Pre-AI to AI Lens Conversion (Please No Mucking Around in this Thread)

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Pre-AI to AI Lens Conversion (Please No Mucking Around in this Thread)

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alphanikonrex

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OK, my other thread is really messed-up, and off-topic, so I thought I'd begin again here.

Anyway, I have a Pre-AI 50mm ƒ/1.2 that I use on my F2 Photomic. However to be able to use it safely on my cameras it should be AI converted (I had a pretty nasty experience, you can read about it on my other thread).

I do know that http://www.aiconversions.com will do a conversion for you. But I have a few questions:

Will the lens still work on my F2? It seems like the coupling "yoke", as it's called, is installed differently on AI and pre-AI lenses. Won't that mess up the coupling with my F2?

Does Nikon still do AI conversions? I'd rather have them do it.

How does the AI-conversion-guy do it anyway? If he can do it, why can't I?

Posted 3 years ago #
pher

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It's a pretty simple process AFAIK. It's cheap and the turn around is supposed to be pretty quick. Unless you're proficient in working with metal I doubt you'll be able to mill it yourself.

You're going to have to learn to lighten up if you want photography to be anything other than a hobby. Do you like pie?

Posted 3 years ago #
alphanikonrex

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Thanks pher. So how is he doing it? Is he literally "welding" off the metal?

pher said:
You're going to have to learn to lighten up if you want photography to be anything other than a hobby. Do you like pie?

??? Yes, I want to take photography a lot farther than a hobby, but what do pie and lightening up have anything to do with it?

Posted 3 years ago #
jonnyapple

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I made my own wedding ring out of a rod of titanium. $2.50 for the materials and 5 hours on a lathe.

Wait, is this considered mucking around? I had such good intentions, alpha.

Posted 3 years ago #
jonnyapple

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alphanikonrex said:
Thanks pher. So how is he doing it? I he literally "welding" off the metal?

It's official, alpha. You do not want to do this yourself!

Posted 3 years ago #
alphanikonrex

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jonnyapple said:
I made my own wedding ring out of a rod of titanium. $2.50 for the materials and 5 hours on a lathe.

Wait, is this considered mucking around? I had such good intentions, alpha.

LOL, you and your wedding ring *rolling eyes*

So, you think I could do it myself jonny?

EDIT: OK, I'll send it to him. Maybe. But what about Nikon and my F2?

Posted 3 years ago #
jonnyapple

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See above. You do not "weld" things off.

Posted 3 years ago #
alphanikonrex

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You know what? I don't care how he does it as long as it was (is?) exactly how Nikon did (does?) it. Is it?

Posted 3 years ago #
jonnyapple

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You know I was only kidding with you, alpha. Pher gave you the right word—mill—or maybe 'file' if you're more about functionality and less about looks. But I'd leave it to someone who's done it before if you want to make sure it meters right.

Posted 3 years ago #
alphanikonrex

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I'm not so sure anymore:

Ken Rockwell said:
Home-Made Hatchet- Job Conversions

Since Nikon no longer does these conversions, some people get out their metalworking tools and hack away at the aperture ring to get some sort of crude functionality. This lets them work on newer cameras, but destroys any value they may have had to collectors. Any lens that's been converted has no collectible value.

. . .

You can identify the non-Nikon AI conversion by:

1.) The coupling ridge is really just part of the aperture ring, ground off.

2.) Glued-on paper ADR scale.

3.) Still has solid prong with no holes for the light.

This is a picture of John White's conversions:

A proper AI lens should look like this:

Yeah...no.

Posted 3 years ago #
bmxdad

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pher said:
It's a pretty simple process AFAIK. It's cheap and the turn around is supposed to be pretty quick. Unless you're proficient in working with metal I doubt you'll be able to mill it yourself.

You're going to have to learn to lighten up if you want photography to be anything other than a hobby. Do you like pie?

Anything to do with "American Pie"

Pete

Posted 3 years ago #
alphanikonrex

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Pete, I said no mucking around!!!

Posted 3 years ago #
bmxdad

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I try, i really try, but there is only a few hour of 09 left

Anyway I think you donate that lens, it going to stress you completely out, then purchase the one from B H Photo, get your D300 fixed and all should be well

Pete

You should almost be into 2010 by now

Posted 3 years ago #
alphanikonrex

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Besides, how's John White gonna do it? There's like no room:

This is what an AI 50mm ƒ/1.2 should look like:

This is what mine looks like (crude iSight photo):

Posted 3 years ago #
alphanikonrex

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bmxdad said:
Anyway I think you donate that lens, it going to stress you completely out, then purchase the one from B H Photo, get your D300 fixed and all should be well

I know, but that's freakin' expensive!!!

Besides, this was my grandfather's lens who I never got to meet 'cause he passed away before I was born. It means a lot to me.

Posted 3 years ago #
bmxdad

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Then place lens on sturdy shelve, and proceed with above purchase, but after D300 is repaired resist any attempt to touch old lens,

Pete

Posted 3 years ago #
alphanikonrex

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No. I'm not repairing my D300. Not yet anyway.

As long as it's broken I can use my 50mm safely.

When I purchase my next camera I'll get a real AI 50mm ƒ/1.2. But for now there's no need to. I'm broke anyway, I just got an 80-200mm ƒ/2.8.

Posted 3 years ago #
alphanikonrex

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Here's an idea:

What if I found a cheap 50mm ƒ/1.2 that's glass is destroyed or something like that. Do you think I could unscrew the aperture ring from it and install it on my 50mm in place of the original? Simple, cheap, and effective, but will it work?

Posted 3 years ago #
pher

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I had a friend in Gainesville we called "Johnny Bum" who made a ring out of ti bike tubing. He now has some kind of chronic respiratory ailment.

Alpha - I'd just get it converted. It's still excellent glass. I'd worry more about getting your D300 fixed up so you can retain some resell value.

Photography is all about people skills.

Posted 3 years ago #
alphanikonrex

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pher said:
Alpha - I'd just get it converted. It's still excellent glass.

I'm still not so sure...

pher said:
I'd worry more about getting your D300 fixed up so you can retain some resell value.

Really? I don't think I'm planning on ever selling my D300. I'd want it as a backup in the future anyway.

pher said:
Photography is all about people skills.

That is, if you're shooting people.

Posted 3 years ago #
alphanikonrex

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BTW does somebody care to explain to me why there's a second set of Aperture markings on these types of lenses? I mean, what good does it do?

Posted 3 years ago #
pher

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Anything you do in a design or art field you're going to be working for clients or with an art director. It's just part of the game.

I still think you're going to get a lot more mileage out of that 50 on your D300. If you ever get into doing video on an SLR it's going to be your goto lense.

Posted 3 years ago #
pher

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Alpha - you mean your DoF scale?

Posted 3 years ago #
alphanikonrex

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pher said:
I still think you're going to get a lot more mileage out of that 50 on your D300. If you ever get into doing video on an SLR it's going to be your goto lense.

I know I am. I'm not crazy about video, but I'll see.

I think I just don't want to take a step in either direction. For now, it's all good, and that's all the matters. It'll be years before I get my hands on another body, and I'll make my decision about what I want to do then I guess.

Posted 3 years ago #
alphanikonrex

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pher said:
Alpha - you mean your DoF scale?

No, I mean the second set of F-numbers on the AI lens.

BTW, can you explain your whole "lighten up" and "pie" thing?

Posted 3 years ago #

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Pre-AI to AI Lens Conversion (Please No Mucking Around in this Thread)

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