Old School Nikon Primes

[Bjørn Rørslett]

The 16/2.8 versions also need a rear filter to focus properly to infinity. Without the filter, they just focus a little closer ,but infinity focus is lost.

I take it your implied meaning was the filter pouch with the additional blue (B2), amber (A2) and orange (O-56) filters for the f/2.8 often was split off from its master lens. I purchased a few of these filter sets over the years.

[the solitaire]

Yes, that was what I tried to explain. When buying the 16mm f2,8 Ai-S either make sure the filter pouch is included or contact Bjørn Rørslett who just revealed to have a few spares

[David H. Hartman]

Despite the above, the D200 approach to selecting non-CPU lens specifications was the best yet implemented by Nikon. Why they abandoned this solution in favour of the limited slot number feature is beyond my imagination.

I found the system used on my D2H better than the one used on the D300s and D800. I never used a D200. I wish I had the expertise to add chips to lenses.

Dave

[John Geerts]

Thanks Buddy. Very nice examples. Impressive!    Well, most of the time lenses come to you, instead of chasing it And I usually finance 'new' lenses by selling some I never use again.

Here the Ai or Pre-Ai lenses Nikkors currently in use. Just some quick shots to test the Voigtlander Ultron 40/2 wide open in close-up.

[Roland Vink]

Despite the above, the D200 approach to selecting non-CPU lens specifications was the best yet implemented by Nikon. Why they abandoned this solution in favour of the limited slot number feature is beyond my imagination.

If I remember correctly, the D200 allowed up to 20 non-CPU lenses to be entered, and they were automatically sorted by focal length?

I have more lenses than the 9 available slots in the D600, but I usually carry only two or three at any time, rarely four, so the limit has never been a problem. Before I go out it's just a quick job of entering the day's lenses in the first 3 or 4 slots. Actually, if there were more slots it would increase the chance that I selected the wrong one by mistake, maybe that's why the number was reduced?

I added Non-CPU lenses to "My Menu" so I find it easily to set up the lenses. The "Fn" button is configured to switch between the stored lenses, so when I change lenses it is pretty quick to tell the camera which lens I'm using. Works well enough for me (I still forget to switch to the correct lens sometimes...)

I would be more impressed if you could select an actual lens, eg "Series-E 75-150/3.5" or "35/1.4". The camera could then have the matching data including focal length, aperture, exit pupil etc to allow more accurate metering and exif data.

[Asle F]

If I remember correctly, the D200 allowed up to 20 non-CPU lenses to be entered,

Actually 40 if all of them has different biggest aperture.

But the difference is that one can enter both the focal length and the biggest aperture with the fn-button and the two wheels, not just changing between 9 pre entered combination as with later cameras. And the camera remember the last biggest aperture pr focal length.

[David H. Hartman]

I'm setup so I can press the Function button and roll the command dial to select the lens if it's in the list. I would like to enter at least 15 manual focus Nikkors. Even 10 lens slots would help me.

Dave

[pluton]

I added Non-CPU lenses to "My Menu" so I find it easily to set up the lenses. The "Fn" button is configured to switch between the stored lenses, so when I change lenses it is pretty quick to tell the camera which lens I'm using. Works well enough for me (I still forget to switch to the correct lens sometimes...)

This is how I do it also.

[John Koerner]

The last 2 pages are filled with great information (and photos!).

I have manually-configured my non-CPU lenses to my D810, and they all work wonderfully ... with the (slight) exception of my Voigtlander 125mm APO macro.

The D810 settings allow for the f/2.8 settings, but on the focal length my choice is either 105mm or 135mm ... they don't have a 125mm option

Still, it's nice to be able to see the aperture data now

[Roland Vink]

Isn't there a 120mm option (for the 120mm Medical lens) ??

[John Koerner]

Isn't there a 120mm option (for the 120mm Medical lens) ??

No, not on my D810, Firmware version 1.11 there isn't.

Perhaps on other Nikons ...

[the solitaire]

Not on the D3 either

[Roland Vink]

Interesting I thought they would have the focal lengths for all "Nikkors", after all they even have focal lengths of the 43-86. Strange they left 120mm out. They don't seem to include the series-E focal lengths - nothing for the 36-72, or the 75-150. For my 75-150 I set 100mm instead, as a mid-point of the zoom range, and to distinguish it from my 105mm primes. Luckily the 100mm setting is there - taken from the short end of the AIS 100-300 zoom - so I can also use it for my series-E 100/2.8.

Getting back to the Voigtlander 125mm APO macro, the best option is 135mm, it's the closest focal length and "looks" similar. Otherwise, get the lens chipped so you can report the correct focal length automatically.

[David H. Hartman]

I have the following lenses in my list...

15/5.6
28/2.0
35/2.0
50/1.2
85/2.0
105/2.5
135/2.8
180/2.8
400/4.5

I don't use my 24/2.8 AI much anymore due to flare and I can crop an image in post 0.83x from my AF-S 20/1.8G to get the field of view of a 24mm. Not that this needs to be exact. I just frame loose.

I've added a rest to the NCSETUP8.BIN saved on my CF and SDHC cards in my D800's "My Menu." I write protect the one on the CF card so can't over write it by accident. I format my cards about once a week and replace several small files when I do. Otherwise after uploading photos and never before backing up I delete all photos in camera. The NCSETUP8.BIN and my menu works (sort of) as a U1, U2... U4 option for me. There's nothing worse than a dSLR that's got some special settings left behind to mess up new photos. The "Save/load settings" mostly solves this but if I reset while carrying a less used lens then I'll have to set the non-CPU lens data again.

I wish Nikon had offered a service like non-AI to AI they offered in the early '70s. By now I'd think the chip could be so tiny that only a contact block with the chip included should be needed. I'd think it could be on the back protected with Epoxy.

It's so easy to hold the Fn (function) button and roll in the lens in use. I'd like lens 0-19 or 1-20 and don't see any need to stop at 1-9. This feature could be set to skip unused locations, e.g. if 12 lenses were registered pressing the Fn button and rolling the main control would show only lens number 1-12.

Dave

[Bjørn Rørslett]

The reason for the 120 being left out is very simple. This lens (in its factory configuration) allows no user control over aperture and does  not provide any kind of metering. Everything is done by the focusing ring that is coupled to the aperture mechanism.

Breaking the linkage between focusing and aperture is possible and by implanting a "G" chip into the 120 Medical, aperture operation and metering become available. You can even do a flash balance to ambient light [over a limited range of stops].