Nikkor 500mm F8 mirror compatibility with Nikon D80 digital SLR?

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Malcolm H - 30 Jan 2007 07:56 GMT

I borrowed a Nikkor 500mm mirror from a dealer to try with my Nikon D80 -
and was hopeful that I could use aperture priority automatic metering so
that *only* the focus needed to be adjusted manually.

I discovered that the camera mode switch had to be set to 'M' (Manual)
otherwise the shutter will not function. With this setting I could not see
how to make the metering work.

Am I missing something? Is it possible to use this lens with a D80 and
automatic metering?

Comments and observations requested please.

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Ed Ruf (REPLY to E-MAIL IN SIG!) - 30 Jan 2007 11:24 GMT

>I borrowed a Nikkor 500mm mirror from a dealer to try with my Nikon D80 -
>and was hopeful that I could use aperture priority automatic metering so
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>
>Comments and observations requested please.

RTFM, p. 117, second item from the bottom left.

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Ed Ruf (Usenet2@EdwardGRuf.com)
http://edwardgruf.com/Digital_Photography/General/index.html

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Malcolm H - 30 Jan 2007 16:17 GMT

>>I borrowed a Nikkor 500mm mirror from a dealer to try with my Nikon D80 -
>>and was hopeful that I could use aperture priority automatic metering so
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> RTFM, p. 117, second item from the bottom left.

Thank you Ed, yes I had read that in the manual but was looking for
confirmation because the guy who lent it to me said that metering was
definitely possible!

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Ed Ruf <"Ed Ruf (REPLY to E-MAIL IN SIG!) - 30 Jan 2007 17:14 GMT

>>>I borrowed a Nikkor 500mm mirror from a dealer to try with my Nikon D80 -
>>>and was hopeful that I could use aperture priority automatic metering so
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
>confirmation because the guy who lent it to me said that metering was
>definitely possible!

Not with a D80. It is possible with a D200 or higher level body which
allows you to manually input the max lens aperture into a custom
setting, as Tom pointed out.
-
Ed Ruf (Usenet2@EdwardG.Ruf.com)
http://edwardgruf.com/Digital_Photography/General/index.html

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Toni Nikkanen - 30 Jan 2007 20:59 GMT

> Not with a D80. It is possible with a D200 or higher level body which
> allows you to manually input the max lens aperture into a custom
> setting, as Tom pointed out.

And I've been told by someone who tried it on a D200 that you don't
even have to input the lens max aperture or other data into the camera
if you don't want to; as long as you can accept that then the
automatic flash functionality etc. aren't going to be the best
possible.

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tomm42 - 30 Jan 2007 21:44 GMT

> > Not with a D80. It is possible with a D200 or higher level body which
> > allows you to manually input the max lens aperture into a custom
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> automatic flash functionality etc. aren't going to be the best
> possible.

You can, the lens will wi=ork without inputing data, but I have 2 AIS
lenses a 24 f2 and a 100 f2.8 series E. If the wrong one is listed on
the manual lens list the fstops don't read right in the camera
viewfinder. But the meter nulls on the correct fstop. So you have the
24 f2 on and the meter reads 1/250 @ f5.6 stick on the 100 and the
reading will be 1/250 @ f8, but the meter will still be in the center.

Tom

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David Dyer-Bennet - 30 Jan 2007 17:52 GMT

>>> I borrowed a Nikkor 500mm mirror from a dealer to try with my Nikon D80 -
>>> and was hopeful that I could use aperture priority automatic metering so
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
> confirmation because the guy who lent it to me said that metering was
> definitely possible!

With a D200, a D2x, etc. Not with the consumer cameras, they've left
out the mechanical interface to the aperture.

Lack of metering isn't a big problem in an amazing number of situations;
I used AI lenses on my Fuji S2 a lot without metering. Other times,
it's critical, though.

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tomm42 - 30 Jan 2007 14:33 GMT

> I borrowed a Nikkor 500mm mirror from a dealer to try with my Nikon D80 -
> and was hopeful that I could use aperture priority automatic metering so
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>
> Comments and observations requested please.

Same as your earlier post, an older manual lens. So with the D80, no
metering, manual only. You need an autofocus lens with this camera to
meter. The lack of metering with non autofocus (unchipped) lenses is
how Nikon differentiates amateur and pro targeted cameras. This should
have been explained to you when you bought the camera. With a D200 you
could get aperture priority metering.
BTW, the lens has to be an AI or AIS lens or the mount may damage the
camera.

Tom

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Malcolm H - 31 Jan 2007 19:03 GMT

>> I borrowed a Nikkor 500mm mirror from a dealer to try with my Nikon D80 -
>> and was hopeful that I could use aperture priority automatic metering so
[quoted text clipped - 20 lines]
>
> Tom

Thank you for the info Tom - very useful indeed!

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