Will my dad's old Nikon lenses work with a D40?

[Auryg]

My father's old (old..my guess would be 70s or 80s) SLR broke, so I gave my mom the idea that we could get him a digital SLR for Christmas. Problem is, I'm sure he'd want to keep his old lenses - there's only 3 or 4, but I know enough about photography to know they're expensive

We can really only afford a D40 (or maaaybe something that's 100 or 200 dollars more) but the research I've done says that a lot of old lenses need to be manually metered and focused, even if the lens has that built in, on the D40. However, I'm having a really hard time telling how old his lenses are/what they are and I can't ask the him because that wouldn't be very present-like.

If I put up some pictures could you guys help? Or if you could tell me some lettering or numbering I need to look for that'd be great too.

Thanks

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Try giving this a go: http://www.nikonians.org/nikon/slr-lens.html

 

[Flipped Gazelle]

Pretty sure if those lens are "old" - that is, more than a few years, they would have to be MF. I'm not a Nikonian, though.

Maybe you can find a used/refurbished/overstock D80... or even a D50.

 

[996GT2]

Do his lenses say "AF-S" or "AF-I" somewhere on the body? If they only say "AF," then they will NOT autofocus on the D40. To cut costs, Nikon left the AF motor out of the D40 body, so it will only autofocus with AF-S or AF-I lenses, not the older AF or AF-D lenses

Another way to identify whether a lens is AF-S or AF-I is look on the back for a slotted screw drive that looks like the pic below (the AF drive is next to the phillips head screw)
http://farm1.static.flickr.com...8849649_607b8e1ca6.jpg

If the lens has one of those, it WILL NOT autofocus on the D40. AF-S and AF-I lenses have integrated AF motors and so do not depend on the drive screw to couple with the in camera AF motor.

The D40 will meter perfectly OK with all lenses that the D70s or D80 metered with. That is to say, it will meter with all AF-S, AF-I, AF, AF-D, and third party equivalents.

Manual focus AI or AI-S lenses will not meter automatically on ANY Nikon DSLR except the D1, D2, D3, D200, D300, and D700, so if your dad had MF lenses, he will still have to use them in full manual mode (unless he had one of those 6 cameras listed above).

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

In addition, if you want the most compatibility with older lenses you should at least get a Nikon body that has the manual screw focus mechanism. As you know, the D40 doesn't have it.

 

[dnuggett]

I am going to guess you have some AI lenses. Yes they would work, every lens since 1959 will work- except for the invasive fisheye(s). Would you have to go full manual, yes. The D40 doesn't have a focus motor thus will only auto-focus AF-S and AF-I lenses. The older AF lenses won't AF. You'll get metering with everything AF and newer. Those AI lenses (if they are) won't meter, nor will they focus.

 

[soydios]

get a used D50. It's the same sensor as the D40, but has much more capabilities, such as:
- larger battery
- top LCD
- 5 autofocus points
- in-camera autofocus motor
Or get a D80, which adds the following benefits over the D50:
- availability of vertical grip
- in-camera wireless flash control
- 11 autofocus points
- two control wheels
- illuminated top LCD
- 10MP vs. 6MP resolution

If they're manual-focus lenses, then it doesn't matter all that much which body you put them on.

If they're autofocus lenses, then you need a body with an in-camera autofocus motor (not the D40/D40x/D60).

 

[andylawcc]

<-- using two 1970 Nikon lens on my Olympus Digital

and try this:
http://www.photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/serialno.html
to identify the lenses.

 

[Deadtrees]

Assuming you're talking about MF(manual focus) lenses, the lack of AF motor on D40 won't affect you because there's no AF to begin with.
What'll be annoying is the lack of metering support on D40.

 

[jpeyton]

The only notable exception is if they're pre/non-AI lenses, which can ONLY be physically fitted onto a Nikon D40/D40x/D60.

Lack of metering support means you shoot with them like an old film camera, except you get instant feedback on your results. You'll have to set the camera in "M" manual mode and dial in the shutter speed while physically setting the aperture yourself. Use your photographic know-how to guess the exposure, shoot, and check the histogram to see if you nailed it.

 

[soydios]

Originally posted by: jpeyton
The only notable exception is if they're pre/non-AI lenses, which can ONLY be physically fitted onto a Nikon D40/D40x/D60.

How many times do I have to correct people on this.
I have mounted and used a pre-AI Nikkor-S 50mm f/1.4 and a pre-AI Nikkor-Q 135mm f/3.5 on my D50. I have also used my AF 80-200mm f/2.8 with a pre-AI NT Rokunar 2x teleconverter on my D50.
The autofocus screw does not get in the way! By the logic that the autofocus screw gets in the way, you couldn't mount an AF-S lens, either.

 

[GoSharks]

Originally posted by: soydios

Originally posted by: jpeyton
The only notable exception is if they're pre/non-AI lenses, which can ONLY be physically fitted onto a Nikon D40/D40x/D60.

How many times do I have to correct people on this.
I have mounted and used a pre-AI Nikkor-S 50mm f/1.4 and a pre-AI Nikkor-Q 135mm f/3.5 on my D50. I have also used my AF 80-200mm f/2.8 with a pre-AI NT Rokunar 2x teleconverter on my D50.
The autofocus screw does not get in the way! By the logic that the autofocus screw gets in the way, you couldn't mount an AF-S lens, either.

I fail to see how jpeyton is wrong. He never said that they wouldn't work.

 

[soydios]

Originally posted by: GoSharks

Originally posted by: soydios

Originally posted by: jpeyton
The only notable exception is if they're pre/non-AI lenses, which can ONLY be physically fitted onto a Nikon D40/D40x/D60.

How many times do I have to correct people on this.
I have mounted and used a pre-AI Nikkor-S 50mm f/1.4 and a pre-AI Nikkor-Q 135mm f/3.5 on my D50. I have also used my AF 80-200mm f/2.8 with a pre-AI NT Rokunar 2x teleconverter on my D50.
The autofocus screw does not get in the way! By the logic that the autofocus screw gets in the way, you couldn't mount an AF-S lens, either.

I fail to see how jpeyton is wrong. He never said that they wouldn't work.

"which can ONLY be physically fitted onto a Nikon D40/D40x/D60"

I disproved that by mounting it onto a D50, which shares the exact same mount as the D70/D70s/D80/D90, and any other camera with an in-camera autofocus motor but without an AI coupling prong.

 

[jpeyton]

Originally posted by: soydios

Originally posted by: jpeyton
The only notable exception is if they're pre/non-AI lenses, which can ONLY be physically fitted onto a Nikon D40/D40x/D60.

How many times do I have to correct people on this.
I have mounted and used a pre-AI Nikkor-S 50mm f/1.4 and a pre-AI Nikkor-Q 135mm f/3.5 on my D50. I have also used my AF 80-200mm f/2.8 with a pre-AI NT Rokunar 2x teleconverter on my D50.
The autofocus screw does not get in the way! By the logic that the autofocus screw gets in the way, you couldn't mount an AF-S lens, either.

No, I'm pretty sure I'm right. Your lenses are probably AI-converted (which means they are no longer pre-AI) if they can mount properly on your camera. I have a D70s, and had an old Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/3.5 pre-AI lens, and it wouldn't mount without hitting the prong on my camera.

Now I could force the lens on, and it would bend the prong out of the way (in a way it is not supposed to be bent), but I didn't want that little plastic prong to get worn out of shape and broken off.

I'm not talking about the autofocus screw, BTW. I'm talking about the aperture coupling prong that's on the camera's lens mount around the 7-8'o'clock position.

Nikonians agree with me. Under pre-AI MF lenses, they clearly say they only mount on D40/D40x/D60.

 

[randomlinh]

Originally posted by: Deadtrees
Assuming you're talking about MF(manual focus) lenses, the lack of AF motor on D40 won't affect you because there's no AF to begin with.
What'll be annoying is the lack of metering support on D40.

I'd argue the viewfinder would be a PITA too.

 

[soydios]

Originally posted by: jpeyton

Originally posted by: soydios

Originally posted by: jpeyton
The only notable exception is if they're pre/non-AI lenses, which can ONLY be physically fitted onto a Nikon D40/D40x/D60.

How many times do I have to correct people on this.
I have mounted and used a pre-AI Nikkor-S 50mm f/1.4 and a pre-AI Nikkor-Q 135mm f/3.5 on my D50. I have also used my AF 80-200mm f/2.8 with a pre-AI NT Rokunar 2x teleconverter on my D50.
The autofocus screw does not get in the way! By the logic that the autofocus screw gets in the way, you couldn't mount an AF-S lens, either.

No, I'm pretty sure I'm right. Your lenses are probably AI-converted (which means they are no longer pre-AI) if they can mount properly on your camera. I have a D70s, and had an old Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/3.5 pre-AI lens, and it wouldn't mount without hitting the prong on my camera.

Now I could force the lens on, and it would bend the prong out of the way (in a way it is not supposed to be bent), but I didn't want that little plastic prong to get worn out of shape and broken off.

I'm not talking about the autofocus screw, BTW. I'm talking about the aperture coupling prong that's on the camera's lens mount around the 7-8'o'clock position.

Nikonians agree with me. Under pre-AI MF lenses, they clearly say they only mount on D40/D40x/D60.

I'm 99% sure that the lenses are not AI-converted, because my dad purchased and only used them with a Nikkormat FTn, which was a pre-AI camera. But I'll be 100% sure when I get home for winter break in two weeks; I'll give you a sure answer then.

Is the prong you're talking about on the inside or outside of the lens mount? Because there's a lever in between the camera mount ring and the mirror at 9 o'clock that's supposed to couple with the aperture in the lens, and then there's another...thing...on the outside the lens mount around where you described, but I never really knew what it was for.

 

[Auryg]

I've figured this much out - one is a series E, and the other two don't have that autofocus screw in back as far as I can tell. One of them says Nikkor-P, which I read means it's Pre-AI, but the last one I can't figure out. However, since the last one is pre-AI, doesn't that mean that I should get a D40 as it won't work on any other camera anyways (and the d60)?

 

[Auryg]

Anyone, please? Just want confirmation before I plop down the money. Thanks.

 

[soydios]

Originally posted by: Auryg
Anyone, please? Just want confirmation before I plop down the money. Thanks.

answer is yes, they will work on a D40/D40x/D60.

 

[ElFenix]

there is an extension to a ring on a non-AI lens that doesn't exist on AI lenses. i'll post pictures of the differences later.


series E is a cheap lens line, and is AI compatible. nikkor-p means there are 5 elements in the lens (p indicating the latin 'pente').

 

[ElFenix]

http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/elfenix/Nikons.JPG

the lens on the left is an AI lens. the lens on the right is pre-AI. notice that the pre-AI lens has a ring all the way around the lens that extends well beyond the forks, whereas the AI lens has a much smaller extension beyond the forks. also notice that the AI lens has an indexing ridge on the right side of it.

 

[dnuggett]

Originally posted by: soydios

Originally posted by: Auryg
Anyone, please? Just want confirmation before I plop down the money. Thanks.

answer is yes, they will work on a D40/D40x/D60.

Unless his definition of "work" includes AF and metering.

But yes, they will mount if they are AI era or newer.

 

[soydios]

Originally posted by: dnuggett

Originally posted by: soydios

Originally posted by: Auryg
Anyone, please? Just want confirmation before I plop down the money. Thanks.

answer is yes, they will work on a D40/D40x/D60.

Unless his definition of "work" includes AF and metering.

But yes, they will mount if they are AI era or newer.

we just established that a pre-AI Nikkor will mount to a D40/D40x/D60. we've been going back and forth over whether that's true for a D50/D70/D70s/D80/D90.

 

[dnuggett]

Originally posted by: soydios

Originally posted by: dnuggett

Originally posted by: soydios

Originally posted by: Auryg
Anyone, please? Just want confirmation before I plop down the money. Thanks.

answer is yes, they will work on a D40/D40x/D60.

Unless his definition of "work" includes AF and metering.

But yes, they will mount if they are AI era or newer.

we just established that a pre-AI Nikkor will mount to a D40/D40x/D60. we've been going back and forth over whether that's true for a D50/D70/D70s/D80/D90.

Congrats! And while you established that, was it any any pre-AI? I can tell you that my 55mm Nikkor S f/1.2 from 1954 will mount on a D70 and D90. Works freaking beautifully on either in full manual mode.

Anyway, the like I said, it depends on what the OP is considering as "working". Will it mount? Sure. Will it meter and AF? No. So will it really work for his dad? Depends on the OP's (or dads) idea of working.

 

[soydios]

Originally posted by: soydios

Originally posted by: jpeyton

Originally posted by: soydios

Originally posted by: jpeyton
The only notable exception is if they're pre/non-AI lenses, which can ONLY be physically fitted onto a Nikon D40/D40x/D60.

How many times do I have to correct people on this.
I have mounted and used a pre-AI Nikkor-S 50mm f/1.4 and a pre-AI Nikkor-Q 135mm f/3.5 on my D50. I have also used my AF 80-200mm f/2.8 with a pre-AI NT Rokunar 2x teleconverter on my D50.
The autofocus screw does not get in the way! By the logic that the autofocus screw gets in the way, you couldn't mount an AF-S lens, either.

No, I'm pretty sure I'm right. Your lenses are probably AI-converted (which means they are no longer pre-AI) if they can mount properly on your camera. I have a D70s, and had an old Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/3.5 pre-AI lens, and it wouldn't mount without hitting the prong on my camera.

Now I could force the lens on, and it would bend the prong out of the way (in a way it is not supposed to be bent), but I didn't want that little plastic prong to get worn out of shape and broken off.

I'm not talking about the autofocus screw, BTW. I'm talking about the aperture coupling prong that's on the camera's lens mount around the 7-8'o'clock position.

Nikonians agree with me. Under pre-AI MF lenses, they clearly say they only mount on D40/D40x/D60.

I'm 99% sure that the lenses are not AI-converted, because my dad purchased and only used them with a Nikkormat FTn, which was a pre-AI camera. But I'll be 100% sure when I get home for winter break in two weeks; I'll give you a sure answer then.

Sorry to necro the thread, but I just got home for winter break.

Yes, the lens in question is pre-AI. breech shot
This is the camera that it came with: Nikkormat FTn
Here is the lens successfully mounted on my D90. It required no forcing, and clicked right into place as an F-mount lens always does.
Here's a photo taken with the lens at f/8 on my D90: Nikkormat FTn w/ 18-200mm VR. As an aside, the 18-200mm VR can only be used at minimum aperture on the FTn, but it will work. It's kinda cool to see the vignetting pattern of a DX lens on full-frame, since I don't have a D3/D3X/D700. Note that I had to manually set the aperture as f/8 and ISO200 on my SB-800, but once I did that the SB-800 worked perfectly to meter the flash.

So, let's put this to bed: it works.

EDIT: Even though the manual for my D90 says I shouldn't, I will anyway.