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Adapting Nikon lenses to m4/3 cameras

  • Thread starter phototransformations
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phototransformations

Guest
I'm buying a cheap eBay adapter so I can use my AI-S lenses with my G1, but I'd like to also find an inexpensive moderate tele. The adapters identify themselves as compatible with Nikon AI lenses, but I'm wondering if they will also work for older, non-AI manual focus lenses. Since the lenses will all need to be stop-down metered and manually focused, I'd think any manual lens would do, but perhaps Nikon changed the mount between pre-AI and AI lenses?

Any m4/3-Nikon hybrids out there who can report on your experiences getting Nikon lenses of various eras to work?

Thanks,
David
 
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Vivek

Guest
Panasonic do not recommend that you use any Nikon lenses on the G1 and they have not made any official adapters for that purpose nor have they approved any adapters for such use.

So.....
 
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barjohn

New member
I have the Fotodiox Nikon to 4/3s adapter that I have used along with the 4/3s to m4/3s Panasonic adapter. I have used the Nikkor 50mm f1.8 D AF and the 28mm f 2.8D AF lenses in full manual mode without any problems on the G1, the E-P1 and the GF1.
 

CVickery

Member
Panasonic do not recommend that you use any Nikon lenses on the G1 and they have not made any official adapters for that purpose nor have they approved any adapters for such use.

So.....
I'm not sure I get what you are saying. Has Panasonic recommended against using Nikon lenses, or have they simply not provided an official adapter? They also don't have an adapter for Minolta MD, Canon FD, Canon EF, M42... and these appear to work fine. I'm not sure why Nikon would be different.

I'm interested in the OP's question as well. I have a Nikon 105/2.5 non-AI lens and would be interested in using it on my E-P1. If I have to get the lens AI'd first that's an additional expense that I hadn't anticipated.
 

Jonathon Delacour

Subscriber Member
I'm not sure I get what you are saying. Has Panasonic recommended against using Nikon lenses, or have they simply not provided an official adapter? They also don't have an adapter for Minolta MD, Canon FD, Canon EF, M42... and these appear to work fine. I'm not sure why Nikon would be different.

I'm interested in the OP's question as well. I have a Nikon 105/2.5 non-AI lens and would be interested in using it on my E-P1. If I have to get the lens AI'd first that's an additional expense that I hadn't anticipated.
I was writing a similar reply to Vivek's statement but, before I posted it, checked and saw that you'd asked the same question.

I've used Nikon AI-S lenses without any problems on the G1 with a Voigtlander Nikon F to m4/3rds adapter. I could be mistaken but I can't see any reason why a non-AI'd lens wouldn't work equally well because the AI ridge isn't coupled in any way to the adapter. As long as the lens stopped down properly, it should work fine on the G1 with an appropriate adapter.

Here's a link to a Cameraquest page that explains the differences between the various Nikon non-AI, AI, AI'd, and AI-S lenses.
 
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Diane B

New member
I think Vivek's reply was a bit of tongue in cheek in reference to a long thread about Panasonic's proprietary batteries.
 

pentacon6

New member
By the way, there is something that makes me really curious about the length of the adapter made by Voigtlander. Since I found some Made in China adapter is too short that it reach infinity at about 10 meters, it can't give us the convenience of shooting landscape.

I just wonder is Viogtlander's adapter have the same property. Thanks for your sharing.
 

Jonathon Delacour

Subscriber Member
By the way, there is something that makes me really curious about the length of the adapter made by Voigtlander. Since I found some Made in China adapter is too short that it reach infinity at about 10 meters, it can't give us the convenience of shooting landscape.

I just wonder is Viogtlander's adapter have the same property. Thanks for your sharing.
I just checked with the widest (Nikkor 28/2 AI-S) and longest (Voigtlander 180/4 AI-S) Nikon lenses I have and both focused properly at infinity with the Voigtlander adapter on the G1.
 

CVickery

Member
Diane...Makes sense now :D thanks

penticon6 - I have a similar issue with my made in China EOS adapter. I understand the business issue of ensuring infinity focus (less returns), but I think some have gone overboard with this. My 17/3.5 was beyond infinity at MFD before I shimmed up the adapter. It's still ~ .6mm too short and the lens I was just using on it was focusing at infinity at the 1m mark. I'll eventually replace the adapter, but I'd like to know which adapters are close to the proper thickness.
 
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phototransformations

Guest
From the Cameraquest link, it looks as if the pre-AI (F) and the AI lenses share basically the same mount, so it seems likely they will fit the various Nikon to m4/3rds. Thanks for the info and the links!
 

pentacon6

New member
To CVickery:
I have an EOS adapter,too. I have tried to use a 50mm f2.8 Tessar M42 Lens set to infinity and then screw it out a little bit to test how short the adapter for a proper infinity focus. I was quite astonished that it is almost 3mm shorter!For wide angle lenses, it is not a big problem as small aperture can help. But for the tele lenses, the short of length also shorten the adjustable range and consume the closet focusing distance of the lens and makes it too "sensitive" to the change of distance. You should fine adjust the focus always or use the magnifying function to confirm.

I was quite disappointed. I used to expected Nikon is cloned from Voitglander's but it seems that the MIC one is really no sense of accuracy at all. Being a Chinese either, I also feel shame. :(
 
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phototransformations

Guest
Just so I understand.... Are you saying that the Chinese adapters typically focus beyond infinity (so that they can guarantee infinity focus), thereby causing the lenses attached to them to fail to focus on objects relatively close to the camera?
 
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OzRay

Guest
I use a Voigtlander adapter with my Nikon 300mm f4 and Pen, and it works fine.

Cheers

Ray
 

pentacon6

New member
Just so I understand.... Are you saying that the Chinese adapters typically focus beyond infinity (so that they can guarantee infinity focus), thereby causing the lenses attached to them to fail to focus on objects relatively close to the camera?
Yes, the adapter makes the lens beyond infinity。I am not sure how's RJ's version, but so far no any adapters hand on reach the exact infinity as mark on lens.
 

CVickery

Member
To CVickery:
I have an EOS adapter,too. I have tried to use a 50mm f2.8 Tessar M42 Lens set to infinity and then screw it out a little bit to test how short the adapter for a proper infinity focus. I was quite astonished that it is almost 3mm shorter!For wide angle lenses, it is not a big problem as small aperture can help. But for the tele lenses, the short of length also shorten the adjustable range and consume the closet focusing distance of the lens and makes it too "sensitive" to the change of distance. You should fine adjust the focus always or use the magnifying function to confirm.

I was quite disappointed. I used to expected Nikon is cloned from Voitglander's but it seems that the MIC one is really no sense of accuracy at all. Being a Chinese either, I also feel shame. :(
Just a couple of points. It's actually worse with the wide angle lenses. Wide angle lenses do have a deep DOF and this can help some, but the amount that the lens elements move to focus is very small. My Tamron 17/3.5 moves the elements ~3mm to go from MFD to infinity. An adapter that's 3mm too short won't work at all. (This was my problem)

The other issue is the stacking of adapters. With my Tamron I was using Adaptall2>OM>EOS>MFT. If every adapter in the stack is a bit thin to ensure infinity you end up with a much larger total error.
 

m3photo

New member
Re: RJ's Adapter

Yes, the adapter makes the lens beyond infinity。I am not sure how's RJ's version, but so far no any adapters hand on reach the exact infinity as mark on lens.
OK, first things first. There's no difference to the G1 if you use non-AI or AI or AIs Nikkors on it; you're going to have to set it to "A" or "M" and work from there. There is a difference however if you're thinking of using manual Nikkors also on a modern Nikon Digital camera. The top of the range models such as the D700 can take them all of course but the non-AI range will leave you short whereas the AI and AIs models will be able to offer you more on it in the way of usability (as usual - google for more info, wrong forum for Nikon lessons!), the less equipped camera models are completely limited to just manual use with these old lenses and are even regarded by some as being totally incompatible (no comment).
With all this in mind, there's no real sense in going for AIs lenses versus just the AI versions, if in good condition (just look at the diaphragm lever and check the wear on it to see if it's seen a lot of use apart from the usual caveats re fungus, dust etc.) AI lenses will probably be cheaper to buy.
With regard to the adapters offered by RJ, I decided on the twin set route, i.e. one which is a 4/3rds to Micro 4/3rds (no electronics à la MA1 however) and one thinner one which is specifically 4/3rds to Nikon F. On my 105mm infinity is in focus just before you get to the start of the infinity sign on the lens - fully open at f/2.5 using focus magnification check. On other wider lenses this differs of course but as a 210mm equivalent it's a good reference point I think. At the other end of the scale, on the 55mm Micro-Nikkor I can just start to crop a 35mm slide at minimum focus.
Hope all this rambling helps rather than hinders:)
 

pellicle

New member
to Phototransformations

should be fine ... a number of people over here use similar setups. Feel free to ask them on advice as to which adaptor (as I only use OM and FD) ... I see that Ciecio7 has one which seems to allow you to open and close aperture now.
 

f6cvalkyrie

Well-known member
Hi,

I have also gone the twin route : µ4/3 to 4/3 from Panasonic and a Fotodiox 4/3 to Nikon.
I do not experience any problem at all, with a variety of Nikon AI(S) lenses.

C U,
Rafael
 
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