Can I use a Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 AI manual-focus lens on a Nikon D50?
Asked 7/16/2010
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I have a Nikon D50 and want to use an older Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 AI manual-focus lens from my film SLR. The lens mounts, but the top LCD and viewfinder both blink “F--”, and the camera will not shoot the way I expect. How do AI manual-focus lenses work on the D50, and what camera settings or limitations should I know about?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
16y ago
2 Answers
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The "F--" indicates that the lens isn't set to its maximum aperture, or that the camera can't control the aperture directly, which is necessary for most automatic exposure.
To make this work, you'll need to do use manual mode (M), and you'll need to change the aperture using the aperture ring on the camera.
Metering won't work, the solution there is to use the histogram to judge the correct exposure.
I believe that focus confirmation will also not work, and the solution there is to do your best, and use higher apertures (f/5.6 or higher). Shooting at f/1.4 will likely be quite difficult to do reliably - it can be difficult on cameras built for manual focus; if you want to try, a good solution is to focus as best you can, then move slightly forward (maybe 5-10cm), and take several pictures, moving backwards a small amount (2cm) each time.
Originally by user496. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user496
16y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes — an AI manual-focus Nikkor can be mounted on a Nikon D50, but it must be used fully manually. The “F--” display means the camera cannot control or properly communicate aperture information with that lens.
With this setup:
- Use manual exposure mode (M).
- Set the aperture on the lens’s aperture ring, not on the camera.
- Expect no metering on the D50, so check exposure by reviewing the image and histogram.
- Autofocus is not available, since the lens is manual focus.
- Focus confirmation may still work via the green dot in the viewfinder on some setups, but don’t rely on it completely.
Manual focusing at f/1.4 can be difficult, so stopping down to around f/5.6 or smaller will make accurate focus easier. If you want to shoot wide open, take several frames with slight focus adjustments. Some users also improve manual focusing with a split-prism focusing screen.
Compatibility can vary slightly by lens, so a Nikon lens/body compatibility chart is worth checking.
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