p.65 #2 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
cangeaion wrote:
Not really a technical answer just my observations. It's a limitation set by Nikon that disables af-c when chiped Voigtlander lenses are used so they are seen as MF lenses primarily. To add to that I am 100% sure Nikon is gatekeeping all this features and if they wanted we would have green box focus assist and focus trap with all the non chiped z mount lenses, dumb adapters etc.
If that’s the case, would partially covering the electronic contact between the lens and the adapter work?
p.65 #3 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
gammarART wrote:
The green box eye focus assist is not active with original Z mount Voigtländer lenses?
Absolutley it is active. I was reffering to lenses without electronics (non chiped)
May 23, 2026 at 07:06 AM
Steve Spencer Offline • • • • • • • Upload & Sell: On
p.65 #4 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
bcaslis wrote:
To put a Fuji in aperture priority (at least the X-T and X-Pro lines, the X-H is different), you need to set the shutter dial to A. On the Zf you move a different switch to aperture priority and the setting on the shutter dial is completely ignored. While some don't mind this, it drives me crazy since you are using two completely different methods to set the mode. However, the internal functions of the Zf and Z5II are basically the same.
Personally, I want to be able to set or put on automatic aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. On a camera with a PASM setting, PASM allow that for aperture and shutter speed (P= automatic on both aperture and shutter speed; A = Automatic on shutter speed and I set the aperture; S = automatic on aperture and I set the shutter speed; and M = I set both aperture and shutter speed), then I can add automatic or I can set the ISO for ISO. That makes in effect 8 modes. Now personally I basically never want more than one of these parameters to be on automatic and doing so complicates shooting because there has to be some way to coordinate how the two automatic modes work together to get the right exposue. You can in some instance coordinate this with parameters for both automatic modes, but for me that becomes too complicated and hard to predict exactly what I want.
So the modes I really want are fully manual meaning I set aperture, shutter speed, and ISO; manual with auto ISO meaning I set aperture and shutter speed and let the camera select the ISO; aperture with fixed selected ISO meaning I set the aperture and the ISO and let the camera select the shuter speed; shutter speed priority with fixed selected ISO meaning I set the shutter speed and ISO and let the camera select the aperture. Those are really the four modes I want from a camera.
No camera offers just these four modes but you can get there easily enough with any camera I have used and I have used just about all modern systems. Leica M doesn't allow the last mode (I set the shutter speed and ISO and let the camera select the aperture automatically) but this is the mode I use the least and only for certain types of fast action, so I never missed it when I shot a Leica M which of course has limits for fast action shooting. Getting to these four modes is easy with a camera that has 3 dials for each parameter and especially easy if each dial makes it easy to select automatic for that parameter, but using a PASM dial also makes it pretty easy to get to these four modes. I never use P. If I select M and I set the ISO, then I am in fully manual. If I select M and I select auto ISO, then I am in manual with auto ISO, If I select A then I also select a fixed ISO, and if I select S then I also always select a fixed ISO. So basically the P is wasted space on the dial and I use M two different ways, but none of that is too bad or too complicated.
So, personally I don't really care much if a camera has a PASM dial or multiple dials for aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. What I care about is that I have an easy and dedicated way to select each parameter including whether it is automatically set by the camera (PASM with an easy way to select Auto ISO works or three dials with the ability to select auto for each parameter also works) but I also want to be able to see how each parameter is set by just looking at the top of the camera without having to look through the viewfinder or on the back screen. My pet peeve is any camera that doesn't allow that.
p.65 #5 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
hncc.photo wrote:
If that’s the case, would partially covering the electronic contact between the lens and the adapter work?
Very good point. I was thinking exactly the same thing. Haven't done any further research due to the lack of knowledge how contacts between camera and lenses work.
p.65 #6 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
bcaslis wrote:
To put a Fuji in aperture priority (at least the X-T and X-Pro lines, the X-H is different), you need to set the shutter dial to A. On the Zf you move a different switch to aperture priority and the setting on the shutter dial is completely ignored. While some don't mind this, it drives me crazy since you are using two completely different methods to set the mode. However, the internal functions of the Zf and Z5II are basically the same.
Have you looked at the Zf's shutter speed dial recently? Where would you put the A?
p.65 #12 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
cangeaion wrote:
Not really a technical answer just my observations. It's a limitation set by Nikon that disables af-c when chiped Voigtlander lenses are used so they are seen as MF lenses primarily. To add to that I am 100% sure Nikon is gatekeeping all this features and if they wanted we would have green box focus assist and focus trap with all the non chiped z mount lenses, dumb adapters etc.
p.65 #13 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
I've read through this whole thread - though, I may have skimmed some posts and I have a bunch of questions.
I recently got a Nikon Zf with the goal of using it with "character" manual focus lenses. I have a handful of other cameras with many "perfect" type lenses so I am wanting something different. I've got the 40f1.2 voigt so far, and I've enjoyed it.
There's been a lot of lenses mentioned, lots of Leica lenses and issues with filter stack sizes when mounting M lenses to Nikon. I don't have a Leica and have no current plans to get one. But I am curious about some of the old Nikon rangefinder lenses and possibly some of the older F mount lenses, though, the adapter for those makes the combo a bit larger than I'd prefer. I'm also not opposed to trying some M mount lenses too, if there's some that work well on the Nikon sensor.
I'd be curious to know what are some of the most loved lenses with character that still adapt well on the Nikon. Sort of as a starting point for things to look for in the buy/sell forums
I'd also like to know what the current best options are for the adapters for any lens recommendations, and it would be nice if that gave me the green focus confirmation but that's not a hard requirement.
I've seen some K&F and Rayqual S-Z mounts then a few combos of mounts for S->M then M->Z. I am not sure how this works but I read the nikon rangefinder lenses have internal vs external mounts and some need the adapters that provide a focus ring. There is a Funmount M-Z that allows editing a text file to set EXIF data and a Shoten that does the same and sounds good from some reports here.
Some lenses that I've read about and am curious about are -
Nikkor 3.5cm f/1.8
Nikkor 5cm f/1.4
Nikkor 8.5cm f/2
Nikkor 10.5cm PC f2.5
Older AIS Nikon Lenses?
Also, with the lenses from Voigtlander that mimic older lenses (like the upcoming 35f1.4) does it make more sense to just buy these or would getting these older lenses still have their own unique charm. I know that's a tough question to answer if something is worth it for someone else, but I'm just curious what folks think.
One other question - has anyone tried the Shoten GFX to Z adapter? I know that is perhaps a bit wild to even think of but since I've got some GFX lenses it might be fun to try.
p.65 #14 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
I am not sure if GFX on Z makes much sense. Less resolution, not really character lenses, large, heavy. I also have both, but this is not a combination that interests me personally.
Nikkor 105mm f/2,5 AI/AI-S is an absolute classic, great for portraits, but maybe not enough character?
Contax 35mm f/1,4 and 100mm f/2,0. In fact, many Contax lenses are interesting. Pricy.
Helios 44-2 58mm f/2,0 - old-style rendering
Helios 40-2 85mm f/1,5 - old-style rendering
Fujica 55mm f/2,0 - bubble boke
Meyer-Görlitz Trioplan 100mm f/2,8 - bubble boke
...
p.65 #15 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
Bruce Marriner wrote:
I've read through this whole thread - though, I may have skimmed some posts and I have a bunch of questions.
I recently got a Nikon Zf with the goal of using it with "character" manual focus lenses. I have a handful of other cameras with many "perfect" type lenses so I am wanting something different. I've got the 40f1.2 voigt so far, and I've enjoyed it.
There's been a lot of lenses mentioned, lots of Leica lenses and issues with filter stack sizes when mounting M lenses to Nikon. I don't have a Leica and have no current plans to get one. But I am curious about some of the old Nikon rangefinder lenses and possibly some of the older F mount lenses, though, the adapter for those makes the combo a bit larger than I'd prefer. I'm also not opposed to trying some M mount lenses too, if there's some that work well on the Nikon sensor.
I'd be curious to know what are some of the most loved lenses with character that still adapt well on the Nikon. Sort of as a starting point for things to look for in the buy/sell forums
I'd also like to know what the current best options are for the adapters for any lens recommendations, and it would be nice if that gave me the green focus confirmation but that's not a hard requirement.
I've seen some K&F and Rayqual S-Z mounts then a few combos of mounts for S->M then M->Z. I am not sure how this works but I read the nikon rangefinder lenses have internal vs external mounts and some need the adapters that provide a focus ring. There is a Funmount M-Z that allows editing a text file to set EXIF data and a Shoten that does the same and sounds good from some reports here.
Some lenses that I've read about and am curious about are -
Nikkor 3.5cm f/1.8
Nikkor 5cm f/1.4
Nikkor 8.5cm f/2
Nikkor 10.5cm PC f2.5
Older AIS Nikon Lenses?
Also, with the lenses from Voigtlander that mimic older lenses (like the upcoming 35f1.4) does it make more sense to just buy these or would getting these older lenses still have their own unique charm. I know that's a tough question to answer if something is worth it for someone else, but I'm just curious what folks think.
One other question - has anyone tried the Shoten GFX to Z adapter? I know that is perhaps a bit wild to even think of but since I've got some GFX lenses it might be fun to try. ...Show more →
Imo it often makes sense to buy new lenses, unless you can get a good deal on the older lenses. They're often mechanically nicer and you don't have to deal with fungus, lens element separation, etc. But we only have modern copies for a fraction of vintage lens designs..
Some new lenses with tons of character:
- TTartisan 75mm f1.5 "swirly bokeh" (Zeiss Biotar copy)
- TTartisan 100mm f2.8 "bubble bokeh" (Meyer-Görlitz Trioplan copy)
- Lomography Joseph Petzval focus-coupled lenses (available in 27mm, 35mm, 55mm, 80mm, 135mm)
- Voigtländer 75mm f1.8 Portrait-Heliar
- Basically all Light Lens Lab lenses but they won't all adapt nicely to Z-mount
Some vintage lenses I like:
- Nikkor 43-86mm f3.5 - Nikon's "worst lens" but pretty cool amber lens flares (first version with the silver ring, the others are different)
- Nikkor-O 35mm f2
- Nikkor 105mm f2.5 (any version, but they're quite "good" i.e. no immediately obvious vintage rendering)
p.65 #16 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
Bruce Marriner wrote:
I've read through this whole thread - though, I may have skimmed some posts and I have a bunch of questions.
I recently got a Nikon Zf with the goal of using it with "character" manual focus lenses. I have a handful of other cameras with many "perfect" type lenses so I am wanting something different. I've got the 40f1.2 voigt so far, and I've enjoyed it.
There's been a lot of lenses mentioned, lots of Leica lenses and issues with filter stack sizes when mounting M lenses to Nikon. I don't have a Leica and have no current plans to get one. But I am curious about some of the old Nikon rangefinder lenses and possibly some of the older F mount lenses, though, the adapter for those makes the combo a bit larger than I'd prefer. I'm also not opposed to trying some M mount lenses too, if there's some that work well on the Nikon sensor.
I'd be curious to know what are some of the most loved lenses with character that still adapt well on the Nikon. Sort of as a starting point for things to look for in the buy/sell forums
I'd also like to know what the current best options are for the adapters for any lens recommendations, and it would be nice if that gave me the green focus confirmation but that's not a hard requirement.
I've seen some K&F and Rayqual S-Z mounts then a few combos of mounts for S->M then M->Z. I am not sure how this works but I read the nikon rangefinder lenses have internal vs external mounts and some need the adapters that provide a focus ring. There is a Funmount M-Z that allows editing a text file to set EXIF data and a Shoten that does the same and sounds good from some reports here.
Some lenses that I've read about and am curious about are -
Nikkor 3.5cm f/1.8
Nikkor 5cm f/1.4
Nikkor 8.5cm f/2
Nikkor 10.5cm PC f2.5
Older AIS Nikon Lenses?
Also, with the lenses from Voigtlander that mimic older lenses (like the upcoming 35f1.4) does it make more sense to just buy these or would getting these older lenses still have their own unique charm. I know that's a tough question to answer if something is worth it for someone else, but I'm just curious what folks think.
One other question - has anyone tried the Shoten GFX to Z adapter? I know that is perhaps a bit wild to even think of but since I've got some GFX lenses it might be fun to try. ...Show more →
I think investing in M lenses if you don't have an M camera or any desire to go down that road is a bit pointless, especially with the DEEP back catalog of excellent F glass.
You have a couple of options for adapting F...
1) Get an FTZ II and enjoy the best of both worlds with more advanced features for chipped lenses
2) Get cheap dumb adapters for non-chipped lenses (K&F is my go-to) and they look better on the Zf than the FTZ
3) Get crazy with it and stack a dumb F > M adapter on a chipped M > Z adapter to unlock full manual focus aids like focus confirmation (and sometimes even autofocus, depending on the adapter).
Just so you know, if you adapt a chipped F mount MF lens (like an older Voigtlander) with an FTZ, you CAN get focus aids natively but you CANNOT use the aperture ring on the lens...it must be set to F22 all the time and the aperture is controlled on the body. This is why I primarily prefer the native Z options when available.
Some older lenses I have enjoyed are the F Voigt 28/2.8 Color-Skopar, F Voigt 40/2 Ultron, Nikon 105/2.5 Ai-S, Nikon 60/2.8 G Micro, Helios 44-4, as well as the newer TTA 75/1.5 Swirly (M42 mount).
p.65 #17 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
Bruce Marriner wrote:
I've read through this whole thread - though, I may have skimmed some posts and I have a bunch of questions.
I recently got a Nikon Zf with the goal of using it with "character" manual focus lenses. I have a handful of other cameras with many "perfect" type lenses so I am wanting something different.
Funny, that's exactly the same reason I picked up the Zf. As a hobbyist, bought the camera with the sole intent to "slow down and have fun", and won't be buying any AF lenses.
I've seen some K&F and Rayqual S-Z mounts then a few combos of mounts for S->M then M->Z. I am not sure how this works but I read the nikon rangefinder lenses have internal vs external mounts and some need the adapters that provide a focus ring.
LTM/M39 rangerfinders don't need adapters that provide a focus ring, but they do need a separate LTM-M adapter to mount to some of the Z-M adapters referenced in this thread. A good starting point for Nikkor rangefinder lenses is here:
Some lenses that I've read about and am curious about are -
Nikkor 3.5cm f/1.8
Nikkor 5cm f/1.4
Nikkor 8.5cm f/2
Nikkor 10.5cm PC f2.5
I own[ed] the bottom three on that list. Currently have the 8.5cm f2, which I love, but on the Zf it's borderline too heavy. My copy weighs close to 550g. The 10.5cm f2.5 was nice too, but even heavier and much larger.
Generally speaking the Nikkor 5cm and wider fit your criteria very well, even taking into account the small added weight and height of the L-M and M39-M adapters. They're tiny, light, and have unique rendering. For reference here's an old photo I found of a Nikkor H.C 5cm f2 LTM:
p.65 #18 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
carstenw wrote:
I am not sure if GFX on Z makes much sense. Less resolution, not really character lenses, large, heavy. I also have both, but this is not a combination that interests me personally.
Nikkor 105mm f/2,5 AI/AI-S is an absolute classic, great for portraits, but maybe not enough character?
Contax 35mm f/1,4 and 100mm f/2,0. In fact, many Contax lenses are interesting. Pricy.
Helios 44-2 58mm f/2,0 - old-style rendering
Helios 40-2 85mm f/1,5 - old-style rendering
Fujica 55mm f/2,0 - bubble boke
Meyer-Görlitz Trioplan 100mm f/2,8 - bubble boke
...
I agree the GFX idea is fairly ridiculous. I was just curious if anyone had tried it though
I've read about the 105 several times being great. Seems it would be worth checking out at the least. Never read about any of the others on your list so I'll read up on all of them, thanks.
p.65 #19 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
fjablo wrote:
Imo it often makes sense to buy new lenses, unless you can get a good deal on the older lenses. They're often mechanically nicer and you don't have to deal with fungus, lens element separation, etc. But we only have modern copies for a fraction of vintage lens designs..
Thanks for the list, I'll read up on all of them. I've been reading about the Voigtlander 75mm a bit already, that lens does look very interesting. I do like things that work well and smoothly so I suspect, where a new lens exists, that getting new stuff will make sense for me. I just can't help but be curious about the older vintage stuff
p.65 #20 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
RoamingScott wrote:
Some older lenses I have enjoyed are the F Voigt 28/2.8 Color-Skopar, F Voigt 40/2 Ultron, Nikon 105/2.5 Ai-S, Nikon 60/2.8 G Micro, Helios 44-4, as well as the newer TTA 75/1.5 Swirly (M42 mount).
I agree about M lenses, while I have a bit of a secret love affair for trying a real rangefinder I doubt I'll actually buy one anytime soon. The only thing I did like about the S or M mount lenses is the smaller adapters vs the kind of large F adapter. I do definitely want to use the lens aperture ring, that is probably a hard requirement and seems like a pretty big disadvantage to the FTZ in that case.
On your lens list, are those character/flawed lenses? I think from what I've read you generally prefer optically correct/perfect lenses, but I could absolutely be wrong I'll read up on all those lenses. Thanks for the info.
Where would you put the A?
but they won't all adapt nicely to Z-mount