I have a sizable investment in non AF Nikon lenses (ok I'm a dinosaur). My question is, are these usable on the new 10 mega pixel Nikons? I would like to keep my lenses and move into the digital SLR arena (I already have a Sony 7 mega pixel Cybershot with Zeiss lenses.) So what do those of you that have tread this path before me have to say? Do they work ok, half ass or not at all? Thanks in advance.

I use a D70 and all my old 35mm lenses work. But they are all auto focus. Take one to the store and try it on a digital. Could be the only thing that won't work is the focus. I had a 100mm Nikor non AF and it worked great on my F5, just didn't AF. Wish I still had that lense, really liked it.

Obviously the Auto Focus won't work but on some models the electronic exposure programs and flash exposure controls won't work to their potential either.

I say keep using the film backs. I wish I had your camera and lenses. Buy a good Minolta (now Sony) Dig. camera and lens but keep the old stuff around for special progects. I use digital for snap shots, but for anything serious I fall back on film.
Judge Sharpe

All my old film Nikon lenses will work on my D80 however neither the autofocus nor the metering will work with the old lenses.

The auto focus is not a problem. In fact I would rather manually focus it anyway.

The metering is sometimes a problem. I just think about what I would set if there were film in the camera and then bracket it with a few more shots either side of that setting assuming the subject leaves time for it. As everyone knows, its easy to trash the shots that were the wrong exposure.

There is also a setting on the D80 that allows it to read like a film camera but I think that is too much bother.

Am just going through this with a D200. Non-AI Nikon lenses do not work on the new cameras.

Turns out that Nikon did make rear rings that made old lenses into AI lenses. There is at least one guy on eBay that will supply the modification kit and do the install at a reasonable price. I am having an f2.8 24mm lens, a f1.8 85mm lens and a 35mm PC Nikor modified now.

Would be cheaper just to buy new lenses?

New lenses for digital cameras allow you to zoom manually. Focus can be accomplished manually or automatically. Aperture control is done automatically.

If you look at the electronic contacts at the base of the lens, you will realize that the lens itself must have built in servos (motors) to control the following: focus, aperture, and image stabilization. To install servos in a manual lens would be extremely costly.

Now, you may be able to use the old lenses manually, but you will be limited to still images, no action photos and the like.

Ray,

The cost per lens was abt $30. Not bad to save lenses that are still going for $300 or more on eBay.

Good pictures were taken in action situations long before autofocus cameras became available. The old ones I chose to save had some unusual characteristic ... like longer focus with very high light throughput, ability to shift to correct perspective, or extreme depth of field with high resolution.

I'd agree that the new lenses have some advantages in some situations and I have two for those.

Who can afford the equivalent of an F1.8 105mm digital lense?