Are lenses interchangable?

Question

on camera were you have the option?will lenses as a zoom fit on older film cameras as well as digital one.
I guess the question is does one size fit all newer cameras?
Thank you

Answer 1

I assume we are talking about dSLR's (and maybe hybrids). It does not matter if the lens can zoom or not. What's important is the mount.



Lenses are interchangeable as long as they have the same mount. Generally, each camera brand has its own mount. They are not compatible to other brands with the exception of brands using the four-thirds mount.



With older lenses or cameras with new lenses or cameras, as long as the mounts are the same, they will fit each other. There are a few exceptions though so just be aware of that. Most of the time, an old lens on a new camera will have limited functionality with loss of some or all automatic functions.



A new lens on an old camera has some limitations too. If the lens was made for APS-C cameras, it will not fill the film completely with a picture. What will come out is a a small picture with a dark, large and fuzzy background. If the new lens was made for full frame cameras it will fill up the whole film.

Answer 2

No & Yes!

First the "no" answer is that all but one manufacturer require their new lenses to compliment their new digital cameras.



Also "no" can you uses lenses from one camera say a Canon DSLR on a Nikon DSLR or any other DSLR camera? The answer is NO!



Can you use lenses from older film Canon's & Nikon's on today's digital single lens reflex? No!



Pentax is the only manufacturer that allows you to use lenses made for their earlier film SLR cameras on their present day DSLR cameras. The reason is that the STABILIZATION feature is built into the Pentax DLSR's bodies, not their lenses as Canon, Nikon, do.

Answer 3

Lenses don't usually fit between manufacturers.



AF SLR film lenses from a given manufacturer will fit their DSLRs (the reverse isn't always true).



Minolta AF lenses fit Sony DSLRs.



Nikon MF lenses generally fit their AF film and digital SLRs, with restrictions.



Pentax MF lenses fit and meter with their AF film and digital SLRs, sacrificing some exposure modes.



Canon, Olympus and Minolta MF lenses don't fit their DSLRs.



The Pentax K-01 is the only EVIL/CSC/Mirrorless/Hybrid (different names for the same thing) that takes DSLR lenses without an adapter.



Adapting one lens to fit a different manufacturer's body is generally a bad idea because of the loss of function.

Answer 4

1. Your camera must be compatible for the lens.

2. Both should be the same size(see 3 for solution)

3. If the lens is too big then you will probable need an adapter.

4. Some features may not work..

Answer 5

Not much, is the best overall answer. Especially not from brand to brand, and even within brand often not interchangeable if over a certain age. If you don't have reasonable knowledge already, best not to think about it.

Answer 6

Every camera manufacturer uses a proprietary lens mount which means there is no compatibility between brands with one exception - Olympus and Panasonic. They pioneered the 4/3 format and lens mount and have now progressed to the Micro 4/3 lens mount.



Canon abandoned the FD mount which was used on their 35mm manual focus cameras when they introduced the EOS Rebel line of auto focus 35mm cameras that also introduced the EF mount. The EF mount is currently used on all their DSLR camera models. However, Canon now has two EF based lens mounts - the standard EF which is used on their professional lenses and the EF-S which is used on their less expensive lenses. An EF mount lens can be used on any Canon DSLR and on the older EOS Rebel auto focus 35mm film cameras. An EF-S mount lens can only be used on Canon cropped sensor DSLR cameras such as the T1i, T2i, T3i, T4i, T3, 60D, 60Da and 7D. The EF-S lenses CANNOT be used on Canon's full-frame DSLR cameras like the 6D, 5D and 1D nor can they be used on the older EOS auto focus 35mm film cameras.



Nikon introduced its F lens mount in 1959 and its still used today. With the exception of a couple of very rare older lenses every Nikon F mount lens made since 1959 can be used on any Nikon 35mm manual focus or auto focus camera as well as every Nikon DSLR made since they went to digital. However, in order to have a lower-priced lens line, Nikon offers lenses in two formats: DX for their cropped-sensor DSLRs like the D3100, D3200, D5100, D7000, D90 and D300S and FX for their full-frame DSLRs like the D600, D700, D800 and D1. A DX format lens can, however, be used on an FX body. The camera automatically crops the sensor to the size of a cropped sensor. Unfortunately, Nikon has also muddied the waters with their lenses by deleting the aperture ring on some lenses. A Nikon lens such as the 18-55mm f3.5-5.6G lens lacks an aperture ring and can only be used on cameras that allow you to control the aperture from the camera body. A Nikon lens such as the 17-35mm f2.8D has an aperture ring so it can be used on on any Nikon body. Nikon AF lenses will only auto focus on DSLR bodies with a focusing motor in the camera body such as the D7000, D90, D300S, D600, D700, D800 and D1. Nikon AF-S lenses have a focusing motor in the lens and must be used on the lower models if you want auto focus. A DX format lens with an aperture ring could be used on an older Nikon 35mm film camera but with severe vignetting.



Pentax introduced its K lens mount in 1975 and its still in use on their DSLR cameras today. Since Pentax currently doesn't offer a full-frame DSLR and all Pentax DSLRs have a focusing motor in the camera body their lens line is far less complicated. Lenses for a Pentax DSLR could be used on one of their older 35mm film cameras but again severe vignetting will result.



Sony DSLR cameras use the A lens mount which was introduced by Minolta with the world's first full-featured auto focus 35mm film camera - the Minolta Maxxum 7000 - in 1985. Since all Sony DSLR cameras have a focusing motor in the camera body any Minolta Maxxum AF lens ever made can be used on a Sony DSLR and will auto focus and meter as it should. Sony DT lenses are designed for their cropped-sensor DSLDs like the a37K, a57, a65 and a77. They are not recommended for use with the full-frame a99 or with older Minolta Maxxum AF 35mm film cameras.



Olympus abandoned their M lens mount when they went digital, first with the 4/3 lens mount and now with the Micro 4/3 lens mount.



Nikon, Pentax and Sony have the overall best backwards compatibility. Canon and Olympus have the poorest backwards compatibility.



Sony, Nikon, Pentax and Canon have all introduced mirror-less Compact System Cameras (CSC) which all use new lens mounts. These are best left for another discussion.



So whatever brand of DSLR you buy you're locked into lenses designed for that particular mount.

Answer 7

No. There's several Canon film cameras that, as I understand it, took EF lenses so perhaps. I'd check with Canon about that because they have changed their mounting system from time to time.

Answer 8

nikon yes all the others NO