Nikon D40 users: what about Nikkor AI lenses on the D40?

[Marc-A.]

Dear all,
I'm sorry to bother you with that thread. I need some information on the Nikon D40 on the behalf of my brother. He would like to buy a D40 and I advise him to buy only the body and buy separately older manual lenses: Nikkor AI 50/1.4, 35/2, or the new Planar ZF.
I went to big store in Paris (la FNAC) and when I asked the seller if it was possible to mount Nikkor AI lenses on the body, he answered me 'no'. Even if I'm pretty sure it's possible, now I'm doubting.
So could any user help me. Can you mount Nikkor AI lenses on the D40? Is there any problem in focusing or light metering with those old Nikkors?
Do you have some advices (things my brother should know or should avoid)?
Many thanks,
Marc

 

[Chemophilic]

I mounted a 28mm f2 non-Ai on the D40x and it worked fine, albeit without metering and the focus was a pain. You can check out http://www.bythom.com/d40review.htm for more info. Though I am sure with an external meter or the Katz Optics D40/D40x screen, that should be alright. Love that camera, so small and quiet!

 

[Marc-A.]

Thanks a lot for the information Chemophilic. If you can't use the metering, you can't have the AE aperture priority, right? So you need a hand-held lightmeter, right? That's a bit problematic.

 

[kaiyen]

Well, you have a hand held light meter...kinda. Use sunny 16, shoot, and look at the histogram. Adjust, then shoot.

allan

 

[robbo]

If you look on the Nikon website, there is a lens compatability chart, or you could google it?

 

[mfogiel]

Marc-A
I had a D40 for a while, and I got the 45P Nikkor for it for a compact package - this is the only manual lens besides a couple of long teles, that let's you meter on a mf lens.
However, if i were to choose a good lens for it I'd take the 12-24 zoom plus the 50/1.4 (or the Planar 50/1.4 ZF ) for portraits. When focusing manually, you have to look at the green light focus confirm, or you have to get the Katz eye mf scren.

 

[kjoosten]

There is a whole subculture that is putting MF lenses on their D40s