Manual For Nikon D90

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Billi Plancarte

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Aug 5, 2024, 1:11:46 AM8/5/24

to tiranhoenon

Youwill indeed be able to take any photograph you like with any lens on the F5. When I had F5 as my "bread-and-butter" camera, virtually every lens I used was manual. I still continue to use them on my D2X. Good lenses never die.

It is a myth (endorsed by hardware vendors) that you need the latest and cutting-edge equipment to make good pictures. Of course photography never worked that way, since it is the user who makes the pictures, not the camera or a particular lens.

No, except for matrix metering the F5 will (as I stated in my first post) do full light metering with a non-CPU lens. There are centre-weighted and spot modes available. No crippling of the metering such as found on the D100/D70/D50 models. There is absolutely no need for an external meter, since F5 has one of the best metering systems available.

You do have to use the aperture ring on the lens to set the aperture which in my opinion is a benefit, not a drawback (I have programmed all my DLSRs to behave similar, if they support this operation).

I can also report that the F5 works very well with manual focus lenses. You will lose matrix metering but, for me, that's not really a loss because I prefer using center weighted metering because I am so used to it and can predict the results.

One thing that I can report is that if your used to using an F or F2 series camera with a "B" or "E" screen, you'll see the F5 is a touch more difficult to focus by screen alone. The newer "Brite Screens" don't have quite the "snap" of the older style ground screens in the earlier cameras. The good news is the it's still quite good and you can use the rangefinder aid, if you remember to look for it, which I never seem to do until after I take the picture.

Now a WARNING ! Nikon offered a modification of the F5 to allow use of Non AI lenses but it required a trip to the repair center. Basically, they would install an aperture follower from the F4 that featured a flip up tab so that a Non AI lens could be mounted safely. Because it required a trip to the repair center this means that almost all F5's won't have this modification and mounting a Non AI lens will DAMAGE the aperture follower on the camera body. My advice, if you have Non AI lenses, don't use them with your F5, or have them "modified" to be AI compliant.

BTW, the F5 may be the finest "tool" that Nikon ever produced. Sure it's big but if your used to an F2 with an MD-2, it's actually a bit of a featherweight. The AF system is INCREDIBLE so don't be afraid of getting some AF lenses. The only downside you'll find is that it will EAT batteries. The rechargables are expensive but at the rate the F5 goes thru batteries you may want to think about going rechargeable. If not, make SURE you always have spare batteries on hand, they die quickly and you don't get a lot of warning.

BTW, I think it's a shame that Nikon came out with the F6. Some love it but it lacks the "gearhead" appeal of the F5, doesn't have interchangable finders, and killed any further development of the F5. Which means the there won't be any Li-Ion batteries for the F5 or a future digital back for it. That's why they are probably getting so cheap now. I'm keeping mine and hoping that someday Sigma or someone similar will do a digital back for it, until that happens I just keep running film thru it to keep it limber. (stupid F6, I hate you, you'll get all the toys that the F5 deserves just cause your younger :-(

Well, my F5 takes around 70-100 rolls per set of lith AAs so it's not like it really was a problem. It's not designed for alkalines so it can eat a full set of 8 alkalines in the cold in 1.5 rolls of film!

The F6 is great, it is so much smaller without the stupid grip which should always be optional IMHO. Much better user interface than the F5s whose (e..g AF-ON) buttons are so small they're difficult to use.

Since I got the F6 I never use the F5 or the FE2. It is simply the best camera I have ever used. The autofocus is faster and the points are closer to rule of thirds intersections, I like the finder better, film rewind is automatic including the ability to leave the leader out simply by setting a menu option on the back, the placement of buttons is more ergonomic, it will matrix meter with all of my many AI lenses, and a lot of stuff like data imprinting is built into the F6 unlike the F5 which needs another back. I could go on and on.

I also have an F and F2 and except for taking the finder off for fun I've never had any actual need to change from the default finders that I got with the cameras. If you like the F5 then stick with it. It's a great camera but don't try the F6 or you may end up buying one...

Thanks to everyone who has helped with this. This is the first time i have used a forum, never once imagined there would be so many people willing to give there time to share there advice and knowledge.

With the exception of some high end cameras like the F5, F6, F100, D1/D2, Nikon bodies will not meter with old manual focus lenses. The lens needs to have a chip inside so that it can communicate with the camera through some electronic connections.

Nearly all autofocus lenses have chips. Nearly all manual focus lenses lack chips. Some people take a Dremel tool and drill a cavity into their manual focus lens and add the chip and electronic contacts to their lens. This way their manual focus lens will meter with their cheap modern film body.

I would put it like this: with all serious Nikon SLR bodies, metering is supported on Ai and Ai-S lenses. Some of the latest even matrix meter. The cheapo bodies don't support in-camera metering but they generally have such poor viewfinders that manual focusing lenses are a pain to use anyway ... YMMV, of course.

Finn, Can you tell us why you are about to buy the F5? It seems you will not be benefitting from any of the popular features many of us purchased it for in the first place, like colour matrix metering, 5-8 fps, fast auto focus. Personally, I long for the F6 (or maybe even the F-100) just for the portability issue. I agree with poster above that I don't require the vertical grip, the excess weight, or the 8fps, which I have never used. This is a BIG body, especially after 6 hours at the zoo. For these reasons I haven't invested in the D2x or D2h, preferring to wait for the D-200.

The high speed motor drive of the F5 works just fine with manual-focus lenses. The body is incredibly durable, and that's still useful. Also, the shutter is self-adjusting in case of error and that is a benefit. Finally, having it means that future-acquired autofocus lenses will have a great platform on which to mount.

Honestly though, Finn, it isn't necessary to spend so much money to get a good camera for manual lenses. The F100 and F90x will work great with them, and aside from having slightly slower motor drives, will meter and function just as well with these lenses. In fact, the F4 is widely considered to be one of the best "manual focus" cameras ever; it has iffy autofocus performance, but that doesn't matter with manual focus lenses.

If the F5 is the camera you want, by all means get it and know that your manual lenses will still be quite useful on the camera. Just know that there are pretty good alternatives that will cost you less and leave you more money for glass and film.

I use manual lenses on my F100, F90x and F90 quite a lot and I find them to be just fine. I also use autofocus lenses on an FE and FM2n. This cross-compatibility (although slightly complicated with some of the obscure incompatibilities) is the real godsend of the Nikon system.

Correction: the F5 (and F100) offer Center Weight and Spot Metering with AI and AIS lenses, although the 'spot' used for Spot Metering cannot be moved as only the very center bracket-like 'spot' in the viewfinder will Spot-Meter. The electronic rangefinder, used to determine proper focus, can be switched to and remains operable in any and all brackets in the viewfinder.

Your Father's non-AI lenses will neither mount nor meter on an F5 or F100. Not to worry as used AI and AIS lenses are readily found for a song-and-a-dance. As previously mentioned, give strong consideration to an F100 as it is smaller, lighter and offers, in round numbers, about 85% (or more) of the functionality of an F5. If nothing else, lay your hands on one of each to feel the difference and then imagine one dangling from your neck for a few hours before dropping a coin. I could only suggest an F5 for someone with considerable shooting experience and / or needing the higher frame rate of 8 fps, which is contrary to the film budget of the average college student. You'll save a few quid on the F100 vs. F5 that can buy glass. The F100 has plenty of bells and whistles to satisfy you for years whereas the F5 may have you scratching your head when you should be shooting.

Anyway so 5 years on and I now own a photography business in Liverpool. Almost brought a tear to my eye reading what I had written when I was just about to buy my first camera. I really did spend every cent I earned that summer on photography equipment. I still do!!! So check us out:

Can anyone share some experiences of using the F100 with manual focus lenses (AI, AI-S type)? I don't have any AF lenses but the F100 interests me because it's relatively new, has a great reputation, and is good value to buy. It also has a few obvious advantages over my older Nikon bodies (eg flash capability).

I know it can meter with AI/AI-s lenses in CW and Spot, and that you don't get details of the aperture in the display. Those are objective facts (which I can live with).

But more subjectively, how easy is it to focus on the matt screen, using the focus indicators, with a manual focus lens, especially a fast one or longer focal length where focus tends to be more critical? Eg 50mm f1.2, 85mm f1.8 or 180mm AI/AI-S lenses? What about slower lenses that don't let much light through to the focusing screen (I also have a 20mm f4 and a 55mm micro f3.5)?

Finally, in this context, does it have any real advantage over the much cheaper still F90x/N90s?