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  1. #1
    Senior Member
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    D70 and N80 lens compatiblity question

    I've been researching DSLRs for a while now, as to be well informed on my next camera purchase. I've leaning heavily towards the D70, but my wife mentioned that she would also like a decent 35mm film SLR too. So, I told her it would be retarded not to get bodies that wouldn't interchange lenses for obvious reasons. So, my question is, do "DSLR" specific lenses (like the 18-70 that comes with the D70) work with film camera bodies? I was reading the specs on the Nikon site of the 18-70 that comes with the D70 and the describe it as being made specifically for the DSLR.. What I'm getting at, would it work ok to get the D70 kit with lens and later get the N80 body and be able the share the lens. I'd probably end up getting a 70-300 telephoto soon afterwards, and macro lens sometime later. That setup I think is the most economical way (for me) to get up and running and be able to cover probably 95% of all my shooting situations. If for some reason the 18-70 didn't work with the N80 then I'd probbly get the N80 with it's kit lens, but that would cost a bit more.

    thanks..

  2. #2
    Captain of the Ship Photo-John's Avatar
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    Compatibility Problems

    bmadau-
    35mm lenses are compatible with digital SLRs, but the opposite isn't true. Since digital SLRs have sensors that are smaller than a 35mm film frame, they don't get the same angle-of-view from lenses designed for 35mm film cameras. In order to have real wide-angle lenses for digital SLRs, manufacturers have begun making wider lenses with smaller image circles. A smaller "image circle" means that the area the lens focuses on is smaller. So digital specific lenses won't cover a whole 35mm film frame. If you use a digital lens with 35mm film you'll end up with a black circle around the outside of a small image.

    So, the kit lens will not work with the N80. But long lenses and regular 35mm film lenses will work fine on the D70. just remember that any lens you use on the D70 will have an adjusted, effective focal length about 1.5x longer than the number on the lens.

    I hope I explained that adequately. Let us know if you have more questions.
    Photo-John

    Your reviews are the foundation of this site - Write A Review!

  3. #3
    Senior Member
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    Thanks, I understand 100%... So this means to me that if I want to be cheap and get one kit and one as a body only, I'd have to get the N80 w/the 28-80 (42-120 on the D70), but then I wouldn't get as wide an angle as the 18-70 that would come with the D70 kit....hmm...descisions descisions..

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