Nikon F-mount refers to a lens mount developed by Nikon for its 35mm SLR cameras. The F-mount was first introduced on the Nikon F camera in 1959, and features a three lug bayonet mount with a 44mm throat and a flange to focal plane distance of 46.5mm.

The large variety of F-mount compatible lenses makes it the largest system of interchangeable flange-mount photographic lenses in history. Over 400 different Nikkor lenses are compatible with the system. The F-mount is also popular in scientific and industrial applications, most notably machine vision.

The Nikon F-mount is one of only two photographic lens mounts (the other being the Pentax K mount) that were not abandoned by their associated manufacturer upon the introduction of autofocus, but rather extended to meet new requirements. This has resulted in the continued development of F-mount lenses and cameras to progressively higher levels of sophistication and automation. F-mount photographic lenses are currently made by Nikon, Zeiss, Voigtländer, Schneider, Sigma, Tokina, and Tamron. F-mount photographic cameras include current models from Nikon, Sinar, Fujifilm, and Kodak. Numerous other manufacturers employ the F-mount in non-photographic imaging applications.

The F-mount has a significant degree of both backward and forward compatibility. Many current autofocus F-mount lenses can be used on the Nikon F, and the earliest manual-focus F-mount lenses of the 1960s and early 1970s can, with some modification, still be used to their fullest on all professional-class Nikon cameras. Incompatibilities do exist, however, and adventurous F-mount users should consult product documentation in order to avoid problems. In particular, many electronic camera bodies cannot meter without a "CPU" enabled lens, the aperture of G designated lenses cannot be controlled without an electronic camera body, and non-AI lenses manufactured prior to 1977 can cause mechnical damage to later model bodies unless they are modified to the AI specification.

Most Nikon F-mount lenses cover the standard 36x24mm area of 135 film, while "DX" designated lenses cover the 23.7x15.7mm area of the Nikon DX format, and industrial F-mount lenses have varying, often small, coverage. "DX" lenses produce vignetting when used on film cameras. However, Nikon lenses designed for film cameras will work on Nikon digital system cameras with some limitations.

Compatible Lenses

Nikkor

Designations

The growing list of Nikon's proprietary designations for F-mount Nikkor lenses reflects the development of the mount, as well as the lenses available for it.

Pre-AI or Non-AI or NAI - The original F-mount, which offers light meter coupling by means of a prong fixed to the aperture ring. Not an official Nikkor designation, but in common use.
U, B, T, Q, P, H, S, O, N, D - Appears immediately before or after the "Nikkor" name on early lenses, designating the number of elements in the design. Short for Uns (1), Bini (2), Tres (3), Quatour (4), Pente (5), Hex (6), Septem (7), Octo (8), Novem (9), or Decem (10).
C - An early Nikkor designation for a coated lens.
AI - Mechanical "Aperture Indexing" light meter coupling.
AI-S - Auto (aperture) Indexing. The successor to AI. The lens has a notch on the aperture ring that allows the camera to sense the current aperture. AI-S added a tab to the back of the lens which affected metering on certain older cameras. Generally used to refer to manual focus lenses, however all Nikon autofocus lenses with aperture rings are also AI-S.
AI-P - CPU-enabled successor to AIS.
E or Series E - A lower-cost series of amateur manual-focus lenses, branded "Nikon" but not "Nikkor."
AF - The original autofocus designation, indicating focus driven mechanically from a motor inside the camera body.
AF-S - Autofocus-Silent. Uses a "Silent Wave Motor" (ultrasonic motor) to focus quietly and quickly. Similar to Canon's USM technology. Introduced in 1996.
AF-I - Autofocus-Internal. Driven by a coreless DC motor. Used only in long telephoto lenses (300 mm f/2.8 through 600mm f/4.0) starting in 1992. Replaced with AF-S in 1996.
ED - Extra-low Dispersion glass. Reduces chromatic aberration. Recently, "Super ED" glass has been introduced as well.
IF - Internal Focus. Focusing is accomplished through the movement of internal lens groups, eliminating extension and rotation of the front lens element.
DX - Lens designed for Nikon DX format sensors. The image circle matches the smaller sensor area of Nikon's digital SLRs. A vignetted image may be produced if used on a 135 format camera, although some DX lenses cover the full 135 frame at longer focal lengths.
VR - Vibration Reduction. Uses a moving optical group to reduce the photographic effects of camera shake. Some VR lenses also support a panning mode, detecting horizontal movement of the lens and minimizing only vertical vibration. Similar to Canon's Image Stabilizer, Sigma's OS, etc. The latest VR type, implemented in the 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S VR DX and 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR N Micro-Nikkor, is called "VR-II," but is not currently official Nikkor nomenclature.
D - Distance/Dimension. Indicated after the f-number number. It means the lens is capable of using Nikon's 3D Matrix Metering on bodies that support it. The lens transmits focal distance information, which is incorporated into the camera's exposure calculations.
G - Indicated after the f-number. G lenses do not have an aperture ring, and the aperture can only be controlled electronically by the camera body. Only autofocus bodies with command dials are capable of controlling G lenses. Older autofocus bodies will work with G lenses in shutter priority and program modes. G lenses otherwise have the same characteristics as D lenses.

The world's first shift lens in the 35mm format: the 1961 35mm f/3.5 **PC-Nikkor**.

GN after the F-stop number -- Guide Number. Aids in judging flash power on old cameras before the days of computerised cameras. The lens allows the guide number of the flash to be set, rather than manually setting the aperture. Aperture is instead set by the lens from the guide number setting and the focal distance.
Micro - Micro lenses are capable of high reproduction ratios for macro photography.
N - Indicates the Nano Crystal Coat, a new type of lens coating that originated in Nikon's semiconductor division. The coating is currently used in the 300mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR and 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro Nikkor. Lenses with this coating feature the logo of an "N" inside an elongated hexagon on the name plate.
P after the F-stop number -- Program, indicating compatible with CPU cameras.
PC - Perspective Control. Lens includes movements to control perspective and depth-of-field. These include the shift-only 28mm and 35mm PC Nikkors, and the tilt/shift 85mm f/2.8D PC Micro Nikkor.
DC - Defocus Control. DC lenses have a separate control ring for spherical aberration, which affects primarily the appearance of out-of-focus areas, also known as bokeh. At extreme settings, DC lenses can generate an overall soft-focus effect.
IX - Lenses designed for use with the now-defunct Pronea APS SLR. These are all autofocus zoom lenses. They are not compatible with cameras outside of the Pronea system. [1]

Manual Focus Primes

6mm f/2.8 Circular Fisheye
6mm f/5.6 Circular Fisheye
7.5mm f/5.6 Circular Fisheye
8mm f/2.8 Circular Fisheye
8mm f/8.0 Circular Fisheye
10mm f/5.6 OP (Orthographic Projection) Circular Fisheye
13mm f/5.6
15mm f/3.5
16mm f/2.8 Full Frame Fisheye
16mm f/3.5 Full Frame Fisheye
18mm f/3.5
20mm f/2.8
20mm f/3.5 UD
20mm f/3.5
20mm f/4.0
24mm f/2.0
24mm f/2.8
28mm f/2.0
28mm f/2.8
28mm f/3.5
35mm f/1.4
35mm f/2.0
35mm f/2.8
45mm f/2.8 GN
45mm f/2.8 P
50mm f/1.2
50mm f/1.4
50mm f/1.8
55mm f/4.0 UV
58mm f/1.2 Noct
85mm f/1.4
85mm f/1.8
85mm f/2.0
105mm f/1.8
105mm f/2.5
105mm f/4.0 UV
120mm f/4.0 IF Medical
135mm f/2.0
135mm f/2.8
135mm f/3.5
180mm f/2.8 ED
200mm f/2.0 ED-IF
200mm f/2.8
200mm f/4.0
200mm f/5.6 Medical
300mm f/2.0 ED-IF
300mm f/2.8 ED-IF
300mm f/4.5
300mm f/4.5 ED-IF
400mm f/2.8 ED-IF
400mm f/3.5 ED-IF
400mm f/5.6 ED-IF
500mm f/4.0 P ED-IF
500mm f/5.0 Reflex
500mm f/8.0 Reflex
600mm f/4.0 ED-IF
600mm f/5.6 ED-IF
800mm f/5.6 ED-IF
1000mm f/11.0 Reflex
1200mm f/11.0 ED-IF
2000mm f/11.0 Reflex

Autofocus Primes

14mm f/2.8D ED AF
16mm f/2.8D AF Fisheye
18mm f/2.8D AF
20mm f/2.8D AF
24mm f/2.8D AF
28mm f/1.4D AF
28mm f/2.8D AF
35mm f/2D AF
50mm f/1.4D AF
50mm f/1.8D AF
80mm f/2.8 AF (F3AF dedicated)
85mm f/1.4D AF
85mm f/1.8D AF
105mm f/2D AF DC
135mm f/2D AF DC
180mm f/2.8D ED-IF AF
200mm f/2G ED-IF AF-S VR
200mm f/3.5 ED-IF AF (F3AF dedicated)
300mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR N
300mm f/2.8D ED-IF AF-S II
300mm f/4D ED-IF AF-S
400mm f/2.8D ED-IF AF-S II
500mm f/4D ED-IF AF-S II
600mm f/4D ED-IF AF-S II

Teleconverters

TC-1 (2.0x)
TC-2 (2.0x)
TC-200 (2.0x)
TC-300 (2.0x)
TC-201 (2.0x)
TC-301 (2.0x)
TC-14 (1.4x)
TC-14A (1.4x)
TC-14B (1.4x)
TC-14C (1.4x)
TC-14E (1.4x)
TC-16 (1.6x)
TC-16A (1.6x)
TC-20E (2.0x)
TC-14E II (1.4x)
TC-17E II (1.7x)
TC-20E II (2.0x)

Perspective Control (PC) Lenses

28mm f/4.0 PC-Nikkor (1975)
28mm f/3.5 PC-Nikkor (1981)
35mm f/3.5 PC-Nikkor (1961)
35mm f/2.8 PC-Nikkor (1968)
85mm f/2.8 PC-Micro-Nikkor (1999)

Micro Lenses (for macro photography)

55mm f/2.8 Micro
55mm f/3.5 Micro
60mm f/2.8D AF Micro
85mm f/2.8D PC Micro
105mm f/2.8 Micro
105mm f/2.8D AF Micro
105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR N Micro
200mm f/4D ED-IF AF Micro
70-180mm f/4.5-5.6 ED AF-D Micro

Manual Focus Zooms

25-50mm f/4.0
28-45mm f/4.5
28-50mm f/3.5 Macro
28-85mm f/3.5-4.5 Macro
35-70mm f/3.5
35-70mm f/3.5 Macro
35-70mm f/3.5-4.5
35-70mm f/3.5-4.8
35-85mm f/3.5-4.5 Macro
35-105mm f/3.5-4.5 Macro
35-135mm f/3.5-4.5
35-200mm f/3.5-4.5 Macro
43-86mm f/3.5
50-135mm f/3.5 Macro
50-300mm f/4.5
50-300mm f/4.5 ED
70-210mm f/4.5-5.6
80-200mm f/2.8 ED
80-200mm f/4.0
80-200mm f/4.5
85-250mm f/4.0-4.5
100-300mm f/5.6 Macro
180-600mm f/8.0 ED
200-400mm f/4.0 ED
200-600mm f/9.5
360-1200mm f/11.0 ED
1200-1700mm f/5.6-8.0 P ED-IF

Autofocus Zooms (professional)

17-35mm f/2.8 ED-IF AF-S
17-55mm f/2.8G AF-S
12-24 AF-S DX
28-70mm f/2.8D ED-IF AF-S
35-70mm f/2.8D AF
70-200mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR
80-200mm f/2.8D ED AF
80-200mm f/2.8D ED AF-S
80-400mm f/4.5-5.6D ED AF VR
200-400mm f/4G ED-IF AF-S VR

Autofocus Zooms (consumer)

18-35mm f/3.5-4.5D ED-IF AF
24-85mm f/2.8-4D IF AF
24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED-IF AF-S
24-120mm f/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S VR
28-80mm f/3.3-5.6G AF
28-100mm f/3.5-5.6G AF
28-105mm f/3.5-4.5D AF
28-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF
70-210mm f/4-5.6 AF
70-210mm f/4-5.6D AF
70-300mm f/4.5-5.6D ED AF
70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G AF
70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED AF-S VR

Lenses for Nikon DX format

10.5mm f/2.8G ED AF DX
12-24mm f/4G ED-IF AF-S DX
17-55mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S DX
18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED AF-S DX
18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G ED-IF AF-S DX
18-135mm f/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S DX
18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S VR DX
55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED AF-S DX

Nikon Series E

28mm f/2.8
35mm f/2.5
50mm f/1.8
100mm f/2.8
135mm f/2.8
36-72mm f/3.5
70-210mm f/4.0
75-150mm f/3.5

Zeiss

Zeiss ZF lenses are manual-focus designs with Nikon AI-S type aperture indexing. They are manufactured by Cosina to Zeiss specifications.

Distagon T* 25mm f/2.8 ZF (Projected availability 2007 January)
Distagon T* 35mm f/2.0 ZF (Released 2006 December)
Makro-Plannar T* 50mm f/2.0 ZF (Projected availability 2007 March)
Makro-Plannar T* 100mm f/2.0 ZF (Projected availability 2007 May)
Planar T* 50mm f/1.4 ZF (Released 2006 February)
Planar T* 85mm f/1.4 ZF (Released 2006 April)

Voigtländer

Voigtländer SL lenses are manual-focus designs with Nikon AI-S type aperture indexing. They are manufactured by Cosina, and are being discontinued in concert with the introduction of Zeiss ZF lenses (see above).

12mm f/5.6 SL Ultra Heliar (aspherical)
15mm f/4.5 SL Heliar (aspherical)
40mm f/2 Ultron (aspherical)
58mm f/1.4 Topcor
75mm f/2.5 Color-Heliar
90mm f/3.5 APO-Lanthar
125mm f/2.5 APO-Lanthar (1:1 macro)
180mm f/4 APO-Lanthar

Schneider Kreuznach

28mm f/2.8 PC Super Angulon

Sigma

Wide Zoom Lenses

12-24mm f/4.5-5.6
15-30mm f/3.5-4.5
17-35mm f/2.8-4 DG
20-40mm f/2.8

Standard Zoom Lenses

24-60mm f/2.8 EX DG
24-70mm f/2.8 EX DG
24-70mm f/3.5-5.6
24-135mm f/2.8-4.5
28-70mm f/2.8 EX DG
28-70mm f/2.8-4 DG
28-105mm f/2.8-4 DG
28-105mm f/3.8-5.6
28-135mm f/3.8-5.6
28-200mm f/3.5-5.6 DG
28-300mm DG

Telephoto Zoom Lenses

50-500mm f/4-6.3 DG
70-200mm f/2.8 DG MACRO
70-200mm f/2.8 DG
70-300mm f/4-5.6 DG MACRO
70-300mm APO DG MACRO
80-400mm f/4.5-5.6
100-300mm f/4 DG
120-300mm f/2.8 DG
135-400mm f/4.5-5.6 DG
170-500mm f/5-6.3 DG
300-800mm f/5.6 DG

Wide Lenses

8mm f/3.5 EX DG
8mm f/4 EX DG
14mm f/2.8 EX
15mm f/2.8 EX DG
20mm f/1.8 EX DG
24mm f/1.8 EX DG
28mm f/1.8 EX DG

Macro Lenses

50mm f/2.8 EX DG
70mm f/2.8 EX DG
105mm f/2.8 EX DG
150mm f/2.8 EX DG
180mm f/3.5 EX DG

DC Lenses for APS-C

Note: Sigma's "DC" designation is for lenses with an APS-C sized image circle. It does not designate Defocus Control.

10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC
17-70mm f/2.8-4.5 DC MACRO
18-50mm f/2.8 EX DC
18-50mm f/2.8 EX DC MACRO
18-50mm f/3.5-5.6 DC
18-125mm f/3.5-5.6 DC
18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC
30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM
50-150mm f/2.8 DC
55-200mm f/4-5.6 DC

Tele Lenses

800mm f5.6 EX DG
500mm EX DG
300mm EX DG

Tamron

Di (Digitally Integrated) Lenses

SP AF17-35mm f/2.8-4 Di LD Aspherical (IF)
SP AF28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di LD Aspherical (IF)
AF28-200mm f/3.8-5.6 XR Di Aspherical (IF) Macro NEW
AF28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical (IF)
AF70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro 1:2 NEW
SP AF200-500mm f/5-6.3 Di LD (IF)
SP AF90mm f/2.8 Di 1:1 Macro
SP AF180mm f/3.5 Di LD (IF) 1:1 Macro

Di II Lenses for APS-C

SP AF11-18mm f/4.5-5.6 Di II LD Aspherical (IF)
SP AF17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical (IF)
AF18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di II LD Aspherical (IF)
AF18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 AF Di-II LD Aspherical (IF)
AF55-200mm f/4-5.6 Di II LD

Conventional Lenses

AF28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 Aspherical
AF75-300mm f/4-5.6 LD Macro

SP (Super Performance) Conventional Lenses

SP AF24-135mm f/3.5-5.6 AD Aspherical (IF)
SP AF14mm f/2.8 Aspherical (IF) Rectilinear
SP AF300mm f/2.8 LD (IF)

Tokina

AT-X PRO Series

AT-X M100 AF PRO D AF 100mm f/2.8 MACRO
AT-X 124 AF PRO DX AF 12-24mm f/4

AT-X Series

AT-X 242 AF 24~200mm f/3.5~5.6
AT-X 840 AF D 80~400 f/4.5~5.6

AF Series

AF 193 AF 19~35mm f/3.5~4.5

Compatible Cameras

All single-lens reflex cameras made by Nikon
All Fujifilm SLR's based on Nikon bodies, including:
All Kodak SLR's based on Nikon bodies, including:
- Kodak DCS Pro 14n
- Kodak DCS Pro SLR/n
35mm Mirror Module of the Sinar "m" system

Nikon F-mount