Nikon ais lens adapted; How do I set aperature in camera?

Got my Nikon to EOS adapter yesterday. I put the adapter on a 55mm f/3.5 micro-nikkor and attached it to the 50D. Switched the camera to manual. The camera was reading "00" for aperature. Tried turning the dial to adjust to correct aperature but no dice, it just stays at "00". So my question is, how do I tell the camera what aperature I have the lens set to? Is there a custom function that allows me to set an aperature even if the camera is not reading a lens?

Bob

There's no way to set it unless you've got an adapter that has a chip that's been programmed to give basic information about the lens. The body ends up metering through the lens and basing the exposure off that without any information regarding the aperture.

It would be cool to force an aperture value in camera even though there's no electronic connection but I've never heard of being able to to that.

Ok, so basic workflow would be something like;

-set lens wide open
-focus in live view
-reset lens to desired aperature
-adjust shutter speed until correct exposure is indicated on scale
-trigger shutter

Is this how most people work with adapted manual lenses?

Bob

Hot Bob wrote in post #12842638
Ok, so basic workflow would be something like;

-set lens wide open
-focus in live view
-reset lens to desired aperature
-adjust shutter speed until correct exposure is indicated on scale
-trigger shutter

Is this how most people work with adapted manual lenses?

Bob

No,

I set the camera to Aperture Priority and set it to desired aperture. Then I set it to desired exposure (which doesn't always provide desired exposure).

This way, shutter speed is the automatic variable and you're in a semi-auto exposure mode.

Now, on Live View Mode...you're right. Aperture needs to be opened up. Still, under Aperture Priority...you can still change around the aperture and not have to mess with the shutter speed.

Works for me. And I have the same Nikkor Micro lens. Funky looking lens it is.

Hot Bob wrote in post #12842638
Ok, so basic workflow would be something like;

-set lens wide open
-focus in live view
-reset lens to desired aperature
-adjust shutter speed until correct exposure is indicated on scale
-trigger shutter

Is this how most people work with adapted manual lenses?

Bob

I haven't seen an F mount with it, but some manual lenses have a switch on the barrel to fully open the iris so that you can a) set aperture & meter the scene b) flick the switch to brighten the viewfinder and confirm focus c) let go of the switch and snap the photo. It's a little faster.

Hot Bob wrote in post #12842638
Ok, so basic workflow would be something like;

-set lens wide open
-focus in live view
-reset lens to desired aperature
-adjust shutter speed until correct exposure is indicated on scale
-trigger shutter

Is this how most people work with adapted manual lenses?

Bob

I own a Rebel XT which doesn't have Live View and my workflow goes like this

-set lens to desire aperture
-look in viewfinder compose and focus
-shoot

I almost purely shoot in Av (Aperture Priority) so the body automatically sets the exposure for me based on the light its metering. I'll get correct exposure here with some niggling aspects (some lenses tend to go from overexposing to underexposing when going from wide open to closed down). This is different for every lens though.

I'm unfamiliar with shooting with Live View though.

Ok, so in aperature priority, the camera will automatically set the shutter speed based on the light coming through the lens even though it has no idea what the aperature is?

Bob

Hot Bob wrote in post #12843249
Ok, so in aperature priority, the camera will automatically set the shutter speed based on the light coming through the lens even though it has no idea what the aperature is?

Bob

Yep! Some cameras are better at metering the light and getting the correct exposure. My lowly Rebel XT has been alright at this. And you can also manipulate the exposure by setting the Exposure Compensation to where you want it.

Yup, what BlueTsunami said.

You will have to toy with the Exposure Compensation some...and every lens is different...with some manual lens, it under exposes...and some, it over exposes..

The camera may not know what the aperture setting may be. But it knows how much light is entering the lens.

Hot Bob wrote in post #12842638
Ok, so basic workflow would be something like;

-set lens wide open
-focus in live view
-reset lens to desired aperature
-adjust shutter speed until correct exposure is indicated on scale
-trigger shutter

For manual stop down metering, this is very much my work flow;
Camera in manual mode the entire time.

I you are in Av and Live View, the camera will vary the exposure based upon where the expanded view rectangle is. Its like a very large spot meter. Move the LV rectangle about and you will see the shutter speed change. In Manual mode, LV rectangle positioning has no effect on exposure reading.
Mike K