Using older Nikon lenses with New Nikon DLSR

[cts355]

Hi All

Just wondering....

I have a D7000 and was wondering if I can use my old film camera lenses (listed below)

Nikon AF Nikkor 70-300mm 1:4 - 5:6G 62mm
Nikon AF Nikkor 28-80mm 1:3.3 - 5.6G 58mm

I can use them but was wondering if the older lenses would still produce as good picture as there newer counterparts.

Thanks Guys.

[ricktas]

Image quality (IQ) is related to the quality of the glass elements in the lenses. So yes, a good quality lens from the past will work just fine on your camera. Some older lenses need you to enter their details into the camera menu to allow them to be used effectively.

Welcome to AP. Hope we get to see some of your photos soon

[arthurking83]

The 70-300 f/1.4-f/5.6 G lens .. it's a relatively newish design in that it's a G lens and has AF, but from everything I've seen about this lens, it's probably best updated to the newer VR version.
I think the price difference between the two lenses is a pretty good indicator of the difference in quality.
Are you sure yours is a G lens, does it have the aperture control ring?

Don't know anything about the 28-80mm lens tho, it's one of those that never really rates much of a mention.
I suspect due to probably average abilities.
Although in saying this, I read a couple of threads on DPR where some owners have said of it .. "not bad".
i.e. ok in use, but not one that you'd aspire to own! :p

Successors of that lens seem to have been 24-85mm lenses of a few varieties too.
There was an earlier f/3.5-f/4.5 version without VR, and then recently Nikon updated it to a newer design with VR.
And there is also an f/2.8-f/4 version too.

Whether they're worth the expense of updating is a decision that only you could make tho.

[swifty]

You'll sometimes find that older lenses designed for film will vignette more so due to digital sensors being less effective with oblique rays of light which is more of a problem in the corners whereas on film it doesn't really matter what angle the light rays strike the film.
CA can also be more problematic but software correction has largely reduced the significance of this problem these days.

Have a look at Bjorn Rorslett's lens database. Its pretty comprehensive and an excellent guide to lens quality on various bodies although the site hasn't been updated in the last few years.