Prime Nikon Lenses

[Kristie]

What are the Prime Nikon Lenses?

ALSO... I just want to make sure... Do all the different lenses for like D50/D70/D80/D200 etc all fit on all the different cameras?
Like... If I bought a 18-55mm, would that fit on any Nikon Camera (SLR)?

 

[dsp921]

Go to the Nikon website, they have all their lenses listed. For good information on Nikon lenses try these sites:
www.nikonians.org
www.nikoncafe.com
and for excellent reviews of Nikkor glass go here: http://www.naturfotograf.com/lens_surv.html
Bjørn has a lot of experience with Nikkor glass, I find his reviews to be the most accurate.

Yes, lenses will work across the range of Nikon's bodies. (I wouldn't by a 18-55, though....)

 

[Digital Matt]

By prime, do you mean "best", or do you mean "normal"? A 50mm is considered a normal lens, and is sometimes referred to as a "prime" lens, because it has a fixed focal length. Other "prime" lense focal lengths are 28mm, 35mm, 85mm, 135mm, 180mm, etc....

 

[LWW]

Yes, a "prime" lens in photography means a lens of a fixed focal length...IOW anything that isn't a zoom lens.

They offer less flexibility than zooms but better optical quality all other things being equal. That being said the optical difference between a zoom and a prime in Nikkor glass is minimal at most.

Any Nikkor lens that is AI, AIS, of AF will fit any Nikon body. There are a handful of exceptions but they are megadollar exotic fisheyes and other stuff that is made from pure unobtainium.

Now the DG lens line will work on film bodies but not well as they won't change apertures and they will likely vignette. I don't know of any physical damage they would cause however. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Any of the AI, AIS, or AF film lenses will work on a digital body BUT the AI/AIS won't autofocus and only a couple have a CPU which allows them to talk to the meter. The AF lenses should work fine on a digicam in all instances.

LWW

 

[markc]

They offer less flexibility than zooms

I'd personally say that zooms are more flexible in focal length, but primes are more flexible in aperture, and therefore low-light situations.

 

[airgunr]

All my Nikkors will work on both my old full manual FM2n and my full auto F5 EXCEPT the "G" series lenses. They will only work on the AF and new digital cameras. The "G" series will mount on the FM2n but I wouldn't be able to set the aperture.