Controlling lense aperture

josh040996

New member
Greetings everyone! I am just getting into DSLR imaging, more specifically DSO astrophotography, and I am having a little bit of a moment with my D50 and a telephoto lens (Sigma AF 70-210). My problem is that I am getting confused about the aperture, obviously for astrophotography I would like the largest aperture the lens will allow, which is f/4 on this lens, the problem is that the camera doesn't seem towant to let me manually change it with the aperture ring on the lens without giving me an Fee error even when in manual mode. If I change the aperture on the camera body, the f number on the screen and in the eyepiece changes but I cannot hear anything from the lens and when I take the lens off it is still set to the smallest aperture. I am a complete noob to DSLRs, but surely the aperture size must/should have to change?

If anyone could maje sense of my jibberish I would be very greatful!

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mikew_RIP

Senior Member
Welcome to the forum,if you set the widest aperture then look through the camera you should see a bright image,taking the lens of the camera could let it go to it minimum,just a thought.
 

Fred Kingston

Senior Member
The aperture will always remain closed/small... set the aperture setting in the camera, when the shutter opens, it automatically "opens" the aperture to the setting... fires the shutter and then closes the aperture again... you cannot use the aperture ring on that lens... you use the setting in the camera...
 

josh040996

New member
The aperture will always remain closed/small... set the aperture setting in the camera, when the shutter opens, it automatically "opens" the aperture to the setting... fires the shutter and then closes the aperture again... you cannot use the aperture ring on that lens... you use the setting in the camera...
Okay, that makes sense. Thanks for the help :) just hopeing for some clear skies now.

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WayneF

Senior Member
Greetings everyone! I am just getting into DSLR imaging, more specifically DSO astrophotography, and I am having a little bit of a moment with my D50 and a telephoto lens (Sigma AF 70-210). My problem is that I am getting confused about the aperture, obviously for astrophotography I would like the largest aperture the lens will allow, which is f/4 on this lens, the problem is that the camera doesn't seem towant to let me manually change it with the aperture ring on the lens without giving me an Fee error even when in manual mode. If I change the aperture on the camera body, the f number on the screen and in the eyepiece changes but I cannot hear anything from the lens and when I take the lens off it is still set to the smallest aperture. I am a complete noob to DSLRs, but surely the aperture size must/should have to change?

If anyone could maje sense of my jibberish I would be very greatful!

Sent from my LG-H955 using Tapatalk


See page 123 of D50 manual, about camera error messages.
If you need a manual, it is at
Nikon | Download center | D50


The fEE error message is telling you to mount the lens, and then to be sure to turn and lock the aperture ring on the lens at its minimum diameter (largest f-number, like f/32). This is how the lens must be mounted to then work right. Newer lenses do not require that, newer lenses probably don't even have an aperture ring, but lenses of a certain age do.

Lock means that some lenses have a little latch to hold the aperture ring there, so that it cannot be turned away from that position. Because the camera wheel and internals instead control the aperture with this camera.

Then, the lens (if on the camera) will always remain wide open for focusing, but will automatically stop down to the selected aperture when the shutter button is pressed.
 
Last edited:

Bob Blaylock

Senior Member
The aperture will always remain closed/small... set the aperture setting in the camera, when the shutter opens, it automatically "opens" the aperture to the setting... fires the shutter and then closes the aperture again... you cannot use the aperture ring on that lens... you use the setting in the camera...

You have it backward.

The camera keeps the aperture open all the way, to give the brightest view through the viewfinder; and closes it down to the set aperture when the shutter fires.
 

Fred Kingston

Senior Member
That's correct Bob... Thanks for the correction... I was trying to get out door, and typing 100 mph, and got my opens and closed backasswards...
 
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