Photos with Nikon scope

[Ericmd]

Hello there,
Along with 3 eyepieces supplied with my 60mm Nikon ED SCOPE,the shop threw in the camera adapter.Now I've got my hands on a Nikon F65 camera body;and shot a roll yesterday(listen to me.....a right david bailey!).The image in the view finder was good enough to focus manually on the birds so I WENT FOR IT.
I can only take a picture in the manual mode.I understand that my aperture is fixed at "F13.3" so I assumed I would control shutter speed.I can't.As I take a picture,the viewfinder tells me I have a shutter speed of 1/180th,central focusing and no F number(F--).
Because the adaptor isn't 'electric',does the camera think there is no lens attached?
Am I doing something wrong?The booklet has lists of lens compatbility waffle..."full functions only with Nikkor D/G".
The adaptor fits so some control must be possible.
I used ASA 400 film DXn coded and will photo the dog till the roll is done!
I took some shots of young heron learning to fish at Besthorpe Notts.and hope for the best.
Sound advice needed
Keep Ahaad.....Eric

[scampo]

I would have thought you might have been able to use shutter speed priority, too, with a fixed aperture lens / scope. However, if, as you say, you are held to manual mode you will effectively be using the camera simply as an exposure meter and then manually changing the settings to suit.

The "f number" is a measure of the lens's aperture size - and with a scope (which has no iris / diaphragm) this will always be fixed - in your case to f13.3 for the Nikon scope. When you focus and depress the shutter release half way, the camera should then suggest a correct shutter speed which will enable a reasonably correct exposure with this particualr aperture setting (which it did - 1/180 sec...). Before you take the shot, you will then need to set your camera to this speed manually using the camera's shutter speed input dial.

With such a high magnification you will need a good tripod to keep the camera absolutely rigid to avoid camera shake - or a bean bag (i.e. some way to separate you from the camera! A cable shutter release - or timer delay - is also a good idea.

Best of luck! If you buy a digital camera in the future, you will be able to view your photo before you take it to be sure all settings are correct.

[AndyC]

I've also used a camera adapter with Nikon cameras.
The adapter mount should be of the 'T2' type. On my camera (a rather old F-601), the metering is centre weighted and the camera sets the shutter speed. The focus assist also works. The main problem is that the camera makes the whole outfit unstable because all weight is on the back of the 'scope. There is a thread on the forum somewhere in which various ways of supporting the scope and minimising the vibrations caused by the camera are discussed - but can I find it at the moment? Have a search and see what turns up.

AndyC

[Adey Baker]

A friend of mine used to have a Nikon F401s (next model down from F601) which he used with a Nikon ED11 and F13.3 adaptor.

None of the exposure modes worked at all so he had to use a seperate hand-held light meter and select the shutter speed in 'Manual mode'

I don't know whether the F65 is similar to the F401s, which is quite an old model now, but before resorting to the hand-held meter option it might be worth trying 'Aperture priority' mode.

Otherwise, phone Nikon and ask them for advice - this is what my friend did and they were very helpful

[Ericmd]

Thanks to all for the pointers.Late replying...only have access on fridays!
As soon as Scampo mentioned depressing the shutter release button,my hand struck my forehead!Doh!
The viewfinder information stays up for as long as adjustments are needed;and recalls the speed when ready to take the next shot.
The majority of the pictures are over exposed and have a washed out blandness;but I'm chuffed 23 from 27 show "BIRDS"!Including Ostrich!
I am suprised with F 13.3 at 1/180th giving over exposure.
Depth of field was about 5 yards front and back at @ 30 yards...good for groups of waders.
What do light meters look like nowadays?The one my uncle had looked like Dr Spocks transponder;he did hang it around his neck too.
A thread regarding pictures of a blackbird has suggestions to use ASA 100 film where the light is good.I shall try this
If I decide to convert the films to cd-rom;how many 24 exposure rolls will I get on the disc and will the lab charge me for each transfer?
Thanks again
Eric

[Adey Baker]

Light meters look much as they used to do - some are high-tech jobs but there are still a few traditional style ones around (Jessops do an own-brand model, for instance).

They cost more than the fiver that I paid for my first one, though!

[scampo]

I should think ASA 100 would be a very bad idea as you will be forced to use a very low shutter speed to enable the film to be exposed. I think I'd be pushing for 4-800 ASA myself - but, I speak as a photographer not a digiscoper!

Good luck, anyway - it seems that some success is coming your way. Patience is a virtue as they say...

[scampo]

Light meters look much as they used to do - some are high-tech jobs but there are still a few traditional style ones around (Jessops do an own-brand model, for instance).

They cost more than the fiver that I paid for my first one, though!
You could use the camera's own light meter, I suppose! I can remember those long-ago-days of a Kodak Retinette, a second-hand Weston Master IV and a Boots rangefinder... outhouse as a dark room... Such fun.

[Dave B Smith]

Eric,
I use the same scope and camera attachment and it is a "fixed" aperture of 13.3. My camera is an F5. I set it on aperture priority, there the camera measures the light coming in (on mine this is done at the film plane) and sets the shutter speed accordingly.

On film speed, I would suggest something at least 400 speed. Since the scope is effectively an 800 mm lens, you'll want shutter speeds of 1/500th or faster (even on a tripod the wind / camera shake is going to make you want that faster speed).

If your photos came out overexposed I'd look at two things. If you were using slide film you can believe the problem was with your exposure and then you need to change your exposure calculations. If you were using print film (negatives), then the problem is just as likely to be with your local developer/printer. Check the negatives. If they have the right density, its the printer, if they are overexposed, change your exposure calculations.

[Grousemore]

Eric,
I use the same scope and camera attachment and it is a "fixed" aperture of 13.3. My camera is an F5. I set it on aperture priority, there the camera measures the light coming in (on mine this is done at the film plane) and sets the shutter speed accordingly.

On film speed, I would suggest something at least 400 speed. Since the scope is effectively an 800 mm lens, you'll want shutter speeds of 1/500th or faster (even on a tripod the wind / camera shake is going to make you want that faster speed).

If your photos came out overexposed I'd look at two things. If you were using slide film you can believe the problem was with your exposure and then you need to change your exposure calculations. If you wre using print film (negatives), then the problem is just as likely to be with your local developer/printer. Check the negatives. If they have the right density, its the printer, if they are overexposed, change your exposure calculations.
If they have the right density, its the


Come on,Dave,its the what? :h?:

[Dave B Smith]

Shouldn't run off so fast for lunch! Seems I started my last sentence again! Delete last sentence. Better yet, I'll go back and delete it.
Sorry for any confusion.

[Neil]

The old 'sunny f16' rule for 100 asa film at 125sec would indicate to me that somehow the camera thought is had 100 asa film in it (f13 at 180sec ). As you were using 400asa film I presuming that the over exposure would have been 2 stops. I use the Swarovski f10 adapter with my D100 and I have to use Manual mode and adjust the Shutter speed with test exposures. It's difficult to use a light meter for birds as they are too small to meter from a distance but it would give you a starting point.

[Andrew Whitehouse]

I use an f13.3 adapter on my Nikon ED too and would agree with a lot of the comments already made. You can get some good pictures with ASA400 film in good light conditions. I use an old Nikon EM camera with aperture priority which means that there's not a lot that you need to adjust because the shutter speed is set automatically. The problem is that there's not much flexibility but, as I said, in good light it's normally possible to get decent pictures with no over or under exposure. It's basically a good powerful 800mm lens. Shaking is a problem with films lower than a 400 though.