bjørn rørslett

<p>Only using the D600 with manual AIS-P or AI-G lenses (mainly the UV-Nikkor 105 mm f/4.5) so for me the point is moot. However, I could swear I tried the G combination on the D600 as well as with the Df to give the results I described. Maybe I mixed it up with the D800 as all cameras were floating around at that time.</p>

<p>At this point in time I feel my Df efforts should better be spent elsewhere. This nitpicking is leading nowhere and I see another repeition of endless threads of low information content.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Joe: try the following setup for AutoIso. For example set ISO to 200 using the ISO wheel. Then enter the menu and set max. ISO to 6400. You can also set the Auto speed preference to slow. Now, the camera will start on ISO 200 and only go upwards on the ISO scale if light is insufficient for the exposure you have set. You can at all times rearrange the *minimum* or *maximum* ISO by rotating the ISO dial. If your old minimum was say 200 ISO and you set the new value to ISO 100, that's the new low baseline. AutoISO now works from ISO 200 upwards to ISO 6400. If you set an ISO above the old maximum, say ISO 12.800, that is the new starting point and the camera now tries to hold this value until the shutter scale is exhausted before dropping down on the ISO. However, a new minimum, or maximum, will not be assigned as long as you are within the ISO range you specified in the first place.</p>

<p>Look carefully at all your settings. AutoISO has a lot of variations you can explore. I've just tried AutoISO on a few occasions so in no way claim to be an expert. However, my Df behaved as you intended but couldn't make it do. Thus once again check all your settings.</p>

<p>When you reach the shortest shutter speed, you would want the camera to commence lowering the ISO wouldn't you? The alternative is stopping the aperture further down which is not what you would wish to happen.</p>

<p>In fact, according to your description, the camera has done exactly what you instructed it to do. </p>

<p>Have to use the Df as illustration as batteries for the 600 are charging. But these two basically show the same behaviour.</p>

<p>Put on say the kit lens which is an AFS-G type and engage liveview. The camera uses 'G' lens default which is control aperture with front thumbwheel. You can now rotate the thumbwheel to change aperture on the lens, confirmed by the read-out figures change, but as I stated earlier a G lens won't show the current aperture *opening* unless you snap a picture in LV mode. Push in the Preview button and you see the LV changes to reflect the <em>last</em> used aperture. Release the preview button and the LV panel returns to the normal brightness.</p>

<p>With an AIS-P lens, aperture set to ring on lens, in LiveView: you can rotate the aperture ring in LV mode and the preview mode is on by default. The current aperture is indicated on the display. If you instead change exposure by rotating the shutter speed the LV brightness is unaffected and you have to engage the Preview button.</p>

<p>The basic difference is that the AF/AFS "G" lenses 'cheat' by not showing the preview corresponding to the actual aperture but instead the last one used. These values clearly can differ. In a sequence in which the aperture setting remains fixed this is only a mild annoyance at most as after the first picture has been taken in LV mode, old and new aperture values are identical. The easiest approach, and the only guaranteeing you see the exact depth of field, is using the aperture ring on the lens or course so that is how my Df is set up.</p>

<p>Most of my Nikkors are AIS-P as this setup is the most versatile for my shooting needs. A few, such as the AIS 50 mm f/1.2, by necessity is AIS-G. Older Nikkors are set up as AI-P, AI-G, or G depending on the aperture linkage and the chipping options available. Preset lenses are always 'G'. The manner in which Nikon supports metering on non-AI lenses (where you flip up the aperture coupler) is a hybrid type with most similarity to AI-G but with manual intervention.</p>

<p><em>"the retro chic of the Df seems to mask a somewhat mediocre and confused UI which is at cross-purposes with itself"</em></p>

<p>You haven't used the Df have you? There is nothing "mediocre" about the UI, on the contrary. I rank it the best of any current Nikons. Extremely simple and logical. The absence of video further underlines this point.</p>

<p>Video violates the design philosophy of the Df . The engineering team has been clear on that issue.</p>

<p><em>"On the D600 I have in front of me (firmware 1.01):</em><br /><em> * Pressing the Preview button does nothing in liveview mode (stopping down as usual in "regular" mode)</em><br /><em> * AF & AF-D lenses behave like AF-G (last aperture used)</em><br /><em> Obviously when moving the aperture ring on manual lenses the aperture changes."</em></p>

<p>The response will depend on how the camera is set up. You describe a default response but there are other ways. Set aperture to be controlled by the aperture ring, for example. Shoot in 'M' instead of 'A' mode. and so on. Plus there are many more Nikkor kinds than just AF/AF-G. Until you have explored all combinations it's easy to arrive at a false conclusion.</p>

<p>I have tried and tested thoroughly the D600 and Df and they behave like I described. The behaviour is replicable. That's all I need to know.</p>

<p>double post. delete</p>

<p>I see just another derailing in yet another thread. Photo.net in a nutshell.</p>

<p><em>Ha Ha! No <strong>PREVIEW</strong> button on the D5100... That explains a-lot</em></p>

<p>Let me remind you the discussion was on behaviour of DF (and D600).</p>

<p>No wonder these threads blow up so easily.</p>

<p>Preview ==> Preview Button. The one you press to close down the lens. Has been with us at least for the last 5 decades. You need to push the preview to see the actual aperture at work.</p>

<p>Reread my post. The facts are all there as to whether or not aperture blades move. Tested with absolutely all kind of Nikkors and other lenses I could muster: non-AI, AI'd, AI, AI-P, AI-G, AIS, AIS-P, AIS-G, AF, AF-D, AFS-P, AFS-G, PC, PC-E, G. Thom Hogan's assertions are wrong. That's all there is to is.</p>

<p><em>"I wonder how the Df's blades really behave with Non-AI, AI, AIS, AF, AFI/AFS and G lenses in LV? Do they shut down when the selected aperture is chosen and LV activated or only shut down when the shutter is fully depressed like Auto apertures usually do"</em></p>

<p>Here are the real answers based upon <strong>testing</strong> not assumptions:</p>

<p>In liveView mode, all lenses can have their aperture continuously changed. No exception. LV stays the same in brightness until Preview is engaged.</p>

<p>For AF-G and AFS-G models the aperture opening corresponds to the last aperture used for an exposure. If you change the aperture in LV and take a picture the opening is refreshed to show that aperture.</p>

<p>For <strong>any</strong> other lens types in LV mode, the actual aperture opening alters as you change the setting.</p>

<p>As far as I can verify the same responses hold for LV in D600 too.</p>

<p>"The aperture <em>doesn't</em> change dynamically during live view (and I suspect not during DoF preview either, though I'd have to check). He reports this for the D600 as well, so that behaviour may be worth confirming."</p>

<p>This is demonstrably wrong. on both accounts. The only excuse I can concede is he doesn't explore the various ways the camera(s) can be set up.</p>

<p>Set up the camera for AF-C (continuous AF) and AF only performed by the AF-ON button on the rear of the camera. Push AF-ON until focus is where you wish, let go and trip the shutter. Works perfectly every time. You are in full command and the camera won't try to do the AF on its own.</p>

<p>Some cameras don't have a dedicated AF-ON button but then you can reprogram the AE/L button instead. Look into the Custom Menu. Been a while since I shot with a D700 so can't remember if it had the 'ON' button.</p>

<p>Dieter: If you want to be on the safe side, just ignore the Df.</p>

<p>I'm slowly coming to recall why I stopped using Photo.net. Maybe time to delete my account for good.</p>

<p>Shun: you didn't read what I wrote. I'm actively using - and enjoying - the shutter speed dial. It surely has a vital functionality for the Df user and is in no way "superfluous" or "obsolete". But my setup allows me to carry out an instantaneous +- 2/3 EV adjustment around that centre value already set.</p>

<p>Again, I'd wish more people had used the camera and speculated less about it.</p>

<p>A lot of you guys really need to try shooting the Df for a week or two. Some of the comments are from another planet.</p>

<p>You can set apertures in 1/3 steps and also the same with shutter speed. The Df has a myriad of alternative ways of setting it up and which to prefer is up to each user. My preferred method is shooting in M mode with a fixed aperture (not necessarily set to a click stop) and +- 2/3 override of the speed by the rear thumbwheel.</p>

<p>I've used the 18-140 and it is really good. The excellent colour rendition perhaps was a surprise consider the scarceness of ED or similar components in its design. Also a zoom lens that resists flare in backlit situation.</p>

<p>Whatever you do, <strong>NEVER mount the 21/4 Nikkor to any camera other than Nikon F, F2, and Nikkormat</strong>. You will damage any other camera and probably break the mirror into pieces.</p>

<p>You certainly can use the old type Fisheye-Nikkors on the Df. I've tried with 7.5 mm f/5.6 and 10 mm f/5.6 OP, no problem at all. For this kind of application, LiveView is a huge benefit.</p>

<p>The lens cap for the 18/4 Nikkor is a screw-in metal type, 86 mm threads. The huge saucer-like hood is impressive but entirely useless except as a holder for Series 9 filters. As I don't use filters the hood never is used.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>The 18/4 has excellent image quality considering its vintage, but compared to modern lenses the contrast is lower. This gives the lens a mellow drawing that I personally find nice and moody, but decide whether this will fit your subject before shooting. It does quite well in IR and can be used for the occasional UV shot as well. Flare is handled well in visible light shots.</p>

<p>The front elements are steeply curved and dangerously thin towards the centre, so look for signs of knocks or bumps to the side of the lens before you pay good money for it. Treat it with care and it'll provide years of service. My sample is an early '75 and still functioning perfectly. I have converted it to AI using the factory kit. The 18/4 is quite easy to CPU-modify.</p>

<p>Dieter: The camera <strong>does not know</strong>. As you said, it's a relative positioning. Initially the starting point for this relative scale is unknown. What happens if you don't communicate the maximum to the camera for a non-CPU AI or AIS lens? This is equivalent to putting a standard AI/AIS lens on the camera and start firing away. As you rotate the aperture ring you see the indication 'deltaF 0', deltaF 1', ..., deltaF N' in the finder. This allows the camera to calculate an exposure based on whatever position the aperture ring is set. As the true EV values are unknown, neither basic nor colour matrix metering is available, only centre-weighted and spot. No relevant EXIF data is recorded (focal length is 0, and aperture is later read out as f/0 or f/1 depending on the software used). If the photographer is satisfied with this situation there is no need to go further. Shoot away and be happy.</p>

<p>When you enter lens data in a list in camera to be selected later, or use a lens with a CPU, the potential to arrive at an improved metering exists. You will now have access to colour matrix metering as well because the camera's meter can calculate true EV values. However 3D matrix is not available because there is no distance information.</p>

<p>Nikon <strong>wants</strong> you to use the camera's thumbwheel to select the actual aperture for shooting, and this setting is default on all Nikons. However, this <strong>assumes</strong> the lens is <strong>AIS </strong>due to the the requirement for a linear step scale. If the lens instead is AI (or AI-modified), the camera will meter the correct aperture, but when the lens is stopped down under camera control for the actual shot, the aperture lever does <strong>not</strong> move to the correct position (side effect of non-linear scale). Even though metering is correct, the picture comes out under- or overexposed.</p>

<p>If the lens has an aperture ring itself, the far better approach is to tell the camera you want to use the <strong>aperture ring</strong> itself. This leads to better handling of the camera, no need to lock the aperture to the minimum, and more consistent exposures [due to the caveat outlined earlier]. The non-linearity issue is largely moot because the aperture lever will hit a hard stop inside the lens. </p>

<p>The beauty of having your manual lenses CPU-modified is that you don't have to consider any of the pitfalls described above, just attach the lens and shoot (assuming of course you are using the aperture ring). You get the most reliable metering the camera can deliver with that lens. The CPU adds another variable into the matrix meter equation, namely, the exit pupil. in particular for wide angle lenses, data on this will influence metering results in a significant manner.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Brian: the front wheel for setting apertures is the default on Df, but you can move the functionality to the rear wheel instead. If you set up the camera to use the aperture ring on the lens itself, the wheels only control apertures on a "G" lens.</p>