Question about Nikon Af lenses: Since I have a Nikon D7000 I thought I would try out some old lenses. I bought a 50mm AF 1.8, which I love. And I bought an AF 28mm-70mm, 3.5. Both of...

Bike guy Loc: Atlanta

Since I have a Nikon D7000 I thought I would try out some old lenses.
I bought a 50mm AF 1.8, which I love.
And I bought an AF 28mm-70mm, 3.5.
Both of these lenses have a little slider on them which can be moved from an orange dot (I think it is orange or red) to another position.
I have been trying to figure out what the slider switch does. What does it lock in, if anything?
I tried searching but could not come with anything.

Anybody have these or know something about them? The 50mm 1.8 does provide me with great Bokeh effects, btw.
Thanks

ecobin Loc: Paoli, PA

It's a button - press it to turn the aperture ring. But, the aperture must be on the smallest setting (f/22 typically) for it to work on the digital cameras (even on my N8008 it needed to be locked). If you ever get an error and nothing works, check that the aperture ring is on f/22 & locked.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

ecobin wrote:

It's a button - press it to turn the aperture ring. But, the aperture must be on the smallest setting (f/22 typically) for it to work on the digital cameras (even on my N8008 it needed to be locked). If you ever get an error and nothing works, check that the aperture ring is on f/22 & locked.

:thumbup:
--Bob

Bike guy Loc: Atlanta

Got it. Thanks. That was easy.

Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

Bike guy wrote:

The 50mm 1.8 does provide me with great Bokeh effects, btw.
Thanks

Unless that is the latest AF-S 50mm f/1.8G version (which has no aperture ring), it absolutely does NOT have "great Bokeh effects"! You are misinterpreting narrow DOF as bokeh. With an f/1.8 aperture it has a narrow DOF but the out of focus areas are very harsh. The various 50mm f/1.4 lenses are better, but none of them match the smooth bokeh of something like the AF-D 85mm f/1.4.

Bokeh is not how much something is out of focus. Bokeh is the character of the out focus area. Usually harsh is bad and smooth is good.

TucsonCoyote Loc: Tucson AZ

ecobin wrote:

It's a button - press it to turn the aperture ring. But, the aperture must be on the smallest setting (f/22 typically) for it to work on the digital cameras (even on my N8008 it needed to be locked). If you ever get an error and nothing works, check that the aperture ring is on f/22 & locked.

:thumbup: ...and that little button should actually have a lock position by rotating it 90 degrees one way or the other....so as to prevent accidental aperture shift with lens manipulation. :)

CaptainC Loc: Colorado, south of Denver

Apaflo wrote:

Unless that is the latest AF-S 50mm f/1.8G version... (show quote)

Thank goodness, SOMEBODY understand what the b-word means! :-)

Bike guy Loc: Atlanta

TucsonCoyote wrote:

:thumbup: ...and that little button should actually have a lock position by rotating it 90 degrees one way or the other....so as to prevent accidental aperture shift with lens manipulation. :)

Got it.
Thanks

Wingpilot Loc: Wasilla. Ak

Apaflo wrote:

Unless that is the latest AF-S 50mm f/1.8G version... (show quote)

Thank you for that explanation. Quality vs. quantity.

Bike guy Loc: Atlanta

I always learn something when I post a question, even if the replies don't have anything to do with my question.
So I should not have said the 'b' word; my bad.

I actually did know the difference. But still appreciate the feedback from the Lurkers on the board.

relie Loc: Western Massachusetts

Bokeh is not how much something is out of focus. Bokeh is the character of the out focus area. Usually harsh is bad and smooth is good. (Quote)

Best explanation yet! Great answer, thanks for posting.

Dave 👍

baseball dad

Apaflo wrote:

Unless that is the latest AF-S 50mm f/1.8G version... (show quote)

So what you are saying is that all of my blurry sports pictures are simply out of focus and not artsy shots with kick-ass bokeh?! How depressing!

Bear2 Loc: Southeast,, MI

Ditto on the little button on the aperture ring.
Also still love my N8008.

Duane

ecobin wrote:

It's a button - press it to turn the aperture ring. But, the aperture must be on the smallest setting (f/22 typically) for it to work on the digital cameras (even on my N8008 it needed to be locked). If you ever get an error and nothing works, check that the aperture ring is on f/22 & locked.

houdel Loc: Chase, Michigan USA

ecobin wrote:

It's a button - press it to turn the aperture ring. But, the aperture must be on the smallest setting (f/22 typically) for it to work on the digital cameras (even on my N8008 it needed to be locked). If you ever get an error and nothing works, check that the aperture ring is on f/22 & locked.

Not entirely correct. The modern bodies are by default set to control aperture through the body software and get a bit discombobulated if it detects the lens is not at its smallest setting. However you CAN use the aperture ring on lenses so equipped. Should you desire to manually set the aperture manually on this lens, or use a vintage film lens where you HAVE to set the aperture manually, fear not; Nikon has you covered, there is a setting for that.

Not exactly sure where to find it on your body, but on my D610 I go to MENU> CUSTOM SETTING MENU> f: Controls> f5: Customize command dials> Aperture setting> and select either "Sub -command dial" or "aperture ring". Select "aperture ring" to manually set the aperture using the aperture ring. Note that if you select "aperture ring" you MUST use a lens with an aperture ring, this setting will not work with "G" lenses or the new "E" lenses which do not have an aperture ring.

RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

baseball dad wrote:

So what you are saying is that all of my blurry sports pictures are simply out of focus and not artsy shots with kick-ass bokeh?! How depressing!

The diaphragm in my favorite lens for sports has 16 or 18 leaves, and most of my subjects display great bokeh. (Wish I could say the same for the background or foreground - one or the other is usually in sharp focus! :lol: )