Nikon F100. What lenses?

Stujomo · Nov 12, 2020

Greg OH said:
Stujomo said:

Photography was great with an FM2 I think Nikon should make a digital one.

Click to expand...

That's what the DF aspires to be. Okay, probably more of an FE2, but you get my drift. I don't actually see the point. The DF is much larger than an FM or FE, and only bears passing similarity. There isn't anything you could do with an FM2 that you couldn't do with virtually any DSLR made, other than mount Nikon manual focus lenses. They all offer manual exposure and manual focus.

Here's what I'd like: a FF digital body externally identical to an FE: not even an LCD. Give it an EVF for settings and to review images. And, to take a crazy idea even further, Canon should make one after the AE-1, that can use FD lenses.

The DF was a big fat lump of a camera far away from the slender body of the FM2 or FE2. The DF has AF and automatic exposure modes oh and its fat.

I had high hopes for the DF but it was just another AF DSLR with a traditional shutter speed dial. I tried a DF only in the store but didn't like it. I actually prefered the Sony A7 to use with my manual focus Nikkors. The A7 is much closer to the size of an FM2.

I would like a digital FM2 exactly the same size and shape as the FM2. I would settle for a Digital FE2. A small LCD would work to show the ISO and how much card space is left. I would prefer if was an SLR not a mirrorless look a like.

What the Digital FM2 or FE2 brings is simplicity. It doesn't AF so it has a decent viewfinder with a decent focusing screen.

Greg OH · Nov 12, 2020

Stujomo said:
Greg OH said:

Stujomo said:

Photography was great with an FM2 I think Nikon should make a digital one.

Click to expand...

That's what the DF aspires to be. Okay, probably more of an FE2, but you get my drift. I don't actually see the point. The DF is much larger than an FM or FE, and only bears passing similarity. There isn't anything you could do with an FM2 that you couldn't do with virtually any DSLR made, other than mount Nikon manual focus lenses. They all offer manual exposure and manual focus.

Here's what I'd like: a FF digital body externally identical to an FE: not even an LCD. Give it an EVF for settings and to review images. And, to take a crazy idea even further, Canon should make one after the AE-1, that can use FD lenses.

Click to expand...

The DF was a big fat lump of a camera far away from the slender body of the FM2 or FE2. The DF has AF and automatic exposure modes oh and its fat.

I had high hopes for the DF but it was just another AF DSLR with a traditional shutter speed dial. I tried a DF only in the store but didn't like it. I actually prefered the Sony A7 to use with my manual focus Nikkors. The A7 is much closer to the size of an FM2.

I would like a digital FM2 exactly the same size and shape as the FM2. I would settle for a Digital FE2. A small LCD would work to show the ISO and how much card space is left. I would prefer if was an SLR not a mirrorless look a like.

What the Digital FM2 or FE2 brings is simplicity. It doesn't AF so it has a decent viewfinder with a decent focusing screen.

I have a hard time seeing Nikon do that. The market for manual-focus cameras is infinitesimal, and part of the reason the Df is so chunky is its support for screwdriver AF lenses. The only way to eliminate that and keep AF is to use AF-S lenses. Which would be fine, except that they don't match the manual-focus aesthetics, not even that special edition of the 50mm.

At this point, I'd have to say that the closest thing you're going to get to a digital FM is a Fuji mirrorless. They've really done the retro thing well with shutter speed dials and aperture rings. And, with bodies as small or smaller than an FM. And, film emulation modes right out of camera!

Autonerd · Nov 12, 2020

Peter in Milton said:
Any opinions here about which AF lenses are the best choices for an F100? Versatility with a minimal set of lenses is the criteria. Suggestions?

Old thread, new answer: I have an N8008 with a 50/1.4, 28-85/3.5-4.5, 35-135/3.5-4.5, and 70-210/4-5.6.

While I can't say I love the camera (it's a bit too automatic), the lenses are pretty darn wonderful. If I was looking for minimal lenses, I'd go for the 28-85 and 70-210, and *maybe* the 50/1.4 when I need speed. The 35-135 is nice for portraits (since you can shoot at 85-ish and not be at the near or far end of your zoom range) but it's as bulky as the 70-210.

All of mine are AF lenses and they are dirt cheap on eBay -- we're talking well under a hundred bucks for the zooms and a little more than that for the 50. I believe using an AF (as opposed to AF-D) means you can't take advantage of a more sophisticated metering system on the F100 (no distance information reported), but that wouldn't be a deal breaker for me.

HTH

Aaron

Stujomo · Nov 13, 2020

Greg OH said:
Stujomo said:

Greg OH said:

Stujomo said:

Photography was great with an FM2 I think Nikon should make a digital one.

Click to expand...

That's what the DF aspires to be. Okay, probably more of an FE2, but you get my drift. I don't actually see the point. The DF is much larger than an FM or FE, and only bears passing similarity. There isn't anything you could do with an FM2 that you couldn't do with virtually any DSLR made, other than mount Nikon manual focus lenses. They all offer manual exposure and manual focus.

Here's what I'd like: a FF digital body externally identical to an FE: not even an LCD. Give it an EVF for settings and to review images. And, to take a crazy idea even further, Canon should make one after the AE-1, that can use FD lenses.

Click to expand...

The DF was a big fat lump of a camera far away from the slender body of the FM2 or FE2. The DF has AF and automatic exposure modes oh and its fat.

I had high hopes for the DF but it was just another AF DSLR with a traditional shutter speed dial. I tried a DF only in the store but didn't like it. I actually prefered the Sony A7 to use with my manual focus Nikkors. The A7 is much closer to the size of an FM2.

I would like a digital FM2 exactly the same size and shape as the FM2. I would settle for a Digital FE2. A small LCD would work to show the ISO and how much card space is left. I would prefer if was an SLR not a mirrorless look a like.

What the Digital FM2 or FE2 brings is simplicity. It doesn't AF so it has a decent viewfinder with a decent focusing screen.

Click to expand...

I have a hard time seeing Nikon do that. The market for manual-focus cameras is infinitesimal, and part of the reason the Df is so chunky is its support for screwdriver AF lenses. The only way to eliminate that and keep AF is to use AF-S lenses. Which would be fine, except that they don't match the manual-focus aesthetics, not even that special edition of the 50mm.

At this point, I'd have to say that the closest thing you're going to get to a digital FM is a Fuji mirrorless. They've really done the retro thing well with shutter speed dials and aperture rings. And, with bodies as small or smaller than an FM. And, film emulation modes right out of camera!

I agree we wont see Nikon doing that but I think if Nikon had done the DF properly the first time it would have been more successful. The DF was a luke warm attempt to be honest.
I think the photographic world was ready at the time the DF was released for a manual focus back to basics DSLR that was small and light. Retro cameras were popular and Nikon could have released a real retro camera not a fake mirrorless that looks old.

I think photographers would have lapped up a real manual focus digital camera that was small and light. The complaint at the time was DSLRs are too big and bulky especially if full frame was wanted. DSLR lenses are also huge compared to the old manual focus Nikkors.

Now it is likely too late we have smaller mirrorless full frame bodies that work great with manual focus lenses but we might see an FM2/FE2 style mirrorless one day. Nikons mirrorless bodies have no AF motors in them and can be built small and light.

Overrank · Nov 13, 2020

Stujomo said:
Greg OH said:

Stujomo said:

Greg OH said:

Stujomo said:

Photography was great with an FM2 I think Nikon should make a digital one.

Click to expand...

That's what the DF aspires to be. Okay, probably more of an FE2, but you get my drift. I don't actually see the point. The DF is much larger than an FM or FE, and only bears passing similarity. There isn't anything you could do with an FM2 that you couldn't do with virtually any DSLR made, other than mount Nikon manual focus lenses. They all offer manual exposure and manual focus.

Here's what I'd like: a FF digital body externally identical to an FE: not even an LCD. Give it an EVF for settings and to review images. And, to take a crazy idea even further, Canon should make one after the AE-1, that can use FD lenses.

Click to expand...

The DF was a big fat lump of a camera far away from the slender body of the FM2 or FE2. The DF has AF and automatic exposure modes oh and its fat.

I had high hopes for the DF but it was just another AF DSLR with a traditional shutter speed dial. I tried a DF only in the store but didn't like it. I actually prefered the Sony A7 to use with my manual focus Nikkors. The A7 is much closer to the size of an FM2.

I would like a digital FM2 exactly the same size and shape as the FM2. I would settle for a Digital FE2. A small LCD would work to show the ISO and how much card space is left. I would prefer if was an SLR not a mirrorless look a like.

What the Digital FM2 or FE2 brings is simplicity. It doesn't AF so it has a decent viewfinder with a decent focusing screen.

Click to expand...

I have a hard time seeing Nikon do that. The market for manual-focus cameras is infinitesimal, and part of the reason the Df is so chunky is its support for screwdriver AF lenses. The only way to eliminate that and keep AF is to use AF-S lenses. Which would be fine, except that they don't match the manual-focus aesthetics, not even that special edition of the 50mm.

At this point, I'd have to say that the closest thing you're going to get to a digital FM is a Fuji mirrorless. They've really done the retro thing well with shutter speed dials and aperture rings. And, with bodies as small or smaller than an FM. And, film emulation modes right out of camera!

Click to expand...

I agree we wont see Nikon doing that but I think if Nikon had done the DF properly the first time it would have been more successful. The DF was a luke warm attempt to be honest.
I think the photographic world was ready at the time the DF was released for a manual focus back to basics DSLR that was small and light. Retro cameras were popular and Nikon could have released a real retro camera not a fake mirrorless that looks old.

There are technical problems with matrix metering on manual Nikon lenses. So it would either be limited to centre weighted or spot metering. That may or may not be acceptable to people ?

Stujomo said:
I think photographers would have lapped up a real manual focus digital camera that was small and light. The complaint at the time was DSLRs are too big and bulky especially if full frame was wanted. DSLR lenses are also huge compared to the old manual focus Nikkors.

Now it is likely too late we have smaller mirrorless full frame bodies that work great with manual focus lenses but we might see an FM2/FE2 style mirrorless one day. Nikons mirrorless bodies have no AF motors in them and can be built small and light.

smithim · Nov 13, 2020

Overrank said:
There are technical problems with matrix metering on manual Nikon lenses. So it would either be limited to centre weighted or spot metering. That may or may not be acceptable to people ?

According to the D810 manual, matrix metering will work with manual lenses - albeit in colour mode, i.e. not 3D - provided that you set the lens up properly.

BWfoto · Nov 13, 2020

I took a F100 with the 50mm 1.8D lens to Vietnam and it was a brilliant kit. Small light and sharp. The F100 meter is dead on accurate. Took this shot using Kodak TrI-X 400 film.

--
Go ahead shoot...... film

Smaug01 · Nov 13, 2020

Peter in Milton said:
Peter in Milton said:

...

Click to expand...

I don't generally shoot outside the 20mm to 200mm range, with most of the activity in the 28 to 100 range. I am not interested in manual focus lenses. I'm looking for specific lens suggestions if you have any. Light weight and (reasonably) low cost are considerations.

I have some older Nikon AF gear. (see my Gear List)

I researched the lenses and wound up with this 3 lens set:

28-105 f/3.5-4.5D - Outdoor walk-around lens. Indoor lens w/bounce flash.
75-300 f/4.5-5.6 - Outdoor telephoto zoom; focus is slow, but still much faster than I can do with my manual focus cameras. This earlier pre-D lens is great optically, the only penalty is the slow focusing. I was willing to accept that in exchange for the better price.
50 f/1.8D - I bought this one as "the fast lens". If it weren't so affordable, I'd have bought a 35/2 instead. (I love my 35/2 AI lens; it's my favorite) This is what I'm using instead of the 85/2 in the meantime.
24 f/2.8D - a proper wide angle; a very good performer

I like candids, so I'm thinking of adding a 85 f/2.

Some people will cringe when I say it, but Ken Rockwell has a lot of good advice on Nikkor lenses... (no affiliation) I made all my purchases after reading of his experience on the lenses, and I found he is spot-on.

--
-Jeremy
*********
"Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength."
-Eric Hoffer
Opinions expressed are mine and not necessarily DPR's

Smaug01 · Nov 13, 2020

> on the older film camera bodies like the F100. Better check.

I did have that lens for my D610, and it is just outstanding; worth the money.

Greg OH said:
The 24-120 AF-S VR? It's expensive new, but plentiful used. Much better than the older versions.

Don't forget that you don't get the distortion-removal that digital cameras offer. This lens and most of its competitors have considerable barrel distortion.

FredInMN1 · Nov 13, 2020

Have a Tamron SP 35mm F1.8 Di VC USD lens, used with my Nikon dSLRs. Wanted to use my F100 again, just for fun, so am trying out this combo now. Forgot how large and bright the OVF is, think its the same as the top-of-the-line F5 at the time. Very quick, quiet autofocus, balances well. A bit noisier than the dSLRs. Expect sharp results when the roll is finished, does very well with digital. Glad I didn't sell it off !

Smaug01 · Nov 13, 2020

Stujomo said:
...

Photography was great with an FM2 I think Nikon should make a digital one.

I had an FM2 (non-N) and an FM. The FM was the more versatile camera, since it could use pre-AI lenses, which are a lot less expensive. I thought the fit & finish was a little better on the original FM, also.

Although I like the tactile experience better with the manual focus Nikons, going to AF raises my Keeper Rate quite a bit! (I like candids)

I agree that Nikon should make a digital FM2N. Just don't get too greedy with the price or overzealous with the features and it would be a home run.

Overrank · Nov 13, 2020

smithim said:
Overrank said:

There are technical problems with matrix metering on manual Nikon lenses. So it would either be limited to centre weighted or spot metering. That may or may not be acceptable to people ?

Click to expand...

According to the D810 manual, matrix metering will work with manual lenses - albeit in colour mode, i.e. not 3D - provided that you set the lens up properly.

The reason some cameras can matrix meter with manual focus lenses is (thanks Ken Rockwell) “The F4 AF camera and FA manual focus camera have mechanical encoders to allow these cameras to read the maximum absolute f/stop from a lug on the lens. This is required for the matrix to function.”

Of course if you’ve told the camera what lens it is on digital then you don’t need the encoder. I presume “setting the lens up properly” means telling the D810 what sort of lens it is. I forget sometimes it’s not 1995 !

All the lenses I use of digital are chipped so the camera knows what they are.

smithim · Nov 13, 2020

Overrank said:
smithim said:

Overrank said:

There are technical problems with matrix metering on manual Nikon lenses. So it would either be limited to centre weighted or spot metering. That may or may not be acceptable to people ?

Click to expand...

According to the D810 manual, matrix metering will work with manual lenses - albeit in colour mode, i.e. not 3D - provided that you set the lens up properly.

Click to expand...

The reason some cameras can matrix meter with manual focus lenses is (thanks Ken Rockwell) “The F4 AF camera and FA manual focus camera have mechanical encoders to allow these cameras to read the maximum absolute f/stop from a lug on the lens. This is required for the matrix to function.”

Yes, that's the old way of doing it...

Overrank said:
I presume “setting the lens up properly” means telling the D810 what sort of lens it is.

Yes - the new way

Overrank said:
All the lenses I use of digital are chipped so the camera knows what they are.

I haven't bothered chipping any of my manual lenses, as even my D200 from 2007 will work fine with them - well, the Nikon ones, at least. The others might require a bit of exposure compensation.

Overrank · Nov 13, 2020

Smaug01 said:
Peter in Milton said:

Smaug01 said:

...

Click to expand...

I don't generally shoot outside the 20mm to 200mm range, with most of the activity in the 28 to 100 range. I am not interested in manual focus lenses. I'm looking for specific lens suggestions if you have any. Light weight and (reasonably) low cost are considerations.

Click to expand...

I have some older Nikon AF gear. (see my Gear List)

I researched the lenses and wound up with this 3 lens set:

28-105 f/3.5-4.5D - Outdoor walk-around lens. Indoor lens w/bounce flash.

75-300 f/4.5-5.6 - Outdoor telephoto zoom; focus is slow, but still much faster than I can do with my manual focus cameras. This earlier pre-D lens is great optically, the only penalty is the slow focusing. I was willing to accept that in exchange for the better price.

50 f/1.8D - I bought this one as "the fast lens". If it weren't so affordable, I'd have bought a 35/2 instead. (I love my 35/2 AI lens; it's my favorite) This is what I'm using instead of the 85/2 in the meantime.

24 f/2.8D - a proper wide angle; a very good performer

I like candids, so I'm thinking of adding a 85 f/2.

Some people will cringe when I say it, but Ken Rockwell has a lot of good advice on Nikkor lenses... (no affiliation) I made all my purchases after reading of his experience on the lenses, and I found he is spot-on.

+1 on Ken Rockwell for lenses. The jury’s still out for me on his advice on cameras - I bought a D200 on his recommendation which is my favourite digital camera ever, but also a D3200, also after reading a KR review, and that wasn’t my favourite

Although it took nice pictures the controls were all in the wrong place and it was too small.

smithim · Nov 13, 2020

Smaug01 said:
Some people will cringe when I say it

Smaug01 said:
Ken Rockwell has a lot of good advice on Nikkor lenses... (no affiliation) I made all my purchases after reading of his experience on the lenses, and I found he is spot-on.

I'd broadly agree about his lens info, although sometimes I feel that he's a bit too kind. I found Bjorn's site at http://www.naturfotograf.com/index2.html very useful.

Stujomo · Nov 13, 2020

Smaug01 said:
Stujomo said:

...

Photography was great with an FM2 I think Nikon should make a digital one.

Click to expand...

I had an FM2 (non-N) and an FM. The FM was the more versatile camera, since it could use pre-AI lenses, which are a lot less expensive. I thought the fit & finish was a little better on the original FM, also.

Although I like the tactile experience better with the manual focus Nikons, going to AF raises my Keeper Rate quite a bit! (I like candids)

I agree that Nikon should make a digital FM2N. Just don't get too greedy with the price or overzealous with the features and it would be a home run.

I've got the FE and the FM2N and a plain prism F. If I remember the FE can also use pre Ai lenses. I've got 4 pre Ai lenses but 3 were converted to Ai before I got them all the rest of my manual glass is Ais. I got most of them cheap before full frame mirrorless took off.

I shot the FM and FM2 and FM2N bodies during the time I worked on cruiseships. I think the FM bodies were a bit heavier made compared to the FM2N but the FM2N would sync at 1/250 so that made it more useful me outside with flash.

bmw44 · Nov 13, 2020

Peter in Milton said:
Any opinions here about which AF lenses are the best choices for an F100? Versatility with a minimal set of lenses is the criteria. Suggestions?

I did not read every post but was surprised that I did not see any recommendation for the Nikon 35-70 F2.8 D lens. This lens should not be all that expensive in the used market, and it was the best Nikon zoom lens in this range when it was being made. It even has a macro range, and works well at all apertures though maybe a bit soft at F2.8. One negative is the fact that the front element rotates when the lens is focused. This would be an issue if you are using polarizing filters.

--
bmw

Greg OH · Nov 13, 2020

Smaug01 said:
> on the older film camera bodies like the F100. Better check.

AF-S lenses won't work on many of the older film bodies, but they will on the F100. VR also doesn't work on some. The N65, N75, N80, F100, and F5 support AF-S & VR.

None support AF-P, and they have varying support for manual-focus lenses.

Nikon Lens Compatibility by Ken Rockwell

www.kenrockwell.com

Michael Benveniste · Nov 13, 2020

Peter in Milton said:
Any opinions here about which AF lenses are the best choices for an F100? Versatility with a minimal set of lenses is the criteria. Suggestions?

If I'm doing "freestyle" photography with my F100 and don't know what's around the next corner, I want a 24-120mm mounted. In fact, I owned all three versions sequentially and still own the 24-120mm f/4.

The F100 only works wide open with electronic aperture (new E) lenses, and doesn't work with AF-P lenses at all. So I've lost some options to upgrades. But here are some combinations which I could still assemble:

"The Freestyle plus bag:"

Zeiss 18mm f/3.5 ZF.2
Nikon 24-120mm f/4
Nikon 180mm f/2.8D or a Tamron 180mm f/3.5 Macro.

"The pseudo trinity backpack:"

Nikon 17-35mm f/2.8
Tamron 24-70mm VC (pre-G2 version)
Nikon 70-200mm VR-II.

"The 2+2 bag:"

Nikon 17-35mm f/2.8
Nikon 70-200mm VR-II,
Two of the following primes:
-- Nikon 50mm f/1.8 AF-S
-- Voigtländer 58mm f/1.4
-- Nikon 60mm f/2.8D Micro
-- Tokina 90mm f/2.5 Macro

"The Green Dot bag: (aka what's autofocus?)"

Zeiss 18mm f/3.5 ZF.2
Nikon 35-105mm f/3.5~4.5 AI-s
Nikon 80-200mm f/4 AI-s.

JohnnyLuddite · Nov 13, 2020

I love taking film cameras on holiday - and one of the key reasons is that people don't seem to feel intimidated so much, the slrs are often much simpler and smaller. Plus you can just post the film off from wherever.

Plus, from my perspective, I'm not in the slightest worried about the camera or the technology so much, the perpetual charging cycle etc. Not to say in most places I've been worried about theft or anything, but really, I don't in any way want to be going round some places with several k of gear - it's not respectful.

Nikon F100. What lenses?

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