I must be old -- I vividly remember the Nikon crowd crowing loudly online forums (fredmiranda.com I'm looking at you) about how Canon broke backwards compatibility when they moved from FD to EF. Whereas you could slap an F-mount lens from the 1950s on any Nikon DSLR ever made, no problemo. (Remarkably, this continues to be true!)
Except if you mount an old, so called pre AI lens, on certain Nikons, you will have to disassemble the camera to get it off. Many modern Nikons can't autofocus older AF lenses due to not having a motor. And many AF film SLRs couldnt meter with manual lenses. So far from perfect compatibility.
Nikon F mount was introduced in 1959. The oldest mount used today is probably Leica M from 1954
Oh yeah, that’s even better, totally agree, but it doesn’t negate my point. I don’t think Canon’s 30 or 40 years would be matched by a hypothetical present-day camera upstart, let alone Nikon’s 70 years.
