Why does my Nikon Series E 100mm f/2.8 show the wrong aperture on a D300?
Asked 6/10/2013
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I’m using a Nikon Series E 100mm f/2.8 on a Nikon D300. The camera reports every aperture about one stop off: for example, f/2.8 on the lens appears as f/1.8 on the camera, and f/22 appears as f/16. There is no exposure compensation set.
What usually causes this with a non-CPU/manual-focus Nikon lens, and how can I get the D300 to display and meter the aperture correctly?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
4
For that kind of lenses (all without CPU, mainly all manual focus, except the AI-P ones) you have to "declare" them in the SETUP MENU and then Non-CPU lens data if you intend to use the body's metering and selection of aperture.
- Choose a free lens number (1 to 9)
- Give the focal length (mm) (100mm in your case)
- Set the Maximum aperture (F/2.8 in your case)
That way your D300 will know you are at the right aperture.
Do not forget to set the seeting f7 - Aperture setting to Aperture ring as well if you want to use the original aperture ring from the lens.
By doing this you also benefit of the Matrix metering (Color but not 3D) for this old lens.
Originally by user4056. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user4056
13y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
On a D300, a Series E lens is a non-CPU lens, so the body won’t identify it automatically. First, enter the lens in Setup Menu > Non-CPU lens data: choose a lens number, set focal length to 100mm, and maximum aperture to f/2.8. Also set custom setting f7 to use the aperture ring if you want to control aperture on the lens.
If that is already set and the displayed aperture is still consistently wrong, the likely issue is mechanical coupling: the lens’s aperture indexing tab/ridge may not be properly engaging the camera’s tab, or it may be out of calibration. Since these lenses communicate aperture mechanically rather than electronically, a misaligned or worn tab can make the camera read every setting incorrectly.
So the fix is:
- Configure Non-CPU lens data correctly.
- Make sure the camera is set for aperture-ring control.
- Inspect the aperture indexing tab/coupling on the lens mount and body; if it’s not engaging correctly, the lens may need mechanical adjustment/repair.
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