Nikon D7000 Can't use aperture ring on lens.

<p>Just received the D7000. Right know just getting familiar with the camera and just experimenting with random useless shots. <br>

The lenses I am using are older AF lenses (circa late 80s early 90s). I tried using the camera with a 28-85 lens. When I select the aperture priority mode I get an Fee error message if I try to select an aperture on the lens. It seems I have to lock the aperture ring and use the dials on the camera instead So am I right to assume the lens aperture ring on the lenses (at least my generation of lenses) is useless with this camera. </p>

<p>When you shoot on A mode you have to use the dial in the camera to change the aperture.<br>

If you wanna use the Aperture ring on the lens you have to shoot on M mode.</p>

<p>Francis, you need to set Custom Setting f6 on the D7000. Choose to use the aperture ring instead of the sub-command dial to control the aperture. Once you select that option, you can use the aperture ring under the Aperture Priority (A) mode.

</P>

<P>

The controls on the higher-end Nikon DSLRs with the aperture follower tab since the D2H/D2X are kind of complex. If you have never used a D2, D200, D3, D300, and D700, I would spend some time reading the owner's manual. In particular, I would get familiar with all the Custom Settings. There are quite a few of them that provide a lot of flexability.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>If you wanna use the Aperture ring on the lens you have to shoot on M mode.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Don't think so. My D7000, that I just tried this on, throws an error and won't the shutter doesn't release in manual mode. The D200 can be configured to use the aperture ring.</p>

<p>Francis, as mentioned, you have two options:<br>

1. Every lens with an aperture ring needs to be set at the smallest aperture, and then you control the aperture with the appropriate dial, using your right hand. This is the default, and it is actually a very efficient way to do it. This is the way that I control my lenses, the way that it's been done for a long time. That is why, on your 28-85, you'll notice that f/32 on the ring is orange.<br>

2. As mentioned, you can adjust the custom setting to allow you to adjust aperture using the ring. While this is a completely valid way to shoot, I suggest you at least give the default mode a shot, to see how you like it.</p>

<blockquote>

<p> It seems I have to lock the aperture ring and use the dials on the camera instead</p>

</blockquote>

<p> Like Shun and Ariel explainned above , you have a choice wether you want to use the aperture ring or dial(s)</p>

<blockquote>

<p>So am I right to assume the lens aperture ring on the lenses (at least my generation of lenses) is useless with this camera.</p>

</blockquote>

<p> No, luckely not entirely, this way you can also still use older lenses (AI and AI-S) by setting the F6 function to enable the use of the aperture ring like Shun explained...<br>

On my Camera's ( D300(s) ) i have this setting always on, this way if i set minimum aperture through the aperture ring on "newer.. " lenses, i can use the dial , and for older lenses it instantly alows the use of the aperture ring ( i also dial in my older AI and AIai-s lensesin the lens spec. sub-menu, so the camera knows their specs for metering.....)l</p>

<p>You should really try to use the dials on the camera, though. You might find it way easier. I know I do.</p>

<p>I have been planning on upgrading from a D200 to a D7000. I use AI/AIS lenses quite a bit, and the D200 is set up so that I can go from AF lenses to the manual focus lenses without making any menu changes other than specifying which MF lens I am using, with aperture. Given this discussion, I would like to confirm that I will be able to use a mix of old MF and AF lenses on the D7000 without making any menu changes other than setting MF focal length and maximum aperture -- or will I have to go into the menus to choose either aperture ring controls, or command dial controls as well every time I switch lens types?</p>

<p>Gerry, both the D200 and the D7000 have the mechanical aperture follower tab to detect the aperture ring aperture selection. Therefore, they work the same way with older manual-focus AI/AI-S type lenses as well as AF/AF-D and AF-S/AF-I types of lense. So you have nothing to worry about. On the D200, Custom Setting f5 controls that same option as f6 on the D7000.<br>

As I pointed out earlier, the D200, D300/D300S, D7000, D700, D2H/D2X/D2HS/D2XS, and D3/D3X/D3S all work the same way in this context.</p><div></div>

<p>Francis -- even the film AF cameras from the N50-N90 series and onwards use electronic aperture control via a wheel or dial to adjust the aperture. The lens, no matter what AF version, is set at the minimum aperture (and there is a "lock" on the AF-D lenses) so that you control the aperture electronically. That's been Standard Operating Procedure on AF cameras since the 1990s.</p>

<p> I never knew my D200 had that function. However I am not going to change it. The aperture ring on my G lenses are recessed fairly far back and the command dial is easier to operate. Besides my F100 which is my main camera does not have that function and I would prefer they worked the same. My next camera will not have a command dial however. </p>

<p>Shun, thank you for the clarification on the D7000.</p>

<p>The G lenses don't have an aperture ring, Ross. They can only be adjusted electronically.</p>

<p>Unfortunately, there is some confusion in this discussion.</p>

<p>The idea to use a command dial to control the aperture started with the Nikon F5, which was introduced back in 1996. You need two separate command dials to control the aperture and shutter speed independenly, and the F5 was the first Nikon SLR that has two command dials, main and sub. Subsequently, the F100, F80 and all Nikon DSLRs have two (logical) command dials (see the next paragraph). Once you have that 2nd sub-command dial, you no longer need the aperture ring on the lens, as Nikon started introducing G lenses (no aperture ring) around the turn of the century.</p>

<p>However, starting from the D40, Nikon has introduced a series of a very small consumer DSLRs that have only one physical command dial, and they have another switch to toggle it between main and sub. Therefore, logically, there are still two command dials for controlling the aperture and shutter speed separately, but it is less convenient to use since there is only one physical dial. Besides the D40, the current D3100 and D5100 plus a few other discontinued models fall into this category.</p>

<p>Film SLRs prior to the 1996 F5, including the N8008/F801 and N90/F90 families have only one comamnd dial (physical and logical). Therefore, on those bodies, you still need to use the aperture ring to control the aperture directly. That is why the N8008 and N90 are not fully compatible with no-aperture-ring G lenses as the Aperture Priority (A) and Manual (M) modes are not available when you mount a G lens on those bodies. When you use such combos, you must use either the Program (P) or the Shutter Priority (S) mode; you control the shutter speed with the only command dial and use that to indirectly influence the aperture.</p>

<p>Thanks everyone so far for their responses. I should have pointed out that this is my first foray into digital previously using N8008 and F4s bodies. Thus using the aperture ring is just more intuitive for me so using the dials is just going to take some getting use to. </p>

<blockquote>

<p>The G lenses don't have an aperture ring, Ross. They can only be adjusted electronically.</p>

<p> </p>

</blockquote>

<p> Sorry, I meant to type D lens.</p>

<p>Me coming from my Olympus camera origins keep reaching for the aperture ring in front area of lens. Now using a D7000, I can see that Nikon places the aperture ring in the back of the lens close to the body....hard to manipulate on the 24-85, so the dial works better. But I do miss using the aperture ring, seems more natural shutter and aperture were both manipulated around the lens barrel area(your left hand did all the work and your right hand was just to fire the shutter) :)!!</p>

Francis and All, I am a late comer on this issue. I just purchased a Rokinon 16mm f.20, which is a manual lens, for capturing the Northern Lights this fall. I had the same Fee error problem. Setting f6 to aperture ring resolved the problem. The newer electronic lenses seem to work OK in the aperture ring setting as well. Thanks, all for your input. Larry

<p>Me coming from my Olympus camera origins keep reaching for the aperture ring in front area of lens. Now using a D7000, I can see that Nikon places the aperture ring in the back of the lens close to the body....hard to manipulate on the 24-85, so the dial works better. But I do miss using the aperture ring, seems more natural shutter and aperture were both manipulated around the lens barrel area(your left hand did all the work and your right hand was just to fire the shutter) :)!!</p>

Me coming from my Nikon camera origin when I tried to use the Olympus I can't grab the aperture ring when I need to. I kept holding the shutter speed ring.