Old lenses with new cameras?

[DawninWA]

Possibly a dumb question.

I am thinking about getting one of the lower-price-range DSLRs, possibly a Nikon D3200, still undecided on which.

So here's my question.

Can I use older lenses from other cameras? I understand I would have to use adapters, but does this still work? I know you used to be able to, before everything was automatic. I have a few film SLRs, and the lenses are still nice. I have a few from a Canon AE-1, one from a Praktica MTL5B, and one (or 2?) from a minolta maxxum (autofocus).

Would any of these work with a newer digital SLR? Canon or nikon. I know the Maxxum is compatible with the Sony Alpha, but I don't want one of those .

 

[480sparky]

There is no one-size-fits-all answer, especially when you're asking about different brands.

The Nikon F-mount has been around since 1959. But older lenses may not function on a D3200, and may even damage it.

 

[minicoop1985]

Hey now, people seem to pay some pretty large amounts of money for Maxxum lenses. What I do know is that a manual focus lens will always be a manual focus lens, basically. IF it works with that system.

 

[snowbear]

The Nikon user manuals are available for download (nikonusa.com - support) and they will tell you what Nikon lenses will work, and any limitations. I wouldn't want to guess at other makes of lenses.

 

[DawninWA]

I am most interested in using the canon FD lenses. I've found several FD to EOS adapters, so I'm thinking a canon might be my best bet.

 

[Derrel]

FORGET using Canon FD-mount lenses on a Canon d-slr...its a major quality hit. If you want to use older, 35mm system lenses, like Nikon F-mount, Pentax K-mount, or m42 thread mount lenses, or Olympus OM-mount lenses, just buy a CANON d-slr, and use those four brands of lens mounts. Canon FD lenses need adapters that use glass elements to get infinity focus, and those adapters cause noticeable quality loss.

Same problem with Nikon--Nikon does NOT adapt to infinity focus with adapted lenses with glassless adapters. The adapters that use glass elements to allow infinity focus KILL image quality.

The issue though is that with low-end Canon bodies, the focusing is difficult due to the low-magnificatrion and very small viewfinder image coming from cheap pentamirror designed bodies, and the focusing is all-manual with adapted lenses, and so you lose a lot of convenience,and for the beginner, it's a major PITA. I have a bunch of adapters, and have used Nikon,Pentax,and Olympus lenses on my Canon 5D. I even have the new,expensive Fotodiox G-series adapter for Canon. But you know what? Unless you're really an experienced shooter, adapted lenses are NOT very practical,and are only for relatively slow-speed shooting with most lenses. So, seriously, FORGET the whole adapter-on-slr thing...it is NOT what it might appear to be. Live view is going to help, but then you're still limited to focusing on basically very slow-moving or still subjects only, until you're REALLY skilled with a camera, and even then, a $100 kit zoom will focus better and faster and more reliably.

 

[DawninWA]

I'm not a beginner. I learned to shoot with a that old praktica without a working light meter. The first time I used a camera with a meter, it was like christmas. But back then, they were easier to focus, thanks to the split screen focus dealy .

I'll likely go with the nikon with the kit lens, and get a cheap adapter and see if I like using it, if not, no harm done.

 

[KmH]

A major consideration when contemplating using older lenses that have a variety of mounts is the flange focal distance (FFD) of the camera you will be using. - Flange focal distance - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Back in the mid 1980's auto focus became the camera feature to offer.
All but 2 of the mainstream SLR camera makers redesigned their lens mounts to accommodate AF.
Nikon and Pentax were the 2 that did not redesign their lens mount.

Consequently, for both Pentax and Nikon the possible candidates among legacy lenses is very much broader than for other camera brands.

 

[amolitor]

Sony NEX system seems to be the go-to system for people that want to use a variety of older lenses.

It has a very short flange distance, so most lenses can be adapted without glass, and it has focus peaking off the sensor, so you can manually focus pretty easily without any coupling at all. There seem to be adapters for just about everything.

 

[Derrel]

I'm not a beginner. I learned to shoot with a that old praktica without a working light meter. The first time I used a camera with a meter, it was like christmas. But back then, they were easier to focus, thanks to the split screen focus dealy .

I'll likely go with the nikon with the kit lens, and get a cheap adapter and see if I like using it, if not, no harm done.

A D3200 with adapted old lenses from Canon FD or Practika....wow, that's going to be torture.

 

[minicoop1985]

There's always this method:


My "urban-engineered" macro setup by longm1985, on Flickr

No adapters needed! But really, that actually is a pretty awesome macro setup.

 

[DawninWA]

There's always this method:


My "urban-engineered" macro setup by longm1985, on Flickr

No adapters needed! But really, that actually is a pretty awesome macro setup.

Ha! That's totally my style. My homemade binder clip/rubber band cell phone car mounts work better than the real ones.

 

[vimwiz]

FORGET using Canon FD-mount lenses on a Canon d-slr...its a major quality hit.

This. They suck. They have to use corrective optics (glass lenses) to make the focus-to-infinity to work, and the aperture is manual. Unless you want to spend as much on the corrective glass in the adapter, as you would new on the lens you want to use it with, its a waste of time. My ancient T70 when using its native FD lenses, shoots much better than its more modern successor, the EOS 300, when I used an adapter with the same lens. It also damaged the mount on the EOS.