Nikon F mount
Nikon released the F-mount upon introduction of the Nikon F 35mm SLR camera in 1959.
The F-mount is a bayonet mount (3 prongs) with 44mm diameter for a flange-to-film distance of 46.5mm. It became the basic standard for Nikon's system SLRs and was fully taken over as the lens mount for the company's digital SLR system.
The F-mount has been updated with mechanical coupling for open-aperture light metering (Automatic Index) , and further automation for Shutter-priority (AIS), Autofocus (AF) and electronic contacts. F-mount lenses have to be locked reverse clock-wise in the camera's bayonet - that means the other way round than other systems' lenses in Olympus, Sony/Minolta, or Canon EOS cameras bayonets.
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| Nikon F3, lens and finder removed. The bayonet supports the newer AI type Nikkor lenses with aperture control twin-system: old-style with prong affixed to aperture selection ring, or easier through the bayonet by means of a tab in the lens back. image by Süleyman Demir (Image rights) |
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| Nikon F2, lens and finder removed. Visible on lens back side and in bayonet the elements to actuate diaphragm. image by Süleyman Demir (Image rights) |
The newest F-mount innovations weren't always compatible with all Nikon F stuff, for example a series of lenses specially designed for the Nikon Pronea AF SLR cameras for APS film.[1]
Nikon produced several generations of Nikon F mount lenses, correlating with certain Nikon SLR camera body generations. Most of the lenses were badged as Nikon's quality lens brand Nikkor. Of course big lens makers as Sigma, Tamron and Tokina made compatible lenses for Nikon F mount badged with their company name as brand, delivering a mixture of
- lenses similar to Nikon lenses which these makers could make cheaper,
- lenses similar to Nikon lenses which these makers promised to make better or more versatile than Nikon, and
- lenses which were simply missing in Nikon's own product palette.
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| Nikon D70, with Sigma AF lenses, almost similar lens combination 70-300mm and 28-70mm. image by Uwe Kulick (Image rights) |
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| Nikon F65, with Nikon's Nikkor AF lenses 28-80mm and 70-300mm. image by Donald Poirier (Image rights) |
A smart feature of many (or most?) Nikon F system autofocus lenses of Nikon and other makers is that they are switchable to old-style mechanical aperture setting by means of an aperture setting ring around the lens barrel, always placed next to the bayonet.
References
- ↑ Ken Rockwell's recommendation: Skip these IX lenses. on kenrockwell.com [1]
