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Lense compatibility issue - the best kept secret
To many old time photographers (and all those cost conscious smart ass photographers .. hehe) - one of the most attractive feature in the F4 is its linkage to bridge two generations as a MF and AF Nikons - as no other Nikon models offers you with such a GREAT system compatibility. It is the ONLY professional grade Nikon that permits your to enjoy Matrix metering with Ai Nikkor lenses - probably well over hundreds of them in different lens types and versions ! Similarly, it is also the sole AF Nikon that permits the use of any non-cpu Nikkor lense while all three metering patterns (spot, matrix, center-weighted) can still be able to retain full functionality, great stuff, huh ?
<<< ---- All images from my copyright-free image collection.
Malaysian Internet Resources
The current Nikon F5, with its lense flange converted to a new types (changeable with Nikon service centre) practically signaling with Nikon telling you " ... please buy some of our AF Nikkor..". To be fair, it is still possible to use old equipment on a F5 (many other Nikons are compromised with no Matrix metering and aperture value shown in the finder). Anyway, as Nikon F5 has far superior technologies in many other departments (especially in the areas of metering, AF, flash and its new data input system); so a comparing F4, if those gimmicks are your priorities and financial allocation is also not an issue) just don't hesitate, dump your F4, get a F5 then ! Why ? because F5 is better and that is why it is an upgrade.
Credit: Image courtesy of Mr. Jeff. Jeff has a personal photo gallery and occatioally trading some used equipment at his own Ebay Store. Image copyright © 2003 All rights reserved. Please respect the visual property of the contributing photographer.However, as F4 was introduced barely a few years after Nikon released their first body integrated AF SLR, Nikon F-501 (1986) and followed by a far superior AF performance camera, F801 in 1988. One of the main purpose with these entry level models with an overall designing concept was mainly aiming to lure in traditionalist MF SLR users who may have established a good collection of MF Nikkor lenses. Frankly, I would like to point out here that early days of AF-Nikkor lens development was so bloody slow that there were hardly any Nikkor lense of significant interest to excite anyone. An interim measure Nikon took was, they cleverly designed a working AF accessory called TC-16A AF-Converter. The TC-16A permits transformation of a few dozens of the MF Nikkor lenses as a virtual working AF-Nikkors with those few early AF SLRs (I remembered there wasn't * even an AF 600mm lense when the camera was introduced !).
* NOTE: the first super Tele AF-lense was a AF Nikkor 300mm f/2.8s ED-IF introduced in November, 1977; it followed with an AF Nikkor 300mm f/4.0 ED-IF in 1988. The first AF-I lense was an AF-I Nikkor 300mm f/2.8 ED-IF in 1992 along with the first 600mm lense in AF-I configuration (AF-I Nikkor 600mm f/4.0D ED-IF); another AF-I lense, AF-I 500mm f/4.0D ED-IF was introduced a year later in 1993. As a reference, the first AF-S Nikkor lense was only being introduced in 1996.
As a guideline, Nikkor lenses usable with each metering system can be as followed:
* Includes Nikon Series E lenses; ** Simplified Matrix (AMP) mode.
lenses
Signals
Exposure modes
of
fmm
EE
AMP (Matrix)
Center-Weighted
Spot
CPU built-in Nikkor lenses (AF)
MF Ai -Nikkor lenses *
MF Ai-Nikkor lenses with aperture f/2.8 or faster
MF Ai-Nikkor lenses with aperture f/2.8 or slower
MF Ai-Modified Nikkor lenses with aperture f/2.8 or faster
MF Ai-Modified Nikkor lenses with aperture f/2.8 or slower
Nikon Auto Focus Nikkor lenses:- Main Index Page
Nikon Manual Focus Nikkor lenses:- Fisheye-Nikkor Lenses - Circular | Full Frame | Ultrawides Lenses - 13mm15mm18mm20mm | Wideangle Lenses - 24mm28mm35mm | Standard Lenses - 45mm 50mm 58mm | Telephoto Lenses - 85mm105mm135mm180mm & 200mm | Super-Telephoto Lenses - 300mm 400mm 500mm 600mm 800mm 1200mm |
Index PageSpecial Application lenses:
Micro-Nikkor Lenses - 50mm~55mm -60mm 85mm -105mm 200mm Micro-Zoom 70-180mm
Perspective Control (PC) - 28mm 35mm PC-Micro 85mm
Dedicated Lenses for Nikon F3AF: AF 80mm f/2.8 | AF 200mm f/3.5 EDIF
Depth of Field Control (DC): 105mm 135mm
Medical Nikkor: 120mm 200mm
Reflex-Nikkor Lenses - 500mm 1000mm 2000mm
Others: Noct Nikkor | OP-Nikkor | UV Nikkor 55mm 105mm | Focusing Units | Bellows-Nikkor 105mm 135mm
Nikon Series E Lenses: 28mm35mm50mm100mm135mm | E-Series Zoom lenses: 36~72mm75~150mm70~210mm
MF Zoom-Nikkor Lenses: 25~50mm | 28~45mm | 28~50mm | 28~85mm | 35~70mm | 36~72mm E | 35~85mm | 35~105mm | 35~135mm | 35~200mm | 43~86mm | 50~135mm | 50~300mm | 70~210mm E | 75~150mm E | 80~200mm | 85~250mm | 100~300mm | 180~600mm | 200~400mm | 200~600mm | 360~1200mm | 1200~1700mm
Tele-Converters: TC-1 | TC-2 | TC-200 | TC-201 | TC-300 | TC-301 | TC-14 | TC-14A | TC-14B | TC-14C | TC-14E | TC-16 | TC-16A | TC-20ERecommended links to understand more technical details related to the Nikkor F-mount and production Serial Number:
http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/index-153.html by: my friend, Rick Oleson
http://www.zi.ku.dk/personal/lhhansen/photo/fmount.htm by: Hansen, Lars Holst
http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/nikonfmount/lens2.htm
http://www.photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/serialno.htmlBasically, the birth of the F4 in 1988 has served a few business objectives: Nikon has tried to offer existing MF photographers a choice in converting to use AF by preserving photographer's investment of MF equipment they have owned. Next, it has also opened up a gateway for non-Nikon users (in particular users of MF Canon and Minolta users) who may have felt betrayed with the dropping of support for older MF mount systems and wish to built another camera system from scratch. Well, from a marketing point of view - the few measures Nikon has taken were quite attractive to many potential buyers. Firstly, it came with an option of either using new AF lenses, or has an alternative way of sourcing old, used MF Nikkors which can easily be converted to AF via a Converter was quite smart. This business strategies has worked very well during the initial years and sales of Nikon F4 was indeed outnumbered comparing labels combined. Well, probably the early success could have misled the management firmly believed the F4 can sustain its popularity all the way to the next generation F5 - just like what they have anticipated with previous three generations of the single digit F bodies. Well, called it over confident or underestimate underlying user's desire for better improvement, this has not been working too well at later years of its product cycle. More importantly, the far superior AF architecture of competing brand such as Canon's new electo-optical system was indeed a fatal blow to the Nikon AF frameworks. But to many Nikon faithful, Nikon F4's strength was such a blessing to all which has proven it to be one of the most adaptable AF Nikon ever.
Probably, the F4 series could have been last F-series with a traditionally camera controlled features. it combines with its great MF and AF system compatibility, a true professional grade reliability and strength designed specifically to stand up severe punishment, with a far advanced metering system in both ambient and flash exposure control as compared to any previous F-bodies; a refined, incredibly ease, silky smooth and positive automated film transport system and retaining a modular body design to accept many interchangeable system accessories to serve differing professional requirements - the F4, although being labeled as an aged system in its AF but still possess a strong marketing elements which may appeal to many smart, seasoned serious amateurs. So, if in a scenario where speedy AF tracking feature is not a priority in your photography, the overall system integrity and compatibilities alone can easily be good enough to offset its aging factor that may put some hesitating minds back to positive thinking - this is one reason why the Nikon F4 still has its ever steady demand while still preserving its good basic value even if it is a decade and a half old AF SLR camera model.
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Part I - VII: Page 1| Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 | Page 5 | Page 6 | Page 7 |
The Camera Body - Features | Reliability | Focusing | Metering | Exposure Control | Lense Compatibility | Interchangeable Prisms | Data Film Backs | Various Power Sources | Focusing Screens | Flash Photography | Other system accessories | Cases for Nikon F4 Series | Remote Control |
| Specification | Main Reference Map | Nikon F4 Variants
Instruction Manual: PDF (4.5M) - External Link| BACK | to Main Index Page Nikon F4 Series Models
| Message Board | for Nikon F4 Series SLR model(s)
| Message Board | for your Nikon Optics in a shared environment
| Message Board | Specifically for Dispose or Looking for Nikon/Nikkor Photographic Equipment| Back | to Pictorial History of Nikon SLR / rangefinders / Nikonos / digital cameras.
Nikon F | Nikon F2 | Nikon F3 | Nikon F4 | Nikon F5 | Nikon F6 -not ready | Nikkormat / Nikomat | Nikon FM | Nikon FE/ FA | Nikon EM/FG/FG20 | Nikon Digital SLRs | Nikon - Other models
W A R N I N G: The New G-SERIES Nikkor lenses have no aperture ring on the lense, they cannot adjust aperture(s) when operating in manual exposure control even with certain earlier AF Nikon SLR camera models. Similarly, not ALL features provide in a modern AF-S series AF-Nikkor lenses can be utilized fully with a Nikon F4. Please refer to your local distributor for compatibility issue(s).
PLEASE NOTE: Complimentary links are appreciative but it is not necessary, I have limited bandwidth here in this server... So, PLEASE don't distribute this URL to any bulk mailing list or unrelated user-groups, just be a little considerate, thank you. (The more you distribute, the slower this server will response to your requests...). I am NOT a Nikon nor Nikkor expert, so don't send me any mails, use the Message Board Instead. While the content prepared herein should be adequate for anyone to understand and evaluate whether you should invest into a used Nikon F4 pro-camera system for your kind of photography. Well, IF you like what you have seen so far, please help to perfect this site by reporting any broken links or any errors made.
About this photographic site.
Credit: Chuck Hester, US for his patience, encouragement and help to setup the various content in this site; Robert Johnson for some of his original images on the F2H-MD appeared in this site; my ex-staff, KiaSu for his superb 3-D logo appeared in this Nikon F2 site; Marc Vorgers from Holland who generously provide me with some of his images of F2AS; MCLau®, who has so much time with me to re-edit the content in this site and not to mention buying a Nikon Coolpix 990 just for this site; Paul Armstrong (pkared@ameritech.net) for his explantion of the FF2 Slidemagic and Nikon F2 Pin Camera Keat Photo, Kuala Lumpur for providing their Nikon F2A to take some images for this site; Mr Edward Ngoh the great camera collector who provides us his collection of F2AS with MD-2; hawkeye.photographic.com for their images on the Speed Magny film backs; Sean Cranor for his image on Nikon F2 25th Anniversary Model; Ted Wengelaar®, Holland for his continuous flow of input on some of the early Nikon bodies; Genesis-Camera for granting permission to use an image of the SS-F2 camera; Mr Sover Wong, Australia for those great images of his rare F2 Gold;CYLeow ®, photo editor of the Star newspaper, Malaysia for some of his images used in this site. Ms Rissa Chan, Sales manager from Shriro Malaysia who has helped to provide some of the very useful input. HiuraShinsaku®, Nikomat ML, Japan for some of his images on various F2 models; my staff, Wati, Maisa, Mai and my nephew, EEWyn®, who volunteered and helping me did so many of the film scanning works; Hong-sien Kwee of Singapore for all the Nikon F2 Pin camera images appeared in this site; Luigi Crescenzi for many of his images on the Nikon F2 Titan; John for two of his images of the Nikon F2/T used in this site; Contributing photographers or resellers: Jen Siow, Foo KokKin, Arthur Teng, Mark Fallander, John Ishii, Ed Hassel, YoonKi Kim, Jean-Louis, M.Dugentas (Dell Corner.com.), Mr "Arsenall", Yang Zi Xiong and a few images mailed in from surfers with no appropriate reference to their origin. Note:certain content and images appeared in this site were either scanned from official marketing leaflets, brochures published by Nikon and/or contribution from surfers who claimed originality of their own work to publish in this site based on educational merits. The creator of this site will not be responsible for any discrepancies that may arise from such possible dispute except rectifying them after verification."Nikon", "Nikkormat", "Nippon Kokagu KK" & "Nikkor" are registered tradename of Nikon Corporation Inc., Japan. Dedicated to KU Yeo, just to express our mutual regrets over the outcome of a recent corporate event. Made with an Apple IMac.
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