FTZ II Vs FTZ Adapter- Which One to BUY?

If you are switching from Nikon DLSR to Nikon mirrorless cameras, and you want to continue using your existing lenses, you need to invest in lens adapters. Currently, Nikon has two types of lens adapters for their mirrorless camera bodies. They are the FTZ II series adapter and the FTZ adapter. 

The second generation of Nikon adapter, FTZ II has some improvements over the previous generation. Now, the question is, do you really go for the FTZ II lens adapter or the FTZ adapter? To make this decision, you need to know the differences between the two adapters. I will do an in-depth comparison of FTZ II vs FTZ adapters through this guide.

1. Cost Factor

Cost can be a deciding factor, especially if you are on a tight budget. 

Both FTZ II and FTZ lens adapters comes for $249. Thus, cost-wise, there is no difference between the two.

The introduction of FTZ II lens adapters made it possible to get the used FTZ adapter at a cheap price. You can even consider this option too if you are not ready to spend on a new one.

2. Size

If you see the above image, there is a small extension on the bottom side of the FTZ adapter, which is the tripod hump. This extension is missing in the FTZ II adapter. The height of the FTZ II adapter is 70mm. However, the height of the FTZ adapter is 10mm more than the FTZ II adapter due to the tripod hump. 

Both adapters have the same width of 70mm. So, the first version adapter will look slightly bulkier than the second version.

3. Image Quality

There is no difference in image quality when you use any of these NIKKOR lens adapters. It is because of the reason that there are no glass elements in the adapter. 

Only electrical gold-plated contacts are present in the adapters. These contact points help to pass the necessary information between the  camera body and the lens.

4. Weight

Sl NoPARAMETERSFTZ ADAPTERFTZ II ADAPTERWINNER

1SIZEH = 80mm, W= 70mmH = 70mm, W= 70mmFTZ II

2WEIGHT140g125gFTZ II

3COST$249$249DRAW

4IMAGE QUALITYNO CHANGENO CHANGEDRAW

5COMPATIBILITYF-MOUNT LENSESF-MOUNT LENSESDRAW

6AUTOFOCUS SPEEDNOT MUCH REDUCTIONNOT MUCH REDUCTIONDRAW

The FTZ adapter weighs around 140 g. The weight of the FTZ II adapter is around 125 g.

Thus, the second-generation adapter is 15 g lighter than the previous version. The FTZ II adapter have a slight upper hand when it comes to the weight factor.

5. Lens Compatibility

When Nikon announced these adapters, they said that the adapters were compatible with 90 Nikon F mount lenses. But Nikon has got around 350 plus F-mount lenses. You can refer to this pdf to know the different lenses supported by these adapters.

If you have old NIKKOR lenses, like the AF and AF-D versions, autofocus will not work when you use any of these adapters. 

Sadly, only manual focus works for these old classic lenses. If you plan to purchase an adapter for such lenses, it is better to go for a third-party adapter, which you can easily get for around $50.

6. Autofocus Speed

There is no noticeable time lag for autofocusing when you use any of these adapters. Both adapters provide the same autofocus experience for the user.

FTZ II Vs FTZ Lens Adapter – Which One to Buy?

Now, you know all the differences between the two. You can make your lens and camera combo lighter and less bulky if you buy the FTZ II NIKKOR lens adapter instead of the first generation one.

If you already own an FTZ adapter, I don’t think you need to upgrade it to the second version.