D300 Lens Mount Question

[charles_watson]

First time using a non-AF lens before. I ordered it from Adorama and it shipped

internationally in *TWO* DAYS! Just sayin'

 

It's an 35mm f/3.5 PC-Nikkor. I set up the non-CPU information with three common

aperture levels; wide-open, f/8 and f/16. However, I noticed that the camera was

SIGNIFICANTLY over-exposing each shot.

 

When I looked at the Aperture indicator, I noticed that instead of saying

"f/3.5", it said f/32. Instead of f/11, it says f/90. f/16 is listed as f/95.

 

I then took the camera off the mount to see if there was some prong sticking

out, and looking at the aperture readout it went from f/32 to f/22 to to f/16 to

f/11 to f/8 to f/5.6 to f/4 to f/3.5, as I was taking the lens off the mount.

 

I then noticed the little prong [pictured], which was messing with the aperture

value. Whenever this prong moves, the camera thinks the aperture is getting

smaller, I think it's probably for AI-s lenses or something.

 

How can I mount my lens without hitting this prong? Is it because it's a

specialty PC-Nikkor?

 

If I hold the lens to the camera without mounting it, or mount it just until it

touches the prong, the readouts are fine.

 

Any help?

 

Thanks,

Charles

[charles_watson]

Here's a photo of the mount / prong in question.

[lex_jenkins]

That doodad on the lens mount is the aperture indexing tab. It's designed to mate with a notch on the lens to automagically tell the camera which aperture the lens is set to on non-CPU lenses.

 

It's been a long time since I handled a 35mm PC-Nikkor. Mine is the 28/3.5 PC-Nikkor and has enough clearance that it doesn't even touch the aperture indexing tab. It could be called a non-AI lens, but being a preset it's moot. It simply clears the AI tab. If I'm recalling correctly, at least the earlier versions of the 35mm PC-Nikkor did not clear this tab and may damage the AI tab.

 

I'm not sure how the D300 operates but when I mount the 28/3.5 PC-Nikkor on my D2H I set the menu (actually, I use a shortcut button method ... same effect) to tell the camera the lens is a 28mm f/3.5. That's all. I use stop-down metering from there, because that's how these lenses are designed to be used.

 

Don't know whether this applies to your camera but some Nikons cannot meter accurately with the PC-Nikkors shifted. The F3 will. The D2H seems to. With those cameras I can shift, then stop down, meter and expose. With most Nikons, including my FM2N, it's necessary to meter first, stopping down, with the lens unshifted. Dial in that exposure manually. Then shift to correct perspective, check composition, stop down and expose.

[joe_a2]

Charles....The f/3.5 PC-Nikkor is a "pre-AI" or "non-AI" lens, and like all pre-AI lenses it cannot be mounted to a D300 without interfering with the AI tab (that's the mount/prong in your photo). You got lucky; you could have easily snapped the AI tab off the D300.

 

The only 35mm PC-Nikkor that will mount to your D300 is the 35mm f/2.8 AIS version. The only dSLRs that will mount pre-AI lenses is the D40/D40x/D60 series.

 

Hope That Helps...

[michael_darnton1]

Without going to check, I think that one's on the list of forbidden lenses in the manual, right? Go check that page, and then remember it's there for the next time you want to try an old lens. I buzzed right by that page when I read the manual, but a couple of reminders like this thread have the idea that I need to check the list(the idea, only, at least; I certainly don't remember the lenses on the list) firmly engraved in my mind now.

[ShunCheung]

According to the D300 manual, this lens is indeed not compatible.

See attached, copyright Nikon.<div></div>

[charles_watson]

Well here's a question for you

 

I have two lenses on that list [the 200-600 and the 35mm f/3.5], and NO AI lenses that would use this tab. Is there a way to convert the old lenses or just like, shave the AI tab off? Considering both lenses work fine as long as they aren't touching this little prong, it seems a bit odd that I'd have to be restricted.

 

I can just not fully mount the lenses, and it will work fine. The only problem is that, with a 35mm f/3.5 you need to manipulate the lens and you don't want it falling off, and the 200-600mm f/9.5 is heavy and not good keep teetering in the bayonet mount.

[tri-x1]

Here the guy you want to contact:

 

http://www.aiconversions.com/

[alan_olander1664878205]

You don't want to shave off the AI tab on the camera. You'd lose the ability to meter with AI and AIS lenses, and it wouldn't do much for the resale value. Don't mess too much, or you will break the AI tab. Get the lenses AI'd if they mean that much to you.

[jason_furda]

<p>I have a d300 and a Nikkor 18-55 1:3.5-5.6G DX VR lens and no matter what f stop I shoot at it reports f/95 in Lightroom.. The iso/shutter speed is correct, but that f stop never changes. Any relation to this issue?</p>