D50, Sigma used in MACRO, f stop query

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nuala m - 06 Feb 2006 13:50 GMT

Further to my new Nikon D50 and Sigma 28-300mm F3.5-6.3 DG MACRO lens.

When I use the lens in "A" mode I do not seem to be able to get the f
stop lower than f6.5 at 0.5m and 300mm i.e. in the Macro region.
I have tried changing the ISO from 200 up to 1600 but it does not alter
the f stop lower than f6.5.
I like photos with only a small area in focus and the rest blurred but
with this f stop and that distance a fairly large area of the picture
is in focus.
Can anyone offer a suggestion??
Thanks
Nuala

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Ronnie Sellar - 06 Feb 2006 14:30 GMT

> Further to my new Nikon D50 and Sigma 28-300mm F3.5-6.3 DG MACRO lens.
>
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> Thanks
> Nuala

If you are in "A" mode the aperture (f/6.5) is fixed by the user. You will
be able to change the aperture using the command dial. You may have to
push a button first. If you want the aperture to change automatically use
"P" or "S" mode.

Ronnie

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babalooixnay@hotmail.com - 06 Feb 2006 15:07 GMT

I think the D-50 will recognize a "practical" lower limit for aperture.
My Nikon 105mm f2.8 will only drop to f5 with the lens fully extended
in Micro (Macro) mode no matter in Auto or manual although it will
quickly drop to F3 by pulling back a few inches from the subject.
Compensating for the extended length of the lens it seems.

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Ben Brugman - 06 Feb 2006 20:48 GMT

At 300 mm the maximum opening voor the lens is given as 6.3
(as in F3.5-6.3)
6.5 is almost 6.3, there can be several reasons for this.
It could be that the D50 is not displaying al the numbers exactly and
therefore the 6.3 is rounded to 6.5.
Or it can be that in the circumstances the aperature is 6.5 and 6.3
can only be reached at infinity of the lens.

But anyway the difference betwee 6.5 and 6.3 is fairly minimal.

ben brugman

> Further to my new Nikon D50 and Sigma 28-300mm F3.5-6.3 DG MACRO lens.
>
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> Thanks
> Nuala

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nuala m - 07 Feb 2006 11:32 GMT

I was wanting to lower the f stop, to widen the aperature. I see from
the manual that the Nikon D50 camera has a metering possibility under
Custom settings. It says "To display the following options select
DETAILED for the CSM/Setup Menu and you dshould get 13 different
options of which number 13 is Metering. It says for P, S, A, and M
modes I should be able to change the metering from Matrix (the default)
to Center-weighted or Spot. I think this would solve my problem.
However I do not seem to be able to get this Metering option under CSM
menu . It also says the lens must be CSU type. So when I checked it has
four contacts plus one separate!! So I seem to havea CSU plus 1. HELP
Nuala

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Ronnie Sellar - 07 Feb 2006 15:45 GMT

> I was wanting to lower the f stop, to widen the aperature. I see from
> the manual that the Nikon D50 camera has a metering possibility under
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> four contacts plus one separate!! So I seem to havea CSU plus 1. HELP
> Nuala

You can't. You are already at the largest aperture possible with that lens
at that focal length. Changing the metering mode will not help.

Ronnie

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Steve - 07 Feb 2006 18:20 GMT

> Further to my new Nikon D50 and Sigma 28-300mm F3.5-6.3 DG MACRO lens.
>
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> Thanks
> Nuala

Sigma 28-300mm F3.5-6.3 This notation says it all. When the lens is set to
around 28 mm and possibly a bit longer you will get the 3.5 aperture. If
you zoom to the 300 max you will get 6.3 because that is all the lens will
allow. The F3.5-6.3 is the aperture range for that lens. If you want F3.5
at 300 mm you will have to buy a constant aperture lens. (read big bucks)

A good experiment is to set you camera to aperture priority, the lens to
minimum (28mm) zoom and then dial up the 3.5 aperture. Then without
changing anything else, just zoom the lens out slowly and you'll see the
aperture increase as the zoom increases.

Steve

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nuala m - 08 Feb 2006 10:09 GMT

Thank you very much - big bucks are out of the question for the moment
so I will have to content myself with what I have.
Nuala

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