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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Nikon Lens mount, pretty silent on supported lenses.

Stefan Scherperel

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I have to say I'm a little disappointed on the list of supported lenses for the nikon lens mount. Yes, I know that technically all Nikon lenses work with the mount, but only in full manual. The RED.com website lists 8 lenses that have support. It seems like the Canon guys are getting support on most lenses, including 3rd party lenses, but no word on Nikon.
The reason I'm asking is I'm reworking my lens arsenal.
I recently purchased the full set of Rikonon cinema Lenses and am having a blast with them.
I'm looking at filling out my zooms now I already have the Nikkor AF 20-35 2.8 (no focus support) and I am looking to purchase the Nikkor 28-70 2.8 as well as the Nikkor 80-200 2.8. Neither of these lenses are listed as fully functional on the Red website either. It just seems odd that only 8 lenses are fully functional with the Nikon mount. Has anybody tested either of these lenses?
Is anybody even using the Nikon mount?
 
... Is anybody even using the Nikon mount?

Yes, I am using it with my 14-24 and 24-70 G zooms. Works great. I haven't had a chance to try it yet with my 80-200 zoom. I will give it a try this weekend with the 80-200 and let you know how it works.

__________________________________
Scarlet X # 1859 “Bettie Page”
“… preparing to ‘whip’ the competition …”

Zeiss Lenses:

CY 21/2.8
ZF 28/2.0
CY 35-70/3.4
CY 50/1.4
ZF100/2.0

Nikon Lenses:
G 14-24/2.8
G 24-70/2.8
D 80-200/2.8

Tokina Lenses:

11-16/2.8
 
So it seems like the G lenses are supported for focus, but no other lenses? Also havn't heard one way or another if Epic supports VR on any lens. It's just so surpising to me that there is hardly any talk at all about the Nikon mount as compared to the Canon.
 
The Red Nikon mount has no internal motor so only "G" series lenses with built in AF-S motors will focus. VR should work on all VR enabled lenses.
Some lenses not listed as supported still focus, the 18-200 G being one of them, but the marks are not always accurate. You have to try them and see.
 
The Red Nikon mount has no internal motor so only "G" series lenses with built in AF-S motors will focus ...

Yup. No AF on my 80-200. (Though it still makes pretty pictures.)

__________________________________
Scarlet X # 1859 “Bettie Page”
“… preparing to ‘whip’ the competition …”

Zeiss Lenses:

CY 21/2.8
ZF 28/2.0
CY 35-70/3.4
CY 50/1.4
ZF100/2.0

Nikon Lenses:
G 14-24/2.8
G 24-70/2.8
D 80-200/2.8

Tokina Lenses:

11-16/2.8
 
That's kind of what I figured. I wasn't planning on using af for anything in particular, but its nice to know that its there. I'm still moving forward with the two lenses to complete the set. Anybody know of a g lens that is like an 18-300 that does not have an extending or rotating front element?
 
The following are working in case you were wondering. On the RED store it reports the 1.4 versions so I thought I would add the 1.8 ones:

AF-S Nikkor 35mm DX f/1.8 G
AF-S Nikkor 50mm FX f/1.8 G
AF-S Nikkor 85mm FX f/1.8 G
 
Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 AT-X116 Pro DX II Digital Zoom Lens (AF-S Motor)

Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 AT-X116 Pro DX II Digital Zoom Lens (AF-S Motor)

Im a little confused by this mount - I thought that any of the new lenses with "in lens" focus motors should work???? I've always loved and owned many versions of the Tokina 11-16 (Sony version, original Nikon version, PL version...) I really like the way the the Nikon 50mm f1.4 G works on the Nikon mount - fast accurate and silent - when im shooting by my self hand held on the run it is great to be able to depress the button and get usable to excellent focus!!! I went out and purchased the new Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 AT-X116 Pro DX II Digital Zoom Lens (AF-S Motor) with the hope it would auto focus!! It DOES NOT. it seem to report some focus information on screen but every possible setting change etc WILL NOT enable auto focus. If RED is going to "profile" any additional lenes for the Nikon mount - then this should be on the top of the list!!! Can someone tell me what they mean by "PROFILE" a lens??
 
The following are working in case you were wondering. On the RED store it reports the 1.4 versions so I thought I would add the 1.8 ones:

AF-S Nikkor 35mm DX f/1.8 G
AF-S Nikkor 50mm FX f/1.8 G
AF-S Nikkor 85mm FX f/1.8 G

What do you mean by "working"? I have the AF-S Nikkor 50mm FX f/1.8 G, I haven't tested the focus, the aperture setting comes up and lets you change it but it's def not accurate, at "F 1.7" it looks like "F 5.6" in real life, to test it I put my Leica 50mm f2 on right behind it, it was at least 4 stops difference, I can post .R3Ds. It would be nice if RED would give us Nikon users a bit more love...
 
I've had mostly a positive experience with the Nikon mount. Here is what I've used.
Rokinon 14 2.8, 25 1.4, 35 1.4, 85 1.4 (all great lenses, work completely as dumb lenses, no readout on anything, but this was to be expected)
Nikon 20-35 2.8 - Aperture control works great, spot on smooth transitions.
Nikon 28-70 2.8 - For the first week I had the lens, I could not get aperture control to work. The readout was wrong and all aperture control had to be done manually. Suddenly on a shoot yesterday, I mounted the lens, heard the aperture kick in gear and now everything works great. Readout is dead on and full aperture control is available.
Nikon 80-200 2.8 - Aperture control smooth just as it should be. Readout accurate.
 
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