80-400 VR with a TC-14A

Hi all. I read recently of the possibility of using the TC-14A

with this lens, and, chasing after the local egrets in my area, I

decided to try it. When I attach the teleconverter, I get the F---

sign on my F80. What does this mean? Does this mean it's unusable?

Can I use it, but I have to manually meter with "sunny F16" rules?

What the hell? I tried to use it on my 105micro with the same

results. I have the aperture ring locked on the minimum setting, am

I doing something wrong or is this just doomed to failure. Thanks

guys for all your help. Ps...please, I know about loss of AF and VR

and image degradation and all of that, but I really wanted to try

that converter! Thanks again...MDB, Okayama, Japan.

Hi,

guess the problem is that the F80 doesn't support AIS lenses.

 

I'm not quite sure about the TC-14A teleconverter but your description caused me to the presumption this converter is AIS type.

Look for AIS support of your camera in the handbook.

As far as I know the last model from Nikon was the F4 with full support for the AIS lenses.

 

My 801, F90 and F100 work fine with my old AIS lenses after modification in A and M - mode.

(The modification of the lenses was a notch on the backside)

 

 

günter

The F(N)80 will not meter w/manual lenses, and I think that includes most, if not all, teleconverters. You don't have to use "Sunny 16" rules, you could get a handheld meter.

 

It does suck. Being an owner of an N80, that's my biggest gripe with the camera. I guess it's Nikon's way of pushing to the F100 if you want an autofocus camera that is fully compatible (metering wise) with older lenses.

I suppose I should clarify that the F/N80 will meter with manual lenses, the either have to be of the AI-P variety, or modified. (The only guy that I've heard of that does the modification is Roland Elliot, his web page is : http://home.carolina.rr.com/headshots/Nikonhome.htm)

Ah! I forgot that damned non-manual thing...didn't even bother to wonder whether it applied to teleconverters! Sigh...yet another stinking reason why I have to save up my pitiful paycheck to buy an F100. Well, thanks for your quick responses guys, even if they are not quite what I wanted to hear! Happy shooting, MDB

are you sure it won't meter??...when i used to own a F50 and a manual 300, i just had to remove a little spring on the body (that held a lever in place that was pushed only by AF lenses), and then i could meter without problem...i had to use the manual or aperture priority mode, and set the aperture in the lens...it worked perfect (no matrix metering)

 

cheers,

Luc