The new Nikon mirrorless system

[Roland Vink]

Thank you, I finally got to see what is up at ~7 to 8 o'clock on the front end of the FTZ! I gather this switch is what prevents a non-Ai lens from being OK.

If you look carefully, you can see the switch is pushed in when the lens is set to minimum aperture. That means pre-AI lenses can be mounted, the greater overhang of the aperture ring will simply push the switch in regardless of the aperture setting. This is similar to many of the low-end DSLRs. It means most pre-AI lenses will probably mount with no problem  (it would be nice to have this confirmed though).

Also, on Ric's demonstration, we see the lens stops down immediately when the aperture ring is turned, so stop-down metering is employed and you get "full-time" DOF preview. If the aperture stop-down lever in the FTZ adaptor had been engaged, the lens aperture would be held open regardless of the aperture ring setting, the lens would only stop down at the moment the picture was taken. The camera of course has no way of knowing what aperture is set, so the exposures would be wrong. Therefore, the aperture stop-down lever is somehow not engaged when non-CPU lenses are used. It would be interesting to see how it works in more detail. In a few weeks I will be in London and hope to visit Greys of Westminster, hopefully I will see for myself

[fish_shooter]

If you look carefully, you can see the switch is pushed in when the lens is set to minimum aperture. That means pre-AI lenses can be mounted, the greater overhang of the aperture ring will simply push the switch in regardless of the aperture setting. This is similar to many of the low-end DSLRs. It means most pre-AI lenses will probably mount with no problem  (it would be nice to have this confirmed though).



Also, on Ric's demonstration, we see the lens stops down immediately when the aperture ring is turned, so stop-down metering is employed and you get "full-time" DOF preview. If the aperture stop-down lever in the FTZ adaptor had been engaged, the lens aperture would be held open regardless of the aperture ring setting, the lens would only stop down at the moment the picture was taken. The camera of course has no way of knowing what aperture is set, so the exposures would be wrong. Therefore, the aperture stop-down lever is somehow not engaged when non-CPU lenses are used. It would be interesting to see how it works in more detail. In a few weeks I will be in London and hope to visit Greys of Westminster, hopefully I will see for myself

I will be looking for your analysis!! I guess seeing the action of the stop down lever in the front of the FTZ during an exposure with no lens mounted would be interesting to look at with and without the switch being pushed in.

It would be great if non Ai lenses could be used as is in spite of Nikon's verboten list.

[MILLIREHM]

If you look carefully, you can see the switch is pushed in when the lens is set to minimum aperture. That means pre-AI lenses can be mounted, the greater overhang of the aperture ring will simply push the switch in regardless of the aperture setting. This is similar to many of the low-end DSLRs. It means most pre-AI lenses will probably mount with no problem  (it would be nice to have this confirmed though).

If the FTZ is similar to the FT1 the switch is pushed by the EE-servo coupling post of AI lenses when the Aperture is set to minimum. It is unknown what the adapter does with this information. This coupling post was invented for use with the F2AS DS12 servo and no other camera body ever since was using it as far as i know of. It should not have anything to do with pre-AI lenses compatibility as there is no EE-servo coupling post present.  These should mount in genereal as there is no AI-coupling lever on the FTZ adapter (the presence is usually the obstacle if there is no possibility  to put it aside - like in the Df, FM,F4) but there might be restrictions with specific lenses.

[MILLIREHM]

It would be great if non Ai lenses could be used as is in spite of Nikon's verboten list.

Yes that would be great, and i dont understand why nikon has listed pre-AI lenses as incompatible in general. They have the same mount and stop- down lever als AI-(S), AF screwdriver and AF-D and AF-G-lenses do.
It is possible to use lenses on SLR too that are not officially compatible, so why not here as well?

UPDATE: Tried to mount a Nikkor-H-Auto 50mm f/2 lens (which is "AI'd" but only with the quick and dirty Dremel approach) on the FT1 Adapter (as it is the only native Pre-AI lens I have now). It does not mount due to some mechanical obstacle and so far I have not a real clue  why  maybe a ridge on the lens baffle does not have enough clearance with the stop-down lever of the Adapter (its not the little mechanically contact on the adapterbecause it is not activated when mounting neither with or without AI). Of course I dont know, whether this is similar with other Pre-AI lenses and whether the FTZ adapter would show the same behavior.

[Akira]

I've used pre-Ai Micro 55/3.5 compensating aperture or even CRT 55/1.2 without problem on Sony NEX5R/T, Olympus E-M5MkII, Panasonic GX8, GH2 and GH5 in terms of focusing and metering.

I wonder why Nikon keeps saying that those lenses are incompatible with their mirrorless cameras including the now defunct Nikon 1.

[Birna Rørslett]

Some of the pre-AI lenses have pretty comprehensive flanges protruding from the rear. These can conflict with the camera mount. Once the obstacle(s) are filed off, the lenses usually will mount on the FT-1, and I suspect, the FTZ as well.

Eagerly awaiting my first Z kit that is due to arrive shortly. All these compatibility issues will be tested and evaluated of course.

[Akira]

Yes, I know that.  But the adapters I used with all those mirrorless cameras were dumb ones without any chip or contacts.

I wonder why Nikon mirrorless cameras are made so that they don't work with the dumb adapters?

[armando_m]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3bnisFXRVk

 

Richard, thank you for making this video and sharing it here

[richardHaw]

http://richardhaw.com/2018/09/23/report-nikon-z/

just my opinions

[Erik Lund]

Thank you Richard!


Very sober write up of your findings Interesting times to follow Nikon.


And yes, there are so many hands on reviews on the new Z that finding anything worthwhile to read is an exercise in stamina, ridiculous actually.

[Birna Rørslett]

Richard: very refreshing write-up and your experiences by and large echo my own so far. However, my children have flown the coop so I have ordered everything 'Z' for myself

[Hugh_3170]

Thanks Richard for this write up. 

I get to see the Z-beast this coming Saturday. I hope that they will have the FTZ there for me to try as well as the cameras.

[Roland Vink]

Nice write-up Ric. Just a correction about the Z Noct, you say "I also notice that it has a very short focus throw" ... if you look at the picture you'll see it requires nearly a full revolution from infinity to the close limit of 0.5m, that's a very generous focus throw ...

[Airy]

http://richardhaw.com/2018/09/23/report-nikon-z/

"that ergonomics are just as important as specs, if not even more"

That's the key point.

[John Geerts]

Yes.

Thanks for the overview, Richard.