Manual Minolta to AF Nikon convert: how do you handle aperture?

kodachrome64 · Sep 5, 2008

I recently decided that I would abandon my beloved Minolta MD camera and glass which I adore so much, and make a switch to a system that I felt more comfortable investing in. I bought an F100 (and plan on an F5 or F6 too) and to start off with got a new 50mm f/1.8 lens.

Of course I am used to using AP mode most of the time and turning the aperture ring to obtain desired exposure. The F100 natively wants you to stop the lens all the way down and to control aperture using the command dial. Fortunately custom function 22 can be set to allow the aperture ring to be used. Originally I hated the idea of using the dial but I do like the granular control that is available, e.g. setting the aperture in 1/3 f-stop increments.

What does everyone else do? I'm curious on if any of y'all out there use the camera to control f-stop or do you still use the lens? Does anyone buy those G-series Nikon (or equivalent other brand) lenses that get rid of the aperture ring? I really do think I'd like to have the aperture ring on there even if I went through a phase of not using it. If nothing else so I could buy an old mechanical Nikon body and still be able to use the lenses.

Thanks,
Nick

Russ - SVP · Sep 5, 2008

I've set my F100 up to use the rear command wheel to change apertures. It's easy, quick and can be done while looking through the viewfinder.

Kiron Kid

kodachrome64 · Sep 5, 2008

So you used the custom function that swapped the aperture and shutter speed wheels? I was wondering why that option was there. Do you find it more convenient or natural?

Thanks,
Nick

Russ - SVP · Sep 5, 2008

kodachrome64 said:
So you used the custom function that swapped the aperture and shutter speed wheels? I was wondering why that option was there. Do you find it more convenient or natural?

Thanks,
Nick

Nick

Yes, I do find it more convenient and natural. I shoot quite a bit in aperture priority, and it makes it very easy and natural to adjust the aperture with my thumb and rear command dial, while shooting. I never even have to look away from the viewfinder.

Kiron Kid

kodachrome64 · Sep 5, 2008

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry 8300: BlackBerry8300/4.5.0.55 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/102)

Kiron,

So you find using the dial to be better for you than using the ring on the lens? I was wondering how many of us 'analog' people actually forgo the ring and use the camera. With the F100 you can see the f-stop you are on no matter how you do it (not so on my Minolta). I also wonder how many people buy the lenses without an aperture ring at all (Nikon's "G" lenses). I guess I like having the choice.

I am going to try using the back dial for aperture.

Thanks,
Nick

John_Nikon_F · Sep 6, 2008

In my case, my lens selection is cuurrently all manual focus Nikkors. So, even my F5 has to be used with the aperture ring. No big deal for me, since that's how I've done it since my first camera, a Pentax H3v. With CPU lenses that have aperture rings (AF, AF-D, and AI-P, plus some of the AF-S lenses), I still use the ring. When I use a G lens, then I do have to use the command dials. Or, if I'm shooting one on my F4s, I have to use P or S mode. Luckily, I'll probably just get AF-D lenses, since I still use my F2A, F3P, and FM2n, plus my non-AI body (my F FTn) quite frequently. Even though the 14-24 is a nice lens, as is the 24-70.

-J

kodachrome64 · Sep 6, 2008

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry 8300: BlackBerry8300/4.5.0.55 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/102)

I guess I don't understand why they are making lenses only available in the G type, but I suppose a lens without an aperture ring is cheaper.

eddym · Sep 6, 2008

I simply could not get used to using the dial on the camera to set the lens aperture. The fingers of my left hand had been setting the aperture ring on the lens for so many years that they just could not stop. So I set my Nikons to work with my fingers instead of against them. I can find 1/2 stops, 1/3 stops, or whatever fraction I want on the lens aperture ring.

Chan Tran · Sep 6, 2008

Only 1 of my cameras, the F5, has the wheel. I do use the wheel to set the aperture and I do have 1 G lens, the 24-85mm f/3.5-45 G AF-S. I do not like the location of the wheel but I do like the way the wheel operates better than the aperture ring. I like the 1/3 stop increment and I like the fact that it automatically keeps the lens at the aperture you set on variable aperture zoom lens (provided you don't use the max or min aperture).

Poohblah · Sep 7, 2008

i greatly prefer using the aperture ring on my nikon rigs. it's more natural for me and i don't like having to control so many things with the command wheel. i prefer the shutter speed, ISO, exposure compensation, etc. dials of the cameras of yore (excepting the nikon FM3A and FM10 of course). you can set in-between apertures simply by setting the ring in between f-stops, obviously the camera won't recognize this so it won't display in the viewfinder.

on my digital camera i have also set it up so that the command wheel adjusts other functions (instead of the aperture like it does by default) such as exposure compensation without holding down the required button. makes it easier because my fingers aren't always fumbling around for buttons to hold down.

I guess I don't understand why they are making lenses only available in the G type, but I suppose a lens without an aperture ring is cheaper.

that is exactly correct. i don't like it, but fortunately there are millions of old F-mount lenses out there for our use

kodachrome64 · Sep 8, 2008

I tried the suggestion of using the custom setting to swap the aperture control to the back command dial, so it can now be adjusted with my thumb instead of my forefinger in the front of the camera. I find this much more ergonomic, but I am much slower with the dial than with the aperture ring. I know you can approximate whatever f-stop you want with the ring, but I like the option to do it with accuracy, and the only way to do that is with the command dial since Nikon didn't include 1/2 or 1/3 f-stop clicks.

I suppose it's a good idea to be proficient at both ways of doing it since Nikon will probably do away with the aperture ring before long to cut costs.

PhotoJim · Sep 9, 2008

I have two cameras with the pair of wheels, an F5 and an F100 and I've gotten used to using the wheels to adjust aperture. In theory using the aperture ring gives you better control but I like the 1/3 stop control that the cameras provide natively.

I use the aperture ring on my other cameras where appropriate, and perhaps peculiarly, don't have any issue switching back and forth between the bodies. I seem to know what camera I'm using and use it accordingly. The one thing I do have to watch is to put the lenses at minimum aperture when I'm mounting them on the F5 or F100.

That last point, in fact, is why I prefer using the camera dial to adjust aperture. That way, no matter what exposure mode I'm using, I put the lens on minimum aperture. It makes quick shifting between exposure modes much simpler.

eddym · Sep 9, 2008

kodachrome64 said:
I tried the suggestion of using the custom setting to swap the aperture control to the back command dial, so it can now be adjusted with my thumb instead of my forefinger in the front of the camera. I find this much more ergonomic, but I am much slower with the dial than with the aperture ring.

I don't get the advantage of this change. What do you use to set your shutter speed... the front wheel? If so, why is this more ergonomic than the original setup?

eddym · Sep 9, 2008

An' anudder t'ing....
Even after all these years with my F100, I still haven't memorized which way to turn the dial to make the shutter speed go up or down. I almost always turn it the wrong way the first time.

kodachrome64 · Sep 9, 2008

eddym said:
I don't get the advantage of this change. What do you use to set your shutter speed... the front wheel? If so, why is this more ergonomic than the original setup?

I didn't get it either till I tried it, and it just makes more sense to me. My standard mode is aperture priority, so I don't adjust shutter speed with the dial. But in manual mode the front dial adjusts shutter speed. I find it more natural after I've tried it.

unohuu · Sep 16, 2008

I am also a Minolta user...The transition was easy since I had already used the Maxxum 7. Rear dial for aperture for me...as I am more likely to fiddle with aperture than shutter.

Russ - SVP · Sep 16, 2008

eddym said:
I don't get the advantage of this change. What do you use to set your shutter speed... the front wheel? If so, why is this more ergonomic than the original setup?

Because I usaully shoot in aperture priority or manual mode. I'm much more likely to adjust the appy than the shutter. The rear dial is much easier and convenient.

KK

kodachrome64 · Sep 16, 2008

Kiron Kid said:
Because I usaully shoot in aperture priority or manual mode. I'm much more likely to adjust the appy than the shutter. The rear dial is much easier and convenient.

KK

I find this to be true also.

Chaplain Jeff · Sep 19, 2008

eddym said:
I don't get the advantage of this change. What do you use to set your shutter speed... the front wheel? If so, why is this more ergonomic than the original setup?

He's probably shooting in A mode and doesn't manually adjust the shutter speeds.

Jeff M

Markok765 · Sep 19, 2008

Kiron Kid said:
Nick

Yes, I do find it more convenient and natural. I shoot quite a bit in aperture priority, and it makes it very easy and natural to adjust the aperture with my thumb and rear command dial, while shooting. I never even have to look away from the viewfinder.

Kiron Kid

I wish the F5 had the option of using the rear wheel for aperture.

Manual Minolta to AF Nikon convert: how do you handle aperture?

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