Looking for Nikon F100 Lens Compatability

bobwysiwyg · Jan 19, 2013

Not that I needed it, but could not pass up an F100 body. I tried my Sigma EX Aspherical 28-70mm on but it doesn't like it. Too bad as I have that lens as well as a 24mm and 70-200mm that work fine on my N90s. I have a Nikon G AF 28-80 which works fine, but I'm not particularly fond of the G lenses. Any insights or experience with the F100 and compatible lens options would be appreciated. Off to do some searching.

markbarendt · Jan 19, 2013

Pretty much AI and newer.

Don't know why the Sigma is fighting you.

tkamiya · Jan 19, 2013

I have several F100s.... All of my lenses are AFD, AF non-D, and G. All of them work just fine. My understanding is that all AF lenses are supposed to work. With anything earlier, you will run into limitations on what metering mode the camera will recognize.

bobwysiwyg · Jan 19, 2013

Me either. Even moving the Sigma lens collar out to "manual " it still displays fEE.

brucemuir · Jan 19, 2013

The Sigmas are notorious for having chips in there that just dont play nicely across the board.
I've seen this nmost often with Canon but it stands to reason the same problems exists.

Chris Nielsen · Jan 19, 2013

bobwysiwyg said:
Me either. Even moving the Sigma lens collar out to "manual " it still displays fEE.

Silly question but you did set the aperture to the smallest, right? f/22 or whatever it goes to?

bobwysiwyg · Jan 19, 2013

brucemuir said:
The Sigmas are notorious for having chips in there that just dont play nicely across the board.
I've seen this nmost often with Canon but it stands to reason the same problems exists.

I 'll dig out the 24 and 70-200 and see if it is across the board with the Sigmas. I do like them, f2.8 and lot heavier than the G.

markbarendt · Jan 20, 2013

bobwysiwyg said:
Me either. Even moving the Sigma lens collar out to "manual " it still displays fEE.

That's normally an aperture ring placement or mode choice thing.

Several "fixes" are available.

Move the lens aperture ring to the minimum aperture point and the warning will probably disappear. There is probably a lock tab on the lens available to keep it there too. In this arrangement the aperture is adjusted with the thumb wheel.

In the custom settings menu you can choose to set aperture with the ring rather than the thumb wheel. In this arrangement the aperture ring is left unlocked and there is also normally no fEE warning.

bobwysiwyg · Jan 20, 2013

Move the lens aperture ring to the minimum aperture point and the warning will probably disappear. There is probably a lock tab on the lens available to keep it there too. In this arrangement the aperture is adjusted with the thumb wheel.

This is a non-starter in this case. I always have the lenses set/locked this way (unless in the field I want to control things), still gets the fEE.

In the custom settings menu you can choose to set aperture with the ring rather than the thumb wheel. In this arrangement the aperture ring is left unlocked and there is also normally no fEE warning.

I'll give this one a try. Found an on-line PDF manual for the F100 and I'll spend some time with it as well. I have determined that none of my Sigmas work on the F100; 24mm, 28-70mm, nor the 70-200mm though all are quite happy on the N90s.

markbarendt · Jan 20, 2013

What camera mode are you using?

dpurdy · Jan 20, 2013

I have 2 F100 bodies and my 2.8 28-105 Tamron works fine with one and sometimes or sometimes not with the other. Something in the communication between body and lens.

bobwysiwyg · Jan 20, 2013

markbarendt said:
What camera mode are you using?

Lens locked to smallest aperture (f22 in this case), pressing "Mode" and rotating command dial through all modes doesn't affect anything, still displays fEE. I originally purchased the Sigmas back when I ventured into Dig, with an D100. They work fine on it and on the N90s, which one would think it pretty a pretty darn close relative to the F100. I guess close does only count in horseshoes.

markbarendt · Jan 20, 2013

Well that's disappointing.

dorff · Jan 21, 2013

Well, I think definitely a lens/camera communication issue. I had this with a Sigma 28-300 which was part of a used kit, and I promptly sold the lens.

I know Sigma makes some nice lenses, but over the years I have had two Sigmas of which both gave me mechanical failures. Since then, I just avoid Sigmas totally. I have also found in some cases that although the Sigmas are often just as sharp as the Nikkor counterparts, they tend to suffer more from other lens flaws, like CA and distortion. They have quality control issues. Some people say as many as 1 in 3 Sigmas are misaligned or have a similar problem. The inconsistency is what irks me. That means you have to be very careful buying them used, and as a result means they have much lower used value. The Sigmas' aperture ring runs on a little steel ball that clicks into grooves on the inside of the ring. Once that mechanism gets damaged, it is a nightmare to get permanently repaired, as it simply finds a way to slip out again every so often. The rubber and paint on older Sigmas turns into glue at some point. Most Nikkors will last longer than a lifetime if you look after them carefully. A good Sigma might last 15 or 20 years, if you are careful and treat it well. Anything longer than that, and you are in a grace period.

jochen · Jan 21, 2013

I would not confirm the statement that "most Nikkors will last longer than a lifetime if you look after them carefully." This might be true for the professional zooms like the 2,8/20-35, 17-35, 28-70 or 80-200 but surely not for the Thailand- or China made consumer plastic rattle zooms.

BMbikerider · Jan 21, 2013

bobwysiwyg said:
Not that I needed it, but could not pass up an F100 body. I tried my Sigma EX Aspherical 28-70mm on but it doesn't like it. Too bad as I have that lens as well as a 24mm and 70-200mm that work fine on my N90s. I have a Nikon G AF 28-80 which works fine, but I'm not particularly fond of the G lenses. Any insights or experience with the F100 and compatible lens options would be appreciated. Off to do some searching.

Some 'after market' non makers lenses have a reputation for not being compatible with more 'modern cameras and this may be the case with yours. The circuitry may not be quite what the lens/camera combination needs.

I have a Nikon D300 as well as my F models and one of my lenses a 400 F4 Tokina will not focus with the D300 at all. Manually it will but autofocus - NO! The same can be said about the Sigma 70-300 too, on the film cameras it is fine but at 300mm with the D300 it is useless unless used manually.

blockend · Jan 21, 2013

dorff said:
Since then, I just avoid Sigmas totally...... The rubber and paint on older Sigmas turns into glue at some point.

+1

Salem · Jan 21, 2013

I have used few Sigmas in the past, mainly with an F100, and only kept the 70mm f2.8 EX macro which is a brilliant lens. The others where OK mechanically, but they're just not all that optically. It is the EX that differentiate a good Sigma from a bad Sigma!

zk-cessnaguy · Jan 21, 2013

The following Sigma lenses work flawlessly for me on the F100: 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM, 150mm f/2.8 EX Macro APO DG HSM, 15-30mm f/3.5-4.5 EX DG, 24-70mm f/2.8 EX DG , 70-200mm f/2.8 EX APO HSM and 50-500mm f/4-6.3 EX DG APO HSM.
I have two F100 bodies, two F4 bodies and a D700 and haven't experienced any issues with any of the different cameras.

John Koehrer · Jan 22, 2013

brucemuir said:
The Sigmas are notorious for having chips in there that just dont play nicely across the board.
I've seen this nmost often with Canon but it stands to reason the same problems exists.

I've also seen this with Sigma and a variety of camera brands.

John Koehrer · Jan 22, 2013

bobwysiwyg said:
Lens locked to smallest aperture (f22 in this case), pressing "Mode" and rotating command dial through all modes doesn't affect anything, still displays fEE. I originally purchased the Sigmas back when I ventured into Dig, with an D100. They work fine on it and on the N90s, which one would think it pretty a pretty darn close relative to the F100. I guess close does only count in horseshoes.

Close also counts in hand grenades.

fotch · Jan 22, 2013

John Koehrer said:
Close also counts in hand grenades.

:confused:

Looking for Nikon F100 Lens Compatability

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