D50 + older lenses = confusion

[RMThompson]

Ok, so I love my D50, as any of you who know me know already, but I need more lenses. I have a 50mm 1.8 and the kit lens, but I only use the kit lens for wide shots.

So what lenses CAN I use, with AF on my D50??? I went into a Pawn Shop and tried like 20 lenses and nothing worked!

 

[Don Simon]

I'm very confused... are you sure those pawn shop lenses were actually AF ones? Because the D50 has an autofocus motor, so it should work with any AF lens.

 

[Sw1tchFX]

Well than that pawn shop had AI-S lenses, those dont' have AF to begin with, and they won't meter on the D50, although, they will shoot.

you can use any one of these Nikkors:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/3results/controller/home?O=search&A=search&Q=&ci=8456&sb=bs%2Cupper%28ds%29&sq=asc&atl=%7ETo+Fit_Nikon+Auto+Focus

 

[Mike_E]

Rm, what need are you trying to fill? Sometimes you don't really need AF. If you are doing set shots a MF will do just fine (especially as you can check for focus after each shot).

I have a bad habit (according to my wife) of buying old lenses to use on my Nikon D because they render differently. Some have a richer color, some have their own 'warm fuzzy' look. I've got a Kiron that I really like (though I have to be careful outside in daylight not to oversaturate the reds).

Any way, if you want to pick up a few nice lenses for the price of 1 nice AF lens, just get a light meter too. A flash meter is pretty handy if you can find an affordable one that will double as a regular meter ( I think most will but I'm unsure so check ). If you don't already have a meter you could always ask who likes what and why if it hasn't already been done.

mike

btw, if your camera works with your lens then as you suspect, a working lens will work.

 

[fmw]

The D50 works fine with any AF Nikkor (aside from the infamous F3AF lenses, of course.) Personally, I use a 60mm Micro Nikkor, an 85mm f1.8 AF Nikkor and a 300mm f4 ED Nikkor with it all the time. The 300 is pushing 15 years of age. It is old enough that I refer to is as being kind of auto focus or autofocus most of the time if you aren't in a hurry. Perhaps slightly moody auto focus would be a fair description. At any rate it works the same on a D50 as it does on an F5.

 

[RMThompson]

Hmm interesting. All these lenses were Nikon, right on the lens, they mounted fine, but the D50 wouldnt even turn ON with some of them, and even in MF wouldnt shoot.

Ive loaded my 50mm in MF and it shot fine though!