Sigma for Nikon 400mm f/5.6. Can I convert to Canon?

I have a photography buddy who owns this lens. He is a Nikon shooter from way back, and this is the first telephoto he ever bought. It is almost unused, and appears to be in pristine condition. He bought a Nikon 80-400 zoom shortly thereafter and just didn't pick up the Sigma any more. He knows I am just getting into photography, and wasn't sure if it was possible to convert, but said if I could do it, he would sell me the lens for $200-300. He still has the receipts, and it cost him $850 when he bought it.


Is there such a thing as a Nikon to Canon lens mount converter?

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Originally Posted by HiFiGuy1

Is there such a thing as a Nikon to Canon lens mount converter?

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Possibly, but you have to be aware that the resulting lens may not focus at infinity (not nice for a super telephoto) and will not autofocus.

Why would it not focus at infinity? What does that mean for me practically? I suspected it might not AF. My friend and I talked about that. I think that is a limitation I could live with.

Check out this thread on photo.net.

Looks like Fotodiox at least has one that guarantees focus to infinity, and converts Nikon F to Canon EOS. No autofocus, which I guess isn't a deal-breaker, but how would one adjust the aperture if the camera can't do it? What is "stop-down mode"?


Also, for an extra $60, you can get "focus confirmation". It doesn't sound like AF compatibility, but what is it exactly?

You can only adjust the aperture if the lens has a manual aperture selector. Otherwise, you shoot the lens wide open. The focus confirmation adapters have a chip that tells your EOS camera that it's some lens, like a 50mm f2. The AF in the camera will then give you a green light in the VF when your Nikon lens is manually focused correctly on the center point if that is the focus point you have selected. Otherwise, you will need to disable the shoot on AF confirm in your cameras menu to shoot when manually focused.


I have a rugift.com M42 adapter that is chipped. I use old Takumars and Soligors and it works quite well. Of course all the old lenses I have havea manual aperture ring.

Okay, thenI need to ask my friend if his example has manual aperture or not. If it doesn't, then maybe it isn't worth pursuing. I don't want to really have a lens that has to be focused manually and can only be shot wide open. Then I wouldn't have any control over DoF.


I am really kind of having second thoughts on the focus thing anyway. I really admire the work that I've seen on the wildlife thread using a Canon400mm f/5.6, but there is no way most of those shots was done with manual focus, so even if it is bought cheaply, it may still be a poor investment.

UPDATE:


My photography friend has been unbelievably generous by giving me the lens for free. Therefore I am going to buy a lens adapter for it. I mentioned the Fotodiox unit, but does anyone know others which may perform better, or be more compatible? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Wow! Now you can get some shots as good as Nate....[:D]

here is a question related to this whole converting thing.. I saw an ad in a shutter bug magazing of canon lenses. It has the "white sea" of lenses on the sideline of the football field with photogs. Now in the picture it shows all those sports photographers lined up with big L glass. Some are 300s, 400s, 500,s even some 800s. Now some are non is and some are is by looking closely. But besides those two there are a few FD mounts converted to EOS mounts. This would be manual focus of course but i have heard that it is common to do this. THoughts. I perticularly saw the 800 5.6 FD with a 1D on the back. ALso some 500 FDs. They were all on monopods as well so i pictured not having to zoom to just one hand on the focus ring would be easy to manual focus on a monopod. SHould i buy a 300 2.8 FD and convert it? thoughts appreciated

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Originally Posted by Fast Glass

Wow! Now you can get some shots as good as Nate....[img]/emoticons/emotion-2.gif[/img]

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Well, I do have the same 40D as Nate, but I don't have the target-rich environment, and probably not the skill. Nate is The Man. I do hope I can get this lens to be useful for me, though. My friend tells me that it was very highy-regarded in its day. I am just wondering how I'll be able to adjust to manual focusing. I am going to give it a shot, for sure!

Just now had time, what with the kickoff of college football season and all, to get the lens out for a closer look. It is a Sigma 400mm f/5.6 and has the designation APO Tele Macro on it. I found this picture on the web, and it is the one on the left:


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2398/...d66c2e6f_b.jpg


In the focus display, there is a setting for 1:3 Macro, which I am assuming is 1/3 of life size? There also is a click ring right near the mount that certainly seems to be a manual aperture adjuster. It is marked from 5.6 to 32. This would certainly make the lens more useful if it is what I think it is. There is a switch to limit the range (Full, Limit) for the autofocus, which won't work anyway, but it is interesting in that it seems to allow for 0-3.5m, 3.5m-infinity and full range. The manual focus ring is literally almost as wide as my hand, and workssmoothly, with a nice amount of friction.


There is a plate and collar thing attached which has the name Kirk Enterprises. This seems to allow the lens to mount toa tripod or monopod and rotate the body from portrait to landscape with convenient little markings for either, but would allow for infinite intermediate rotation, and will go 360 degrees +. Nifty little design, quick release, but won't come off accidentally.


Should I get the Fotodiox adapter with the focus confirmationchip ($149) or without ($89)? I don't see the need for the chip, personally, but then maybe I don't understand why it would be useful. If the $60 would be well spent, then I'll get it, but if I'll never use it, I'd rather save for something else. Please, anyone with experience or knowledge of these adapaters, jump in and help me out!


Thank you.

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Originally Posted by HiFiGuy1

I am just wondering how I'll be able to adjust to manual focusing.

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You'll do fine, I have tons of manual lens. Took me a little while to get use too, but I got the hang of it.

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Originally Posted by mpphoto12

SHould i buy a 300 2.8 FD and convert it? thoughts appreciated

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I have a lot of manual lens and I think there great forthe price. I have Minolta 600mm f/6.3 and I love it! Hopefuly I can get the 7D and make even better use of it.

If it will AF on Nikon cameras, you could buy a used Nikon D80 for a a few hundred dollars, and use it with the telephoto.

The lens is fully functional. I never thought of buying a cheap Nikon body, but that is certainly a creative way to be able to utilize this lens, and of course it would AF then, too. Hmmm....





Been checking on eBay a little and I'm confused. It seems that D3, D2, D1 are pro bodies. Can't tell beyond that what hierarchy is used. Seems like some of the xx bodies are more than some of the xxx bodies, but many of the xxx bodies are more than the xx bodies. Then there are some like the D40, where the same body seems to have different resolutions, with one being 4.2 and one being 10.? MP. What the heck is that about? Which are older and which are newer? Which are like our xxD and which are like our xxxD? Sheesh, am I ever glad I chose Canon!!

Nobody knows anything about Nikon? Or just too ashamed to admit it ! [:D]

OK, here's how they fit:


PRO: (equivalent to 1Ds-series) D1X, D2X, D2Xs, D3X*


PRO: (equivalent to 1D-series) D1, D1H, D2H, D2Hs, D3*


Low-end pro: (equivalent to 5D series) D700*


Pro-amateur: (equivalent to 7D) D100, D200, D300, D300s


Amateur: (equivalent to x0D series) D70, D70s, D80, D90


Upper-Entry-level: (equivalent to Rebel (xxxD) series [i.e. T1i]) D50, D40x (ten-megapixel), D5000


Entry-level: (equivalent to Rebel xxxxD series [i.e. XS]) D40 (six-megapixel), D3000


* Indicates full frame. All other Nikons have a 1.5x FOVCF.





I think that covers them all. :-)

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Originally Posted by ShutterbugJohan

OK, here's how they fit:


PRO: (equivalent to 1Ds-series) D1X, D2X, D2Xs, D3X*


PRO: (equivalent to 1D-series) D1, D1H, D2H, D2Hs, D3*


Low-end pro: (equivalent to 5D series) D700*


Pro-amateur: (equivalent to 7D) D100, D200, D300, D300s


Amateur: (equivalent to x0D series) D70, D70s, D80, D90


Upper-Entry-level: (equivalent to Rebel (xxxD) series [i.e. T1i]) D50, D40x (ten-megapixel), D5000


Entry-level: (equivalent to Rebel xxxxD series [i.e. XS]) D40 (six-megapixel), D3000


* Indicates full frame. All other Nikons have a 1.5x FOVCF.





I think that covers them all. :-)

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Ah, of course. Single digit for the top end, then double digit for the amateur (except for some which are quadruple digits!), then back to triple digits for the pro-am stuff, and then back to double digit (and again with the quad!) for the entry level. It all makes perfect sense to me now. [:^)]





Well, I definitely appreciate the information. Now I am off to eBay. I found several D100s that ended at less than $200. Since the adapter for the lens alone is $150 plus shipping, I think I'll be a lot better off just buying a used body and having it just for this one lens.

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Originally Posted by HiFiGuy1

I think I'll be a lot better off just buying a used body and having it just for this one lens.

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I think so too, now you have a fully functional lens. Too bad my lens are fully manual....[:(]

Well, I've seen some of your shots, and you're obviously capable of handling the manual lens. At my current skill level, I need the crutch of AF, but I am trying to get better every day.

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Originally Posted by HiFiGuy1

Well, I've seen some of your shots, and you're obviously capable of handling the manual lens. At my current skill level, I need the crutch of AF, but I am trying to get better every day.
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Yeah, you shouldofseen my recycle bin when I first got my manual lens!