List of thing to check before buy

Feature side

• has a viewfinder ?
  • if viewfinder is electronic, the resolution ?
• preview LCD resolution ? and size ?
• Zoom range ?
• Sensor size ?
• weight ?
• battery type ?
• brand and looks ?

It seems nowadays, manufactures never put a resolution like 640×480 or follow display resolution guide like when you buy a monitor, because they are shy to tell, just like they never mention their sensor size in compact cameras.

Resolution I mean, how many dots they can display

• 1280×720=921,600 dots (like Pentax Kr)
• 800×600=480,000 dots
• 320×240=230,000 dots (like my Pentax Kx)

Size I mean, like 3 inch screen or 2.7 inch screen,

Nikon Old Film lens and Nikon DSLR

Please refer to this nice guide for old nikon lens compability with nikon cameras:

• http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/compatibility-lens.htm

A General guide is Old (since 1977) AI, AI-s, AF (current F mount) lens can mount directly with Manual Focus.

While even old (before 1977) pre-AI (non-AI, techinically ancient F mount) will Not mount.

Pentax Old Film lens and Pentax DSLR

A nice history and reference chart here

• http://www.bdimitrov.de/kmp/technology/summary/index.html

• Old Pentax lens with M42 mount (before 1975) can mount with a pure metal ring adapter on Pentax DSLR.
• Old Pentax lens with “K mount” (noted as “pk mount”) (after 1975) including K, M, A, F, FA, DA, DAL series can mount directly with manual focus.

A General guide is all Pentax lens can be used on Pentax cameras.

Canon Old Film lens and Canon DSLR

• Old FD mount Canon lens (since 1970) will only mount with “Optical correction adapter” on Canon EOS DSLR, bad Optical correction adapter will affect the optical performance of the lens
• Old Nikon, Pentax, Olympus OM, Leica R, C/Y mount, M39 mount, T mount, Rollei (35mm) Mount lens just requires a pure metal ring adapter to Canon EOS DSLR with manual focus,
• Old Minolta MC,MD, Voigtlander Retina DKL lens requires “Optical correction adapter” to Canon EOS DSLR with manual focus.

Minolta Old Film lens and Sony DSLR

• Old Minolta AF mount (noted as MA mount or Sony Alfa mount) lens will mount directly on Sony A DSLR with Auto Focus.
• Old Minolta SR mount lens (MC, MD series) will only mount with “Optical correction adapter” on Sony A DSLR with manual focus, bad Optical correction adapter will affect the optical performance of the lens
• Old other lens with M42 mount can mount with a pure metal ring adapter on Sony A DSLR with manual focus.

Sony E mount camera and Micro 4/3 camera

• as Sony E mount camera and Micro 4/3 camera have even shorter lens to film distance, (while Canon has shortest among above except these 2), almost all the old manual lens can be used with a pure metal ring adapter with manual focus on them.

Range Finder Camera lens on Modern DSLR

• You cannot use rangefinder lenses on any SLRs other than as a very limited macro.
• While, you can use Range finder Lens like Leica lens on Sony NEX e-mount cameras and Micro 4/3 cameras with a Pure Metal ring adapter with No Limitation, as they requires even short lens-to-film-back distance.

Notes:

• adapter with electronic focus confirmation will help you easily get notified when manual focusing is focused.
• those optical adapters are also available without optical part, which will make the manual lens short-sighted, can focus closer but can't focus infinity.
• All mounts are exchangeable with certain optical correction adapter, however, for best optical quality, only Lens with pure metal ring adapter are recommended.
• Modern Auto-Focus digital lens often has no Aperture ring, thus not that exchangeable between brands; However, there are certain adapters with manual aperture control built-in, then it will has full manual function with digital lens.
• Adapter reference: http://www.rugift.com/photocameras/adapter-rings.htm
• Mount reference with images: http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/index-99.html