digitaldave
Member
I've been looking around at manual SLRs, and whilst checking out the Nikons, I noticed that a lot of old Nikon lenses have a metal tab that looks like small rabbit ears! What are they for? Do all their manual focus lenses have them?
Dave.
Dave.
Mark J
Member
The "ears" were used for metering on the older Nikon F Photomic heads as well as the Nikormat of the same vintage. Mid 60's to the late 70's, possibly into the 80's. The ears indexed a cam similar to the one used on the Pentax 67 cameras and allowed full aperature metering.
digitaldave
Member
Thanks for the explanation 
.
Edit: I assume they aren't used on bodies like the FM, FE etc?
.Edit: I assume they aren't used on bodies like the FM, FE etc?
Last edited:
hans voralberg
Veteran
No I dont think so
Roger Hicks
Veteran
They are still found on current ZF lenses, for people who still use 'real' Nikons (and Nikkormats/Nikomats).
Cheers,
R.
Cheers,
R.
Bill58
Native Texan
See this website for an expert explanation: http://www.aiconversions.com/
M. Valdemar
Well-known
They are simply mechanical couplers to the metering heads.
You can take them off if you only use AI cameras.
You can take them off if you only use AI cameras.
kjoosten
Rocket Scientist
They coupled to the metering heads on the Nikon F and F2 (except for the F2AS). Also all but the last model of the Nikkormat. None of the FM or AF bodies need them.
I believe all the manual focus lenses except for the E-series (economy) and the 45P pancake have them. The newly minted Zeiss ZF lenses have them also.
Last edited:
Leighgion
Bovine Overseer
While the rabbit ears tend to snag on clothing at times, they were a wonderfully long-running commitment to backward compatibility.