 gaurav |
Purchasing a Digital SLR I Have been Using Nikon FM 2.Since the whole Scenario of photography is changing towards Digital, I thought of buying D 70s. just let me know about the reveiws and also can I use my preveious lenses-- Nikon 50mm (Manual) and Tamaroan 70-300 (Auto) with the digital Body . Thanks
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Kay Beausoleil |
For reviews, look to the left of this page and you'll find the Reviews tab. On the Nikon site, you should be able to find a compatibility chart for Nikon lenses, at least. The Tamron 70-300 might work with limited functions. Again, a Google search should get you a compatibility chart from the Tamron site if there is one. It's a big leap from the FM2 to digital, but you'll find stuff that's familiar, too. What's more, if you still like manual, most functions on the Nikon DSLRs have manual settings.
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robert G. Fately |
Gaurav, you can also check out www.dpreview.com for reviews that are pretty thourough. As for your lenses, they should both work (though of course the 50MM won't auto-focus). Be aware that due to the smaller size of the CCD chip in comparison to a frame of 35MM flim, there is what's called a "crop factor" of 1.5 with the Nikon DSLRs. This means that the 50MM lens behaves like a 75MM lens in terms of angle of view - it's like having a 75MM f1.8 (or 1.4, whatever the 50 is). Likewise with the zoom - at the long end it will be like having a 450Mm lens. This means that you may want to think of getting a wider angle lens (since a 35MM focal length is 'normal' on the D70, you may want something even shorter). It also means that you must recalculate the rule of thumb with slowest shutter speeds - the one that says the slowest speed you whould hand hold is 1 over the focal length...now it should be 1 over the focal length times 1.5. SO with that 300MM lens, you'll want a sturdy support for shutter speeds of less than 1/500th second. Finally, I believe you will notice a difference between the viewfinders of the D70 and your FM2 - the D70 has a smaller and somewhat darker image. This is tru for most DSLRs, again due to the smaller chip (and smaller reflex mirror and pentaprism). Not to dissuade you - but you may want to take a lok through the camera just to see that you're comfortable with it.
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gaurav |
Thank u Bob N Kay for helping me out . I totally agree with Bob.The only option for using anolog lenses with digital will be in an emergency,as u have already explaind why.To b on the safer side I think one should use digital body with digital lens as it will not result in losing any portion as comparied to the viewfinder.
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John G. Clifford Jr |
Yes, you can use your Nikon manual lenses with a Nikon digital SLR, but I believe only the professional models (D1x, D2x) and the D200 support the full functionality of earlier Nikon lenses. However, you can shoot in aperture-priority Auto mode, and focus manually (the same way you do with your FM-2) with these manual lenses, and AF confirmation will work (the camera will 'beep' or otherwise confirm good focus). Also, you will not lose ANY portion of the image. What you see in the viewfinder is what you'll get on the image. If anything, your earlier lenses will give HIGHER quality because the dSLR is only using the center portion of the lens image area (the sharpest portion). And, the "rule of thumb" of not shooting handheld at shutter speeds slower than 1/focal length remains unchanged. Your lens isn't getting any longer because of the crop factor... you are just 'cropping out' the center portion of the image (and this is true whether you're using a brand-new Nikon digital lens, or an older manual-focus lens). Re "only using these lenses in an emergency", I use old M42-mount (Pentax/Universal screw mount) lenses on my Sigma SD10 dSLR often, and find that the quality of these lenses greatly exceeds the cheaper range of 'digital' lenses. This will be true for Nikon and its earlier AI-S 50mm lenses, and there are a LOT of fine, manual-focus Nikon lenses... plus, like me you can buy an inexpensive M42-to-Nikon mount adapter and use the numerous excellent M42 lenses available very cheaply on your Nikon dSLR. The one things you will find with your dSLR is that viewing your images 100% on a computer monitor will show any lens shortcomings, in terms of image quality, far more than the typical 4x6 prints you get from film. If your manual-focus 50mm lens is a Nikon AI-S 50/1.8 or thereabouts, it will be among the sharpest, highest quality lenses you can use... and it will truly show you how good the images from your dSLR can be. In short, don't be afraid of, or discouraged by, manual lenses. To the contrary, look for good examples of these lenses and know that they are often better optically than the latest and greatest consumer-level lenses... and are much cheaper because others ARE afraid!
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