Any experience with adapting Nikon F lenses to Fuji?

I have used both AF-C and AF-S with no change in the aperture operation. Focus is better in AF-S because the camera has more time to use CAF to achieve focus; only in very good light can you scrape by the AF-C.

I did a full factory reset on the X-H1 a few months ago trying to get to the bottom of this problem with no change in the operation of the 500mm PF. Had the same issues with a rented X-H2 whose settings I did not alter before I tested it with the Fringer + 500mm PF.

The request for custom firmware does make sense because the firmware Fringer has for the EF-GF adapter and the EF-FX adapter has switches that the user can set or clear for a number of lenses. They could do this for the 500mm PF if they wanted to.

IMO, Fringer has had quite a bit of difficulty getting Nikon glass to talk to Fuji cameras compared to getting Canon glass to talk to Fuji cameras. The NF-FX adapter came out much later than the EF-FX adapter, and the first one I acquired would not talk to the X-H1 at all. The second one was erratic in operation, only the last one works even at this level. Hard to escape the conclusion that the Fringer NF-FX adapters are fractionally baked.

From these symptoms:

... I'm wondering if this isn't a hardware issue on your specific adapter. Nikon F lenses have a pin/lever to close the aperture on older lenses, e.g. AF-D lenses. What if the corresponding lever on your adapter is stuck or damaged - thus reporting a wrong aperture value and thus messing up the adapter's aperture control logic? (I know that the 300PF/500PF don't have a lens-side lever, but the adapter won't know that). The adapter might start with clean settings when switching on, then closing down the aperture after initialization and noticing the mismatch.

This is just a theory though. See this link for the related product image - it's the silver lever inside the Nikon F mount.
custom-images.strikinglycdn.com/res/hrscywv4p/image/upload/c_limit,fl_lossy,h_1440,w_720,f_auto,q_auto/975448/451110_484028.jpeg

Interesting theory, but I am already on the 3rd one of these Fringer NF-FX adapters and would find it rather remarkable that I managed to get the only three lemons. Just took a look at the aperture lever engagement tab on the adapter; it doesn't seem to move very easily (or at all). This is in contradistinction to the same tab on the Nikon 1.4X iii extender, which is very loose (rattles if you shake it). Interesting.

I’ve used my Nikon 50mm f/2 D with decent results…no AF of course.

Shockingly surprised and impressed using my Nikon 500mm f5.6 pf with the fringer adapter on my XH2S. I originally purchased the XH2S as a street photography camera and a second body for wildlife using the XF 70-300mm. Was using the D500 and 500mm pf as my main birding and wildlife kit. The D500 hasn’t come out of my bag. I am grateful to Morris O for peaking my interest in the Fringer and for the settings advice. Just a superb combo for birds and birds in flight. Now thinking about replacing the D500 with a second XH2S.

Nikon has been doing things to make it difficult for third party manufactures to produce compatible products for year. This includes:
- Encrypting parts of there RAW files and the result has been issues with proper conversions in mainstream products such as Photoshop and Lightroom
- Adding pins to prevent the use of Nikon TCs with third party lens
- Slight tweaks to the the F mount electrical interface. This even affects what lenses are compatible with Nikon bodies, particularly lower end ones

In the end, this costs every Nikon customer and I feel many have abandoned Nikon because of this. It's even hurt Nikon as they have lost customers. Fuji publishes the X mount interface which helps third parties and the results since they did this is more lenses for all of us to chose from as well as the wonderful Fringer adapters.

I don't know why you are having issues Russ, many people use the Fringer adapters with great sucess.

Morris

Well, perhaps I have a newer version of the 500 PF than the other users on this board; Nikon may have slip-streamed some subtle changes into the control interface to either (1) lower the mfg cost and/or (2) defeat 3rd party accessory manufacturers like Fringer.

I have S/N 224459 with an MCU number of 216: according to a website in NZ which is dedicated to exhaustive cataloging of Nikon glass the known s/n range for the 500 PF is 201275 to 232153; about 30K of these have been manufactured with production beginning in 8/2018. My S/N suggests one of the later ones. What is the s/n of your copy? Perhaps users here can compare notes and see if those who have earlier copies are all satisfied with the Fringer NF-FX performance but those with later copies are having issues.

One of the things I have noticed when using the 500PF with the Nikon D500 is I have not had any reason to program in an AF offset; I have noticed no systematic front or back focus (unlike my experience with Canon) and the camera rarely misses focus (a delight), even in low contrast situations -- very seldom does it hunt.

Russ, the serial number of my 500PF 216610 and I have no problems with the Fringer

Alan

I've used both a brand new 500mm PF and a 10 year old one. Both work with the Fringer adapter. I don't believe there has been any changes.

Morris

OK, then yours is most likely earlier than mine. Thanks, with some luck I may be able to get back to Fringer with more information.

-Russ

Yes, but you cannot be sure of that. Manufacturers slip-stream changes into the process all the time for a number of reasons such as having to change the source of some part (like the lens processor board), to save costs by simplifying assembly, or to save costs by changing electronic or other components. Nikon may well have made a change that does not affect the signalling between the camera body and lens FOR THEM, but Fringer, who has to receive the signals from the Fuji camera body and then translate them to the appropriate Nikon protocol, may have small differences in the waveform or sequence that only rear their ugly head for later products.

There has to be a deterministic reason why my copy of the 500mm PF functions perfectly on Nikon F-mount camera bodies and does not function with the Fringer NF-FX adapter in contrast to others. Random chance is highly unlikely, the only way to possibly come up with a solution is to gather data, in this case lens age (FWIW the 500mm PF was released in August of 2018 so is less than five years old, probably one of the last Nikon F-mount lenses). Fringer has admitted to me that they tested their adapter against ONE copy of the 500mm PF -- that is it. Not exactly exhaustive, but they are not a large company and it is a niche market.

-Russ

The random use of the Nikon 500 PF by many other people should expose a problem of the type you are proposing. Possibly other cases will show up yet till this happens the problem seems to be following your 500 PF. If you can, try borrowing a 500 PF and see if the problems persist. Based on the things you have tried, a different lens is likely to work fine. As you stated, there is noting to report to Nikon so your best cause of action is to sell the "Preictally good" Nikon 500 PF and get a replacement. Then you can go on happily ever after.

Morris

There has been at least one other user, I forget which camera forum, who has reported problems similar to mine in the last few months.

How many people do you think are using the 500PF on a Fuji camera body? I can think of 5 or so on various forums, perhaps as many as 10. So possibly we have 20, maybe 50? 2 have reported problems; neither of us know how many have tried and not gotten the 500PF to work, and just set it aside and returned to Nikon. There aren't nearly as many Fuji wildlife users as there are Nikon users, and most people are not likely to start mixing and matching camera manufacturers.

As for going on 'happily ever after', that is why I picked up the D500 so I can go along happily for the moment.

The problem is not with the 500PF, nor with the Fuji X-H1 or X-H2, but with the 3rd party lens adapter, and it isn't that surprising that problems exist with 3rd party lens adapters -- just look at reviews of many of them. Fringer does the best, but they don't score 100 per cent.

You and I are just going to have to agree to disagree and leave it at that.

-Russ

Hi Russ,

Have you tried any other Fuji camera besides the X-H1? Looking at all you have tested, that seems to be what is left. I know its on Franger's compatibility list. I wonder if they have regression tested that far back.

Morris

Tried the Fringer with the 500mm PF on an X-H2 with the same results. The X-H2 was a rental which had been set to factory defaults; I input the date/time and then set the image quality to RAW and tried out the Fringer + 500mm PF combo before I changed any other settings with the same result. Don't think the communication issue is on the Fuji side.

I also attached the Nikon 1.4Xiii to the 500mm PF, then all of that to the Fringer and then to the X-H2 with the same results. This was to test the contacts between the Fringer and whatever Nikon glass was attached to it; i.e. buffer the lens contacts.

-Russ

I use only Nikkor F-Lenses with the Fringer NF-FX on my X-H2s. Including the 500mm f5.6 PF and the 600mm F4 G
All are working fine.

To all of you who have experienced unbridled success with the 500mm PF and Fringer NF-FX adapter, I am glad for you -- but that has not been my experience with my copy of the 500mm PF on Fuji X-mount camera bodies.

It is clear the Fringer NF-FX adapter is compatible with MOST copies of the 500mm PF but NOT WITH ALL; so you are rolling the dice if you expect this lens to work with your Fuji camera body -- sometimes you come up snake eyes.

IMO, if you are a Nikon guy, already own the 500mm PF, and then pick up a Fuji camera body (either X or GF) and want to try your lens out, then there isn't really much risk and it is worth the gamble (that is how I got into Fuji by leveraging my Canon L glass on both the X-H1 and the GFX100S using the Fringer adapters, I own only one Fuji X-mount lens and two GF mount lenses). But, if you aren't a Nikon guy, and get this lens specifically to use with a Fuji camera, then be aware there is risk involved -- and if it doesn't work you will be in no man's land since the leak will be in some other part of the boat as far as Fuji, Nikon and Fringer are concerned (even though the leak is quite clearly in Fringer's part of the boat).

I have shelved this project, picked up a used Nikon D500 at a good price, and use the 500mm PF + D500 combo -- spring bird migration is upon us (saw a Yellow Warbler yesterday). I am hoping that Nikon brings out something like a Z90 in APS-C, Fringer gets their act together in firmware, or Fuji brings out some serious wildlife glass (highly unlikely IMO). No profit in repeating the same experiment ad nauseum expecting new results.