Focus motor...really necessary? or luxury.

[ecphoto]

I've been looking at a lot of the Nikons available right now. I really like the D5100, but it lacks the screw drive focus motor.
A lot of their lower end cameras no longer have it. I'm not used to that coming from canon and sony.
My question is...Is it worth the extra expense to get a model with it built in or not. I know that enables to use a lot of
their older lenses, but is it really worth all the effort or not?

Hopefully some Nikon users can help me figure it out.

 

[SCraig]

That is entirely up to you. Most lenses are available with or without internal focusing motors so if you plan to use autofocus then you can pay for an internal focusing motor in the body or pay when you purchase lenses. Having a body with an internal focusing motor doesn't prevent you from using lenses with internal motors, the motor in the body is disabled when the lens has a motor.

To me having an internal focusing motor in the body simply gives me more options when looking at lenses.

 

[D-B-J]

Few hundred extra for the ability to use any lens, from 1950 till now.. yeah. It's worth it.

 

[ecphoto]

Few hundred extra for the ability to use any lens, from 1950 till now.. yeah. It's worth it.

That was pretty much my question. I buy most my stuff second hand. I've seen a lot of cheap lenses that aren't equipped with their own motor, especially on KEH. Are you really able to use lenses dating back that far?

Does the d7000 have the screw drive?

 

[OscarWilde]

The d7000 does indeed have the screw drive!

 

[jake337]

Few hundred extra for the ability to use any lens, from 1950 till now.. yeah. It's worth it.

That was pretty much my question. I buy most my stuff second hand. I've seen a lot of cheap lenses that aren't equipped with their own motor, especially on KEH. Are you really able to use lenses dating back that far?

Does the d7000 have the screw drive?

Yes, so does the d90. Although the newest d7000 will meter ais lens as well. The d90 won't.

 

[jake337]

Few hundred extra for the ability to use any lens, from 1950 till now.. yeah. It's worth it.

But you should always double check compatibility because the invasive fisheyes have can damage digital bodies and pre-AI lens will need to have some work done to get them to mount without damaging.

 

[jriepe]

The extra money you pay for a camera that is a step up is not only for the focus drive. For instance can the internal flash on the D5100 be used as a commander?
The D5100 is a fine camera I'm sure but will it be lacking things you may need later besides the focusing motor? My first DSLR the D40X didn't even have bracketing. The D5100 does but I'm just saying all things need to be considered when purchasing a camera. Personally I would never buy another Nikon that does not have a focusing motor in the body.

Jerry

 

[Sw1tchFX]

Few hundred extra for the ability to use any lens, from 1950 till now.. yeah. It's worth it.

1977-now.. The D5100 and below can mount olde lenses dating back to 1950 because they don't have the AI couplers. A D90 and up will break the lens mount if you put a Pre-AI lens on.

 

[chuasam]

My D700 will not only meter and focus with old film lenses...there's no crop factor either.

 

[MLeeK]

The d5100 is a pretty impressive entry level camera, however what you don't pay for in the motor now by purchasing it you will pay for BIGGER down the road because you'll buy it in every lens.
What it boils down to is pay now or more over time/later? If cash flow is a major factor right this moment and you just can't do it, then that would be the answer. However, if at all possible I'd save a few more pennies and go for the D7000-even if it makes you wait a month.

 

[Sw1tchFX]

My D700 will not only meter and focus with old film lenses...there's no crop factor either.

ok...good for you..

 

[KmH]

Few hundred extra for the ability to use any lens, from 1950 till now..

Uh!

No. Or at least sort of.

First, Nikon's F-mount was introduced in 1959, not 1950.

Auto focus did not exist in 1959. Plus the metering and aperture control systems have changed since.

Nikon's first auto focus camera was the F3AF, introduced in 1983. Nikon made 2 two special lenses that would AF on it, the AF-80mm f/2.8 Nikkor and the AF-200mm f/3.5 Nikkor. Both of those lenses had the focus motor in the lens.
Nikon started putting the focus motor in the body with their next camera, the F4, introduced in 1988.
The F4 was the first professional Nikon to offer autofocus and will accept any of Nikon's manual focus (MF) or AF lenses from 1959 to today, including the two special F3AF lenses (in autofocus mode) mentioned above.

The next Nikon lenses to have an AF motor in the lens were the AF-I long lenses (300 mm to 600 mm) introduced in 1992.
AF-S replaced AF-I in 1996. With the exception of specialty manual focus only Macro and T/S lenses, every new Nikon lens introduced since 1992 has been an AF-S lens.

The Nikon D40, D40x, D60, D3000, D3100, D5000, D5100 don't have the screw-drive AF system in them as a way to make the cameras lighter and more compact, which appeals to a lot of women DSLR camera buyers.

The Nikon F-mount is one of only two SLR lens mounts (and Pentax K-mount) that were not tossed by their associated manufacturer with the introduction of autofocus. Instead Nikon extended the F-mounts capabilities to meet new requirements related to metering, autofocus, and aperture control as they arose. The large variety of F-mount compatible lenses makes it the largest system of interchangeable flange-mount photographic lenses in history. Over 400 different Nikkor lenses are compatible with the F-mount.

 

[Derrel]

The Nikon D40, D40x, D60, D3000, D3100, D5000, D5100 don't have the screw-drive AF system AND they lack two other things: the AI-coupler, up at 1 o'clock, AND they lack the minimum aperture sensing pin, at 7 o'clock. THe LACK of those two connective controls means the above listed "Baby Nikons" as I have called them, can mount the OLD, pre-1977 lenses that have the "fat" or "large-diameter" aperture control rings. They can ALSO mount the 1977 Ai series lenses, and all the lenses that were updated to Ai-S as the 1980's came and went.

The ability to use basically ANY F-mount lens or accessory, albeit maybe without metering, or flash metering, or autofocusing, makes the Baby Nikons great for people who want to buy old, cheap lenses.

The D100,D80,D90,D7000, and the D50,D70,D70s, and D200 and the D300 and D300s *****CAN NOT*** be used with these old lenses, which have come to be known as "pre-Ai" lenses.

Baby Nikons are low-cost. The majority of the screw-drive lenses are a person might really want to own are EXPENSIVE, and cost more than a Baby Nikon costs.

Don't worry about the lenses or the focus motor or lack thereof; if you have to ask about this, then you ought to just buy the best Nikon you can afford, and not worry about old lenses and stuff that costs $1399, and which is already "on its way out".

 

[ecphoto]

The Nikon D40, D40x, D60, D3000, D3100, D5000, D5100 don't have the screw-drive AF system AND they lack two other things: the AI-coupler, up at 1 o'clock, AND they lack the minimum aperture sensing pin, at 7 o'clock. THe LACK of those two connective controls means the above listed "Baby Nikons" as I have called them, can mount the OLD, pre-1977 lenses that have the "fat" or "large-diameter" aperture control rings. They can ALSO mount the 1977 Ai series lenses, and all the lenses that were updated to Ai-S as the 1980's came and went.

The ability to use basically ANY F-mount lens or accessory, albeit maybe without metering, or flash metering, or autofocusing, makes the Baby Nikons great for people who want to buy old, cheap lenses.

The D100,D80,D90,D7000, and the D50,D70,D70s, and D200 and the D300 and D300s *****CAN NOT*** be used with these old lenses, which have come to be known as "pre-Ai" lenses.

Baby Nikons are low-cost. The majority of the screw-drive lenses are a person might really want to own are EXPENSIVE, and cost more than a Baby Nikon costs.

Don't worry about the lenses or the focus motor or lack thereof; if you have to ask about this, then you ought to just buy the best Nikon you can afford, and not worry about old lenses and stuff that costs $1399, and which is already "on its way out".

I think you just solved my problem sir. Thany you very much.