F mount lenses on Nikon Z bodies (Page 3): Excuse me, but that camera did not just get announced, it has been out for a while. In fact, it is currently on sale at B&H.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

ssymeono wrote:

Nikon just announced that a new camera the Zfc, based on the very successful FM2 body and the Z50, will accept all Nikon lenses. It appears to be like the Nikon Df was for the SLR cameras. It was announced yesterday at the PetaPixel site.

Excuse me, but that camera did not just get announced, it has been out for a while. In fact, it is currently on sale at B&H.

rangel28

Bill McKenna wrote:

I've been considering getting a Nikon Z body (Z6ii or Z9) and I've read conflicting opinions regarding how much you "lose" when using F mount lenses on Z bodies (obviously with the adapter). Can anyone who has used both F mount and Z mount lenses on Z bodies weigh in on whether they are seeing any difference in the quality of their images. What are any other issues to be aware of? Thanks for the help. Bill

There is no glass in the FTZ adapter; it just recreates the flange distance and mount diameter of the F mount lenses, so you should not see an image degradation using F mount lenses on Z cameras. The difference is that the Z mount lenses are engineered specifically for Z mount cameras, so you will see a difference, specifically to my eye photos are much sharper (detail in dog's fur or a bird's feathers) and there seems to be more of a pronounced separation between the target of your autofocus and the background. Many of the Z mount lenses feel lighter as well, for example the 105mm f2.8 looks big but is lighter than the F mount macro counterpart, as is the 24mm-120mm f4.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

ssymeono wrote:

Nikon just announced that a new camera the Zfc, based on the very successful FM2 body and the Z50, will accept all Nikon lenses. It appears to be like the Nikon Df was for the SLR cameras. It was announced yesterday at the PetaPixel site.

You're almost two years late with this announcement. The Nikon Z fc was released July 23, 2021. I purchased mine in early August 2021,

Both the Nikon Z fc and Z50 we'll accept any Nikon lenses, but will require an FTZ adapter for non-Z lenses.

neillaubenthal

There is zero image degradation…the lens is as good as it always was and the only thing the FTZ does is get it further from the center. In some cases…AF performance is improved and/or faster…that’s due to the AF sites being on the sensor so there’s no need for lens calibration for slight differences. What you don’t get with an F on a Z is the improved optical design in the Z lenses due to the larger throat…this makes Z lenses generally a bit better, lighter, and smaller than the equivalent F lens…and the F is longer on a Z because of the adapter. So gradually moving to Z lenses is just fine.

Paul is right…depending on make, age, and AF type some lenses may not AF anymore…and shifting to a high MP Z from a lower MP F body might expose some deficiencies in the lens that you simply couldn’t see before…but that’s a product of the higher MPs and the newer (i.e. better) sensor in the Z and has nothing to do with lens mount or mirrorless vs DSLR.

JD750 Loc: SoCal

Bill McKenna wrote:

I've been considering getting a Nikon Z body (Z6ii or Z9) and I've read conflicting opinions regarding how much you "lose" when using F mount lenses on Z bodies (obviously with the adapter). Can anyone who has used both F mount and Z mount lenses on Z bodies weigh in on whether they are seeing any difference in the quality of their images. What are any other issues to be aware of? Thanks for the help. Bill

I use both.

The FTZ is a hollow tube. It won't affect image quality.

However, you might lose some lens functions, such as autofocus, depending on the vintage of the lens.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

billnikon wrote:

Excuse me, but that camera did not just get announced, it has been out for a while. In fact, it is currently on sale at B&H.

Thank you. I was worried I'd been asleep for two years ... Moreover, with its Z-mount, it won't be any more compatible to legacy F-mount lenses than any of Nikon's mirrorless bodies, that is, needing an FTZ adapter.

slcarn Loc: Draper, Utah USA

Bill McKenna wrote:

I've been considering getting a Nikon Z body (Z6ii or Z9) and I've read conflicting opinions regarding how much you "lose" when using F mount lenses on Z bodies (obviously with the adapter). Can anyone who has used both F mount and Z mount lenses on Z bodies weigh in on whether they are seeing any difference in the quality of their images. What are any other issues to be aware of? Thanks for the help. Bill

Bill,
I replaced my D5 with the Z9. It plays well with my F mount lenses. I shoot grandkid sports and use a 500 pf and, when the weather is good a 500mm F/4. Both work great with the extra options the Z9 has over the D5 or D850 (that I still own).
Someone on here posted something about lighter weight. Not so with the Z9 but the camera is amazing and works equally well with Z and F mount lenses.
Steve

ricardo00

billnikon wrote:

Just a reminder to everyone on this site. Nikon has NOT said what it is bringing out. I would wait until the OFFICIAL announcement later this month.

The OFFICIAL announcement is next week, actually 5 days away. And many of the specs have been "leaked", so many people (myself included) have placed orders for it. Yes we don't know the exact price (likely to be around $4000 in the US), etc but there is a lot of info on this camera, so for those who are interested, I would suggest they check it out (there is likely to be a large number of people who will jump at putting their order in when the official announcement is made):

https://nikonrumors.com/2023/05/02/nikon-z8-vs-nikon-z9-specifications-comparison.aspx/#more-180701

TomHackett Loc: Kingston, New York

DavidPine wrote:

I sold all but one of my F mount lenses and bought new lenses. I wish I had acted with more experience. F mount lenses are fine in the Z cameras with the FTZ adaptor.

I'm sorry for your misunderstanding. But if more people with Z cameras would do as you did, it would be a windfall for other Z owners. We'd happily purchase those F mount lenses to use on our Zs.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Who would want less than a $5400 camera, unless you want the $4500 marked down version from Abe's?

Bill McKenna

Thanks Steve. I appreciate the feedback.

BebuLamar

ssymeono wrote:

Nikon just announced that a new camera the Zfc, based on the very successful FM2 body and the Z50, will accept all Nikon lenses. It appears to be like the Nikon Df was for the SLR cameras. It was announced yesterday at the PetaPixel site.

Nikon released the Zfc about 2 years ago. Besides all Z bodies will accept all Nikon F mount lenses. There is no aperture feeler in the FTZ adapter to get damaged.

Alphabravo2020

I'm in the same boat with mostly manual focus F lenses (many unchipped) and looking to some ML body (Nikon/Sony/Fuji).

Aside from image quality, these are the quality of life unknowns that have me stalled out.

Do adapters typically have pass through electronics/contacts/chips etc?
Does the camera know what lens is attached as long as it is chipped?
Can you tell the camera what lens is attached for older unchipped lenses like the DSLRs allow?
Does the camera know what aperture the lens is at?
Can the camera control aperture for chipped Nikon lenses?
Can the camera determine exposure for chipped or unchipped lenses?
Do the F adapters work with autofocus lenses (except probably screw drive i suppose)? Must the lens have a focus motor?

JD750 Loc: SoCal

Alphabravo2020 wrote:

I'm in the same boat with mostly manual focus F le... (show quote)

https://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/compatibility-lens.htm

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Alphabravo2020 wrote:

I'm in the same boat with mostly manual focus F le... (show quote)

Some of your questions overlap. Scroll about half-way down and see section "Mirrorless with FTZ adapter" in the link just below your post for the Rockwell summary of compatibility. Any lens that is AF-S is supported by the FTZ adapter, literally F to Z. Actually, follow the Rockwell link into the FTZ adapter. The adapter performs all the communication and control functions of the legacy DSLR, except to provide a focus motor for the AF-capable lenses dependent on the SLR/DSLR body. The adapter, minus the motor, supports the electronic communication of lens data into the camera and EXIF. But, of the lens doesn't 'talk', the adapter and camera can't 'hear'. There's a table on the FTZ adapter link on the Rockwell page that lays it out rather clearly.