MF lens options with Nikon Zf

[Jürgen Pfeiffer]

I recently read an article by Batian K. on philipreeve.net in which he described the Nikon Zf as the best full-frame camera for MF lenses. In it he mentioned the use of an ETZ adapter which sounded very promising.
I switched all my Nikon AIS MF lenses to non-cpu adapters because the lenses are equipped with Dandelion chips and the IBIS of the camera does not work with them.
I have now created a small table of different MF options with the Zf. Maybe this can be helpful for someone. If someone can add further options or configurations such as Zeiss ZF2 lenses to the table, I would really appreciate it.

[Birna Rørslett]

There are even more options and settings.

The manual Voigtländer lenses for 'F' mount with built-in CPU band attached to FTZ/FTZ.2 behave like the native Z-mount Voigts. This also applies to the few manual-focus Nikkors with F-mount and factory CPU, such as 45mm f/2.8, 500mm f/4P, and the PC/PC-E Nikkors. Since there is only basic electronic feedback, and no camera-controlled aperture stop-down lever, for the F lens on the FTZ adapters, we lack the opportunity to dial in the lens aperture from the camera side. Definitively not a deal-breaker as that layout should have been abandoned by -Nikon long ago for such lenses. Rotate the aperture ring and all is well.

Some years ago we had third-party bespoke CPUs for lenses with F-mount, and these were emulating a factory CPU for a manual Nikkor. Lenses with these CPUs work just like the Voigtländer optics listed in your table. There is green dot focus confirmation, full transfer of EXIF data(a zoom lens has a CPU setting corresponding to the mid of its zoom range, which worked very well on the Nikkor zooms with aperture variation +- 1/3 EV). I sold many hundreds of these CPUs with mounting kit, and 'Dr.Lens' Erik modified many lenses for me or other users. I think there still are about 200 such items left in my cup boards.

[paul hofseth]

As a firm neoluddist I use the focus enlargement, like to set the aperture myself and never cared for Exifdata. However, the useful stabilization needs to be set.

I do not worry about the out of focus shapes and ideally everyhing in a picture should be pin sharp with high contrast. Colours are determined more by pixelfilters & demosaic-algorithms than lenses -provided that they do not have grave construction errors.

Hence, the only points I can add to the call for Zeiss info to the table above, is that my old Contax glass does not have any focus confirmation, exif data delivery and only manual aperture setting. But  I find the Zeiss 60mm makroplanar S quite good even if its conjugate optimum  is designed for flat field  A-4 originals while it does focus to 1:1.  Out of lazyness I do most often use Birnas 24-70mm made for the Z, otherwise my Leitz lens library also gets some use. In general, any high quality optic will perfom its best on the recent Nikons (provided that one keeps a stict watch on the unruly arbitrary focuspoint and spot metering  mover and the wobbly exposure adjustment which should have had a disable option )

p.

[Hugh_3170]

Jürgen, if the Dandelion chip is programmed to only present itself as a manual focus lens (via using its AF/MF Toggle switch F/5.6  in the somewhat quaint Dandelion sequence of programming instructions), does this intervention then allow a dandelion equipped lens to correctly gain access to the Z-Camera's stabilisation functionality? 

My understanding of the Dandelion device is that its default pseudo AF programming that makes it appear as an AF lens for the purpose of focus trapping is what is confusing the Z-Camera's stabilisation systems into applying the incorrect direction and amount of stabilisation. 

Does defining it as an MF lens overcome the restriction?  I don't know the answer to this question, but I am wondering if programming as an MF lens will address this issue.  Any ideas anyone?  TIA.

I recently read an article by Batian K. on philipreeve.net in which he described the Nikon Zf as the best full-frame camera for MF lenses. In it he mentioned the use of an ETZ adapter which sounded very promising.
I switched all my Nikon AIS MF lenses to non-cpu adapters because the lenses are equipped with Dandelion chips and the IBIS of the camera does not work with them.
I have now created a small table of different MF options with the Zf. Maybe this can be helpful for someone. If someone can add further options or configurations such as Zeiss ZF2 lenses to the table, I would really appreciate it.

[Birna Rørslett]

My CPU-modified F-mount lenses (all MF) apparently provide the required information to the Z camera host to allow "IBIS". So do the AF/AFD Nikkors, but due to Nikon's product policy, none will give AF on the FTZ adapter.

This might indicate that "AF" as such might not be the important difference? I do have one or two Dandelion-equipped MF  lenses though, so can test.

As to the "best" Z camera for using manual lenses, that will depend on the focal lengths/size of the lens. For lenses up to say 135mm, Z or Z fc both handle the MF Nikkors quite well. For all Nikkors seen as a whole, the Z9 is much better since the handling of these lenses are often adversely impacted by the FTZ adapter. Balance becomes all wrong and using focusing or aperture rings suffer. The heavy Z9 acts as a counterweight and at least achieves much better balance.

[Jürgen Pfeiffer]

Hello Hugh,

I just tried it out: neither in the AF nor in the MF version of the Dandelion programming (triggering at aperture 5.6) do I get a functioning IBIS with the Zf. If I loosen the lens slightly from the bayonet so that the contacts no longer meet, the image is stabilised. Of course, the focus confirmation on green then no longer works.

[Hugh_3170]

Thank you Jürgen and thank you Birna.

I have wondered if the programming of the Dandelion chips are as complete as they need to be, e.g. lack of exit pupil data is one such example.

Hello Hugh,

I just tried it out: neither in the AF nor in the MF version of the Dandelion programming (triggering at aperture 5.6) do I get a functioning IBIS with the Zf. If I loosen the lens slightly from the bayonet so that the contacts no longer meet, the image is stabilised. Of course, the focus confirmation on green then no longer works.

[MILLIREHM]

As to the "best" Z camera for using manual lenses, that will depend on the focal lengths/size of the lens. For lenses up to say 135mm, Z or Z fc both handle the MF Nikkors quite well. For all Nikkors seen as a whole, the Z9 is much better since the handling of these lenses are often adversely impacted by the FTZ adapter. Balance becomes all wrong and using focusing or aperture rings suffer. The heavy Z9 acts as a counterweight and at least achieves much better balance.

When it comes to best handling Z9 has a point
Regarding the funcionality all Z Cameras should be the same as the FTZ(II) adapter provides the connection. I have lost the overview but didnot recently Nikon provides some compatibility features for the Zf  with MF lenses that are unique so far - which is again product policy.

[John Geerts]

When it comes to best handling Z9 has a point
Regarding the funcionality all Z Cameras should be the same as the FTZ(II) adapter provides the connection. I have lost the overview but didnot recently Nikon provides some compatibility features for the Zf  with MF lenses that are unique so far - which is again product policy.

Yes. Easy adapting of the aperture on screen.

[Snoogly]

Thank you Jürgen and thank you Birna.

I have wondered if the programming of the Dandelion chips are as complete as they need to be, e.g. lack of exit pupil data is one such example.

Now I no longer have any DSLR. cameras I have actually started to pry off the chips I glued to some of my lenses :-( Or should I leave them on? In the forlorn hope that Nikon will find a way to enable IBIS on Z ….

[Jürgen Pfeiffer]

Now I no longer have any DSLR. cameras I have actually started to pry off the chips I glued to some of my lenses :-( Or should I leave them on? In the forlorn hope that Nikon will find a way to enable IBIS on Z ….

Richard, you don't have to remove the Dandelions. According to my chart at the top of the page, use the FTZ and Dandelion for focus confirmation, if you want image stabilization, just use a "dumb" F to Z adapter. If you want both, then ETZ adapter would do. Then you could remove the Dandelion.

[MILLIREHM]

Yes. Easy adapting of the aperture on screen.

Thank you, I need to firmware upgrade to V.3 and look it up.

[Hugh_3170]

Actually, just turn the IS off for those lenses with Dandelion chips if not having IS is not an issue.  No need to buy dumb adapters if you already have FTZ/FTZ II adapters in this instance.

However, from my readings on the matter, the amount of IS provided by a Z camera body for a lens with a Dandelion chip has the IS levels set to those equivalent to a lens with about a 50mm focal length (but possibly only a 45mm focal length). 

So for lenses whose focal lengths are greater than 50mm, there will be a reduced amount of IS compensation, but some at least, so IS could be left switched on so long as the photographer understands that they will not be getting the full amount of compensation normally available from the body for longer focal length lenses.

On the other hand, for those short focal length lenses with focal lengths less than 50mm, IS is too strong and over compensates (creating in fact excessive compensatory "shake") and should be turned off for such Dandelion equipped lenses  or be mounted on dumb adapters, as Jürgen has mentioned, which will then allow the lens to then be provided with the correct level of IS.