Nikon D lenses on "F" bodies: Re: Nikon D5300 and Nikon Df. I thought that D lenses each has their own focusing motors and that "F" bodies have a focusing motor in the body, so none is...

DaveyDitzer Loc: Western PA

Re: Nikon D5300 and Nikon Df. I thought that D lenses each has their own focusing motors and that "F" bodies have a focusing motor in the body, so none is in "F" lenses. If this is true, then what does an "F" body do with a D lens focus motor. Nikon says that D lenses can, in many cases, be used in an "F" body. I appreciate your help in educating me.

oldtigger Loc: Roanoke Virginia-USA

DaveyDitzer wrote:

Re: Nikon D5300 and Nikon Df. I thought that D lenses each has their own focusing motors and that "F" bodies have a focusing motor in the body, so none is in "F" lenses. If this is true, then what does an "F" body do with a D lens focus motor. Nikon says that D lenses can, in many cases, be used in an "F" body. I appreciate your help in educating me.

none of my non gelded type nikon lenses has a motor in them, they use the one in the camera.
All of my G type nikon lenses have a focus motor in them.

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

DaveyDitzer wrote:

Re: Nikon D5300 and Nikon Df. I thought that D lenses each has their own focusing motors and that "F" bodies have a focusing motor in the body, so none is in "F" lenses. If this is true, then what does an "F" body do with a D lens focus motor. Nikon says that D lenses can, in many cases, be used in an "F" body. I appreciate your help in educating me.

AF-S is the lens type with the focusing motor, AF-D are auto focus using the camera motor/screw. D = distance info....

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/nikortek.htm#afd

Erik_H Loc: Denham Springs, Louisiana

The only Nikon lenses that have a focus motor built in are the AF-S lenses. The S sanding for Silent Wave Motor. The "D" designation means that the lens has an aperture ring, whereas the newer "G" or Gelded lenses no longer have the aperture ring. To my knowledge none of the D lenses have motors built in. The "F" that you are referring to is the lens mounting system and Nikon has been using F mounts since 1959. The DF will accept any F mount lens, and because it has an internal focusing motor, it will autofocus all but the older manual focus lenses. The Df is unique in that it will accept pre-AI (lenses manufactured before 1977) lenses without having to convert the lens to couple with the bodies aperture indexing system.
For more info, check out these sites.
http://www.nikonusa.com/en/Learn-And-Explore/Article/go35b5yp/which-nikkor-lens-type-is-right-for-your-d-slr.html

http://www.aiconversions.com/history.html

DaveyDitzer Loc: Western PA

Thank you all. I'm getting there. There is just a bewildering array of Nikon models. I sincerely appreciate your willingness to help.

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

Erik_H wrote:

The only Nikon lenses that have a focus motor buil... (show quote)

Right on everything except for the D vs G... G is "gelded" and has no aperture ring as you mentioned, however D signifies the lens relays DISTANCE information to the camera and has nothing to do with the aperture ring. Even the Nikon page you linked says that.

Erik_H Loc: Denham Springs, Louisiana

Dngallagher wrote:

Right on everything except for the D vs G... G is "gelded" and has no aperture ring as you mentioned, however D signifies the lens relays DISTANCE information to the camera and has nothing to do with the aperture ring. Even the Nikon page you linked says that.

You are correct, thanks for pointing it out. I read that page quite some time ago and remembered it but didn't re-read it before I posted the link.

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

DaveyDitzer wrote:

Re: Nikon D5300 and Nikon Df. I thought that D lenses each has their own focusing motors and that "F" bodies have a focusing motor in the body, so none is in "F" lenses. If this is true, then what does an "F" body do with a D lens focus motor. Nikon says that D lenses can, in many cases, be used in an "F" body. I appreciate your help in educating me.

If by "F" lenses you mean "F-mount" lenses, those are simply lenses that fit on Nikon cameras with the F-mount; basically all SLR and DSLR cameras for Nikon. As opposed to for example, the Nikon S-mount you find on many Nikon rangefinder cameras. The issue of focus motor presence has nothing really to do with it.

rbfanman

Contact Nikon directly for the best advice. I have heard that some older lenses can damage newer bodies. Nikon would know best which lenses can be used on which bodies, without problems.

BebuLamar

But I thought the OP meant FX and DX because the OP mentioned F body etc..

I thought the OP said that all DX lenses has motor in them (is that true please correct me if I am wrong here) and FX lenses don't (FX lenses do have motors but some don't as has been pointed out before) so what an FX body do with the motor because it has its own motor.
Of course I may misunderstand.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

DaveyDitzer wrote:

Re: Nikon D5300 and Nikon Df. I thought that D lenses each has their own focusing motors and that "F" bodies have a focusing motor in the body, so none is in "F" lenses. If this is true, then what does an "F" body do with a D lens focus motor. Nikon says that D lenses can, in many cases, be used in an "F" body. I appreciate your help in educating me.

As Don stated, AF-D no motor in the lens, AF-S has a silent wave motor, and there are AF-I lenses that have a motor but the old-school noisy one that is generally slower and less accurate.

AF-I and AF-D generally have an aperture ring. AF-S lenses can be designated as G lenses, which lack an aperture ring, but do transmit distance data for 3D Matrix metering systems.

Nearly all higher level bodies, currently the D7000 series on up, have internal focus drives. and can use either AF-D, AF-I or AF-S lenses, G or non G. The entry level bodies, like the 3000 and 5000 series require lenses with built in motors.

wingclui44 Loc: CT USA

Erik_H wrote:

The only Nikon lenses that have a focus motor buil... (show quote)

No, as I know a couple of Nikon D type lens has built in focus motor, the Nikon 300mm f4.0 D AF-s ED, the Nikon 400mmf2.8 D AF-s ED-IF I & II. I have the 300mm f4.0 D AF-s ED. All have aperture ring.

OddJobber Loc: Portland, OR

Dngallagher wrote:

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/nikortek.htm#afd

That explains it all about Nikon lenses, great resource, but here's a quicker glossary:
http://support.nikonusa.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/9919/~/glossary-of-nikkor-lens-terms

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

BebuLamar wrote:

But I thought the OP meant FX and DX because the OP mentioned F body etc..

I thought the OP said that all DX lenses has motor in them (is that true please correct me if I am wrong here) and FX lenses don't (FX lenses do have motors but some don't as has been pointed out before) so what an FX body do with the motor because it has its own motor.
Of course I may misunderstand.

The ONLY Nikon lenses that have a built in motor are AF-S lenses. If a camera has a motor in the body the AF lens will be focused by the camera motor screw. If the lens is AF-S, it is focused by the lens motor since it has no screw connection to the camera's built in motor.

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

OddJobber wrote:

That explains it all about Nikon lenses, great resource, but here's a quicker glossary:
http://support.nikonusa.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/9919/~/glossary-of-nikkor-lens-terms

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