Home

Please support mflenses.com if you need any graphic related work order it from us, click on above banner to order!
SearchSearch MemberlistMemberlist RegisterRegister ProfileProfile Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages Log inLog in

My 20mm f/4 K is now AI'ed.
Post new topic   Reply to topic
Home   Manual Focus Lenses
View previous topic :: View next topic  


PostPosted: Sat Feb 21, 2009 11:54 pm    Post subject: My 20mm f/4 K is now AI'ed. Reply with quote
I quite liked my pre-AI Nikkor 20mm f/4 on my D40, but it wasn't compatible with my D90. Luckily I found somewhere selling the requisite AI kit, which I ordered; it arrived Thursday. I then found that the five cross-headed screws which hold the mount on are not Phillips screws and I don't have a precision screwdriver that fits, not can one be purchased at the local shops I tried.

I called in at the local second-hand camera shop and they were happy to do the aperture-ring swap and a bit of a clean up and re-lube of the focus, too. I picked the lens up at 5pm today, and had a nice chat with the owner. Some interesting stuff in the shop too, including Nikon gear, Pentax, Leica, Hassie, some Praktica ...

The sun was near the horizon when I left the shop but I took a few shots on my way home, just to test it out.


ISO 400, 1/125s f/8


ISO 800, f/8, 1/125s


ISO 2500, f/5.6, 1/60s. Treated in Noise Ninja.


ISO 1600, f/8, 1/60s. No noise reduction in camera or post.

Yes, I still have the old pre-AI aperture ring and rabbit ears, so the conversion can be reversed at any time.


PostPosted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 12:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Congrats for this great lens! Nice samples! Lights are pretty cool!


PostPosted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 12:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
That's so nice when you can find the old factory Ai ring kits...Most of the more exclusive ones are not available anymore....


PostPosted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 2:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
where did you get the AI kit?

Any pics of what is in the kit?


PostPosted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 4:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
hk300 wrote:
where did you get the AI kit?


Crystal Camera Repair. USD 25 plus USD 12 for post and packing.

hk300 wrote:
Any pics of what is in the kit?


I didn't take a pic. It contains a new aperture ring (with AI cutouts, and the ADR (second set of tiny aperture numbers)) plus "rabbit ears" with holes.



Its fitted by unscrewing the five screws that hold in the mount, removing the mount, removing the old aperture ring, adding the new one and re-attatching the mount.

I could take a pic of the old (now removed) aperture ring.


PostPosted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 7:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
That 20/4 is a personal favourite of mine. Bjorn doesn't like it - but Galen thought it was one of the best in his armoury. I go with Galen - big time. You will have a blast with that one. Is that "le doigt publique" in front of the Town Hall"?


patrickh


PostPosted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 7:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Beautiful photos. Very very nice Mediterranean lighting.


PostPosted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 10:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
patrickh wrote:
That 20/4 is a personal favourite of mine. Bjorn doesn't like it - but Galen thought it was one of the best in his armoury. I go with Galen - big time. You will have a blast with that one. Is that "le doigt publique" in front of the Town Hall"?


I noticed he doesn't rate it. If you recall, I got this one on your advice ...

Yes, its in front of the town hall (hotel de ville)


PostPosted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 10:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Orio wrote:
Beautiful photos. Very very nice Mediterranean lighting.


Thanks, Orio.


PostPosted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 1:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
All very nice pics.

The light of the N° 1 is magical.

The 4/20 is a classical of all the times. Well done!

Regards, Rino.


PostPosted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 1:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Seymore wrote:
Chris... please educate me, does the D90 meter MF lenses? ...or is it like the lower end bods? ... will focus but not meter.


Thanks...


I was just talking to my brother, D90 user, about this last night. The answer is no, it doesn't meter. Which I think is a joke for a body that costs way more than my K20D. Rolling Eyes


PostPosted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 4:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Seymore wrote:
Chris... please educate me, does the D90 meter MF lenses? ...or is it like the lower end bods? ... will focus but not meter.


Unfortunately D90, D80 and D70 are like the lower end bodies D40/D40x/D60 I that they do not have the mechanical aperture ring coupling and thus do not meter with AI or AIS lenses.

On the plus side you do get a larger, brighter pentaprism finder as opposed to the smaller, darker pentamirror of the D40 etc. And better high ISO performance, etc.


PostPosted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 4:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
estudleon wrote:
All very nice pics.

The light of the N° 1 is magical.

The 4/20 is a classical of all the times. Well done!

Regards, Rino.


Thanks, Rino. Yes, the setting sun was shedding a lovely low, bright golden light which I was sometimes able to capture well.


PostPosted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 4:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
rawhead wrote:

I was just talking to my brother, D90 user, about this last night. The answer is no, it doesn't meter. Which I think is a joke for a body that costs way more than my K20D. Rolling Eyes


I agree that it would be much better if the D90 had the aperture coupling. Nikon apparently, looking at the price of the few new AIS lenses which they still sell, sees this as a pro-only feature. They have missed the resurgence in old, second-hand MF lens use.

Mind, you we could trade stories over which of the D90 or K20D is the joke (looks at noise charts for ISO 400 and up). Crying or Very sad
Post new topic   Reply to topic
Home   Manual Focus Lenses
Page 1 of 1