Ai/AiS or stick to AF with my Nikon F80

[tyfoonmc]

HELP PLEASE!!
I recently purchased a Nikkor f1.8 Manual focus lens for my Nikon F(N)80... being that I focus manually for most of my portraiture work, the saving I was making on the AF made it a VERY sensible buy... however, I was disturbed to find that NONE of my TTL metering modes worked. I quickly sold the lens and have not since replaced it assuming that manual focus lens do not offer TTL metering with AF Nikon cameras. However, I have since seen read a few articles that seem to suggest that AI/AIS lenses do offer metering on AF nikkors (or maybe I'm reading it wrong)... ANYWAY, I would much prefer to buy an AIS Nikkor lens as my next lens because of the savings, but will only do it if my metering modes work! COuld someone PLEEEEEEEEEASE clear up this dilemma for me!? Preferably someone who has used a MF lens on an AF body successfully... or an am I just wishing on a star?! HELP!!!!

[Sebastian]

The higher-end bodies support metering with manual lenses, the N80 does not. It's all in your manual.

[another view]

The "P" lenses should work, but check the manual to be sure. Actually, I think there are only two "P" lenses that were ever made, the 45 f2.8 and the 500 f4. These manual focus lenses have chips in them that communicate to the camera body and allow TTL metering. The 45 f2.8 is kind of a "retro" lens that was released with the FM3A; it's a Tessar design so it has a Leica look to it. Very cool but not cheap.

The other choice is to get an F100. It will give you center weighted and spot, but not Matrix metering. If you need Matrix with AI/AIS lenses, the F4 is the only one that ever did it. Here in the US, there were three F4 versions, the F4 (without extra battery pack), F4S with small pack (holds total of 6 AA's) and the F4E with the large pack (I think it holds 8).

There is a guy somewhere here in the US that will "chip" manual focus lenses, but it's fairly expensive and I've read some bad reviews. Google to find it, can't remember his name.

And then you could also get a hand-held incident light meter - it would be the most accurate way to meter for portraits anyway. Least expensive option? Sell the MF and get the AF.

[tyfoonmc]

Thanks to all that answered,,, I'm glad I've finally got an answer to this problem.... WOuld anyone happen to know if the F90X/N90S supports AiS lenses?

[another view]

anyone happen to know if the F90X/N90S supports AiS lenses?

Should be the same as the F100 (CW and spot, no matrix). I'm pretty sure of this because the N8008s was this way too, and it was the predecessor to the N90. So - the N8008s (F801s) is another option too I guess.