How do you control aperture and metering when reversing a Nikon G lens?
Asked 2/18/2012
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I’m considering using a reversing ring for macro work with Nikon G lenses. Since G lenses do not have an aperture ring, can the aperture still be controlled once the lens is removed from the camera and mounted in reverse? Is it practical to set aperture before removing the lens, or does the lens stop down when reversed? Also, what happens to metering, and are there adapters or other workarounds that make reversed use of Nikon G lenses easier?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
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With some non-G lenses, there is a switch on the lens that will release the aperture ring so that you can manually control it, even off camera or reversed, to set the aperture to whatever value you want (but as you close down the aperture, the viewfinder will get dimmer).
With G lenses, there is no aperture ring. There is a mechanical lever though, which closes down the aperture. You can slide that lever and the aperture will close. As the blog points out, you can fix that lever in place with tape or poster tack.
When you reverse the lens, the aperture will close to its smallest opening (f/22 or whatever). Moving that lever can open it back up to the widest aperture, or somewhere inbetween (although very hard to control exactly)
The camera body will not know what aperture is set since it will not have any electrical contact (and will wonder where that lever went!). So best to set exposure to manual and set an appropriate shutter speed. You won't need to set an aperture since the camera can't control it anyway.
There isn't really any point in setting the metering before reversing for a number of reasons:
metering will assume an aperture, but once reversed you will be setting (potentially) a different aperture using that lever
you are unlikely to get the same amount of light through the lens when reversed, depending on the size of the two ends of the lens - most surely there will be less light transmitted when reversed.
Originally by user4191. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user4191
14y ago
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Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes, a reversed Nikon G lens can be used, but aperture control is the main issue. Because G lenses have no aperture ring or electronic connection when reversed, the camera cannot control or even know the aperture setting.
Nikon G lenses do have a mechanical aperture lever. When reversed, the lens typically goes to its minimum aperture unless that lever is moved. You can manually move the lever to open or partially close the diaphragm, but precise control is awkward; some people hold it in place with tape or similar material.
A better workaround is an adapter with aperture control made for Nikon G lenses, such as certain Nikon G extension tubes or reverse adapters that include a lever/ring to actuate the lens’s aperture mechanism. These don’t give exact marked f-stops unless you calibrate them yourself, but they make reversed use much more practical.
Autofocus is lost, and metering may be limited depending on the camera body. In practice, reversed-lens macro is usually done with manual focus and manual exposure, checking results and adjusting as needed.
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