D800 suddenly not working with non "G" series lenses.

shoottofill

A few months ago when I tried to use an older lens (80-200) the d800 would stop it down all the way and the camera wouldn't move the aperture at all. I could move it manually and use it for video, but I could only take photos at f22. All other lenses worked fine. Now it is doing this to any AF lens that is older than the G series. The original lens that had this problem was sent into Nikon 3 months ago. They said they fixed it for $300, but they still haven't sent it back or said what was wrong with it. I have a few major shoots coming up and will need all my lenses for it. Any suggestions?

[Deleted User]

Presumably the tiny coupling lever (to lock the lens at minimum aperture) is working - the aperture ring doesn't turn?

shoottofill

The aperuture ring can be moved on the lens, but when I do that the camera refuses to recognize the lense and shoot stills. can still shoot video. Also, when i look through viewfinder, it is stopped down all the way.

[Deleted User]

If the aperture ring can be moved, try locking it at minimum aperture (f/22) - there should be a small sliding lock with an orange dot on it to lock the ring in place. Do you not see this on yours?

(I have used my 80-200 AF-D on my D800 without any problems - so I don't think it's a question of age/mismatch etc.)

shoottofill

The aperture ring is locked into place on all of the lenses and I used all of the affected lenses for a while with no problem. The 80-200 was the first one that had a problem so it was sent to nikon to get fixed 3 months ago (where it still sits) and now all of the non G lenses are having the same problem. Someone else said it may be aperture ring on camera, so i will have to check it when i get home.

Msmoto

Do you make certain the camera is powered down before changing lenses?

shoottofill

Yes.

PB_PM

It could just be an issue with the camera itself. Have you tried doing a hard rest of the camera?

shoottofill

Turns out the aperture lever inside the camera was bent down some. I bent it back up (attempt at your own risk) and it now appears to work.

Msmoto

Yeah! Nikon would no doubt have charged a couple hundred bucks for that one....

Or, maybe they would have just "adjusted" it for no charge...?

Ade

I'm a bit surprised the bent lever didn't affect the G-lenses as well (aren't G-lenses still mechanically coupled?)

PB_PM

All Nikon lenses use the mechanical aperture lever, so that does seem rather odd.

phdgent

Hello, this is ny first posting on this forum and I am new to 'digital' Nikon.
I started on Nikon in the early eighties, on a used 1969 F and then a Photomic F2, and then moved to Pentax LX for ages, now I am back!
The digital experience I have is acquired on a Hasselblad V and a P25+, till the latter died an few weeks ago.

But now, I happen to have about the same issue with my D800 like the original poster has.
All AF-S 'D' lenses seem not to work, the aperture is not changing when the one of the camera's wheels are turned, on the top screen the marking stays on the min. opening but the picture is made full open and the aperture isn't changing at all In 'A' or 'M' nor 'P'. So I can't use these 'D' lenses on my camera, but the G lenses are OK.
I compared the settings on my camera with a friend's D800, on which these lenses do work, and all settings are alike!
Any suggestions?

BTW, how can I use, just for fun, these nice but very old full manual Nippon Kugaku Nikkor lenses (1969) on the D800?

PB_PM

Where those old lenses AI converted? If not that might explain why your AF-D lenses are not working properly. The non-AI lenses can damage the AI metering tab.

Msmoto

@phdgent

Google John White's Al conversion for Nikon lenses

He is in Michigan and does this for about $35 per lens, I believe. I have about four of the old lenses form the 1960's but have not had time to send them to him for conversion. One important note: The various flanges and construction of the old lenses needs to be cute down or they will tear up the electronics on the new camera bodies. This is the conversion basically I am told. In the early days, when the new "F" bodies with electronics came out, Nikon would convert the lenses. They do not do this at present as far as I know.

Ade

Sorry for the tangent... I just learned that Nikon "PC-E" lenses do not have mechanical aperture linkages anymore. Apparently the "E" means electromagnetic aperture control. So everything is digital and there's nothing to bend. Pretty neat.

Only D3 and newer bodies can control aperture using this electromagnetic system. On older digital bodies (and all film bodies) the aperture must be set manually on the lens.

Maybe we'll see more "E" lenses in the future.

adamz

@msmoto - as for the conversion You can get the chip from ebay for around $30 - good solution for those of us, who don't live in Michigan

adamz

just search for: nikon af chip on ebay