Can you use an old Nikor lens from a manual camera with a digital SLR camera?

Question

The Nikon camera is about 16 years old - I have just bought the new Nikon D80 and wondered if I can use the old lenses I have?

Answer 1

Look near the back of your manual for a page or two about "Lens Compatibility" and you will find your existing lenses somewhere in the various charts.

Contrary to your other answer, I think that most or all of your lenses will fit, as this is a Nikon F mount. You certainly will not have problems with filling the sensor with an image, but you might lose some of the automated functions.

Answer 2

Ivan R is incorrect. If it's an modified AI, AI, AI-S,or E series yes it will, but I don't think the meter in the camera will not work in the D80. The meter will work on D200, D2Xs cameras. Obviously the auto focus will not work.
Nikon did not change their lens mount when they went auto focus like Minolta and Canon did.
Go to pages 117-118 of your user manual to which lens that can and can not be used.

Answer 3

The old FD lenses (for the A-1) will NOT work on a digital SLR because they use levers between the camera and lens for aperture movement. The Canon digital SLR are EOS mount which use electronic connectors between the camera and lens. The old EOS lenses WILL mount on the DSLR. The Rebel and 20D use smaller sensors with the 1.6x crop factor, so wide angel lenses will no be so wide angel. Canon lenses work ONLY on Canon cameras.

Answer 4

Hello,

I trained as a professional photographer before digital cameras came into fashion, & also used to sell cameras as a living. My guess is that whilst the old manual Nikon quite possibly has a superior quality pure glass lens for its optics it definately WONT fit a new digital Nikon SLR. Your welcome to try but I would do it VERY carefully and VERY gentaly, dont force anything at all.

**I think you will find that the lens mounting systems are entirely different between the two camera bodies. In other words one lens wont fit the other bodies.

**If you want a definative answer then could I kindly suggest you contact Nikon themselves, I'm sure they would be only to happy to give you a finally answer on this. But I'm VERY confident my opinion is correct as I used to sell Nikon kit to professional photographers. I used to work for Eric Fishwicks Ltd in St.Helens.

Good luck with that? Regards to you IR.

Answer 5

Even if the mount is the same, I believe it still needs to be an autofocus lens in order to work.

Answer 6

if fits yeah