Old AI lens question

My father just handed me some old lenses from his film camera to use with my D50. Based on the searches from this site, I think they are AI. After reading the forums here, and trying them on the D50, I still have a couple questions. He gave me a 50mm prime and a 200mm zoom:

1. What do the little colored lines on the the little silver ring represent? The aperture seems to click on the little black dot.

2. I found out the lenses can't meter, and have been using the histogram to some success. Is there a way the camera can record the aperture in the exif? It would help the leaning process if I could see what I did. Currently, the camera just blinks "F_ ". I can’t seem to tell the camera what fstop I'm using.

3. The flash doesn't work with these lenses. Is this because of the metering issue?

Sorry if these questions seem silly.

Jason

Here's a guide to figuring out what you have and how they will work on your DSLR:

http://www.bythom.com/lensacronyms.htm

And another:

http://www.photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/specs.html

If your camera is blinking "F----", then you need to put it on "M" for manual. On this setting it should not blink, but will still show "F-----", meaning it does not know what F-stop the lens is at since there is no communication to the body. "M" will allow you to take full manual control of the camera, to adjust the aperture on the lens and the shutter speed on the body to some appropriate values, with help as you say from the histogram.

The body will not have any way to "know" the aperture so it will not show in exif. Does the D50 have any way to make manual notes to the exif file?

Be careful with older lenses until you have made sure that they will mount on the body without damaging it. Early non-AI lenses can do this. Check the manual for a quick guide.

Post a photo here of the lenses and someone might be able to help with the markings. Sorry, I don't have a clue on the flash issues.

Edit:

By the way, you may not be aware that the green focus-light in the viewfinder does work to help you focus even though the lenses are not AF.

i dont know the D50 but on D40 you can use the flash in manual mode.
in the menu switch from TTL to manual and choose the power full, 1/2,1/4 etc

Welcome to the world of non-metering lenses on you D50. Although the metering and lack of Autofocus can be a problem, once you learn how to use them, you can also get stunning images.

In response to your question, the clicking ring set the aperture on the lens. Many of Nikon's newer lenses have a "G" designation, which means they lack this ring, and the photographer sets the aperture in camera. In the case of the older AI and AIS lenses, the barrel has a tab that comes in contact with another tab on the body. This allows metering. Since the D50 does not have the tab needed to read these settings, you cannot TTL meter with this lens. (The upper end bodies such as the D3, D300 do have the tab, hence they will meter.) Nonetheless, as you have discovered, the histogram offers a different way to go with the metering.

The lines correlate to some of the aperture settings; these are commonly used for hyperfocal photographic techniques. (A Google search will bring up explanations for this.)

Actually there is a website for those who like to use such lenses on digital Nikon bodies. The group there is very helpful, and pleasant:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/365610@N21/

WARNING: As one other person noted above, not all of the older lenses will work with the D50. If you use a pre-AI lens with this camera, you will damage the body.

I gather that you have already tried them on your D50; I assume, therefore, that you have AI and AIS versions, and these will work. However, I would suggest you search Google for "pre-AI" "Nikon AI lens" and "Nikon AIS," just FYI. Also note that Nikon still makes some of AIS manual focus lenses. Prior to the D200 used versions were often inexpensive alternatives to the newer AF lenses, but many have returned to the older glass, and the prices have gone up. That being said, the hunt for good glass can be quite fun, and very rewarding.

For lens reviews, see:
http://www.naturfotograf.com/index2.html

Alex

Also, you can use the flash, but you must set it to manual mode.

For ideas on flash usage, see:

http://www.strobist.blogspot.com/

The site owner shoots Nikon, and thus he offers a plethora of information. Be sure to read his "Lighting Archives."

Alex

jasonrn said:

1. What do the little colored lines on the the little silver ring
represent? The aperture seems to click on the little black dot.

Click to expand...

There is a red dot on that little silver ring for the infrared focus index, and the multiple colored lines represent the depth-of-field scale. There should be a pair of lines of the exact same color, and you should check the distance settings at those same-color lines without changing your actual focus settings - everything in between those two readings would be your depth of field (the range in which objects would be in acceptable focus).

jasonrn said:

3. The flash doesn't work with these lenses. Is this because of the
metering issue?

Click to expand...

By default, the D50's built-in flash is set to the TTL auto mode. However, since the D50 will not meter with a non-CPU lens such as those older AI or AI-S lenses, the TTL flash metering will not function as well. You must set the flash mode (in the D50's menu) to the Manual mode in order to use the built-in flash with a non-CPU lens.

RJL65 said:

There is a red dot on that little silver ring for the infrared focus
index, and the multiple colored lines represent the depth-of-field
scale. There should be a pair of lines of the exact same color, and
you should check the distance settings at those same-color lines
without changing your actual focus settings - everything in between
those two readings would be your depth of field (the range in which
objects would be in acceptable focus).

Click to expand...

I forgot to tell you that the acceptable focus range given by the depth-of-field scale would be at the aperture (f-stop) which the DoF scale refers to. For an AI-S lens, the orange lines refer to the lens's minimum aperture (maximum f-number). And for many prime lenses, there are other colored lines which refer to the corresponding apertures (which are also colored the same colors as the lines). For example, if a given lens has a pair of blue lines on the scale, and the "11" (f/11) numeral on the aperture ring is also colored blue, then the range in between the two blue lines represent that lens's DoF at f/11.

Welcome to "manual" photography. Actually there are so many great things you can do with your new combination. For decades photographers have used these tools themselves and had to wait for the film to be developed to see what happened. You get to see immediatetly on the back of your D50. Use your histogram and/or a handheld meter to get your exposures tuned in and you'll be rolling. There are lots of good bargains out there on pristine Nikkor glass. Using these lenses can open a whole new world for your photography.
--
http://www.jhstudio.zenfolio.com

You don't say if these are Nikon lenses but assuming that they are then you can check if they are Pre-Ai, Ai or Ai-S by using the serial numbers and this web site.

http://www.photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/serialno.html

Regards

Paul

Thank you all for your help. Being very new to the world of DSLR's, I had no idea what I was getting into. This type of photoagraphy is very addicting, I find myself wanting more hardware.

The camera was a gift from my Father. He is letting me play with his old lenses from the film days. I find myself loving the shallow depth I can acheive with the 50mm lens. I just have to get better with metering. But I am finding that going full manual is a much better tool for learning, as it is forcing me to figure it out, as opposed to the camera doing the work.

Jason

You may also find this discussion helpful:

http://nikongear.com/smf/index.php?topic=15555.msg119674 ;topicseen#new

Alex

There is a long established principle known as the 'sunny 16' rule. Google the term & you should find several sites with a full explanation easily enough. Its actually easy to use as a starting point & if you bracket exposures round it & use your histogram you should be there or thereabouts.

If in doubt, underexpose rather than overexpose. Its easier to recover detail at the pp stage in an underexposed image while if the the highlights are blown out in overexposure, nothing will get them back.
--
Roger