Do D60 lenses on a D90 or any other high range nikon?

JSchwartzNYC · Feb 20, 2012

So I am thinking of buying a D90 or D800 or something higher end but someone stated that those camera have the focus motor in the camera while the D60 doesn't and has to use lenses with a onboard motor.... So I am trying to figure out if my lenses will work properly on a higher end camera because if not, then obviously, Ill have to spend more money. I have the kit 18-55mm lens, a Sigma AF 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS (Optical Stabilizer) Zoom Lens and Nikon 50mm f/1.8G AF-S.
Thanks for your help.

Mach0 · Feb 20, 2012

They will all work.

IgsEMT · Feb 20, 2012

You're lenses will work on higher end models.
The issue (not really an issue though) is when you're using a lens w/o build in af motor on a body such as yours - THEN you're stock in manual focus. Glass you have now will work fine on d90. On Fx though, you might get vignetting. On occasion I prefer dx 3rd party lens on my Fx body to get that vignetting (camera doens't automatically jump into Dx mode) and it adds a nice flavor to the original image w/o PP.
Other then 50mm using the other two glasses on Fx (and new D800) is like buying ferrari with engine from Nissan Rogue. Don't get me wrong, I like my Rogue, it gets me where I need to go for work and recreation but at the end of the day it isn't a car I'd go racing with nor a car I'd tow a boat with.
Your lenses will work and give you images but spending $2500k on a body and using crappy lenses just seems silly. I very much like my 28-105 3.5 4.5 Nikon lens. These generation of lenses are about 10 y/o old, but quality is still there.
Good Luck

JSchwartzNYC · Feb 20, 2012

Then it's time to save more money for new lenses since I don't want to work in full manual mode with these lenses. Thanks IgsEMT. I had a feeling that the lenses would work but only in manual mode on the better model cameras.
Is there an easy way to tell (which I am sure there is) which lenses work best for which camera?

o hey tyler · Feb 20, 2012

JSchwartzNYC said:
Then it's time to save more money for new lenses since I don't want to work in full manual mode with these lenses. Thanks IgsEMT. I had a feeling that the lenses would work but only in manual mode on the better model cameras.
Is there an easy way to tell (which I am sure there is) which lenses work best for which camera?

Your lenses WILL work in any mode, manual, aperture priority, shutter priority, etc. They'll also work with manual or autofocus.

You will not lose functionality of your lenses by upgrading your camera. I'm not sure how you got that out of IGS's post.

IgsEMT · Feb 20, 2012

I just reread my post and granted I could have made a typo I don't see anything of me saying that you'll have to manually focus lenses you have now. What I did say and will reiterate is that when you're mounting nikon dx lens on nikon fx body, the camera reads the lens as a dx lens and switches to dx mode. However, when I did the same with third party lenses (Tokina and Tamron), camera didn't switch to dx mode and I got vignetting in the image. I actually preferred it to be the case as it adds a little artistic side to the image (just like adding Vaseline to the circumference of the lens-filter).
I didn't say anything about lens not working or not focusing. Heck, I grabed a nikor lens from some rangefinder at the flea market and that lens (DEFINITELY older then me) worked on my Fx.
What I am saying is if you're going to purchase d800 (higher end Fx body), using it with 18-55 or 18-200 (lower end dx lenses) is not really the best way to go. You're 50 will give you the IQ you ought to get but the other two won't. Not that I have anything against Dx (used it for very long time and still use bodies and lenses) BUT I think my Ferrary/Nissan analogy is accurate one.