Lenses for a Nikon F3

[marciofs]

Hi everyone!!!

I just bought a Nikon F3 and I wonder if my DX and D lenses will work on the F3.
If not which lenses would you recommend to bay?

 

[darkosaric]

DX not good choice - D yes.
Buy Ai manual lenses - they fit best (other will be ok also, but Ai are my favorite choice for F3).

 

[CGW]

Hi everyone!!!

I just bought a Nikon F3 and I wonder if my DX and D lenses will work on the F3.
If not which lenses would you recommend to bay?

DX is for APS-C DSLRs. D is FF AF technology.

Which lenses? What do you like for breakfast? Depends on what kind of shooting you like, right? A bit more info would save us some time.

 

[Terry Christian]

Marciofs: If your Nikon-mount lenses have aperture rings, they will probably work on your F3.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

Marciofs: If your Nikon-mount lenses have aperture rings, they will probably work on your F3.

Unless they are pre-Ai lenses, in which case they probably won't.

 

[Chan Tran]

Pre AI lenses will work fine on the F3 but metering must be in stop down mode and it would be difficult to do aperture priority with pre AI lenses but possible.

 

[darkosaric]

That is why Ai is best fit for F3...

Pre Ai will work but you need to stop down to meter
AF-(D) will work but focusing is not so smooth like with manual lenses
DX and AF-G will also work but on only one f stop and not with full coverage of the 35mm frame for DX

 

[Aja B]

DX lenses will work about as well as a square wheel...yeah, it'll go round but it won't be pretty so best to forget about any lenses designated as DX or G altogether. Most any lens with an aperture ring will work, which include the manual focus varieties of pre-AI, AI, AIS and E as well as autofocus lenses designated as AF, AF-D, AFS. There were also special AF lenses designed for the F3 but they're rare and not worth the mention. See this chart.

Pre-AI lenses require stop-down metering. Contrary to Chan Tran's statement ('...and it would be difficult to do aperture priority with pre AI lenses but possible') I cannot see how a pre-AI lens will permit aperture priority. Impossible, I believe, but am open to an explanantion. The exception would be shooting at a lens' maximum aperture and only the max aperture, but hard to consider such a limitation as ap priority.

Another point worth consideration is whether you would like subsequent lenses to meter and autofocus on your digital body. Tell us which DSLR you have for more pertinent info. In the meantime, as far as MF lenses go, I'd stick with AI and AIS as they are 100% compatible. If wanting AF glass, see my notes above.

 

[Chan Tran]

Hi Aja B.
There are a couple of way you can use the F3 on A with pre AI lens.
1. Method #1. Holding the DOF preview button and press the shutter release. This is easy said but require to be a contortionist to do it. This may not worth the effort as it could be harder than simply using the camera in manual.
2. Method #2. Take an example, if you have the 50mm f/1.4 pre AI lens mounted and you want to use f/5.6. Set the lens at f/5.6 and then set the ISO dial 4 stop slower than the film you are using. Everytime you select a different f stop you will have to change the amount of compensation. Not convenient but workable if you tend not to change the f stop often.

 

[Aja B]

Chan Tran, thanks for the explanation. Yes, I can see where your two suggestions would yield an exposure at the pre-set aperture but I think, and the overwhelming majority I feel would agree, that 'automatic' is an integral quality of an automatic exposure mode. Both of your suggestions seem a little lean on the 'auto' aspect. Little too much fumbling to be considered automatic in my book but respect your right to disagree.

 

[darkosaric]

. See this chart.

I know it is digital camera body but - my friend has D90 and he is using Pre Ai lenses on that body - and on this chart it says "NO!".
Also they did not mention FM and FE that can use Pre Ai lenses...

 

[CGW]

Chan Tran, thanks for the explanation. Yes, I can see where your two suggestions would yield an exposure at the pre-set aperture but I think, and the overwhelming majority I feel would agree, that 'automatic' is an integral quality of an automatic exposure mode. Both of your suggestions seem a little lean on the 'auto' aspect. Little too much fumbling to be considered automatic in my book but respect your right to disagree.

Just get a Nikkormat EL body for aperture priority with NAI lenses!

 

[CGW]

DX lenses will work about as well as a square wheel...yeah, it'll go round but it won't be pretty so best to forget about any lenses designated as DX or G altogether. Most any lens with an aperture ring will work, which include the manual focus varieties of pre-AI, AI, AIS and E as well as autofocus lenses designated as AF, AF-D, AFS. There were also special AF lenses designed for the F3 but they're rare and not worth the mention. See this chart.

Pre-AI lenses require stop-down metering. Contrary to Chan Tran's statement ('...and it would be difficult to do aperture priority with pre AI lenses but possible') I cannot see how a pre-AI lens will permit aperture priority. Impossible, I believe, but am open to an explanantion. The exception would be shooting at a lens' maximum aperture and only the max aperture, but hard to consider such a limitation as ap priority.

Another point worth consideration is whether you would like subsequent lenses to meter and autofocus on your digital body. Tell us which DSLR you have for more pertinent info. In the meantime, as far as MF lenses go, I'd stick with AI and AIS as they are 100% compatible. If wanting AF glass, see my notes above.

The Nikonians chart is a bit off. AFS-only DSLRs(e.g., D40, etc.) will take NAI lenses since there's no Ai tab. They won't, of course, auto-focus or meter but can still be used.

 

[Aja B]

Just get a Nikkormat EL body for aperture priority with NAI lenses!

You got the wrong person!

 

[marciofs]

OK.
I seems that my D lenses are working fine.
But I am curious about the Ai 50mm 1.4
I will look for it.

Thank you.