pjknetge6491 Loc: FL

Can anyone advise me (for a friend) on how to synchronize a Lightdow 420-800mm f/8.3 manual zoom telephoto lens + T-mount with a Nikon D3500?
This is for a birding friend. I appreciate any info. I can get.
Thanks so much.
Pam (this is my 1st time on this forum)

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Welcome to our forum!

Since that's a manual lens, you would have to focus manually. Assuming the T-mount fits both the lens and the camera, you would have to adjust exposure and focus. If I recall correctly, there is some sort of exposure indicator visible in the viewfinder, and the photographer would use that to get the exposure right. As for focus, turn the focus ring back and forth, narrowing in on sharp focus.

Actually, I would look for an automatic lens, but you're never going to find an affordable one with that focal spread. If the lens is "affordable," the quality of images at that magnification level will probably not be great.

Review - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dinbmHXIHvU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xctEOxSGNgM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fim0RoV33U

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

The Amazon page for this lens has some reasonable tips, copied below.

Working from a tripod is a must. As someone who uses different (but similar) manual focus lenses in a Sony mirrorless body, your friend should be prepared for a lot of frustration, bordering on impossible, for capturing focused images on moving subjects. But, if they try 'pre focusing' to a target distance / location, they may have success if / when a bird (subject) arrives at the pre-focused location, say a bird feeder. For the ideas of the #3 section copied from Amazon, try fixing the shutter at 1/500 (#3a) and instead raising the ISO (#3b) to brighten the exposure.

NOTE: This is a MANUAL lens, no electronic contacts, that's why your camera will not recognize the lens, it requires full manual settings on camera & lens body., please switch to MF MODE in order to use this lens correctly.

Tips to use Manual Lens:

1) Set the mode dial to Manual (M);

2) Set the Release w/o Lens option in the camera menu to Enable;

3) Set the Shutter lock option in the camera menu to Off: no lens. Fine tune the front focusing ring to make subject in-focus and take a sample picture. If the picture turns out dark, take the following steps to improve:

3a. Lower the shutter speed, from 1/500s down to 1/100s or slower 1/50 etc;

3b. Raise the ISO Number, from ISO 100 to ISO 200/400/800 etc;

3c. Use a remote shutter release and tripod to increase image stability;

3d. Switch position to allow more environmental light coming through the lens into the camera imaging sensor.

RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

I cannot imagine a worse combination of camera and lens for bird photography.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

As RWR notes, it's going to be hard. The DSLR will make the process harder than a mirrorless camera due to how the view finder presents the focus. From my capture dates, I can see I spent about 3-weeks in Spring 2020 working with a family of Red-winged Blackbirds. As said before, a tripod is a must so you can just worry about positioning the camera and focusing, not trying to hold the camera steady. Get your exposure all configured so you're just focusing and shooting in a burst when a subject arrives. I don't know how many images I shot as I don't keep the failures, but I have only 4 keepers of these blackbirds with a manual focus lens, such as below. Those three weeks involved some watching and learning where / when the birds will forage and protect / monitor their area. As suggested above, a bird feeder might make the process easier as well as providing a steady stream of subjects at a predicable and fixed distance.

Red-winged blackbird by Paul Sager, on Flickr

IDguy Loc: Idaho

You can at least autoexpose. As suggested above, use M exposure mode. The lens will be at min fstop, so set that. Set exposure time to at least 1/800. And turn on auto ISO to autoexpose. You can set the starting ISO to 100 but it will use higher.

Also check that you have noise reduction on and use RAW image mode.

I recommend spot metering.

drlomo Loc: Sweden/ West Virginia

This is obviously a cheap, but very portable [slow] telephoto lens. Still is might be interesting to buy it. I have not found (quick look) any test reports of value. Unfortunately, the Youtube movies are pretty much super crap. Like my experience of Youtube in other areas, like car fix. Much mumbo jumbo and yada yada and very little solid information, like I often see on Youtube. I think that I and perhaps some more who is interested in the lens will be grateful if someone finds some real, non-Youtube, test report.

drlomo Loc: Sweden/ West Virginia

I found some test reports, user reports, with sample photos. NOTE! NO bloody Youtube movies with time consuming yada yada and mumbo jumbo. Here is a link:
https://www.amazon.com/Lightdow-420-800mm-Manual-Telephoto-T-Mount/product-reviews/B01C2GB2MY?reviewerType=all_reviews

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

Remember there is no meter with this combo so exposure is a guess.

agillot

used something similar , a 600 / 1200 vivitar in the past .it is a 100 % manual lens .go to menu , find non CPU lens in there , enter the F stop , so you use the lens in manual focus / shutter speed / f stop .should work in A priority[ aperture mode ].best in bright light .

agillot

i used 2 of them for a couple of years , easy to use . very lite , this is not a $ 12000 lens , but with practice does descent .just a way to learn .

agillot

F8 / 1000 iso / 1000 sec , that is the basic in sun light , then modifies from there .did a few 1000 shots with something similar lens set up .this is as basic of photo taking , it s like driving a Traban , it get you there .

flip1948 Loc: Hamden, CT

Actually the "sunny 16" rule would be 1/1000 at f/16, 1/2000 at f/11 and 1/4000 at f/8 if your subject is fully lit by the sun.

Drbobcameraguy Loc: Eaton Ohio

Live view will take care of focus if you magnify to 100percent on the 3500

pjknetge6491 Loc: FL

Thank everyone for all your helpful information, comments. I passed it along and learned a lot as well.
I appreciate all the response.
I knew I loved this site.
Thanks again, Pam S.