ELNikkor

After reading this, I went to my closet and dug out the pre-AI 50mm lens I had on my old FM, and put it on my D5100. Took a shot out the window with it at f8, then took the same shot with my 18-55 kit lens. Sharpness looked the same, no electronic problems, the exposure with the old lens was about a half-stop brighter. After setting the aperture between the f8 and f11 marks, the two lenses shot essentially the same quality. If I was you, I wouldn't even bother having the lenses AI'd. Just try them out first on a D750 demo at Best Buy.

Al Beatty Loc: Boise, Idaho

Hi MRHooker2u,

I use an old Nikkor 55mm macro (John White AI conversion) for all of my books, magazine articles, and catalog photography. It is a stunningly sharp lens! I second the suggestion on using John White to convert your lenses. Take care & ...

BebuLamar

If pre AI lenses not converted to AI and you try it on Best Buy camera I hope they don't kick you out of the store as you might damage the AI coupling on the D750 doing that.

DaveC1 Loc: South East US

I have two pre AI Nikon lens that I have converted to AI myself and shot with my D300, my F4(film), and my N70(film). I have had no problems with these old lenses shorting out the electrical contacts in my camera bodies.

Do not try and mate a Nikon pre AI lens that has not been converted to AI to a modern Nikon body; you will damage the camera.

ksmmike

Something to consider. If you're spending $100 each to convert the lenses, you can buy very good AI lenses on Ebay for not much more and not worry about ruining your digital camera.
I have a Nikon D750 and use the older manual focus Nikon 105 F2.5 and the Nikon 135 F3.5 with it all the time for portraits. I think I paid $110 for the 105 and slightly more for the 135. Yes, they are manual focus and yes they lack the ability the same controls inside the camera, you have to do it manually, however they are great lenses for far less than I paid for newer lenses.

I know some will debate me and that's fine, I'm only saying for my uses, I find them very comparable in output to many of the newer lenses. I also have an older 80-200 slower autofocus lens that beats the hell out of a newer copy of the 70-200. Yes, if you enjoy using fast auto focus with the new lenses, it's not easy going back to using the older lenses again, but if you're on a budget, some of the older lenses are still great pieces of glass. The only new manual focus lens that I own that beats the hell out of the older Nikon manual focus glass if the Voigtlander 58mm 1.4.

I guess what my long winded response is trying to say is that, I might consider selling the non- Ai lenses and if you're on a budget, or even if not, using and older manual focus Nikon lens on a new camera isn't a bad thing. For the money, there are a few of them that are still excellent buys. Just my humble opinion, everyone can yell at me now :) One last thing, I've purchased several lenses from Japan, either camera shops or individuals and never once an a problem. However, find reputable sellers. You have to dig, but there are many good buys with lenses out there. I wouldn't mess with converting the other lenses.

DaveC1 Loc: South East US

Everything you wanted to know about pre AI vs AI and conversion.

http://pindelski.org/Photography/2013/02/06/nikkor-ai-conversions-diy/

jsmangis Loc: Peoria, IL

I have several AIs Nikkors that I use on my D610, and also on my D80. As far as using old Nikkors on the D750, you are correct in saying that they need to be converted to AIs. However, I believe the Nikon Df can use these lenses without them being converted first.

DannyKaye Loc: Sheffield now but soon moving to Blanzay

They can be used but with stop down metering as the pin to connect to the rabbit ears is not present.

erickter Loc: Dallas,TX

I use Nikor AI lenses on my dSLRs...Nikons and also Canons with adapters.
Works great. Excellent image quality.

alfeng Loc: Out where the West commences ...

If you want to use those excellent manual focus lenses without worrying about conflicts-or-conversions, then you can use them on any number of MIRRORLESS camera bodies with a relatively inexpensive (if bought on eBay directly from China) adapter ...

For a full frame sensor, SONY is apparently the only available choice at the moment.

For a smaller sensor (APS-C or m4/3) you have many excellent choices.

Let your budget and sensor size be the determinant ...

... While an EVF is not necessary for a mirrorless camera, having one is better than not having one.

Some people strongly prefer reflex viewing & disdain EVF viewing; and, there are definitely advantages to a DSLR over a mirrorless camera body, but an EVF has many advantages of its own; so, choosing between the two is up to the individual.

BebuLamar

Pre AI lenses when mounted on the D750 can damage the AI coupling of the camera. If the lens is modified then it's can be used like AI lenses with full aperture metering. The Nikon Df has no coupling pin to the rabbit ear but it would meter with Pre AI lens at full aperture. In fact it won't do a stop down metering.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

Bob,
I would definitely like to see this as I have several old F lenses from the F camera time.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

If you already have Canon DSLR(s), there's really no need to buy a D750 to use those Nikkors.

Adapters such as this https://www.amazon.com/Fotodiox-Lens-Mount-Adapter-Nikkor/dp/B001G4QXLE/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1527364514&sr=1-3&keywords=nikon+lens+to+canon+adapter are widely available to fit vintage F-Mount Nikkors onto Canon EOS/EF mount cameras... And AFAIK they work equally well with pre-AI, AI and AI-conversion Nikkors.

In fact, there are a number of different mounts that can be adapted for use on Canon EOS/EF cameras. There are almost no other mounts, besides vintage Nikkors, that can be adapted for use on Nikon. The only one I'm aware of is Leica R mount.

This is because Nikon cameras and lenses use one of the longest lens registers of all (46.5mm, if memory serves), that and the F-mounts relatively small diameter leave no room for adapters on other mount lenses with shorter register. (Leica R-mount use a 47mm register, leaving .5mm for an adapter to Nikon F.)

Both full frame and APS-C Canon DSLRs use a 44mm register (and is a larger diameter than most). Aside from mirrorless (such as Sony, which have extremely short register... about 18mm I think), there's no more versatile mount than Canon EOS/EF to adapt various other system vintage lenses including: M42 screwmount (Pentax and others), Exacta, Petri, Pentax K-bayonet, Contax, Yashica, Olympus OM, Nikon F, Leica R and probably some more I'm forgetting. More info about fitting using vintage lenses on modern Canon here: http://bobatkins.com/photography/eosfaq/manual_focus_EOS.html More info about lens register here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flange_focal_distance

Functionality of the vintage lens is the same on either Nikon or Canon DSLR... they'll be manual focus and manual aperture control only. You can use either manual exposure mode or aperture priority. If a camera offer is, might be possible to use manual plus auto ISO, too... though I've never tried it and am not certain.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

I have successfully used P setting with adaptor and Nikkors on my 7D.

ebercovici

As you have not yet bought the Nixon body, why not consider a Sony full frame mirrorless and an inexpensive adapter for F-mount Nixon lens. No modification is required, and reports on the A73 are very positive. Sony has great focusing aids, so that autofocus is not necessary. When it s on aperture priority, it will work with your Nikkor lenses in autoexposure function.