Do all Nikon DSLR's use the same lenses?

I was hoping to surprise my other half with a Nikon d3000 DSLR camera this month, but I know that down the road she was hoping to buy extra lenses to enhance her camera. I've heard that Nikon Lenses are the best but do all their cameras accept all the different lenses they offer? Or do I need to buy a particular model to take advantage of the extra lenses?

Yes they do. The Nikon mount has had few changes over the past 50 years.

A brand new Nikon DSLR will mount about 99.99% of the some 70 million lenses Nikon has made since the 1950s.

While there are some compatibilities, all of these lenses will work in some fashion.

For the really old lenses, you will have to put the camera into manual exposure mode, and also manually focus the lenses.

For the first generation of autofocus lenses, "AF" Nikon entry level cameras (D3xxx, D5xxx, D40, D60) can use program/automatic exposure controls, but can't autofocus the lenses.

The latest generation AF-S lenses can be autofocused and auto-exposure will work on any current DSLR.

However, you may want to know that the advanced Nikons (D70 and above) has an extra feature - an in-camera focus motor that the entry level cameras lack - that allows them to autofocus the first generation AF lenses.

And some cameras, such as the D7000 can even expose/meter AI lenses properly as Nikon has started to put AI feeler mechanisms back into the advanced DSLRs.

So just don't discount buying a D7000 if it is in the budget, as it can use the older lenses more fully.

Again - the entry level DSLRs will work with the older lenses, but may require you to manually meter or manually focus them. The more advanced DSLRs can autofocus and auto-meter some of the old lenses - those that have the capability.

But some lenses are strictly manual - made before any of the auto focus and metering techniques were introduced - and those lenses have to be manually focused/exposed regardless of the DSLR.

So one reason you may want to consider a D7000 is that it can fully use the older design AF lenses, which there are plenty of. And some of those lenses are pro-caliber, and cost half of what the pro AF-S version is (which would be required for the entry level cameras). As soon as you buy one or two pro AF lenses, you will more than recoup the cost difference between the D7000 and an entry level Nikon.

Here is an example: If you buy an entry level D3200 and want a good pro sports lens, say the AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8, the lens itself is $2, 400. But if you buy the D7000, you can optionally buy a Nikon AF 80-200mm f/2.8, which is optically just as good, but lacks a focus motor and vibration reduction. But with the D7000's built-in autofocus motor, it will autofocus the AF 80-200mm.

And the AF 80-200mm f/2.8 is $1, 200, half the price of the AF-S 70-200 f/2.8. That $1, 200 savings more than makes up for buying the D7000 over the D3200.

But realize that the AF 80-200mm will focus a bit slower, and does not have VR. But for an amateur photographer, those slight limitations are OK since you are getting a great lens at a (relative) low price.

It just depends on what lenses you see buying.