Nikon F-mount

For the Konica lens mount, see Konica F-mount.
Nikon F-mount

The Nikon F of 1959 embodies the original F-mount.
Type Bayonet
External diameter 44 mm
Tabs 3
Flange 46.5 mm

The Nikon F-mount is a type of interchangeable lens mount developed by Nikon for its 35mm format Single-lens reflex cameras. The F-mount was first introduced on the Nikon F camera in 1959, and features a three-lug bayonet mount with a 44 mm throat and a flange to focal plane distance of 46.5 mm. The company continues to use variations of the same lens mount specification for its film and digital SLR cameras.

History

The Nikon F-mount is one of only two SLR lens mounts (the other being the Pentax K-mount) which were not abandoned by their associated manufacturer upon the introduction of autofocus, but rather extended to meet new requirements related to metering, autofocus, and aperture control. The large variety of F-mount compatible lenses makes it the largest system of interchangeable flange-mount photographic lenses in history. Over 400 different Nikkor lenses are compatible with the system. The F-mount is also popular in scientific and industrial applications, most notably machine vision. The F-mount has been in production for over five decades, making it the only SLR lens mount which has been produced for over 50 years.

System of lenses

In addition to Nikon's own range of "Nikkor" lenses, brands of F-mount photographic lenses include Zeiss, Voigtländer, Schneider, Angénieux, Samyang, Sigma, Tokina, Tamron, Hartblei, Kiev-Arsenal, Lensbaby, and Vivitar. F-mount cameras include current models from Nikon, Fujifilm, Sinar, JVC, Kenko and Horseman. Numerous other manufacturers employ the F-mount in non-photographic imaging applications.

Compatibility

The F-mount has a significant degree of both backward and forward compatibility. Many current autofocus F-mount lenses can be used on the original Nikon F, and the earliest manual-focus F-mount lenses of the 1960s and early 1970s can, with some modification, still be used to their fullest on all professional-class Nikon cameras. Incompatibilities do exist, however, and adventurous F-mount users should consult product documentation in order to avoid problems. For example, many electronic camera bodies cannot meter without a CPU enabled lens, the aperture of G designated lenses cannot be controlled without an electronic camera body, and non-AI lenses (manufactured prior to 1977) can cause mechanical damage to later model bodies unless they are modified to meet the AI specification. Many manual focus lenses can be converted to allow metering with consumer Nikon bodies by adding a Dandelion chip to the lens.[1]

The Nikon D7000 reveals a modern F-mount design, including aperture lever (left), CPU contacts (top), and mechanical AF linkage (lower left).
The flange of a current F-mount lens, including aperture lever (upper left) and CPU contacts (bottom).
Nikon F-mount dimensions

Image circle

Most Nikon F-mount lenses cover the standard 36×24 mm area of 35mm format and the Nikon FX format, while DX designated lenses cover the 24×16 mm area of the Nikon DX format, and industrial F-mount lenses have varying coverage. DX lenses may produce vignetting when used on film and FX cameras. However, Nikon lenses designed for film cameras will work on Nikon digital system cameras with the limitations noted above.

Mounting and control rings

Unlike most other lens mounts, F-mount lenses lock by turning counter-clockwise (when looking at the front of lens) and unlock clockwise. Nearly all F-mount lenses have zoom and focus controls that rotate in the clockwise direction (as viewed from behind the camera) to increase focal length and focus distance respectively. This convention is also used in Pentax K-mount and Sony A-mount lenses but is opposite of the direction normally used by Canon. F-mount lenses also typically have aperture rings that turn clockwise to close.

Compatible lenses

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Nikkor

Designations

Nikon has introduced many proprietary designations for F-mount Nikkor lenses, reflecting design variations and developments both in lenses and the F-mount itself. There are also "unofficial" designations used by collectors and dealers to differentiate similar lenses.

Pre-autofocus
Nikon F professional SLR camera with eyelevel prism and early NIKKOR-S Auto 1,4 f=5,8cm lens (1959)
A typical F-type ("Pre-AI") lens, the Nikkor 50mm 1:1.4 showing "Nippon Kogaku Japan" engravings, scalloped-metal focus ring, and old-style Meter Coupling Prong (clearly visible to the top right of photo).
Nikon F2SB professional SLR camera with GN Auto Nikkor 1:2,8 f=45mm AI lens
A typical AI lens: A Nikkor 50mm 1:1.4 showing "Nikon" engravings, rubber focus ring, and new-style Meter Coupling Prong distinguished by its cutaway sections. The lens is mounted on a Nikon FE2 camera.
Electromechanical and data communication
Optical design
Alternate product lines
Esoteric

Manual-focus lenses

Manual-focus prime lenses
13mm f/5.6 AI-S
Nikon 28mm f/2.8 manual-focus lens
Nikon 50mm f/1.4 manual-focus lens
Nikon 85mm f/2 manual-focus lens
Nikon 135mm f/2.8 manual-focus lens
Nikon 200mm f/4 manual-focus lens
200 mm f/5.6 Medical Nikkor, mounted on a Nikon F with high-speed motor drive.
Macro
Nikon F with 105 mm f/4 Micro Nikkor.
Series E lenses
Nikon Series E 50mm f/1.8 lens
Perspective control (PC) lenses
The PC-E Nikkor 24mm f/3.5D ED Lens of 2008 adds the tilt function to Nikkor's traditional shift function
The 35mm f/3.5 PC-Nikkor, introduced in 1961. Note the small clearance between the shifting section of the lens and the camera body. The lens cannot be mounted on later camera bodies with protruding prisms.

Nikon PC lenses, like other perspective control lenses, offer adjustments that duplicate certain view camera movements. The 28mm and 35mm PC lenses support shifting the lens in relation to the film or sensor plane, while Nikon's 24mm, 45mm, and 85mm PC-E lenses also support tilting.

Nikon currently offers four different PC lenses for sale: the three PC-E Nikkors (2008), and the 85mm PC-Nikkor (1999). The 45 mm and 85 mm "Micro" lenses offer close focus (0.5 magnification) for macrophotography. The PC-E lenses (the "E" designates an electromagnetic diaphragm) offer automatic aperture control with all DSLRs with CMOS image sensor except the Nikon D90. With earlier DSLRs and all "analog" film camera models, a PC-E lens operates like a PC lens. The PC Micro-Nikkor 85 mm f/2.8D lens offers only preset aperture control, actuated mechanically by pressing a plunger.

History

In July 1962, Nikon released the first interchangeable perspective-control lens available for a single-lens reflex camera camera, the 35mm f/3.5 PC-Nikkor.[10] This was followed in 1968 by a redesigned 35mm f/2.8 PC-Nikkor in which the shifting portion of the lens was further from the camera's body, in order to clear the new "Photomic" meters. The last optical redesign of this 35mm lens was released in 1980.[11]

The 35mm PC-Nikkor did not meet the need of photographers for a wider-angle lens, so in July 1975 Nikon released the 28mm f/4 PC-Nikkor. In February 1981 Nikon released an improved version of this lens, the 28mm f/3.5 PC-Nikkor, with a new optical design. This was the last of the completely manual PC-Nikkors to be offered.

Specifications
Lens Intro Aperture Range Elements/ Groups Focus Stop-Down Rotation / Click Stops Max. Shift/Tilt Shift Knob Weight Size (Diameter × Length) Filter Thread Photo
24mm f/3.5 PC-E Nikkor[12] 2008 f/3.5–f/32 13/10 0.21m–∞ electronic 90° R/L / 30° 11.5mm/8.5° metal 25.7 oz. (730g) 82.5mm × 108mm 77mm
28mm f/4 PC-Nikkor[13] 1975 f/4–f/22 10/8 0.3m–∞ manual 360°/30° 11mm/none metal 14.5 oz. (410g) 78mm × 68mm 72mm
28mm f/3.5 PC-Nikkor[14] 1981 f/3.5–f/22 9/8 0.3m–∞ manual 360°/30° 11mm/none metal 13.5 oz. (382g) 78mm × 69mm 72mm
35mm f/3.5 PC-Nikkor 1961 f/3.5–f/32 6/6 0.3m–∞ manual 360°/30° 11mm/none metal 10.2 oz. (290g) 70mm × 52mm 52mm
35mm f/2.8 PC-Nikkor[15] 1968 f/2.8–f/32 8/7 0.3m–∞ manual 360°/30° 11mm/none metal 11.6 oz. (330g) 70mm × 66.5mm 52mm
35mm f/2.8 PC-Nikkor[16] 1980 f/2.8–f/32 7/7 0.3m–∞ manual 360°/30° 11mm/none plastic 11.3 oz. (320g) 62mm × 66.5mm 52mm
45 mm f/2.8D ED PC-E Nikkor 2008 f/2.8–f/32 9/8 0.253m–∞ Electronic 90° R/L / 30° 11.5mm/8.5° tilt metal 740g 82mm x 112mm 77mm
85 mm f/2.8D PC* Micro-Nikkor 1999 f/2.8–f/45 Manual
85 mm f/2.8D PC-E Micro-Nikkor 2008 f/2.8–f/32 Electronic
Manual-focus zoom lenses
Nikon 35-105mm micro push-pull zoom lens, manual-focus
Nikon 80-200mm f/4 push-pull zoom lens

Automatic focus lenses

Autofocus prime lenses
FX format primes
Nikkor 50 mm f/1.4G AF-S lens
Nikon Nikkor 85 mm f/1.8G AF-S lens
Macro
With VR
DX format primes
35 mm f/1.8G DX
40 mm f/2.8G AF-S DX Micro.
With VR
Autofocus zoom lenses
FX format zooms
Nikon A F-S 17-55mm f2.8G IF-ED DX
Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f-2.8G ED
35-70mm f/3.3-4.5
Nikkor AF-S VR 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED
80-200mm f/2.8 ED AF Zoom-Nikkor
Macro
With VR
Nikkor 24-120 mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S VR FX lens: note red "VR" designation
Nikkor 70-200 mm f/2.8G AF-S VR II FX lens
DX format zooms
18-70 mm f/3.5-4.5G ED-IF AF-S DX Zoom
With VR
18-105mm f/f3.5-5.6G ED VR
18-200 f/3.5-5,6 VR
Lenses with integrated autofocus motors

Nikkor lenses designated AF-S or AF-I have integrated autofocus motors, but other manufacturers included in the list do not designate it as clearly. These lenses are needed for autofocus on certain newer low-end Nikon cameras which lack an autofocus motor. These are the Nikon D40, D40X, D60, D3000, D3100, D3200, D3300, D5000, D5100, D5200, D5300, D5500 and the Nikon 1 series with FT1 adapter.

Teleconverters

Zeiss ZF

Zeiss ZF series lenses are manual-focus designs Nikon AI-S type aperture indexing. They are manufactured by Cosina to Zeiss specifications.

Four design variations are designated ZF, ZF.2, ZF-I, and ZF-IR.

ZF is the original product line. ZF.2 lenses are CPU-enabled (similar to Nikon AI-P lenses) offering full metering compatibility with the full range of AF Nikon SLR cameras. ZF-I lenses add mechanical locks for focus and aperture, and additional environmental sealing, for industrial applications. ZF-IR lenses are adapted to infrared imaging, with coatings that transmit wavelengths up to 1100 nm, and focus scales marked for infrared.

Zeiss CP.2

CP.2 lenses are a series of Zeiss "CompactPrime" cinema lenses which present F-mount as one of three mounting options. The lenses cover the 36×24 mm area of the 35mm format or Nikon FX format, and lenses 28 mm and longer share a common T-stop (T/) of 2.1.

Hartblei

Main article: Hartblei

Kenko

Main article: Kenko

Kiev-Arsenal

Voigtländer

Main article: Cosina Voigtländer

Angénieux

Schneider Kreuznach

Samyang

Sigma

Tamron

Tokina

Main article: Tokina § Lenses

Compatible cameras

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

See also

References

  1. "List of 'Dandelion' metering chipped Nikkors". photo.net.
  2. Rockwell, Ken (December 2013). "Nikon Df: Lens Compatibility". KenRockwell.com. Retrieved January 11, 2014.
  3. 1 2 Joseph D. Cooper and Joseph C. Abbot. Nikon F Nikkormat Handbook of Photography (2nd, including four updates ed.). New York: Amphoto. pp. 5.1–5.85.
  4. Nikon 24mm PC-E Compatibility Ken Rockwell
  5. Nikon Lens Technology Ken Rockwell
  6. Nikon Lens Compatibility Ken Rockwell
  7. Ultra Micro Nikkor Grand History
  8. Phase Fresnel
  9. Nikon IX (APS) Lenses
  10. "Tale Seventeen : PC-Nikkor 28 mm f/4". Nikon Corporation.
  11. "Nikon 35mm f/2.8 PC Nikkor". photography_review.com.
  12. PC-E Nikkor 24mm F/3.5 Nikon User's Manual, 2008
  13. PC-Nikkor 28mm F/4 Nikon Instruction Manual, Nikon Kogaku, K.K., 1978
  14. PC-Nikkor 28mm F/3.5 Nikon Instruction Manual, Nikon Kogaku, K.K., 1981
  15. PC-Nikkor 35mm F/2.8 Nikon Instruction Manual, Nikon Kogaku, K.K., 1977
  16. PC-Nikkor 35mm F/2.8 Nikon Instruction Manual, Nikon Kogaku, K.K., 1981
  17. Ricoh Singlex

External links

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