Upgrade from a Nikon F601

[tburfield]

Hi,

I'm just starting out on my photography journey, and am at that difficult stage of choosing which camera to purchase.

Many years ago my grandfather left me a Nikon F601, with a couple of AutoFocus lenses (std Nikkor 35-70mm and a Tokina 70-210), and filters etc.

I want to go down the digital route, but would any of the accessories for the F601 be useful for a digital camera? Ideally I'd like to be able to utilise these lenses etc, as I don't really have much spare cash to burn.

If the stuff for the F601 is compatible with modern digital bodies, is there a downside to using them - such as the modern equivilent lenses are far superior to the lenses that I already have, and will give inferior results, or that the lenses I have are not worth making a camera decision against?

Budget would probably be around £300-£400 ($600-$800) for a camera body, if thats the route I should go.

Thanks for any help in advance,

Tony

 

[panocho]

Welcome!

I'm afraid that with that your budget unfortunately limits the possibilities of getting the best out of the gear you already have.

You should give the exact information of the lenses you have, but I'm afraid that only a D200 would allow you to use them without loosing important things such as in-camera metering.

To keep using the lenses -which is obviously a good idea, even though they do not seem to be great lenses, but good enough anyway- you would have to go Nikon (or getting adapters, which sounds weird and not a good idea for your case). And with your budget, a D50 would probably be the best way to go, although, as I said, you would be missing in-camera functions.

If you want to go digital, being that your situation, why not considering starting from scratch? Something like, say, a complete kit (Pentax has good prices/quality, I would say... and I shoot Nikon!). If those two lenses are the only gear you have from the Nikon, you wouldn't be loosing much. And, I repeat, not to really loose would imply go for a more expensive camera body.

There is no downside to using older lenses on digital bodies other than:
1. if the camera cannot really use them, as might be the case with the in-budget D40 or D50
2. that the focal distance changes -not necessarily a downside, just something to take into consideration.

Other than that, the quality of some older glass can be far better than newer and much more expensive lenses. I really am for older lenses!!

Good luck!

 

[panocho]

sorry, I forgot:

filters: you will be always able to use them no matter which model/brand you upgrade to. It only depends on whether the diameter of the filter is the same (or larger) than that of the lens. Keep also in mind, though, that the quality of the filters should be at least as good as the one of the lenses, otherwise you would be spoiling the lens' glass quality

etc: what else? flash?

 

[Mike_E]

If you can find a D70s or a D50 they will both use your lenses. A D80 will as well, but it is outside your price point. (KEH has a LN- D80 for around $850 I think) If you look you can still find a new in box D50 and a D70s is possible too.

Here is a demo D50 from Cameta with a 18-55 and a 55-200 and 'stuff' for $655
http://cgi.ebay.com/Nikon-D50-Digit...QQihZ006QQcategoryZ122616QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Looks like you can get a body alone from an individual for around $425. Just make sure that it comes with the battery and charger and body cap at least. The USB cable would be a good thing as well.

mike

 

[Garbz]

panocho only the D40 lacks in-camera focusing motors. Also even the D200 will disable matrix metering when using AF lenses that do not communicate focal distances. (D or G type lenses).

I suggest look at the D70 and equivalent range like the D80 too. The D80 has the advantages of sharing the same focusing system as the D200, with older lenses that means faster and quieter focusing.

As for the loss of metering, I didn't miss it. Matrix metering was voodoo work to begin with, the lack of focus details just makes the voodoo more predictable. Just revert to the centre weighted averaging and be happy

 

[panocho]

panocho only the D40 lacks in-camera focusing motors. Also even the D200 will disable matrix metering when using AF lenses that do not communicate focal distances. (D or G type lenses).

right. that's why I mentioned the D50 instead of the D40, so that AF functionn won't be lost.

and then metering: you're probably right, since being a F601 that he had, those lenses are likely cpu lenses, so no other problem than the one you mention and (I agree) doesn't really weigh. I was thinking on non-cpu lenses (MF, basically), and with these, D80 and the like just don't meter AT ALL. But I guess this worries me alone and surely won't apply his lenses. Sorry about that!