Nikon D300 User Manual page 507

Non-CPU Lens Data
(User's Manual – D300S page 196; D300 page 199)
Non-CPU lens data helps you use older non-CPU Nikkor
lenses with your camera. Do you still have several older AI or
AI-S Nikkor lenses? I do! The image quality from the older
lenses is simply outstanding with the D300(S), especially
since the smaller DX-sized sensor uses only the sweet-spot
center of the older lenses.
Since the D300(S) is positioned as a professional camera, it
must have the necessary controls to use both Auto focus (AF)
and Manual focus (MF) lenses. Many photographers on a
budget use the older MF lenses to obtain professional-level
image quality without having to break the bank on expensive
lens purchases. One can acquire excellent AI/AI-S Nikkor
lenses on eBay for $100–$300 USD and have image quality
that only the most expensive zoom lenses can produce.
Lens manufacturers like Zeiss and Nikkor are still making
MF lenses, and because some of them do not have a CPU
(electronic chip) that communicates with the camera, it's
important to have a way to let the D300(S) know something
about the lens in use.
This Non-CPU lens data function allows you to do exactly
that. You can store information for up to nine separate
non-CPU lenses within this section of the D300(S).
Here are the screens and steps to configure each of your
non-CPU lenses for usage within Non-CPU lens data
(Figure 5-38):
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