| Author | Message | ||
     Thumper74 |
My dad and I are taking a trip to the Bahamas in four weeks and I would like to take a better digital camera (my point and shoot won't focus, all I have is my Droid right now). He has an old Cannon AE 1 that still works great, with a large selection of lenses, but all the manual settings baffle me. I have been reading that many people still use the manual focus lenses on newer bodies with no problems. Is this a viable option on say, a D100 body? Will it affect aperture, shutter speed, etc. or the auto settings? Recommendations for a used/refurb DSLR under $200 or so? | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Might find some info here. http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/406 2/662439.html?1324513626 Sorry I can't help you more but I'm "challenged" in the photography dept so I leave it to others, & rely on my rubbish snaps to trigger the real pics in my head. | ||
| Buellathebuzzer |
I'm not familiar with the specifics of the AE1 and the D100, but in my experience Cannon lenses are incompatible with Nikon. I think they make some adapters, but I'd have to differ to someone more knowledgeable. Generally the mounts are different. Nikon lenses tend to be more interchangeable between different versions of their camera bodies. Check out your local mom and pop camera stores. They will be able to give you the expert help, and frequently they have some high quality used cameras too. | ||
| Ratbuell |
I have a new nikon dslr, with a couple new lenses. I also still have all my old analog (film) lenses, also nikon, and they work/interchange. the above post is right - nikon lenses fit nikon bodies. Canon changed their mounts at some point I think, so they may not all be backwards-compatible. Take a lens to best buy one night, and test-fit. | ||
| Thumper74 |
I know the mounts are different and the D100 was an example, I'm open to suggestions on a used camera. I just think it would be a shame to let these nice lenses collect dust... | ||
| Buellathebuzzer |
addendum: If you have an older, manual Nikon lens, it may well fit a Nikon DSLR body, but auto focus, aperture & shutter speed will not work. Nikon also changed the way automated lenses and bodies talked to one another at one time so there maybe some issues with backwards compatibility if you have a mixture of newer lens, older camera or visa versa. | ||
| Ratbuell |
You are correct. When I use my old lenses on the new DSLR body, it is full-manual focus. Aperture seems to work - I set the lens for A and let the body do the rest - but mainly when I use an old lens, its because I didn't want to spring for a new 75-300mm zoom when the old one works fine. And since its a long lens, I rarely need to do anything "fast" at that distance, so I can focus manually and not miss the shot. My short lenses, where I do most of my "need it NOW" shooting, are all current/auto. (Message edited by ratbuell on January 26, 2012) | ||
| Slaughter |
I have LOADS of Nikon glass from the years of film work. I MIGHT get a Nikon digital camera and I can use the lenses. You will give up any automatic features. Most of what I shoot is done manually anyways, and I think it'd be the same with digital. I'm slow to change but within a year will have a digital camera and will continue using my Nikon lenses. Otherwise, I've just got a couple PHS cameras that I use for snapshots. (Push Here Stupid) | ||
| Gentleman_jon |
Actually, just letting your FD lenses sit there collecting dust isn't as bad idea as it might seem. The reason is that in addition to buying an adapter to connect your manual lenses to a digital camera, which might or might not have an intermediate lens like this one, http://www.fotodiox.com/product_info.php?products_ id=491 you will lose all of the automatic features that you paid for in your new digital camera, including auto focus, auto aperture, even though you will still have auto exposure if you use the aperture priority setting on your digital camera. Unless you are an experienced photographer, used to shooting with manual cameras, I think that you might find this to be more trouble than it is worth. May I suggest buying a digital camera with a good automatic zoom on it, and concentrate on taking pictures instead of fooling around with lenses. PS: Digital single lens reflexes are a bit obsolete now a days, being replaced by mirrorless cameras like the Panasonic Lumix G series, the Sony Nex system, and the Fuji pro. They eliminate the swinging mirror from the 1950's, and so are lighter, cheaper and better. | ||
| Thumper74 |
I see. I appreciate the info. I may just get another point and shoot for the trip and save my pennies for a better DSLR for class next fall. | ||
| Barker |
IMHO: Long story short, FD to EOS is not worth it. Nikon to EOS is cheap and effective but the cheapest way loses lens communication. I don't care Manual all the way for video! | ||
| Barker |
I think I have heard of folks successfully cheaply adapting FD to 4/3 cams (Lumix) | ||
| Buellathebuzzer |
Gentleman: Do you know if Cannon or Nikon are working on anything like the Lumix, Sony or Fuji cameras? Do you have any experience using any of these? The idea of loosing the mirror, reducing weight and mechanicals is interesting. I imagine that battery consumption goes up because there must be a display built into the view finder. I have to admit, I kind of like that tactile experience of the shutter & mirror action. I would imagine you loose some of that. | ||
| Xl1200r |
Careful when you say "Lumix" as that's a whole line of cameras from Panasonic. I have 2, my dad has 1, they're all different and none use interchangeable glass. Manual focus for video is a requirement for anything remotely creative. | ||
| Barker |
Sorry for generalizing a brand. The same can be said for all significant camera manufactures. For anyone still confused about what types of cameras we are talking about (odd because the thread is all about interchangeable lenses) please refer to Panasonic Lumix "System Cameras" as seen here http://panasonic.net/avc/lumix/systemcamera/gms/in dex.html @Xl1200r If you really want to get technical, I can mount just about any interchangeable lens on your lumix camera. Its not cheap or practical but it can be done. Here is nikon glass on an iphone. http://vimeo.com/13475664 | ||
| Reepicheep |
You could probably buy a Lumix LX5 for less than 1/3 the cost of an equivalent dedicated lens... and it would fit in a pocket. | ||
| Gentleman_jon |
Buzz, Nikon and Canon have a marketing dilemma: They have a long legacy of single lens reflexes, and the lenses that fit them. In the case of Nikon, they claim that the original Nikon F mount is still in use, over fifty years after it was introduced, which is more or less true. Canon has had it's current EOS lens mount for almost a quarter century. Neither Canon nor Nikon want to obsolete their "system" camera or lens businesses so they have targeted their new mirrorless system cameras at the "advanced amateur" market. Nikon has introduced its N1, a very small interchangeable lens camera, with a rather small sensor. http://www.nikonusa.com/Nikon-Products/Nikon-1-Cam eras/index.page And Canon has announced the G1X which has a larger sensor and a permanently attached zoom lens. Both of these cameras are very nice, and a big improvement over current point and shoot models. A web site that covers the latest development in digital photography, and does very highly respected reviews of all of the past and current cameras is www.dpreview.com. |
