Moving from Nikkormat FT2 to digital SLR

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pumasalient

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Hi Everyone
I hope someone can offer me some advice. For several years I have used an old nikkormat FT2 camera with some lovely Nikon lenses. However, I really need to take the plunge and move to a digital SLR as film is expensive these days. I am also taking lots of photos of my baby and it would be good to check how the shots are looking as I go along. I have hesitated from moving to digital because a) my Nikon lenses are really good and b) I would have to spend an awful lot of money to match the lens quality I have now. I have a very limited budget (around £350) and I want to buy second hand to get the most for my money. I also want to buy something that it will be easy for me to add further lenses to over time. I do like Nikon but wouldn't object to other brands. Has anyone any suggestions? Thanks
 
I've a film [F3] and a digital [D5000] -- would not your Nikon lens fit a DSLR..?

my 50mm f2 Ai fits the D5000 - just wont meter and auto-focus

I dont find manual focus too difficult and the tiny "focus confirm" light works

the exposure is guess for the first shot - check the LCD - and adjust

prob some Nikon expect will now trash my idea...:D
but it may enable you to keep your "quality" lenses......:thinking:
 
That could be an interesting idea. I think my lenses are NAIS fitting. I'm afraid I am not very technical so don't know if this fitting type will be any good.
 
pumasalient said:
That could be an interesting idea. I think my lenses are NAIS fitting. I'm afraid I am not very technical so don't know if this fitting type will be any good.
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the term is pre-Ai or non-Ai....i think......:thinking:

just getting into all the early Nikkor lens stuff so I can only offer what I have read

here's a "chart" Ken Rockwell(c) which shows which lens work on Nikon bodies

you see the Ai and the AI-s mount OK on a DSLR in manual mode
gets a bit "iffy" with pre-Ai lens

hopefully a Nikkor "expert" will jump in.!
 
pumasalient said:
Thanks. I'm really not sure whether I have AI lenses or pre AI. How do I tell?
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by the serial number.....which is............?

yet another chart "here"...

goto your focal length and f stop ... the serial numbers are in a range from start to end of manufacture

when you think you have found it...click on the blue description and it will show an image for you to check
 
"ahheem" ..post #4...."cough" ........:D
 
cowasaki said:
Ken Rockwell, so good we posted it twice :lol:
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one of the great things with Uncle Ken is sorting the wheat from the chaff

[to be polite............:lol::lol:]

that said - his articles [?] have helped me wade through the Nikkor lens history

- although have you seen "this" - it is mind boggling in its coverage of all Nikkor/Nikon lenses and cameras
 
The reality of fitting old film camera lenses on to a DSLR is that they usually work, but you often lose functions and all the focal lengths are effectively different due to the crop factor. You will probably end up replacing them sooner rather than later.
 
Provided your lenses are AI or AIS (post 1977) you should be looking for a used D200 within your budget. Anything less won't meter. Canon cameras can take all nikon lenses via an adapter, and can be used in stop-down metering way (ie. no automatic stopping down, but it meters automatically for the set aperture). I have a feeling you should be used to manual focus, and there are plenty of AF lenses to buy too.
 
daugirdas said:
Provided your lenses are AI or AIS (post 1977) you should be looking for a used D200 within your budget. Anything less won't meter. Canon cameras can take all nikon lenses via an adapter, and can be used in stop-down metering way (ie. no automatic stopping down, but it meters automatically for the set aperture). I have a feeling you should be used to manual focus, and there are plenty of AF lenses to buy too.
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It's a bodge, and manual focusing on a crop format DSLR is not good at the best of times.

You really need modern lenses to get the most from a modern camera.
 
Great links to the nikon charts. Interestingly I tried a 200mm F4 on a D2X yesterday. I can now see the lens is from 1977 to 1981, just when I started work, maybe the lens is one I had then :D:D

brickwork.jpg


This was the first shot I took, really impressed. I am looking to try a few more lens. I shoot in manual and manually focus so I am well suited to them

stew
 
HoppyUK said:
...............You really need modern lenses to get the most from a modern camera.
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very true.....:thumbs:

but the OP said
"...I have hesitated from moving to digital because a) my Nikon lenses are really good and b) I would have to spend an awful lot of money to match the lens quality I have now. I have a very limited budget (around £350)"

so one option would be to keep the older Nikon lenses and get a Nikon D200 as suggested

also agree ... dont do a bodge job with a Canon body
 
Thanks for all your comments, it's certainly given me food for thought. Having done a bit of research today I do have a few reservations about using my old Nikon lenses as I am not sure how good my focusing will be without a guide. So, my current thinking is maybe I am better to start off with an entry level dslr and learn the basics of digital photography before getting too involved with the quality of the lenses. I'll just have to accept that I will not, for now, be able to compete optically with my old lenses, but at least I will be learning the craft. Has anyone got any advice about suitable cameras? I do like Nikons but want to get the most for my money and also buy something that I can add more lenses too over time. I also don't mind buying second hand in order to make my money go further. Again, my budget really is £400 ish.
 
hey, ive got a D60 that i bought a couple of years ago, and originally got two automatic kit lenses (18-55 and 55-200) they are good, and certainly make thinkgs easier. But I was also on a very limited budget so I bought loads of old Ai and Ais lenses to use instead. It is well wirth the trade off of auto focus and metering imo for the quality of the results you get. I read somewhere that with the D60, even non-ai lenses will work without modification (dont quote me on that ;) ) Im not sure how that translates to the newer D3000 and D5000s, but I would imagine that they would need some modification
 
brightspark567 said:
......... so I bought loads of old Ai and Ais lenses to use instead..Im not sure how that translates to the newer D3000 and D5000s, but I would imagine that they would need some modification
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no mods needed to fit Ai and AI-S Nikkor lenses to any Nikon camera
that's the beauty of the system.....I think...:thinking:

but on entry level DSLR [D40 - D5000] you will not auto-focus [need AF-S lens]
see the "Compatibility" chart I linked to above

my 50mm f2 Ai works fine on my D5000 till I can get a 35mm AF-S

BTW - "loads of Nikkor lens" -- you could be in for a treat - check eBay prices lately..?
 
pumasalient said:
I do like Nikons but want to get the most for my money and also buy something that I can add more lenses too over time. I also don't mind buying second hand in order to make my money go further. Again, my budget really is £400 ish.
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£400...? well
I started with a refurbished D40 + kit 18-55 DX GII at £240
that would get you started with cash left for cards, tripod, ND Grads, etc
I sold the 18-55 and got a used Sigma 17-70mm f2.8 from here - well pleased

after expanding your knowledge with the D40 - it can be sold at not much of a loss when you have decided on the upgrade you would like
 
Yardbent said:

but on entry level DSLR [D40 - D5000] you will not auto-focus [need AF-S lens]
see the "Compatibility" chart I linked to above
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On any camera Ai and Ais lenses wont autofocus, apart from a little mechanical coupling prong that only works for metering on 'pro' bodies, there is not other way of the lens and body to communicate. however there is the focus confirm light that can be of help on the bottom left corner that triggers when your in focus.
 
brightspark567 said:
however there is the focus confirm light that can be of help on the bottom left corner that triggers when your in focus.
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this is true - but I recently read that at wide apertures the DOF is so small that the "focus" light is not accurate enough.....only got an f2 so dont know...:shrug:
 
Not too sure about all this AI or Non AI business, but I got rid of all my old Nikkors when I sold my 601 and went digital, not thinking to go down the slr road again. However I soon realised what I was missing and although the D40 & D60 were out I bought an earlier D50 which has the focus drive built into the body enabling older lenses to be used. It is a few years old now but reading these forums a lot of togs regret selling their D50's so perhaps it is one you could consider. By the way my first Nikon was a Nikkormat and I loved it!
 
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