Film camera lenses used with new digital SLR?

as long as it's the correct diameter of ring size (normally 55 mm)and has threads.

Having just recently purchased a Nikon D80 digital SLR and considering adding another lens to my kit, I've learned a couple of things to help me in my choices. The first thing is look at the manufacturer's support pages and users manual. In my case, Nikon does publish compatibility charts that tell which lenses will work and which functions are supported ( autofocus, metering etc. ). The other thing is there is a focal length conversion to be made between lenses for 35mm and lenses for digital cameras. As the area of film exposed when the shutter opens is larger than the area of the sensor in a digital camera the effective focal length of a 35mm lens is approximately 1.5 times larger. In effect a 50mm lens becomes a 75mm, a 200mm becomes a 300mm and so forth. I am using Nikon products in this and after market lenses or adapters can present their own issues. I would recommend careful research on any thing I mount on the front of my spendy SLR body. Hope this helps!

Nikon seriously outperforms the Canon!!!!! Give me a break. The Canon are the choice of professionals worldwide. They are miles ahead of Nikon.

I had Nikon film cameras and lenses... loved them. When the shift towards digital began, I did the research and ended up selling all my Nikons and went with Canon. Never looked back since. The Nikon focus was noisy and slowwwwww..... Maybe they're better now but ? too little too late.

LOL! croatianconnection, you and I have grown up on the opposite side of the tracks, it seems. :-D For you, there's nothing better than going Canon for a billion reasons and all of them are valid, not the least of which is that you probably have a mint invested in compatible glass.

There was a time when Canon was the ONLY way to go if you were a serious professional. That put them in the lead with professionals and it's a lead that may or may not still exist. (Can I hear poll, anyone?) But the newest Nikons are winning the battle at the prosumer level and that's what almost all the people new to DSLR are. The professionals who like film will like film forever just like the professionals who like Canon will like it forever.

Are you a pro? I'm not; I'm a prosumer: the new class of consumers who want good gear like the professionals use but not willing to pay $2000 for a camera body and $5000 for a lens. If you're a pro, you probably already HAVE $5000 in Canon lenses. But for this person with a question, I think prosumer is closer to his/her truth.

Tell you what. Let's use a neutral free hosting site to post some of our best shots from our respective equipment - complete with the metadata - and let some of the c/net users decide what images are more appealing to them. If you're a pro, you've got a major advantage on me, obviously. But I'll stack my Nikon up to your Canon in an informal opinion poll of results any day of the week. Winner types, "I love [the opposition's camera]!"

It's on, bro, so your move!

"lens-to-sensor distance leaves very soft images"

Huh? I've never heard of this before. Why would the lens-sensor-distance make any difference? Isn't it the same as the lens-to-film distance? Could you explain this a bit more??

That is totally false... EOS lenses work on film and digital cameras ? no problems. Period.

The XTi grip is too small even if your hands are not too big. I have very normal-sized hands, and much prefer the grip on my D40 to my friend's XTi. There's just no room for the little finger to sit comfortably (or at all, if your hands are just a smidgen larger than mine).

Also, it's not easy to rest the finger on the shutter button. Give me Nikon ergonomics any day. The D40 through D80 are plain comfortable.

Your Canon lenses focal length should be multiplied by 1.6. Therefore, your 75 to 300 is actually 120 to 480 on your Canon 20D. The reason is that the 20D uses a sensor that is smaller than 35mm film. So if you want what is a 'normal' lenses... purchase a 28mm lens.

If you were to purchase a Canon 5D, the sensor in that camera is the same size as 35 mm film. Your 75 to 300 mm lens will give you the same field of vision as on your film camera. Be sitting down when you ask how much for the 5D.

buying a new lens can be confusing with so much to consider.
best to stick to a few main specs to compare against.
this site might be of some benefit:

http://cameradigitallenses.com

sticks to the basics and helped me.
hope you find it useful.

What do you mean by Canon 'digital' lenses do not work with full frame cameras, film or digital? Canon EOS lenses DO work with ALL film and digital cameras. The only difference is the focal length of the lenses. This talk about IRON CLAD agreements is nonsense. A reputable camera dealer will not sell you a lens that will not fit your camera!

There is NO problem with 'softness' or 'flair' on Canon or Nikon and probably not with any of the professional camera makers. I never heard this 'talk' in the thirty years I have beeen a photographer.

Your first smart decision was buying a Canon digital camera. The next smart decision is choosing a Canon EOS lens to compliment your camera. There are over a 100 lenses. You can save a few bucks going with Sigma but the perfect match is Canon camera and Canon lenses.

camera. That is either digital or film. I think they have an 'S' designation, but I'm too tired to look. The 17-85 IS and the 10-22 are both in this category. They only work on cameras like the 20D or 30D with a 'C' sized sensor. They will not work on a 5D, for example, or a 35mm film camera.

There is no problem with EOS lens on a 'digital' (read 'APS' sensor camera- smaller sensor camera like the Rebel or 10 to 30d series) BUT there is an issue with using an 'S' series DIGITAL lens on a 5d (or any other 'full-frame' digital) or film camera- it would hit the mirror.
It would be difficult for any dealer to know the specifics of every lens as it relates to new cameras coming out all the time. Even a very good dealer can be wrong, but a good dealer will work with you to make it right. That's the Iron Clad part.
There HAS been discussion of the issue of problems with film lenses on digital cameras, but as mentioned I haven't seen it. Croatianconnection, you wouldn't see it in 30 years as digital SLRs have not been around that long. And, as mentioned, it's not been a problem I've seen either, but there was talk that digital sensors read light more straight on and that lenses that 'splashed' extra light or were not built to more directly 'aim' the light at the sensors could cause problems on DIGITAL cameras- even using the best film camera lenses made. BUT again, it's not a problem I've had in using a digital SLR for almost four years with 'film' lenses AND in printing images from digital cameras for over five years (I own a lab and have seen tens of thousands of images from digital SLRs.)
Some of the after market lenses are very good- check the ratings in any camera magazine. Not every lens made by Canon (or Nikon) has hit the highest marks, but to be sure, they are generally very good. Case in point, the 'kit' lens with the digital Rebel is not a top lens and often criticized. At that price, it would be hard to build one!
One interesting point, though, is that owners of full frame digital cameras tell me that they can really see a difference with the high end (L series) lens, a difference not as clear as on their smaller sensor previous cameras. Is this just the increase in pixels (at the time the 5d was much higher than any other Canon camera) or was it also better at 'resolving' the image?
So, in standard lenses there are many choices but in high end lenses, yes, it would be hard to beat a Canon 'L' lens.

I sent this string of messages to the Canon rep and they had never heard of it.

Previous message notwithstanding, the ratings are crystal clear that the Canon or comparable pricing and features don?t come close to matching the Nikon D80. Of course, if you've already got glass for a Canon, it would be stupid to shelve it for all new glass for a new Nikon. And since the old film glass DOES work with the new DSLR cameras (with the notable exception of the autofocus on the Nikons and the changes in specs between film and digital), get a Canon IF you already have a Canon. Otherwise, getting lesser product for lesser money will show you just how much "you get what you pay for".

I take it back: there's another great reason to get a Canon. It may fit in your hands better than a Nikon. If it does, buying a Nikon that you don't want to use would be the biggest mistake of all. LOL!

Nikon doesn't have full frame, digital cameras. They probably never will. Nikon, in their digital line, also does a poor job with noise levels. Only Canon has full frame digital.

Keep kidding yourself that Nikon is better than Canon. Show me the reviews. As a former owner of Nikon products which I loved dearly but gave up because they dragged their hind end getting into digital. When they did their product was inferior.
Regardless of all that was debated here, I use Canon because it works flawlessly, looks and handles professionally and is reasonable in cost. The output is superior to anything out there.

Nikon can't match that. Like I said before, (Nikon) too little too late...

A few sites that look at lens reflections and ant reflection coatings

http://photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00FvaD

http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/lens-flare.htm


But this site gives a very good professional run down on the new Digital lenses. Short answer is, there are differences and there is improved antireflection coating applied.
http://www.popphoto.com/cameralenses/849/digital-lenses-the-f-stops-here.html

This site finishes with the paragraph

The bottom line? The ?digital-only? lens category is relatively new and growing rapidly, but it?s no marketing ploy. If you have good 35mm ultra- and wide-angle lenses, as well as normal-to-telephoto lenses, keep them. But if you?re starting out, opt for digital-only or digitally optimized lenses for better edge-to-edge sharpness, contrast, and brightness.

The digital only lenses, at least on the Canon side, are not the best lenses. A 17-85mm f/4-5.6, which is soft to begin with, will produce a better photo on a digital camera than a 24-70mm f/2.8L?

Someone hasn't used one or both of these lenses. Take it from me. The 17-85 DOES NOT produce a better image.

IMCO, only a very naive person would prefer an 'S' lense. They will not work on a film camera, and they will not work on a full frame digital camera.

Perhaps the situation is different for Nikons. For Nikon, the possibility of moving to a full frame camera does not exist, and probably never will.

It does not address the longer focal lengths such as 150 to 300 mm.
When you get to those lengths, the 35mm film lenses will outperform the digital lenses in corner resolution on a half frame camera.

Their chart implies that corner resolution does not differ with different aperture setting.
I would like to see the testing results that backs that up.

Too bad they did not give us access to the raw data.


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