Once and forever. Using Nikon Optics on Canon Cameras

I have been asked for a long time to write a blog about the use of Soviet lenses on SLR cameras, in this case the Nikon D5100. And now this moment has come. The first thing I would like to start with is what started my passion for photography. I have been taking pictures on a SLR camera for about seven months, and in my arsenal there is a Nikon D5100, and three lenses, this is a whale 18-105, Helios 44-2, and Helios 81n, in fact, they will be discussed. My passion for photography began with mobile phone(Lapography), or rather with the Iphone 3GS, and later 4S, several times became the owner of a flash drive, in Mobifoto, later there was a desire to step over to another level of photography, and try to shoot on a SLR. In choosing a camera, I didn’t bother much, I just went and bought the one that the funds allowed at the moment. I gave my preference to the Nikon brand, since I once had Canon PowerShot a570 is and he's in service center was more often than I photographed on it, in the end I sold it. I'm not saying that all cameras of this brand are bad, maybe I came across such a model, but an unpleasant aftertaste remained. So I bought myself a Nikon D5100 with an 18-105mm kit lens. Almost immediately after the purchase, I came across an article about the use of Soviet lenses on the CZK, and I had a great desire to try to shoot them, especially since their prices are not high. Just at my friend's, Zenith ET with Helios 44-2 was found. Later, I also bought Helios 81n for myself, but I will talk about this later in the blog. And now back to Helios 44-2.

Helios 44-2

The first thing I encountered was the need to use an adapter, and the lack of focusing on infinity. It was not difficult to buy an adapter, I ordered it, paid for it, received it. But with focusing I had to tinker a little. It was necessary to disassemble the lens, which also turned out to be not so simple (it took a lot of effort to unwind it, it stubbornly resisted) and adjust infinity by selecting the adjusting rings. I had to make the rings myself, and several pieces of different thicknesses, since there is such an opportunity and a tool. In the end, it was not possible to achieve infinity, but it became possible to focus up to about 50 meters, (unlike one and a half meters without alteration), which was quite enough for me to complete my tasks.

But as it turned out, these were not the last difficulties. It turned out that my camera does not support exposure metering with manual non-chip lenses, for example, as it is possible on older models, such as the D7000. Which made it very difficult to work with this bundle. I had to set the shutter speed and aperture value by eye, and several times to get the desired result. And given the almost lack of experience, many interesting moments were lost. Yes, and very often I forgot that when changing lighting, you need to change the shutter speed values, as a result, I got either overexposure or a too dark image.

In the future, everything became much easier, I got used to this glass, and it was possible to set the exposure values ​​in two or three frames.

Then in the "App Store" I found an application that, with the help of Iphone cameras performs exposure metering, it is called “Exposure Meter”. In it, you can manually set, for example, the aperture, and the application will select the shutter speed and ISO automatically, or vice versa, set the shutter speed and the rest of the parameters will be set by the program. After determining the parameters, you enter them into the camera, which greatly simplifies the work.

I would also like to add that on an open aperture it is difficult to get into sharpness, the slightest deviation and the subject is not sharp. It is especially difficult to shoot nature (flora) in windy weather, and a small breeze is enough to complicate focusing, and in order for the picture to turn out sharp, you need to show great patience and perseverance.

I forgot to say about the most important thing, on cameras like the D5100, it will be possible to take pictures only in M ​​mode. In other modes, the camera writes “Lens not attached”.

You also need to add that the lens has a preset aperture ring, that is, you focus with a fully open aperture, then turn this ring and take pictures, sometimes you forget about it too. Which is actually not convenient, unlike lenses with a jump rope, which served as the decision to buy Helios 81n.

Helios 81n

I purchased this lens at a flea market via the Internet, there are plenty of them on the net, ranging from shabby to glasses in perfect, almost new condition. The price also depends on the state (well, the impudence of the seller) 350-900 UAH. I bought my copy for 450 UAH.

The first main difference is 44-2, as I wrote above, this is a jump rope, and a Nikon mount (that is, the absence of adapters and the ability to focus on infinity, without dancing with tambourines). I set the lens, the desired aperture value and went to shoot, no need to twist any rings.

The second advantage of 81n, in practice it turned out that on open apertures it is sharper than 44-2. As it turned out, focusing is much easier, both by the green dot in the viewfinder and through the camera display. Another disadvantage in using Soviet glasses on the D5100 is the rangefinder that does not work, as in the D7000 (which I also tried to shoot with this glass). And this means that arrows light up near the green dot indicating in which direction to rotate the focus ring to get into sharpness.

Almost immediately after buying 81n, I went to the VDM exhibition in Kyiv, which was held indoors, and the presence of a fast lens turned out to be handy. I took the D7000 from my brother and installed my helix, and gave him my D5100 c 18-105.

What was very pleasing when using this bundle was the working exposure metering, and the rangefinder that I mentioned above.

I wrote about the peculiarities of using lenses designed for large format frames on digital cameras. Now let's talk about the practical part.

How to install such a large format lens on a digital camera

It all comes down to the fact that you need to provide the lens with a large working distance, as well as a focusing mechanism. Well, the third task is to fix such a lens.

Working distance setting
There are several ways to provide a large working length. This is a special focusing helicoid, they were usually made for macro photography, but I also met specifically for installing large format lenses on medium and small formats. If the desired length is not enough, you can increase it due to the macro rings.

Dagor 150 mm 6.7 lens attached to Nikon camera through macro rings and helicoid

Also, this problem can be solved with the help of macromech. And I met such solutions on the Internet. But I like the helicoid better, probably because I have it.

Focusing with macro bellows.

As a rule, the larger the format for which the lens is designed, the longer the working distance. So, in some lenses designed for the 18x24 cm format, the working distance is more than 30 cm. And for the 9x12 format, most are about 10 cm.

Lens mount

It is necessary to fix the lens by all available methods. Older lenses often have non-standard threads. This is where ingenuity works. Those lenses that have small dimensions, I attached to the helicoid by cutting a washer from a plastic cork for a 20 liter bottle. In this way, I was able to attach several lenses for the 9x12 cm format.

Homemade mount, from a cork for a bottle, put on a helicoid

If the diameter of the rear lens is large, then you need to look for other ways. Some lenses had to be attached with electrical tape, because I could not think of anything better.

Using the lens hood
I also want to note that you need to take care of the hood. It can be made from a plastic tube of a suitable diameter. To reduce glare, it can be glued on the inside with velvet or coated with matte paint.

Lens for the 9x12 cm format, with an attached plastic tube that acts as a lens hood. It is based on the force of friction.

As you can see, attaching a lens from a large format to a digital camera is a simple matter. Here it is not necessary to carry out complex operations to shorten the posterior segment, but on the contrary, it is necessary to lengthen it. A little engineering thought and everything will work out.

Nikon and Canon are two systems of photographic equipment and optics that have proven themselves well for many decades. Talking about the pros of one brand over another is pretty silly. Both Nikon and Canon make great cameras and lenses and invest significant resources in their development. The differences between the two brands are only in the management features, interface and menu logic, that is, in those moments that are the object of purely personal preferences for any photographer. If a photographer is comfortable working with one system, then he usually uses it to the maximum, acquiring a variety of lenses for it. Fortunately, both Japanese companies offer a huge range of optics, which is called for all occasions. However, it happens that a photographer wants to use the lenses of one system on cameras of another. Today we will talk about whether it is possible to use Nikkor (Nikon) lenses on SLR Canon cameras.

We will immediately answer this question - yes, you can install Nikkor lenses on Canon DSLRs. To do this, all you need is an adapter. But first, let's delve a little deeper into the topic. As for the creation of optics, there is a significant difference between Canon and Nikon. The fact is that the Nikon F mount has not changed much since the 60s of the last century, so modern DSLRs from this company allow you to install compatible old optics right up to the very first Nikkor lenses. This, of course, is a very commendable attitude to its historical heritage, but the company had to pay a certain price for this. In 1986, in order to keep the old system, the Japanese firm resorted to using a rather clumsy mechanical autofocus drive, which was outperformed by Canon's electronic autofocus, which appeared a year later. Canon management decided to create a completely new EF mount, abandoning the old one, with a more advanced autofocus system, in which the focus motor was located directly in the lens. As a result of this maneuver, Canon has gained an advantage. Nikon lost ground a bit and had to catch up in a hurry. Nikon lenses now also have a built-in focus motor.

If we compare the two systems (Nikon F and Canon EF), it is easy to see that Canon has a shorter working distance than Nikon DSLRs. Accordingly, Nikkor lenses can be installed on any Canon camera using a special adapter. This also applies to modern G-type lenses. Most importantly, when using a Nikon-Canon adapter, the ability to focus at infinity remains. Indeed, it should be noted right away that modern market photo accessories offer us a huge variety of such adapters. When choosing an adapter, first of all, make sure that it is fully compatible with your Canon camera model and the corresponding Nikkor optics. Also pay attention to the fact that it is made of quality materials - the adapter must be reliable and durable so that the risk of falling optics due to weak fixation is minimized.

Briefly, the following types of Nikon - Canon adapters can be distinguished:

- Cheap devices that guarantee a simple mechanical transition. This is an economy option, usually costing between 7 - 15 dollars.

— Adapters with mechanical diaphragm control. They are equipped with a ring that allows you to smoothly change the aperture value. This option is intended primarily for use with G-type lenses that do not have mechanical iris adjustment. The cost of such devices is higher than usual.

- Adapters with a focus confirmation chip. The adapter with a chip allows you to automatically confirm the focus when using non-native optics. You can rotate the manual autofocus on the lens by half-pressing the shutter button. When the focus distance is reached, the warning lamp will light up. The cost of such adapters is even higher.

- Finally, the most expensive are adapters with a confirmation chip and mechanical aperture control. This is ideal if you want to attach a modern Nikkor G-series lens to the EF mount. Thanks to this adapter, you can manually adjust the aperture value and set the desired focusing distance, or adjust the focus compensation.

So, as we have already noted, Nikkor lenses can be easily used on Canon DSLRs, the main thing is to choose the right adapter. Focusing at infinity is retained, but the ability to work with autofocus is lost, and when using certain lenses or certain types of adapters, aperture control is also lost. The best way- this is if you have non-G-type Nikkor optics at your disposal. This is mostly old optics, which is equipped with an aperture control ring, which allows you to safely use it on SLR cameras Canon. In this case, focusing is carried out manually by rotating the ring on the lens.

But when installing modern Nikkor G-type lenses that do not have an aperture control ring, in principle, you lose the ability to change the aperture - it will turn out to be as closed as possible. Therefore, here you will need a more expensive adapter with mechanical aperture control and (preferably) a focus confirmation chip. However, you can also use a regular, cheap adapter, and always take pictures with an open aperture. You will need to lock the aperture value transmission lever in open position using a piece of cardboard or any other available means. Thus, in this case, when using a G-type lens, you will only be able to shoot at maximum/minimum aperture.

When would you ever need to mount a Nikkor lens on a Canon DSLR? In fact, the options can be very different. The most obvious one is if for some reason you switched from Nikon systems on Canon, but still have the Nikkor lenses you want to use on your new DSLR. Another option - you just liked one of the Nikkor lenses, since the line of the Japanese company is full of high-quality, interesting optics, and you plan to continue using it on a new Canon DSLR. Finally, someone just got lucky and takes pictures with cameras from both manufacturers. Accordingly, it becomes possible to use Nikkor optics on a Canon system, because buying a Canon lens of the same characteristics is a waste of money.

The main advantage of using SLR and system cameras is the ability to change lenses, depending on the conditions and the subject. The ability to change the lens gives the photographer complete freedom of creativity. He can independently decide what and how to photograph in a given situation. However, not everyone knows how to properly change the lens on a camera, and careless handling of photographic equipment significantly reduces its service life. It is known that when changing the lens, it is possible to bring dust onto the matrix, as a result of which the image quality will deteriorate sharply.

Below we will explain, step by step, how to change lenses on your camera correctly.

How to change the lens on the camera. Step 1

First of all, take care of the cleanliness of the room in which the optics are changed. It should be a clean room with no airflow. This could be a bathroom, or a small, secure room.

Place the camera face down on a soft surface such as outerwear or the soft part of the bag. The soft surface will protect the display from scratches and free your hands for a comfortable replacement of optics.

How to change the lens on the camera. Step 2

Prepare the lens you want to attach to the camera instead of the previous one. It should be at hand, no matter what you spend time looking for it at the moment when the camera is already lying with the matrix open.

Use your left hand to push the release button, your right hand will rotate the new lens in a counter-clockwise direction. Remove the lens and set it aside. Immediately pick up the lens that you want to attach.

How to change the lens on the camera. Step 3

There are white or red dots on the camera and lens (depending on the model), the lens must be attached to the camera strictly at these points. After attaching the lens to the camera point by point, scroll clockwise. If you hear a click, the lens is attached. Close the removed lens cap to protect the lens from damage and dirt.

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The main advantage of cameras with interchangeable lenses over compact cameras- this, as the astute reader has obviously already guessed, is the ability to change lenses. Changing the lens itself is a simple matter and is briefly covered in the instructions for any camera. However, there are a number of nuances that are not mentioned in the instructions, but that you should take into account if you want to learn how to change lenses quickly, confidently and with minimal risk to your photographic equipment.

Lens change should be done as quickly as possible. And not only because of the fear of missing a spectacular shot, fiddling with technology, but also because of the unwillingness to leave the camera sensor for a long time without protection from dust. Dust that can settle on the matrix is ​​our main enemy when changing the lens, and therefore, when changing optics in the field, the time during which the camera mount is open to all winds should be minimized. Of course, a small amount of dust still enters the camera even with the most careful attitude towards it, and sooner or later the sensor will definitely have to be cleaned, but our task is to postpone this event as far as possible.

There are many ways to change the lens, and you are free to choose the one that seems most convenient to you. I present to your attention detailed description procedures that I use myself. The advantage of this method is that during the process of changing lenses, the camera mount remains open for no more than a couple of seconds, which is very valuable if you are changing lenses in not the cleanest environment. The described method can be used when the camera is hung on a neck strap or mounted on a tripod. This is important, because both hands will be occupied with lenses, and you will simply have nothing to hold the camera on weight. Methods that involve holding the camera in one hand while the other changes lenses is bad because while you hide the lens you just removed in your bag, take out a new lens and install it on the camera, quite a lot of time passes during which the camera remains without a lens. The front and rear lens caps also require attention, and are more convenient to operate with two hands. Some photographers, however, manage to hold two lenses in one hand, but this, in my opinion, is unsafe, and difficult to do with large lenses.

A few words about the bag with interchangeable lenses. A bag should provide quick access to its contents, which is why I prefer fanny packs or shoulder bags over photo backpacks. Lenses can also be placed on the belt in individual cases.

Before proceeding with the replacement of the lens, figure out which way to rotate the lens when removing and installing. Information about this can be found in the instructions for the camera. So, for example, Canon has a right mount, while Nikon has a left mount. Thus, if Canon lenses are twisted clockwise (when viewed from the side of the lens), and unscrewed - against, in full accordance with the gimlet rule, then Nikon is the opposite. In the same way, the rear covers must be removed and put on, taking into account the characteristics of the bayonet.

So, let's say you need to replace lens A with lens B. The whole procedure can be divided into fourteen steps:

That's all! You yourself have carried out the replacement of the lens!

The above algorithm may seem complicated at first, but with experience you will learn how to perform this routine operation quickly and accurately. Practice in a relaxed environment, practicing each step and bringing the entire procedure of changing the lens to automatism. Then start increasing the speed, and over time you will learn how to change lenses in a matter of seconds. Let me allow myself a few more comments.

In the second paragraph, I advise you to turn off the camera, since this is required by all instructions for cameras. It is believed that the sensor generates a weak static charge that can attract dust. I'm not sure if this is really the case, especially since the sensor reflex camera voltage is applied only during exposure or in Live View mode, but it's better not to risk it in vain. However, I repeatedly forgot to turn off the camera before changing the lens, and this did not have any fatal consequences.

Personally, I feel more comfortable when in step 6 the left hand supports lens B from below. For many, on the contrary, it will be more convenient to grab it from above. Try both methods and decide which one feels more natural to you. The grip you choose will affect how you remove the lens from the bag in step 4.

The lens release button in step 7 can, if desired, be pressed with the finger of the left hand that holds lens B.

If both lenses fit front caps of the same size, then instead of removing lens cap A from the bag in step 3, you can simply switch the cap from lens B to lens A between steps 5 and 6.

With due skill, you can not hide the back cover in the bag, as I do in step 5, but put it in your left hand, so that the hand holds both the lens and the cover removed from it.

If you often have to take photos in a hurry, you can try to do without front covers at all. I am not a supporter of this approach, but it will allow you to gain a few seconds in points 3 and 13. If you do not use front covers, then all lenses must be equipped with protective filters without fail.

It is extremely undesirable to refuse rear caps, since the bayonet part of the lens that is not protected by a cap will collect dust in the bag, which will then all end up in the camera.

If you use lens hoods, then the whole procedure is complicated by the need to remove and put lens hoods on lenses. A radical solution here would be to get a bag in which the lenses would be placed along with the hoods in the working position. Not only does this save you the hassle of hoods, but it also lets you forget about front caps, as the hood itself does a pretty good job of protecting the front element of the lens.

Thank you for your attention!

Vasily A.

post scriptum

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