I have also made custom lens profiles for several lenses, which you can download here. These can be used in recent versions of Photoshop or Lightroom, and will be automatically recognized by lenses which have a CPU installed.
I hope this information is of use to manual focus Nikkor fans, of which I am one!
Indeed a great article.
I have quite a few chipped lenses and downloaded the profile for the 20/3.5 AI-s. The path to my 'Camera Raw' folder (on a MBP) is different than from your description and worse; LR4 doesn't recognize the lens.
I'm probably doing something wrong, but I didn't find it yet.
This is a great resource for all of us dedicated to using these classic lenses. The most active thread on the Nikon forum is the Manual Focus Nikon Glass thread. The subject of adding chips has come up from time to time and at least one member, Mihai, who lives in Romania, has been gradually having his MF lenses modified.
Your recap of reasons for adding chips is concise and thorough. After switching to Nikon two years ago and beginning my adventure with these great lenses I quickly learned how challenging it can be to manage these files AND stay awake when mounting a new lens. Errors quite naturally occur. I have to admit I have some trepidation about altering any of these beautiful lenses which feel more like family than pieces of metal. But I'll read through the description of the process and will surely bookmark this thread and your website. I'll also add a link to the MFNG thread to encourage others to read what you have to say. If you haven't checked out that thread you may with to do so. Obviously it would be an excellent place for a person like you to share photos and chat about these lenses.
For the lens to be automatically recognized in LR you need to have the CPU installed and your import Preset has to have the Lens Correction boxes checked. (I also check the Chromatic Aberration one - I'm on LR 4.0). Until that is done all you can do is manually select the appropriate profile. See my 'Download lens profiles' page - linked at the bottom of each blog page.
Mr. Grindahl - Yes I'm familiar with your MFNG thread. Quite extraordinary. Thank you.
I just finished installation work on a 1971 vintage 50mm f/1.4 Nikkor-S, quite a tricky job, and hope to publish that later this week when I have given the whole thing a thorough run through.
Your concern with butchering these classics is one I well understand. However, most are glue-on jobs with no machining needed, which mitigates the 'damage'. Those with large diameter rear baffles are where the surgery is required and I set forth the maximum diameter specs whereafter surgery is required in my two pieces.
For me, enhancing the utility of these lenses in the digital age with a CPU and a good lens correction profile outweighs cosmetic concerns. I doubt I would do this to a NOCT though!
Nice write up. Well done. I would add one item to your list of benefits: The ability to use the chipped lens with bodies that don't allow input of non-CPU lens data. I'm planning to chip my 100/2.8 E to use with my D40. It's the perfect fit for that camera, but won't meter any other way.
Tomorrow I'll run a piece on fine tuning the focus confirmation in the LED using the CPU.
Using other Nikon bodies:
I use a D700, the only body I have.
It would be helpful to hear from users of other bodies to complement the knowledge base. One reader has reported the D7000 works fine. Another has told me the D90 has issues and cannot pass aperture control from the camera to the lens (the '60' programming toggle).
Very cool, awesome writeup. I can add that the dandelion chip is a glue on with no machining procedure for the 55mm f/3.5 (and presumably f/2.8) MF micro nikkor. I used the supplied white aligning jig to glue it in place. Programming was a bit fiddly, but eventually I got it sorted out. Works great on my D90.
I do have a 300mm f/4.5 ED IF lens as well, I may try to do the same modification to that lens.
I have added a list of over 50 lenses of various vintages, indicating whether machining is needed to install a CPU. If your data conflict with - or add to - this, please let me know. I have also added a section on body compatibility.
I have started a listing of which Nikon bodies can be used to program the CPU - not all work.
Please go to the end of this piece on my blog and if you have experience with other bodies, please PM or email me so that I can update the eligibility table.
