Nikon Lenses

[otto wynton]

I have two Nikon lenses from my previous Nikon F55 SLR. Can I use these lenses on a new Nikon DSLR which I intend to purchase soon? Will the mounts be compatible and will the lenses function the same way? Note that the F55 was also an auto focus camera.

[Alexandra Savvides]

Hi there,

First up, what lenses are they?

If they're relatively modern (which I'm assuming they are because the F55 isn't that old) then it's more than likely they'll work in the same way, and your new Nikon will be able to meter through them. Nikon has used the same F-mount for 50 years so yes, you can definitely mount them and they will work!

However, you'll encounter something called crop factor - I've just written a primer on digital SLR photography that explains it in more detail, but essentially if you mount a lens that's designed for a film camera on a digital one (DX sensor, not FX), the focal length is increased. So if you have a 50mm lens you used on your F55, it will effectively be about 75mm on your digital camera, because the sensor is smaller than a full frame of film.

Hope this helps!

[otto wynton]

Thanks for the prompt reply, Alexandra . Unfortunately the news is not what I had hoped to hear. One of my lenses is a
50mm and if this now becomes 75mm then the lens is pretty much useless for any close up photos. The other is a 200mm which now becomes 200++ and also limits its usefulness. Oh well, back to the drawing board! !

[ozzie_traveller]

G'day Otto

It's not necessarily all that bad ... but to better answer your QQ: we would need to know just a bit more about
a) your style of photography ... what are you wanting to take most of for example, and
b) are you after the 'convenience' from zoom lenses of the 'empirical' sharpness of prime lenses ... are your images for sale &/or publication???

Lots will depend upon these issues amongst others

Regards, Phil

[otto wynton]

Hello Ozzie Traveller,
The reason for trying to reuse the old lenses was to save money and buy a good Nikon body with the money saved.
In the process though I didn't want to lose the ability of for instance taking group photos because of the new longer focal length, although to be honest the old 50mm was barely adequate for the purpose and 75mm would of course be quite hopeless.
Regards
Otto

[ozzie_traveller]

G'day Otto

Good response ... I can well understand the desire to continue using a good quality lens whenever you can do so
Equally, I can also see from your last reply that the angle-of-view of the old lens will no longer match your new needs, so it's a case of 'back to basics'.

You are now finding what so many film to digital users have discovered, and so the new "digital lenses" are needed for. With the smaller sensor and wanting to maintain the same angle-of-view for coverage, a new set of optics is (unfortunately) needed.

A couple of thoughts though ... you mention about the "50mm becoming 75mm which limits its usefulness with closeups..." but this lens with an 30-40-50mm ext'n tube could become a very useful macro lens (presuming you can get f22 from it)
and also
If you are after wide angle stuff, could one of the Nikon P&S cameras compliment your dSLR + old lenses?
Could something like the Coolpix 620 with its 28-112mm lens give you wide angle pix without any hassles, leaving you perhaps with a D5000 body + your old lenses?? Could this option be cheaper than a D5000 + its 18-55 "standard" lens which gives you a 28-75mm equivalent in film slr terms

Regards, Phil