 135 mm F1.8, and a Solgar 90 - 230 zoom. My question is, has anyone done this, and what results can I expect. Also have the Canon 50 mm F 1.8, and Canon 35 mm. I know that I will have to shoot in manual when using the lenses. Thanks

Pablo8 Loc: Nottingham UK.

I use old Takumar lenses on my Nikon Digital bodies, using adaptor (with / without lens element) Also can use my Hasselblad lenses with glassless adaptor. They allow 'rise/fall swing/ tilt' movements. Metering in camera body OK!!, just manual focus only. But have been used to manual focus since 1948.

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

From my experience, the best old lenses to use on modern Nikon DSLR cameras are Nikon's own F-mount Nikkor lenses; no additional adapter needed and no infinity focusing issues to be concerned about. The old Nikon lenses are plentiful, good performers and for the most part, very affordable.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

Bobspez wrote:

When manual focusing I get best results with using the live view magnifier as far as it will go, on my point of focus. The manual lenses should work fine as long as you have static subjects. For anything moving, autofocus is pretty much required.

At least for those that did not know how to shoot moving object (people, cars, birds for examples) before AF lenses existed.

kymarto Loc: Portland OR and Milan Italy

olddad60 wrote:

Thanks for the reply. My adapter does have the optical element, so I can focus to infinity

These degrade the image noticeably. Generally center sharpness is not a problem, but expect corner sharpness to suffer and there to be a noticeable amount of "bloom" and color fringing, even with a good optical element. If it's a cheap adapter results can be poor.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

olddad60 wrote:

I have several lenses from my film days that I want to use on my Nikon D3300. They are Canon FL mount, but I have an adapter that will let me mount them on my Nikon. I have a Sigma 135 mm F1.8, and a Solgar 90 - 230 zoom. My question is, has anyone done this, and what results can I expect. Also have the Canon 50 mm F 1.8, and Canon 35 mm. I know that I will have to shoot in manual when using the lenses. Thanks

The Sigma and Soligar from those days are questionable as to IQ on a Nikon or any modern camera. But the Canon lenses could prove interesting. Try to find some appropriate vintage Nikon lenses, though with a D3_ _ _ camera you have to be careful. The D5 _ _ _ and D7 _ _ _ cameras are more friendly to vintage glass. In any case, you'll need to do some research. Have fun.

dcampbell52 Loc: Clearwater Fl

olddad60 wrote:

I have several lenses from my film days that I want to use on my Nikon D3300. They are Canon FL mount, but I have an adapter that will let me mount them on my Nikon. I have a Sigma 135 mm F1.8, and a Solgar 90 - 230 zoom. My question is, has anyone done this, and what results can I expect. Also have the Canon 50 mm F 1.8, and Canon 35 mm. I know that I will have to shoot in manual when using the lenses. Thanks

Here is a copy of the Nikon lens compatibility chart. Nikon has done the best of the modern camera manufacturers of maintaining compatibility with lenses. However being compatible doesn't mean that all of the features will work all of the time. Some of the older lenses will have to be manually focused or have the aperture manually set. (in other words, that old automatic lens is now a manual lens).

https://www.nikonians.org/reviews/nikon-slr-camera-and-lens-compatibility

Nikon is the company that I worry least about lens compatibility because Nikon lenses made from the 1990s on will work in varying degrees. Some may not auto focus or the aperture may have to be done manually but as long as the lens is manufactured by Nikon it should work. Now, older Sigma, Tamron and other brands of lenses for Nikon Cameras may not work as they were unable to get around some of Nikon's patents and used alternate methods that may have worked on an older camera but doesn't on the newer (or vice-versa). Always check compatibility in the Nikon charts or by calling 1800Nikonusa to make sure. Although, remember that the people at 1800Nikonusa are reading the same charts that you can. lol.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

olddad60 wrote:

I have several lenses from my film days that I want to use on my Nikon D3300. They are Canon FL mount, but I have an adapter that will let me mount them on my Nikon. I have a Sigma 135 mm F1.8, and a Solgar 90 - 230 zoom. My question is, has anyone done this, and what results can I expect. Also have the Canon 50 mm F 1.8, and Canon 35 mm. I know that I will have to shoot in manual when using the lenses. Thanks

I think I have that same Soligor lens, but I have no desire to get an adapter to use it on my DSLRs. If I had a lot of high quality older lenses, I might be tempted, though.

jsmangis Loc: Peoria, IL

I have been using my old Nikkor lenses on both of my Nikon DSLRs (D80 & D610) since I went digital, with great results. The advantage of using old Nikon lenses is that you do not need an adaptor, as long as you use Ai, or Ai converted lenses. As mentioned before, your metering will not work, but the focus confirmation lite will. Good luck!