Lens designed for DX cameras will generally have DX in their description. Of course DX cameras will be able to mount lenses without that designation though less expensive cameras may require AF-s lenses, which means they have their own focusing motor. This subject is complicated enough that you may wish to check out this article which describes the different lenses and what the alphabet soup of letters me and which cameras they will work on. Shooting Nikon requires a bit of education in these matters.
Thanks CGrindahl! I am fairly new to all this and do find the numbers very confusing at times. I'm slowly plowing my way through your manual lens thread and trying like crazy to find good deals on ai-s lenses. I'm not having much luck though... Most that I find seem to be overpriced with the exception of a couple of great deals on super long lenses, but I can't afford them even at a good price.
I'd like to find a real nice, fast 85 or 105 for portraits.
The 85 f/1.4 AI-s is going to be very pricey, but you should be able to find a 105 f/2.5 AI or AI-s at a decent price. I even bought a couple of older versions of that lens that had been converted to AI, one of which I bought for less than a hundred dollars. Many folks buy from KEH but I find their prices a tad high and generally shop at E-Bay. You definitely should be able to find a 105 f/2.5 for under two hundred dollars.
Good luck trying to get through the Manual Focus Nikon Glass thread. We're adding pages so fast my head is spinning. Picasa changed the way it was handling old photos I'd posted on that thread. I started at the beginning to replace them but gave up after 150 pages. We're fast approached 36,000 posts on that thread. Amazing.
There are some bargains out there that will really enjoy being mounted on your D700. Happy shopping!
Thank you. I do not have a D700 yet, but will within a few months I believe. I am leasing one in a week or so for an event I'm shooting and wanted to make sure my 50mm would work fine on it. I have a D300s and the ai-s glass will work on it fine too.
blutch wrote:
Thank you. I do not have a D700 yet, but will within a few months I believe. I am leasing one in a week or so for an event I'm shooting and wanted to make sure my 50mm would work fine on it. I have a D300s and the ai-s glass will work on it fine too.
What is a reasonable price for the 85 1/4 AI-s?
B
I bought a very clean copy used on the Buy and Sell forum for $600 and a participant on the thread just bought an EX+ copy on sale at KEH for under $630. If you are going to be using this lens for event work you'd perhaps be better off with an AF lens like the 85 f/1.4D which would go for a $150 more than the AI-s. I own both and love them both.
With regard to the D300 and MF lenses, you should be aware those who've done so felt the viewfinder was not their friend. Yes, you can register the lenses so the camera will meter, but you won't enjoy trying to gain focus with that viewfinder. The D700 is much better in that regard.
I owned the 85/1.4 AIS for a long time, and love it -- but honestly if I were willing to skip AF, I'd probably get the Rokinon for half the price. For AF, the Sigma is by far the best bang for the buck -- essentially the same price as the AF-D, optically a little better, and with easy AF override.
For MF on a D700, the DK-17m eyepiece magnifier is money well spent.
That is a pre-ai lens and it could damage your camera if not converted. I'd say for $200 you should be able to find an AI, maybe even an AIS, but Curtis would know about pricing better than I.
*EDIT*
Never mind, in the description it says it's been AI'd, so looks good to me.
That is a non-AI 105/2.5, so it will not work on (and might damage) a D300/D700. The problem is that the rear of the lens can interfere with the camera's aperture follower mechanism. If you look at the back of the lens, the rear-most black ring is completely unbroken, while an AI (or AI-converted) lens will have a couple of notches and tabs milled in it, like this:
This particular lens looks like it's AI, but it's actually a late non-AI, with AI cosmetics (rubber focus ring, etc.) and a factory AI conversion. Other converted lenses may look a little more home-brewed, but if done correctly they'll work fine.
The lens you've linked would have to be converted before it could be safely used on a modern DSLR.
