Beginner Sage advice on Nikon camera / lens compatibility

Norm_Shea

Norm_Shea

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Norm
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Hey All,
New to the site and trying to get back into higher-end photography, mostly nature-oriented. I have (though with a broken battery door) a Nikon D5005 SLR camera with AF Nikkor 28-70mm, 1:2.5-4.5 and 70-210mm 1:4-5.6 lenses. I thought I'd done my lens compatibility research, so asked for a D3500 "body only" for Christmas. Unfortunately, the research I did, indicating "full compatibility," apparently didn't refer to vintage Nikkor lenses as old as mine. So, with the D3500, I get an "Incompatible lens" message for all but manual mode. And even the images from that are not what I was hoping for.

My questions...
1) Are there any currently available Nikon cameras that my lenses are compatible with?
2) If not, are there any older digital Nikon cameras that my lenses are compatible with, that I might look for used?
3) Am I just SOL and need to invest in new lenses?

Hope this is the right forum for this (it being my first post, I thought it appropriate), but if I should post this in gear, please let me know or move it there.

Thanks for any input / insight that anyone can provide,
Norm
 
Hi Norm.
Any lens that is AF-S or AF-P designation is compatible with your D3500... anything prior e.g. AF-D, AF, Ai etc will not function fully. Lots of availability of AF-S.

AF-S lenses aren't spectacularly expensive, a mix of 24-120/4 and one of the AF-S 70-300s will cover your needs. Given that you imply higher-end budget is not a concern?
 
welshwizard645 said:
Hi Norm.
Any lens that is AF-S or AF-P designation is compatible with your D3500... anything prior e.g. AF-D, AF, Ai etc will not function fully. Lots of availability of AF-S.

AF-S lenses aren't spectacularly expensive, a mix of 24-120/4 and one of the AF-S 70-300s will cover your needs. Given that you imply higher-end budget is not a concern?
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welshwizard645,​

Thanks for the quick reply. Yes, cost is definitely a consideration and why I was trying to repurpose my existing lenses.

As it's a recent purchase, I think I could return the D3500 if there's something else new that would work with my lenses. Or to recoup some cost if I were to look into the purchase of another, used camera that was compatible.
 
To keep using your existing lenses you will need a camera with an internal focusing motor. So NOT any of the D3xxx or D5xxx cameras. The ones that will work with your camera are the D7xxx ones, and 3 digit D series e.g. D7xx, D8xx or the single digit pro cameras such as the D4/5/6 but I suspect these ones may be outside your budget.

If it was me, I'd look for some new secondhand AF-S lenses from somewhere like mpb.com to go with your new body. As people are moving to mirrorless, there are some bargains to be had.
 
paulmck said:
To keep using your existing lenses you will need a camera with an internal focusing motor. So NOT any of the D3xxx or D5xxx cameras. The ones that will work with your camera are the D7xxx ones, and 3 digit D series e.g. D7xx, D8xx or the single digit pro cameras such as the D4/5/6 but I suspect these ones may be outside your budget.

If it was me, I'd look for some new secondhand AF-S lenses from somewhere like mpb.com to go with your new body. As people are moving to mirrorless, there are some bargains to be had.
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paulmck,
So, something like a D7500? If I'm able to return the D3500 and purchase that, it would be less than $200 difference. And you feel pretty confident that it would work with the pre "-" series of lenses, the plain "AF" series?
 
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I would suggest you sell the 28-70 and look for a used 18-55 instead, to cover the wide angle on a crop sensor better. Or if you want to keep using those lenses then look for a used D610 instead, which has a very wide range of lens compatibility and will use those lenses at their intended field of view.
 
Norm_Shea said:
paulmck,
So, something like a D7500? If I'm able to return the D3500 and purchase that, it would be less than $200 difference. And you feel pretty confident that it would work with the pre "-" series of lenses, the plain "AF" series?
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Your best bet if it's a real camera shop rather than on-line, would be to take your lenses with you and test them in the store. But yes, as toohuge mentioned above, if they are Nikon AF lenses, they will work with a D7500 ,which as it happens is also fits the "high end" (i.e. more capable) category you mention in your first post than the D3500 does. But that's not to say the D3500 isn't capable of taking great pictures :)
 
Norm_Shea said:

welshwizard645,​

Thanks for the quick reply. Yes, cost is definitely a consideration and why I was trying to repurpose my existing lenses.

As it's a recent purchase, I think I could return the D3500 if there's something else new that would work with my lenses. Or to recoup some cost if I were to look into the purchase of another, used camera that was compatible.
Click to expand...
Any of the D7*00 series will work with the older lenses... compatibility is not an issue but D7*500 is best as I am not sure how compatible the D7100 or D7200 are with the new AF-P lenses....
 
paulmck said:
Your best bet if it's a real camera shop rather than on-line, would be to take your lenses with you and test them in the store. But yes, as toohuge mentioned above, if they are Nikon AF lenses, they will work with a D7500 ,which as it happens is also fits the "high end" (i.e. more capable) category you mention in your first post than the D3500 does. But that's not to say the D3500 isn't capable of taking great pictures :)
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Ah, my "higher-end photography" comment. That actually referred to getting away from compact and phone photography and moving to DSLR. So, I was considering the D3500 as that step (but did investigate the D7500 at the same time, noting that it did seem to be more highly reviewed). As this was a present from the wife and daughter, I was trying to go easy on them, but that appears to have backfired on me. Hopefully, I'll be able to exchange and can cover that additional cost on my own.
 
richard uk said:
This is useful;

Click to expand...
I found this, too,

So, is the AF series the same as the AF-D series?
The Gray's of Westminster has...
AI, AF, AF-S, AF-P, and E-Type
while Nikon has...
AI, AF-D, AF-S, SF-P and E-Type

And the D3500 is not on the Gray's site, but the D3400 is. The D3500 was introduced on August 30, 2018 and the D3400 was introduced on August 17, 2016. In those two years, did the plain AF get rebranded the AF-D?
 
Erty said:
This is really useful to.

kenrockwell.com

Nikon Lens Compatibility by Ken Rockwell

Nikon Lens Compatibility by Ken Rockwell
kenrockwell.com
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Thanks, that is a great resource. It definitely answered my question. It states,
"D vs. the Older Non-D Version
"D" means this lens tells the camera the distance to the subject. This helps the matrix meter be more accurate, especially with flash. It's not that big a deal. A much more important reason to get the newest D version has nothing to do with the D moniker. It simply is because the gearing is much faster on the D version so it focuses twice as fast. I explain "D" here . You can tell this is a D version by the D after 1:4 - 5.6. The earlier non-D version just says 1:4 - 5.6. The earlier 70 - 210 non-D lens has the same optics. The only way to see the difference is the D after 1:4 - 5.6. The AF speed is slower on the non-D lens since the D lens is geared faster. One turn of the AF screw on the D lens brings you from infinity to 17;' on the non-D lens it only brings you to 40.' Thus it takes longer for the non-D lens to focus."

So, the the AF and the AF-D seem to be basically the same lens. And that even further appears to bolster the compatibility.

From Gray's of Westminster
Screen Shot 2023-12-28 at 20.50.18.png

From Nikon
Screen Shot 2023-12-28 at 20.56.00.png

I guess my next challenge is seeing about a return. Thanks all for the assistance, advice, input, etc. It is truly "the friendliest photography forum on the net!"

Norm
 
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I'd still get a APSC specific lens. The used 17-50ish lenses are a bargain. In particular any 17-50 f/2.8 or the 18-55 AF-P VR Nikon.
 
Erty said:
I'd still get a APSC specific lens. The used 17-50ish lenses are a bargain. In particular any 17-50 f/2.8 or the 18-55 AF-P VR Nikon.
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I'm trying to replace both these lenses
-28-70mm, 1:2.5-4.5
-70-210mm 1:4-5.6

Just a cursory look seemed to put the larger zoom lens in the $300+ range for used ones and in the $500+ range for new. I know I could try to sell my existing ones to try to recoup some of the cost, but I don't think I'd get much for them.

If I'm able to exchange / upgrade my purchase, the difference between the D3500 body only and D7500 body only is only $120.
 
On an APS body, I'd be looking at an 18-200 to cover both those zooms. Yes, it's marginally shorter than the 210 at the long end but the versatility and not needing to swap between the 2 lenses would swing it for me.
 
D3500 and D7500 are both 1.5 crop cameras so you'd gain about 50% maximum zoom with a 18-200.
 
Nod said:
On an APS body, I'd be looking at an 18-200 to cover both those zooms. Yes, it's marginally shorter than the 210 at the long end but the versatility and not needing to swap between the 2 lenses would swing it for me.
Click to expand...
Would that be a lens that would work with the D3500 or D7500 or both? Is there a particular one you'd recommend?

Erty said:
D3500 and D7500 are both 1.5 crop cameras so you'd gain about 50% maximum zoom with a 18-200.
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Does that mean the the 70-210 would also gain zoom?
 
Yes. You gain zoom at both ends so the 28mm now has a field of view the same as a 42mm and the 210 is like a 310mm on your old camera. The 70mm becomes 105mm. If you do lots of wide angle stuff, you may miss it.

I have got a Nikon 18-140 which is equivalent to 27-210 on your old camera. It is very good for an all in one lens.
 
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Just a word about typical 18-200 lens behaviour - once you get past the amazing zoom range image quality is often poor even by kit zoom standards, especially at the longer end. Some versions are better than others, so check reviews carefully before buying.
 
Norm_Shea said:
Would that be a lens that would work with the D3500 or D7500 or both? Is there a particular one you'd recommend?


Does that mean the the 70-210 would also gain zoom?
Click to expand...


I use a Nikkor one. I should add that I use it on a 1 series body with the adaptor and it gives me loads of reach with acceptable quality. As Toni says, they can be variable with results so, if you can, try before you buy a particular example.
 
Hey, wanted to provide an update. I received the D7500 over the weekend and have been trying it out for the US's Great Backyard Bird Count. I am beyond satisfied!!

BO_DSC_0102_LR.jpg
Baltimore Oriole from 12 m away through a window.

EB_DSC_0054_LR.jpg
Eastern Bluebird from 4 m.

HT_DSC_001_LR.jpg
Hermit Thrush from 3 m through a window.

Really, really happy so, again, thank you for all the assistance and input!
Norm
 
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