Mirror Lens Question: I just acquired a 500mm Nikon mirror lens. I've never used one of these before, so I have some questions. It mounts to my Nikon D90, but requires the camera be...

Wingpilot Loc: Wasilla. Ak

I just acquired a 500mm Nikon mirror lens. I've never used one of these before, so I have some questions. It mounts to my Nikon D90, but requires the camera be set to the full manual position. My question is, how do I determine the proper shutter setting, given that the lens is fixed at f/8? Is there a general setting that works well under most lighting conditions or would I need a hand operated light meter? Thanks in advance.

tradio Loc: Oxford, Ohio

what does your meter say about exposure?

GW Loc: Idaho

Far North wrote:

I just acquired a 500mm Nikon mirror lens. I've never used one of these before, so I have some questions. It mounts to my Nikon D90, but requires the camera be set to the full manual position. My question is, how do I determine the proper shutter setting, given that the lens is fixed at f/8? Is there a general setting that works well under most lighting conditions or would I need a hand operated light meter? Thanks in advance.

Just set your shutter speed to the correct exposure...

bikerbill7

If the aperture is fixed then unless your camera exposure indicator still works in full manual (light flashes when under-exposed or over-exposed, steady when correct) then you will have to use a light meter.....or you could always go to the old Kodack instructions.....ASA at f16 setting for bright sun, f11 for cloudy bright, f8 for cloudy and so on adjusted for the fixed arperture of course.
Maybe someone knows more but that's what I got

Wingpilot Loc: Wasilla. Ak

I just got the lens and haven't had an opportunity to use it yet other than to mount it on the camera and figure out a few things. It seems, though, that the light meter doesn't work in full manual mode. The holiday is over, and when the sun comes back, perhaps I'll be able to get out and experiment with it a bit. Thanks for the quick responses.

GW Loc: Idaho

Far North wrote:

I just got the lens and haven't had an opportunity to use it yet other than to mount it on the camera and figure out a few things. It seems, though, that the light meter doesn't work in full manual mode. The holiday is over, and when the sun comes back, perhaps I'll be able to get out and experiment with it a bit. Thanks for the quick responses.

I have a 500mm and they require a fair amount of light to work very well , all I do is set on manual an set the shutter speed ...I us a Canon tho , but should not be that different...good luck...

amehta Loc: Boston

Far North wrote:

I just acquired a 500mm Nikon mirror lens. I've never used one of these before, so I have some questions. It mounts to my Nikon D90, but requires the camera be set to the full manual position. My question is, how do I determine the proper shutter setting, given that the lens is fixed at f/8? Is there a general setting that works well under most lighting conditions or would I need a hand operated light meter? Thanks in advance.

Use a different lens to get an idea of the exposure, setting it to f/8 and using the spot meter. Then mount the mirror lens and you should be close to the correct exposure.

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

Far North wrote:

I just acquired a 500mm Nikon mirror lens. I've never used one of these before, so I have some questions. It mounts to my Nikon D90, but requires the camera be set to the full manual position. My question is, how do I determine the proper shutter setting, given that the lens is fixed at f/8? Is there a general setting that works well under most lighting conditions or would I need a hand operated light meter? Thanks in advance.

Its been a while since I had a D90 but I believe it will meter when set to aperture control or you can adjust the shutter manually.

Wingpilot Loc: Wasilla. Ak

joer wrote:

Its been a while since I had a D90 but I believe it will meter when set to aperture control or you can adjust the shutter manually.

The camera only seems to work in the full manual mode with the mirror lens. I tried both the 'S" and "A" modes, without success. My question, though, was how to determine the proper shutter speed with the fixed f/8 lens. I'll need some time playing with it to figure things out. This is all new to me. With my 35mm film camera, it would be no problem, but all the electronics complicate things, it seem.

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

It's easy on a Canon, and works just fine ( I have both a Samyang fisheye and an adapted FD 500mm reflex), but you have a Nikon so Canon advice won't help much.

I've heard a rumor that there a couple of Nikon users lurking on this site, so maybe one of them could come forwards and offer some guidance....

Good luck.

wilsondl2 Loc: Lincoln, Nebraska

Your D90 will not meter with t-mount lenses so just step up to a D7100 and it will on A. I have used the 500mm F/8 severel times on my D90 and what I did was use the sunny 16 rule (ISO/F/stop) and just doubled the shutter speed If I had the ISO at 200 just used 400 as my starting shutter speed. Then I would check how it looked in the monitor and histogram and adjust as needed. You know that this would be an excuse to go to the D7100. I love mine. - Dave

Wingpilot Loc: Wasilla. Ak

wilsondl2 wrote:

Your D90 will not meter with t-mount lenses so just step up to a D7100 and it will on A. I have used the 500mm F/8 severel times on my D90 and what I did was use the sunny 16 rule (ISO/F/stop) and just doubled the shutter speed If I had the ISO at 200 just used 400 as my starting shutter speed. Then I would check how it looked in the monitor and histogram and adjust as needed. You know that this would be an excuse to go to the D7100. I love mine. - Dave

Thanks, Dave. That may be an option.

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

Err, not wanting to get into any flame wars here, but what is really up with this?

We hear so much about Canon changing lens mounts and creating shed-loads of grief, and about Nikon keeping faith with the past and a smooth migration to modern digital times. Please don't take this, or respond to it, as a Canon vs Nikon thing, but if you have measured insight into the nuances I would a) be interested to learn, and b) I suspect it may be useful to others on this wonderful journey of ours.

So what works and what doesn't work with either brand?

Thanks

Wingpilot Loc: Wasilla. Ak

Peterff wrote:

Err, not wanting to get into any flame wars here, ... (show quote)

I think what's being said here, is that the two brands are different and what works with one may not work with the other, and that Nikon may be evolving with the technology. I don't think it's a matter of one brand being better/worse than another.

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

Thanks,

Now I know that there are many nuances on the Canon side, and I can comment on a few of them, but what about the Nikon side?

If I understood correctly, and I may not have done so, the are certain Nikon bodies that work with certain lens types, and maybe some that do not, or at least with different functionality from each body/lens combination. Is that correct or incorrect?

If it is so, what can our Nikon users contribute to help clarify the situation?

If it is not, what informational insight can be provided that will help people make choices regardless of brand affiliation?

Once again, I'm just curious to understand the details that underpin some of these animated discussions we have about brands.

Thanks