Exposure vs Shutter Speed

This is my First Digital Camera Nikon D70-DSLR

With Nikon SLR this was very easy

Not even a Light Meter Helps

Trying to get a correct Exposure at f=1:16 and can not find a shutter Speed the camera likes all Over Exposed. Manual Makinon 80mm-200mm f=1:4.5 Lens F-Mount

Camera is set for M for Manual Focus and in M Mode. I only received this Camera

Jan 13/18 yesterday spent all night with User Manual Downloaded from Web.

This is my First Digital Camera Nikon D70-DSLR

With Nikon SLR this was very easy

Not even a Light Meter Helps

Trying to get a correct Exposure at f=1:16 and can not find a shutter Speed the camera likes all Over Exposed. Manual Makinon 80mm-200mm f=1:4.5 Lens F-Mount

Camera is set for M for Manual Focus and in M Mode. I only received this Camera

Jan 13/18 yesterday spent all night with User Manual Downloaded from Web.

Have no Idea what ASA, ISO I am shooting at?

First of all I am sure that you camera doesn't meter with the lens so the light meter is out of the question. Set your ISO at 200 (that is the lowest possible on the D70). Don't use f=1:16 (or we would normally call it f/16). Use f/8 or f/5.6. In bright sun set the shutter speed at 1/500 or so. If the picture too bright or too dark adjust it accordingly.

Please post any further questions.

As said, the in-camera meter doesn't work with the lens you're using.

 

First of all, I'd suggest doing a "two button" reset on the camera. It is possible to change the way a variety of controls operate through something called custom functions. I always do this when I get a new camera before going in and setting my own custom functions according to my preference, but it's best to start with a "clean slate" so the things in the manual and other folks tell you are actually correct.

 

To do a two button reset, you look for the two buttons that have green dots next to them first. On a D70, one of these buttons is the exposure compensation button-the left button behind the shutter release-and the other is the "BKT" button at the top left on the back. Press and hold both of these buttons with the camera turned on, and wait for the top display to flash. When ti does this, release and press them again IMMEDIATELY and wait for the display to flash again.

 

Here are your basic operations from there:

 

1. ISO is set using one of the buttons to the left of the LCD screen. It's the second button down on the "raised" area. Press and hold this button and the set ISO should be displayed on the top LCD. Spin the rear command dial(should fall under your right thumb with your right hand on the grip) to change the ISO.

 

2. With a manual focus lens like you have, the camera MUST be in manual mode. Set the dial on the top left to the "M" position. The position of the autofocus selector doesn't matter, but if you want you can flip the small switch next to the lens mount to "M" also.

 

3. From there, set the aperture you prefer with the aperture ring. Set the shutter speed using the rear command dial again. Before you set the shutter speed, be sure the camera is in "shooting" mode and not "review" mode by tapping the shutter release.

 

On a sunny day, if you must use f/16, the correct shutter speed will be 1/200 or 1/250 at base ISO. The best thing you can do, though, is "chimp" by looking at the picture on the LCD. The camera can also show you a histogram-this is a useful exposure aide but it's beyond this post to explain this(I think the D70 also can only show a single-channel histogram, which is less useful than newer cameras).

 

One last thing-do NOT trust your eyes to focus an autofocus lens. Instead, I suggest first selecting the center autofocus point as active(this is the most sensitive point on the D70). The borders of the active point should light up when you tap the shutter release. Place this point over something you want to be in focus, and then turn the focusing ring until a light in the lower left of viewfinder lights up.

Can she not use A mode at the least. I think beginners do themselves no great service by deciding to go manual mode and pick everything like in the old days of match needling. I do not know Nikons but I take a reasonable guess. Try Aperture priority and see what the results are. Add or subtract from the f or shutter as needed. Good luck. Since your main concern is exposure control at this point. Also look at histograms and get a feel for what they do.

I think beginners do themselves no great service by deciding to go manual mode

I got my first dslr about 12 years ago and a photographer friend suggested I learn to set my exposures manually and then decide if I wanted to use a priority setting or an auto setting or stick with manual. Twelve years later, I still shoot manually and have rarely (though I've done it on occasion) had a desire to shoot in an auto or priority mode. I found it very helpful toward learning about different uses of exposure and different effects and looks I could get with various combinations of f-stop and shutter speed. I found experimenting challenging and adding to rather than subtracting from my creativity and ability to see stuff. More than anything, the mistakes I made at the beginning were the most valuable in teaching me various lessons. Sure, I missed a couple of what I'm sure would have been award winning shots (NOT!-lol), but the mistakes were more important as an investment in my handling of my camera and learning all the nuances of different exposure settings.

 

This will obviously not suit everyone. Just wanted to offer my experience.

Thanks for your help another Issue I have done every thing I can think of and Pop up flash is not working at all,

any Ideas I have been shooting Film since 1965 this is all new to me I only have 3 Lens from My Nikon F Manual Prism Camera

I have been shooting Film since 1965. And yes I have very bright Sun everyday here in Tucson, Arizona

This is all new to me. Film and Developing charges are eating me up!!.

Fred G.

When I learned 35mm and LF 4X5 we had no Auto Focus Cameras Digital had not been Born.

I have been using Manual Focus Lens for 53 years that is also the way I learned

Y

Can she not use A mode at the least. I think beginners do themselves no great service by deciding to go manual mode and pick everything like in the old days of match needling. I do not know Nikons but I take a reasonable guess. Try Aperture priority and see what the results are. Add or subtract from the f or shutter as needed. Good luck. Since your main concern is exposure control at this point. Also look at histograms and get a feel for what they do.

 

I think beginner should start with manual but in the case of the OP she has no choice, as the camera and lens combination would only work in manual and without meter and the OP isn't a beginner photographer only beginner in digital.

Fred G.

When I learned 35mm and LF 4X5 we had no Auto Focus Cameras Digital had not been Born.

I have been using Manual Focus Lens for 53 years that is also the way I learned

 

I feel a reading of the manual should be sufficient for you to use the camera. It should be very easy for you.

The built in flash is frequently broken on the D70/D70s

The shutter speed and ISO are indicated on the top LCD display of the camera. Exposure is no different in a digital camera than a mechanical one, and in M mode you can set whatever aperture and shutter combination you want.

 

However, that old Makinon lens won't "tell" the camera its aperture. You need to set the aperture on the lens ring. More modern AF and G type Nikon lenses will display the aperture and allow aperture setting from the camera body. They also allow exposure modes other than Manual.

I am curious as to why the camera always overexposes. One issue could be that the aperture is not set via the aperture ring of the lens but attempted to be set via the front command dial (which won't work); the lens might be set to wide open (but even then there should be a shutter speed fast enough to result in proper exposure). Same should be true if the aperture of the lens does not actually close during exposure (maybe the level that actuates it in the camera is misaligned or broken). Taken together with the flash not working, I am wondering if the camera shutter is working at all or if the camera is overall defective.

 

Does the camera behave the same was with the other two lenses? When attaching old manual focus lenses to the D70, I am afraid the manual won't be of much help as it only describes how the camera should interact with modern lenses that have a CPU; some things just don't work the same way with non-CPU lenses.

From the D80 PDF manual, with respect to use of non-CPU lenses:

"metering, electronic analog exposure display and TTL flash control can not be used."

That would imply that the popup flash won't fire if set to TTL exposure mode.

 

Basically, an AF lens with CPU contacts is needed to utilise all modes and facilities of the camera. It can't be tested fully without one.

From the questions the OP is asking, I'd suggest that she would benefit from spending ~$100 on an 18-55mm kit lens for this camera. There are a couple of versions of this lens-avoid the newest AF-P version as there's no way to focus it(automatically or manually) on a D70(s). Either the original 18-55 3.5-4.5 AF-S or the 18-55 3.5-4.5 AF-S VR will be fine. These lenses are fully functional on a D70 in any mode.

 

The D70 is still an okay camera(a D70s was my first Nikon DSLR, and it's more or less a D70 with a bigger screen and the improved EN-EL3e batteries) for basic digital use. With that said, it's a VERY poor choice IMO for use with MF lenses. I say that as I bought mine with that very intention. A D200, or even better a D300, will serve you SIGNIFICANTLY better in that respect as it allows metering and automatic exposure.

 

With respect to the OP's claimed experience, shooting digital is much more like shooting slide film than shooting print film. The D70 sensor has a bit more dynamic range than "normal" slide films like Kodak E100G/GX or Fuji Provia, but it's still cramped(especially compared to more modern cameras). ANY overexposure is virtually unrecoverable on the D70 sensor.

 

BTW, the flash on a D70 will work as a straight-forward manual flash when the camera is set to manual mode. The issue is that finding one that works is more unusual that finding one that doesn't.

I think Ben has it right, she really needs to spend a few dollars on an AF lens. It's not expensive and will likely solve the problem and make the camera features useable. I've always been one to use manual mode just because it's how I grew up. I found this past year that auto functions have improved and use them on occasion but I think everyone should at least be able to use manual mode properly. I have a D100 that, like the D70 will not meter with a manual lens, a major failing in my opinion on a good camera that I still use but that's why we have the rule of f/16.

 

Rick H.

Well thanks for resolving my Exposure Issue after I set ISO first to 200 ISO then to 400 ISO works great with both Lens on f/16 and other f-Stops.

They are not over Exposed now Ben how do I disable TTL Metering System for Flash I have a Vivitar 283 Flash works good on the D70 Digital camera.

I am from the old School I would not know how to act with AF and auto Exposures, now my Film cost just came to an end.

TTL Flash Metering off Flash works good

The 283 works on a D70 just like it works on any other camera.

 

Set the calculator dial on the side to the ISO you have set on the camera, then pick your aperture and set both the aperture ring and the color indicated for it on the calculator dial on the front of the flash.

 

Just make sure your 283 isn't one of the ones with a high enough trigger voltage to fry the D70.

 

I'm going to be a bit brutally honest and say that there's no reason to cling to a 30 year old off brand zoom for use on this camera. Most were at best passable on consumer print film, and started showing weaknesses on finer grained film. Even a 6mp crop-sensor digital can start start showing the weaknesses of these lenses, and at best they are clunky to use on a camera like the D70.

 

A pair of lenses like one of the 18-55 zooms I mentioned paired with a 55-200 VR will be in pretty much every conceivable way better. They are are optically miles ahead, plus are lighter and actually work completely with the D70.

 

If your'e stubborn about using older lenses-first of all I hate to be this brutally honest but get lenses worth bothering with. Then, get a body that's actually meant to use them. For AI lenses, this means the single digital D series, D200, D300, D500, D7000/7100/7200, D600 series, D700 series, D800 series, and Df. If you throw pre-AI into the mix, that narrows it down to the Df. Pre-AI lenses can only be safely mounted on the Df and some recent(D3000 and D5000 series) lower end bodies.

I bought a D70s about a year and a half ago for $30. I have since given it away to my brother. I used the 28mm f/2.8 AI lens on it. It's quite easy to use just set the aperture, shutter speed, focus then shoot.

I made the transition to digital with out any pain or relearning. But I add that I did not try to use the legacy batch of FD lenses from the 1980s. I started more recently to use a few of them with my mirrorless cameras, only a few though since I am a zoom lens fanboy and FD zooms were so so and big. FD EOM are optically good some great, but not all outstanding unless fluorite and special glass back then..still valued as used for courste . Modern optical design is pretty darn good for the money. Someone mentioned kit lens. Sure try one and be surprised... I have bought used lenses and cameras and, like used cars that is a way to save big time.

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I look back at film as I do on cars with carburetors especially those dual carb buggers. OK, hot stuff, but a pain in the ass if you worked on them. Technology has taken stuff off our back so we can concentrate on those aesthetics and leave the fiddling part.( So it said anyway) I learned exposure relations when my cameras ( Universal II/ Century Graphic. Stereo Realist) had no meters at all nor lens connectivity and I used a Weston Master III selenium meter. It showed the choices of f stop and aperture and the relationship as well as the ASA now ISO and did the job and fie on your sunny 16 I mean that took thinkin.' . My individual experience such as it was, being this: Nalmely If one's time has some value, ( whose does not?) and you have a few bucks, -not even a lot of money - it is well and prudent to get a camera from say 2006 onward, later better... I could be wrong on the timeline so..Handheld meters were mentioned. Underrated.Yes they are. Funny how much one can learn from a used Gossen Luna Pro meter. And, heck, it still is a great check on things even with in camera metering. Film costs were the least of the problem. It took time. Post processing, I do not diddle. Out of camera JPEG does the job for me. ( We are easy on that score.) Digital is so darn easy actually if you look at the result IMO. But hey. Big world no worries.)

( Not once have I seen a camera manual that anyone says is fair much less great. This is a boon to tech writers who moonlight and who do follow on books.)

PS to the lady: If the OP would like I can send her no charge a working Vivitar 285 HV, low trigger voltage. I have two of them.

Edited January 15, 2018 by GerrySiegel

I look back at film as I do on cars with carburetors especially those dual carb buggers. OK, hot stuff, but a pain in the ass if you worked on them.

 

I guess what does it say about me that I can balance and tune twin SUs in my sleep and then also shot and developed some FP4+ in my 500C(from 1960, and this time with the old fashioned "look through the window to start back).

 

Just a couple of days ago, I got a call from someone locally who had never owned a British car before and had just bought a '72 Midget. I went over and went through a full tune-up with him-setting the valve lash, changing and gapping the points, setting the timing, and then finally a full tune on his carbs. It took a bit longer than usual on the carbs since I also changed the needles valves, set the float height, clean out the dashpots and change the oil, and fully disconnected the linkages to set the idle and do the initial balance. It normally takes me ~10 minutes on my own car to set and balance the idle, set the mixture, then reset and rebalance the idle.

 

BTW, I usually only need a 1/2" wrench to remove the air cleaners and sometimes a small flathead or nut driver to turn the idle screws(although I often turn them by hand). I use a long rubber hose to balance them, do the "piston lift" using the conveniently provided pins for that purpose. On my preferred style of carb(the HS type) I can adjust the mixture by hand, although occasionally use the special little SU-branded wrench made just for that purpose.

Good on you Ben. I had one British sports touring car and that was quite enough. You are my kind of buddy if I owned an MG. Or Triumph. How about VW. We all go through the sports car phase. And then get mature. Married and wife has her hair mussed. Or have kids. Or dogs. Or the tonneau won't stay put. British and sheet metal. Sorry dear friiends over there. This car was designed by some engineer in Coventry who had one too many Guiness pints methinks.. But then I do not iknow how Rootes assebmly line worked either..a Monday car? :) I drove this gem up the Simplon Pass and on to Geneva. But back home here outside its native land, ho ho, it kept burning wheel bearings. Distressing thing that and can ruin a whole day and scare a date too. Now fast forward. My Toyota is so boringly reliable. Used to like excitement. Tech: Century Graphic, 120 roll film, Tri X souped in Dektol. And printed on...I forget. Edited January 15, 2018 by GerrySiegel

Nice looking car Gerry.

 

I'm happy to help any friends or strangers with an MG. I won't soil my tools by having them touch a Triumph :) . I'd be lost on Beetle.

 

I'm not quite 30, but I've been bitten by the British car "bug" and as long as life's circumstances allow I'd like to continue owning one. Trust me, it's nice to hop into my Lincoln-especially on a cold day, turn the key, and know that it's just going to start every time. Not only that, but it will be warm in the winter, cool in the summer, have lights that will let me see the road at night, and windshield wipers that reliably let me see :) .

 

A while back, I saw a comment on the internet that I thought had a lot of truth. It went along the lines of answering what it was like to own a British sports car to someone who hadn't ever. The advice was to go out on a dark, cold, and rainy night, roll down the windows, turn off the windshield wipers, turn off the headlights, and turn off the heater. Then, every time you come to an intersection, stop and throw a $20 bill out the window. It's not quite the same thing, but it's close enough :) .