The Nikon Lens Data Calculator is an Excel Workbook that works with Microsoft Excel version 97 and later. The Nikon Lens Data Calculator solves lens equations for all current Nikon Nikkor Lenses. It allows the user to input desired subject distance or magnification to produce information for all lenses, such as subject width and height, depth of field, hyperfocal distance, required additional lens extension, effective aperature, effective focal length, and much other valuable information. It also provides flash and exposure computations to simplify flash and camera placement. A graph is also produced that shows lens coverage for all lenses at any subject distance you choose. The Nikon Lens Data Calculator includes data for all AF and Manual Focus Nikkor Lenses currently being produced. A nifty feature is the indication of equivalent 35 mm focal length for each lens when used with APS (all three formats) or D1 cameras. Data can be displayed in any one of several units of measure.
First of all download the Nikon Lens Data Calculator Excel Workbook file (see the link below). The Nikon Lens Data Calculator is free, and may be freely distributed, but not sold or altered in any manner. Open the file in Excel. The Workbook contains four sheets. The first sheet calculates data for AF Nikkor lenses. The second sheet displays some of this data. The third sheet calculates data for Manual Focus Nikkor lenses. The fourth sheet displays some of this data.
You can enter data only in the cells highlighted in a light blue. Choose the units of measure that you want to use. The defaults are feet, ounces, and degrees. Length inputs and computations can be made in mm, meters, inches, or feet. Weight computations can be made in grams, kg, ounces, or pounds. Angular computtions can be made in degrees or radians. Enter the units exactly as indicated on the spreadsheet. An incorrect spelling of a unit will result in erroneous calculations. Remember that all data that you enter and all results that are produced (except for lens focal length and extension data, which is always expressed in millimeters) will be assumed to be expressed in the units of measure you specify. For instance, if you enter a subject distance of 20 feet and later change the units to mm, the 20 will then be interpreted as 20 mm.
You will also need to enter the format you want to use to enable accurate lens coverage calculations. The default is slide (standard 24mmx36mm frames). Other possible 35mm settings are 5x7, 8x10, and 11x14. Each of these latter settings compute maximum lens coverage for 35mm frames that will be printed in one of these print sizes. Be sure to enter the format exactly as shown on the spreadsheet. If you are using the Nikkor lenses with an APS camera, the choice of formats is H, C, or P, which corresponds to the three APS formats with the same designators. Finally if you are using the Nikkor lenses with a D1 camera, enter D as the format. Entering the format correctly will ensure that the lens angle of coverage and equivalent 35mm focal length calculations are correctly performed.
For all Zoom lenses, you can enter the focal length for which you want the lens computations to be performed. The default value is the minimum focal length of the Zoom lens. The entered values will be limited to the minimum and maximum focal length of the Zoom lens.
After this initial setup, you need to enter the subject to camera distance desired (using the units of measure you specified). You can also choose to enter a desired magnification, which performs an alternate set of calculations. If you are using a close-up lens you need to enter the diopter rating of the close-up lens.
To perform flash and exposure computations enter the desired f-stop and speed setting that you want to use, the main flash Guide Number (expressed in feet at ISO=100), the main flash distance if you are using off camera flash (the main flash distance is assumed to be the camera to subject distance if this entry is left blank), and the desired film ISO. If you are using fill flash you also need to enter the fill flash Guide Number (expressed in feet at ISO=100) and the desired lighting ratio. The spreadsheet will then calculate the recommended fill flash distance from the subject.
The Nikon lens data contained in this Workbook is based upon information obtained from Nikon publications. This data is sometimes inconsistent, especially for newer Nikon lenses. Please let me know of potential errors or inaccuracies in either the data or computations. I hope you find this Nikon Lens Data Calculator useful.
George Wilde