How can I control the aperture on a Nikon G lens when the camera mount has no electronic contacts?
Asked 5/2/2014
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I’m using a scientific camera with a Nikon F mount but no electronic lens contacts. Manual focus is fine, but I need to control aperture on a Nikon lens that has no physical aperture ring, such as the AF-S NIKKOR 200mm f/2G ED VR II. Is there any practical way to adjust aperture without a compatible Nikon camera body? Extension-tube-like solutions are acceptable if needed.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
12y ago
2 Answers
5
Ultimately, we decided to use a Nikon BR-6 Auto Diaphragm Ring combined with a BR-2A Lens Reversing Ring, plus a Nikon AR-10 cable release for setting the aperture.
This was the setup: A Nikon lens (lacking an aperture ring) connected directly to the BR-6 F-mount socket. The 52mm threaded rear of the BR-6 connected to the BR-2A 52mm threads. The other side of the BR-2A attached to the F-mount of the camera body. The Nikon AR-10 cable release connected to the BR-6 for manually setting the aperture.
This was admittedly an ugly solution. The BR-6 and BR-2A act like extension tubes (hurting far focus), and you cannot readily set the aperture accurately to a known value (other than wide open or closed). However, for our specific application, these tradeoffs were acceptable. Be advised that in a more conventional photographic setting, these compromises may be far more unpalatable / problematic.
Originally by user27785. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user27785
8y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes. Nikon G lenses like the 200mm f/2G still use a mechanical aperture lever on the rear of the lens, so the aperture can be controlled mechanically even without electronic contacts.
Practical options mentioned were:
- Use a mechanical adapter or extension setup that includes a Nikon G aperture-control lever.
- Manually hold or position the lens’s aperture lever, though this is crude and you’d need to calibrate the resulting f-stop yourself.
- A proven workaround is a Nikon BR-6 Auto Diaphragm Ring with a BR-2A reversing ring, plus an AR-10 cable release. This lets you actuate the aperture manually.
Caveats:
- These add extension, which reduces or eliminates far-focus capability.
- Precise, repeatable f-stop settings may be difficult; wide open vs. stopped down is easier than exact values.
- The setup can be awkward, but it can work for lab or fixed-distance applications.
So, while there’s no simple electronic solution without a compatible body, there are mechanical ways to control the aperture on a Nikon G lens.
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