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Older AF lenses and the d7100  Rate Topic 
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Posted by snapper: Sun Oct 23rd, 2016 14:02 1st Post
Hi, I've just posted in the intro thread and I would like some help please.
I've been using a d40 for about 8yrs,mostly on Auto and before that I used a F501,my question is will my old AF lenses from the 501 operate in AF on the d7100 because I would like to get all arty and move away from Auto.
I have a 50mm 1.8/70-210 f4/28-105 f4.5 all are AF.
I presume my 50mm would be classed as a prime lense so if I wanted to shoot wildlife/landscape/arcitechture/spooky scenes could anyone recommend some other prime lenses that may suit this[they don't have to be AF]..I think.
Cheers



Posted by Robert: Sun Oct 23rd, 2016 14:26 2nd Post
OK, as JK says the D3100 will be a big step forward I don't have personal experience with the 7100 although plenty here do.

The 50mm f1.8 is indeed considered a prime although I tend to refer to them as non zooms, but then I'm a bit old fashioned...

I might suggest a 105 f2.5 AI lens which is MF but a superb lens, usually pretty cheap and is ex film days, therefor FX compatible in case you eventually decide to go FX. DX lenses aren't ideal FX but will work.

Another classic is the 300 f4 which is a superb lens, which on a DX like the D3100 gives you the equivalent of a 450mm f4 which is pretty handy for wildlife and not too slow. (by slow I mean small aperture).

To me a really wide lens is important, I used to have a Sigma 10-20, which is a brilliant ultra wide and can be very useful.

Not sure if the D3100 has auto ISO but if it has that allows you to set the shutter and aperture to whatever you need and let the camera decide the exposure via the ISO.



____________________
Robert.



Posted by Gilbert Sandberg: Mon Oct 24th, 2016 04:22 3rd Post
S,
re: will my old AF lenses
Yes they are (AF)-compatible with a camera like the D7100
Be warned: the D3nnn/5nnn series will not give you AF with older lenses.
For more information: get the pdf manual for the camera you are considering; somewhere near the end is an exhausting table with all the answers.
Regards, Gilbert



Posted by Eric: Mon Oct 24th, 2016 04:22 4th Post
snapper wrote:
Hi, I've just posted in the intro thread and I would like some help please.
I've been using a d40 for about 8yrs,mostly on Auto and before that I used a F501,my question is will my old AF lenses from the 501 operate in AF on the d7100 because I would like to get all arty and move away from Auto.
I have a 50mm 1.8/70-210 f4/28-105 f4.5 all are AF.
I presume my 50mm would be classed as a prime lense so if I wanted to shoot wildlife/landscape/arcitechture/spooky scenes could anyone recommend some other prime lenses that may suit this[they don't have to be AF]..I think.
Cheers

Hi
Those lens should work fine with the D7100.
I had the D7000 for quite a while and found it a very pleasing camera to operate. The D7100 is very similar quality and performance wise.
Although the older lenses are ok, you may find that getting something a bit wider than the 24mm (which is equivalent to 36mm in FX terms) would be useful. The two lenses that spring to mind are the 18-105 with is a corrected DX lens so you do get 18mm. Or even the much venerated Sigma 10-20. A lovely lens ( better at 12mm than 10mm) which can stretch you artistically ..but also be very useful for interiors.



____________________
Eric


Posted by snapper: Mon Oct 24th, 2016 14:11 5th Post
Thankyou gents for that info.
I'm not sure what is meant by DX and FX,could you pls explain.



Posted by Robert: Mon Oct 24th, 2016 14:34 6th Post
snapper wrote:
Thankyou gents for that info.
I'm not sure what is meant by DX and FX,could you pls explain.

FX is almost the same as the original 35mm film frame size, 36 x 24mm, DX is smaller, 24 x 16mm.

http://www.nikonusa.com/en/learn-and-explore/article/g588ouey/the-dx-and-fx-formats.html

If you use any given lens on a DX camera you get the effect that the lens is 'longer' (by a 1.5 multiplier) than that same lens would be on an FX camera because you are only using a smaller part of the available image.

'DX' lenses are exactly the same focal length as they state but make a smaller image circle and don't cover an FX sensor with their image. DX lenses tend to be cheaper.

So an FX lens can be used on both FX and DX cameras but DX lenses will only produce an image with a dark surround if used on film or an FX camera which is locked to FX (FX cameras can turn off the surrounding pixels automatically when a DX lens is fitted but it's only a partial frame).

Given that a DX camera only uses the centre of an FX lens image circle, if that lens suffers from vignetting or soft edges then those impediments won't spoil your photograph. So you can get away with older possibly slightly inferior lenses because you are only using the good, central part of the image.



____________________
Robert.



Posted by snapper: Mon Oct 24th, 2016 15:19 7th Post
So is the d7100 a DX camera?.

My lenses just have Nikkor AF on the body so I can't figure out if their DX or not.

Which cameras are FX for instance?.



Posted by Eric: Mon Oct 24th, 2016 15:47 8th Post
snapper wrote:
So is the d7100 a DX camera?.

My lenses just have Nikkor AF on the body so I can't figure out if their DX or not.

Which cameras are FX for instance?.

The D7100 is a DX format.

The current FX cameras are the D5, D810, D750 and D610. Their sensor size is approximately the same size as the old 35mm film (36x24m).

The rest are DX cameras have a smaller sensor area (c. 24x16) which arguably gives lesser image quality due to the smaller pixel diameters and numbers of pixels squeezed onto the smaller sensor area. Of course you pay much more for the FX (full size) sensors.

In the early years of digital there were NO DX lenses. When you put a normal (FX) lens onto a DX camera, it looks through a smaller area in the middle of the lens....in other words it arguably zooms in and multiplies the magnification by 1.5. So a 50mm on a DX body would give you the same field of view as a 75mm on an FX body.

What this means is that you get a boost with telephoto lenses (i.e. 200 becomes 300) but at the wide angle you lose width ( i.e. You need a 10mm lens to get a 15mm angle of view)

So manufacturers started making corrected lenses ...DX lenses. These are adjusted back to give 'true' 35mm area of view values and tend to be more at the wide end to recover the lost width mentioned above. Therefore the 18-105 DX lens attached to a DX camera gives the same field of view as an 18-105 FX lens on an FX body. Putting a DX corrected lens on an FX body causes a few distortion problems and is not recommended.

I suspect all your lenses will be FX lenses. Hence my comment that your 24mm will be 36mm in old money...and you might want to consider a DX 18-105 or similar to give you a nice wide 18mm for scenery and groups.

Does that help?

Take a look at this website...a useful best prices site when buying equipment...but it also lists the current DX and FX lenses.

http://www.camerapricebuster.co.uk/Nikon/Nikon-DX-Lenses



____________________
Eric


Posted by snapper: Mon Oct 24th, 2016 15:57 9th Post
Eric, so my AF lenses came off the 35mm f501 which should mean they are
in effect FX and when fitted to the d7100 DX will increase mag by 1.5.
This means that if I want wide angle I will have to purchase new DX lenses
I pressume.



Posted by Eric: Mon Oct 24th, 2016 16:03 10th Post
snapper wrote:
Eric, so my AF lenses came off the 35mm f501 which should mean they are
in effect FX and when fitted to the d7100 DX will increase mag by 1.5.
This means that if I want wide angle I will have to purchase new DX lenses
I pressume.

Spot on. :thumbs:


It's interesting because lens change into new ideal uses. For example a 50mm lens gives 75mm...which makes it an acceptable portrait lens (typically 85mm were always considered best for portraits)

If you want to do wide areas indoors and large groups you need wider than your 24mm.



____________________
Eric


Posted by jk: Mon Oct 24th, 2016 17:57 11th Post
There a lot of good secondhand Nikon 20mm f2.8 AF around. That gives you a reasonable wide lens (30mm FX) but if you want wider then it gets expensive.



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Still learning after all these years!
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Posted by amazing50: Tue Oct 25th, 2016 18:44 12th Post
That new Nikon 19mm PC is only about $3500US:lol:



____________________
There is nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept ;~) Mike Grace


Posted by amazing50: Tue Oct 25th, 2016 18:45 13th Post
Won't even fit properly on a lot of Nikons.

http://nikonrumors.com/2016/10/24/weekly-nikon-news-flash-389.aspx/



____________________
There is nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept ;~) Mike Grace


Posted by jk: Wed Oct 26th, 2016 04:40 14th Post
amazing50 wrote:
That new Nikon 19mm PC is only about $3500US:lol:
If you are buying Mike I will have one!
I could release my 24mm PCE then. Judith? :cheers:



____________________
Still learning after all these years!
https://nikondslr.uk/gallery_view.php?user=2&folderid=none


Posted by jk: Wed Oct 26th, 2016 04:40 15th Post
amazing50 wrote:
That new Nikon 19mm PC is only about $3500US:lol:
If you are buying Mike I will have one!
I could release my 24mm PCE then. Judith? :cheers:



____________________
Still learning after all these years!
https://nikondslr.uk/gallery_view.php?user=2&folderid=none


Posted by Gilbert Sandberg: Wed Oct 26th, 2016 06:06 16th Post
re: it gets expensive.
I agree with JK, just a few (zoom) wides are made for DX by Nikon.
I believe JK was hinting at the marvelous 13mm f 5.6.
No risk of over-spending there, just a few hundred samples have ever been made, grin.
Nor is that a suitable lens for DX as it weighs in at more than double of some DX cameras.
Regards, Gilbert



Posted by Iain: Wed Oct 26th, 2016 20:14 17th Post
The 18- whatever Nikon lens are all good even the old 18-70.



Posted by Judith: Thu Oct 27th, 2016 08:26 18th Post
jk wrote:
amazing50 wrote:
That new Nikon 19mm PC is only about $3500US:lol:
If you are buying Mike I will have one!
I could release my 24mm PCE then. Judith? :cheers:

Nope! I have a 24-70mm and that's enough for me. Also got a 14mm that some people are desperate to buy off me. Maybe I should sell cos I hardly use it.

:thumbs:


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