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Converting Nikon to Sigma

plierouge

Member
Hello there!

I recently discovered this forum and I am learning a lot about Sigma Camera! I am very impress with the image quality produced by the Foveon sensor. I have to admit that I am a Nikon user, but I own a few good Sigma lenses. Browsing through this forum makes me wonder if I should make the plunge to Sigma, but at what cost? I was wondering if Sigma have some kind of switching program to convert Sigma's Nikon mount lenses to Sigma mount? I would be willing to spend a few 100$ instead of buying brand new expensive EX lenses. This would surely encourage me (and probably other users) to switch to Sigma with minimal costs. I guess I could also try to sell all my Nikon gear and to start from scratch...

Anyway, thanks in advance for your comments!

Cheers,

Sébastien Plante
 
Hi Sebastien, I would imagine that it would be easier to fit a Canon onto a Sigma if you have an extra mounting plate from a Sigma lens. But I have never done it before myself and have only read about it on-line. For Nikon lenses, I think that you would lose the AF function regardless of the method of conversion you use... Hence it is not really worthwhile.

Maybe you can sell the Nikon for Sigma but you might want to wait for the SD15 to be released (if it will not be delayed). I did the same to Canon some years back.
 
Hi Sebastien,
Luis Guevara is a user on this forum and he has mount kits for sale. There are a couple of Nikon lens users here. Tc95 is one, I believe he uses Nikon lenses.

If you search this forum you'll find lots of info. Or try contacting Luis Guevara for his kits.

here's a thread that deals with the Nikon issue too:
http://sigmauserforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=81
 
FYI,
I did a Nikkon to Sigma conversion last week.
At a Nikkon E-series 50mm f:1.8 I took off the bayonet ,removed the not used parts,
and filed down the 3 flanges plus approx. another half a millimeter of the remaining collar.
At the aperature ring of the lens the protrusion parts also had to be cut away.
The so modified Nikkon bayonet fits into a Sigms lens byonet.
It should touch the 3 small flanges inside the Sigma bayonet.That is a good alignment for infinitive,
and matches with the distance scale on the lens body.
Once a precisely fitting was achieved,I reassembled the Nikkon lens
and glued the Sigma bayonet onto the Nikkon bayonet using a few drops of two-component adhesive.
Of course it´s manually.
Regards
Uwe
Nikkon at SD10
View attachment 1631
View attachment 1632
View attachment 1635
rear view, here you can see the 3 inner flanges
View attachment 1633
parts removed from the lens
View attachment 1634
 

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Hello again,

Thank you for your responses. However, I already saw most of the "home" modification posted on the forum. What I was wondering is if there was an official program to send our Sigma lenses to the company so they can remove the Nikon mount and replace it with a Sigma mount. I guess I could send a email directely to Sigma.

Thanks again for your quick responses!

Sébastien
 
Conversion...

Sébastien,

There is no need to send it to a company to do a conversion....I have enclosed a thread that I started awhile back...and have been using my Nikon F converted Sigma camera fine...it is manual but never the less I have produced some remarkable shots...

Sigma Forum Topic Nikon F on Sigma SD-14

Here are a few pictures:

Sigma SD-14 using a Nikon Nikkor 200mm f2 ED-IF Manual Lens
View attachment 1637

View attachment 1636


Sigma SD-14 using a Ziess ZF 1.4/85
View attachment 1638

Sigma SD-14 using a 24-60mm Sigma EX DG for Nikon F
View attachment 1639

Sigma SD-14 using a Nikon Nikkor 800mm f5.6 with TC's
View attachment 1640

Hope this helps you out....it took me about 30mins to do the conversion myself....not hard at all...

eBay listing of the mount..

You can play the ebay game...but it is well worth the $150.00 he is charging for it...if you look at the links...it has a step-by-step instructions on how to add the mount....

Good luck..

Tony C.
 

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Answer

Hello Sébastien

I understand your wish; you are heavily invested in Nikon F mount lenses, and want to use them on the SD14, as you do today, with AF and Auto aperture stop down.
The wish for an official Sigma program to exchange the mounts are understandable, but unfortunately there is no such offer. I think the manufacturing process makes it difficult, both because of physical difference in the mounts, but not the least the electronic difference. I have never heard about Sigma doing this kind of conversion.

So what are your options?

The crucial question is: Are you willing to work all manual with your Nikon F lenses?
If Yes, there are two options:
1. Replace the camera mount with Luis' Nikon F conversion kit. Then you can use all your Nikon lenses (unless they conflict with the IR-filter), without modifying them. The con is that all lenses for this body will be manual.
2. Replace/modify the lens mount of all/selected lenses. These will be manual, but you will have the option of buying SA mount glass.
If No, there are no options but selling your Nikon F mount lenses

For a pretty complete overview of possible lens options, you can have a look at my non-Sigma lenses page:
http://www.foto.nordjylland.biz/SD14/SD14-NonSigmaLenses.htm
and a graphical overview:
http://www.foto.nordjylland.biz/SD14/overview.htm
(the latter lacks the OM camera mount replacement option, and both lacks the recent Leica-R SA replacement mount)

You should be aware that the SD14 is not the answer to every photographic need, so an option could be to keep your Nikon camera and one or two of your favorite lenses.

Hello again,

Thank you for your responses. However, I already saw most of the "home" modification posted on the forum. What I was wondering is if there was an official program to send our Sigma lenses to the company so they can remove the Nikon mount and replace it with a Sigma mount. I guess I could send a email directely to Sigma.

Thanks again for your quick responses!

Sébastien
 
Lens compatability list...Nikon F Mount...

Lenses Used so far: :z04_photos:

Nikon Nikkor 200mm f2 ED-IF (Manual)
Nikon Nikkor 300mm f2.8 ED-IF (Manual)
Nikon Nikkor 600mm f5.6 ED-IF (Manual)
Nikon Nikkor 800mm f5.6 ED-IF (Manual)
Nikon Nikkor 50mm f1.2 (Manual)
Nikon Nikkor 50mm f1.4 (Manual)
Nikon Nikkor 50mm f1.8 (Manual)
Nikon Nikkor 50mm f1.8 (AF)
Nikon Nikkor 50mm f2 (Manual)
Nikon Nikkor 55mm f3.5 Micro (Manual)
Nikon Nikkor 60mm f2.8 Micro (AF)
Nikon Nikkor 28mm f2.8 (Manual)
Nikon Nikkor 200mm f4 (Manual)
Nikon Nikkor 135mm f3.5 (Manual)
Nikon Nikkor 70-210mm f4 (Manual)
Nikon Nikkor 70-180mm F4 Micro (AF)
Nikon Nikkor 80-200mm AF-D (AF)
Nikon Nikkor 70-210mm f4-5.6 (AF)
Nikon Nikkor 80-400mm VR (AF)

Sigma 10-20mm EX (AF)
Sigma 20-60mm EX DG (AF)
Sigma 120-300mm EX D (AF)
Sigma 70-200mm HSM II (AF)

Tamron 200-500mm f5-6.3 (AF)

Voigtlander 58mm f1.4 (Manual)

Zeiss ZF 35mm f2 (Manual)
Zeiss ZF 50mm f1.4 (Manual)
Zeiss ZF 85mm f1.4 (Manual)

Kenko extention tubes (AF on Manual)
Nikon extention tubes (Manual)

Nikon TC-14b
Nikon TC-301
Nikon TC-300
Nikon TC-16a

Tamron SP AF 1.4x
Tamron SP AF 2.0x

Kenko SP AF 3.0x

Thoughts:

All these lenses are used in Manual focus mode....my SD-14 is set to either M or A with all the lenses on the list the camera seemed to meter fine....


*** The only issues came with Nikon G lenses...and Tokina lenses that have the aperture controlled by the camera settings....when using these lenses...you automatically are stoped down to the highest setting (if am am saying this right)...ie f22 or f32...so your picture are very dark....but you can still use them...***

Nikon Nikkor 200mm f2 VR (AF) ***
Nikon Nikkor 35mm f1.8 (AF) ***
Nikon Nikkor 18-200mm VR (AF) ***
Nikon Nikkor 18-70mm (AF) ***
Nikon Nikkor 18-105mm VR (AF) ***
Nikon Nikkor 14-24mm (AF) ***
Nikon Nikkor 55-200mm VR (AF) ***
Nikon Nikkor 18-55mm VR (AF) ***
Nikon Nikkor 28-80mm (AF) ***
Tokina 11-16mm (AF) ***
Tokina 10-17mm Fisheye (AF) ***
Tamron 17-35mm f2.8-4 (AF) ***

So any lens with *** after it I would say no to using these...just because you have no control over the F-Stop...


There are probably several other lenses that will and will not work...however, this is all that I have...so this is the list you'll get...from me...:lol:


Thanks for looking....and I hope this helps people out...

Tony C. :z04_cowboy:
 
Hello Sébastien

I understand your wish; you are heavily invested in Nikon F mount lenses, and want to use them on the SD14, as you do today, with AF and Auto aperture stop down.
The wish for an official Sigma program to exchange the mounts are understandable, but unfortunately there is no such offer. I think the manufacturing process makes it difficult, both because of physical difference in the mounts, but not the least the electronic difference. I have never heard about Sigma doing this kind of conversion.

So what are your options?

The crucial question is: Are you willing to work all manual with your Nikon F lenses?
If Yes, there are two options:
1. Replace the camera mount with Luis' Nikon F conversion kit. Then you can use all your Nikon lenses (unless they conflict with the IR-filter), without modifying them. The con is that all lenses for this body will be manual.
2. Replace/modify the lens mount of all/selected lenses. These will be manual, but you will have the option of buying SA mount glass.
If No, there are no options but selling your Nikon F mount lenses


Actually there are two more options y probably did'nt know about:

3) Use a Roxsen Nikon lens-M42 camera adapter plus an M42-SA adapter.
4) Use a Roxsen Nikon lens-PK camera adapter.

The adapter combo (Number 3) does not allow infinity focus but thats not a problem for Macros taken with Micro-Nikkors and indeed the latter combo actually gives an extra macro magnification advantage.
The adapter (Number 4) does allow infinity focus of most Nikon lenses on any SA mount camera, BUT, its an optical adapter, ie: it contains an optical correcting element, and that means the image quality will probably be reduced and you may notice CA problems.
 
Hello Sébastien

I understand your wish; you are heavily invested in Nikon F mount lenses, and want to use them on the SD14, as you do today, with AF and Auto aperture stop down.
The wish for an official Sigma program to exchange the mounts are understandable, but unfortunately there is no such offer. I think the manufacturing process makes it difficult, both because of physical difference in the mounts, but not the least the electronic difference. I have never heard about Sigma doing this kind of conversion.

So what are your options?

The crucial question is: Are you willing to work all manual with your Nikon F lenses?
If Yes, there are two options:
1. Replace the camera mount with Luis' Nikon F conversion kit. Then you can use all your Nikon lenses (unless they conflict with the IR-filter), without modifying them. The con is that all lenses for this body will be manual.
2. Replace/modify the lens mount of all/selected lenses. These will be manual, but you will have the option of buying SA mount glass.
If No, there are no options but selling your Nikon F mount lenses


Actually there are two more options you may not have known about:

3) Use a Roxsen Nikon lens-M42 camera adapter plus an M42-SA adapter.
4) Use a Roxsen Nikon lens-PK camera adapter.

The adapter combo (Option 3) does not allow infinity focus but thats not a problem for Macros taken with Micro-Nikkors and indeed the latter combo actually gives an extra macro magnification advantage. The Roxsen adapter is very cheap to buy, is well made, and even comes with a padded carry case.
The second adapter (Option 4) DOES allow infinity focus of most Nikon lenses on any SA mount camera, BUT, its an optical adapter, ie: it contains an optical correcting element, and that means the image quality will probably be reduced and you may notice CA problems.
It costs about £25 or about £10 more than the non-optical Nikon-M42 version, but thats still very cheap compared to Option 1 (Which costs about £150) and therefore is certainly worth a look.
 
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