Nikon K Rings

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ChrisR
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Nikon K Rings

Post by ChrisR »

A small thing, and it may be covered, but my memory of the searchers is limited.

Nikon's K ring set is manual, designed for pre Ai cameras. I don't have more details on that.

I have read that they MUST not be used on AF cameras. So please don't use them at all. Ever.

But, nothing hits anything on my D700.
The set has two "nice" features:
The thinnest ring (K1) is only 6mm, compared with the later Ai PK1A which is 8mm. That means it's quite useful with retrofocus wide angle lenses, where, with too much extension your subject has to be too near the front element - or inside it :shock:

Unfortunately, 6mm doesn't happen to tie up with any of the wide Nikkor primes I have (20, 24, 28 (5/8el), or 35) contiguously . So you can't use the lens' own focus to extend say 7mm then back off, then add the K1 and carry on. So there's a gap :(
I'd like to hear if anyone has anything where it would play fairer.

The other nice thing is that the set from K2 to K5 uses threaded connections on the ends of the tubes between the Nikon F bayonet end-rings. I was overcome with :smt007 emotion when I discovered that those threads are 52mm, so in a world where were inclined to want to screw wrong things together, it has potential.
The ring at the camera end is like a 52m reversing ring, but with a female 52mm thread.

The sets appear like buses on ebay, often described as fine, rare, mint and highly collectable, selling for $30 - 50.

Babylonia
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Joined: Tue Mar 20, 2012 10:56 am

Post by Babylonia »

K-rings in combination with a BR-2A ring and maybe some step-up rings etc. are highly recommended to all sort of DIY lens set-ups.
(See difference between BR-2 and BR-2A http://support.nikonusa.com/app/answers ... sion-rings )
Greetings from Holland

ChrisR
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Post by ChrisR »

Sure, BR-3 is another to be aware of:
Female F mount one end, Female 52mm the other.
The front K ring is Female F mount to Male 52mm.

I just checked, that rearmost ring (K2) does not ram my AF contacts back into the body either.
There is variation between cameras on the position of the AI index tab. I can put some pre AI lenses on my D700, but not on earlier film bodies. It's all very close.
AF lenses go onthe K3(front) ring OK, but I'm not sure the electrical connection pins clear on the K1. They would/do spring in, but could jam under the bayonet locking flange - can't see in there.
This could be a serious case of YMMV!

Babylonia
Posts: 93
Joined: Tue Mar 20, 2012 10:56 am

Post by Babylonia »

ChrisR wrote:I'm not sure the electrical connection pins clear on the K1. They would/do spring in, but could jam under the bayonet locking flange - can't see in there.
This could be a serious case of YMMV!
Contacts of a lens just hit the K1 ring at the utmost edge of the black shaped inner part as I see that the black paint is planed off just like a blanc "hair line". So at least by accident and without my knowledge I used the K1 ring exclusively with a lens having contacts. But have no problems found yet with my lenses. For safety not damaging the contacts of a lens, you could grind off just the upper far out edge by a dremel for some tenth of a millimetre. Or just a hobby knife and deburring the outer edge to clear. That should be enough.
Greetings from Holland

Oskar O
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Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 10:59 am
Location: Finland

Post by Oskar O »

The K rings were manufactured during a long period and my understanding is that there were minor changes during the period, which might be why there are warnings not to use them.

Personally, I've had no problems. I have two sets, they are one handy tool at my disposal for unlikely lens combinations...

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