Issues with Nikon 60mm D Micro on D800E

[Blackrider]

Hi,

is anybody there who knows or have same issues as me?

My Nikon 60mm D Micro or my D800E (with the 60mm attached) have a strange behavior, if i set aperture to f2.8 up to f4.5 when i focus in or out the camera shows different f numbers e.g. f2.8 shows as f.3.5 . This occurs only from 2.8 to 4.5 if i set f5 and above the camera shows the right f number. I have tried all possible combination of setting and even tried a different lens (60mm D Micro) still the same issue . I have other D series lenses 135mm f2, 85mm f1.8 and 50mm f1.4 all working fine.
Any idea? Please help!!!!


many thanks

 

[Geoffc]

Hi,

is anybody there who knows or have same issues as me?

My Nikon 60mm D Micro or my D800E (with the 60mm attached) have a strange behavior, if i set aperture to f2.8 up to f4.5 when i focus in or out the camera shows different f numbers e.g. f2.8 shows as f.3.5 . This occurs only from 2.8 to 4.5 if i set f5 and above the camera shows the right f number. I have tried all possible combination of setting and even tried a different lens (60mm D Micro) still the same issue . I have other D series lenses 135mm f2, 85mm f1.8 and 50mm f1.4 all working fine.
Any idea? Please help!!!!


many thanks

It's a standard thing with macro lenses that they don't show widest aperture close up due to the mechanics of the lens.. Not that you want wide aperture for very close work. Try pointing at something ten feet away and see what it says.

 

[WayneF]

Right, that is normal for all macro lenses, when focused close to macro distances. Your other lenses do not do this, because they cannot focus to macro distances.

But to focus closer, the lens has to be extended, which is longer focal length. f/stop is focal length / aperture diameter, so for the same diameter, the f/stop number increases from what is marked. This is minor and not noticeable at normal near distances, but technically 1:1 magnification macro is 2 stops different than marked. However, some lens designs are less symmetrical, and may not be exactly 2 stops at 1:1, but still same ballpark.

Through the lens metering will still get it right.

Since the macro lenses do focus to 1:1, their design takes pains to show the actual modified f/stop number. Whereas normal lenses focusing to 2 feet do shift slightly, but there is no concern to show this. It is only minor then. But the macro lens does show that too.

We don't use f/2.8 for 1:1 macro of course, but this means without this compensation feature, that when you set f/16, it changes to f/32 (at 1:1). A handheld light meter would seriously be wrong then.

Except now the lens shows the true adjusted value, so if you set f/16, it is really is f/16, and the hand held meter can get it right.

 

[Brian]

As others stated- normal behavior, Nikon Autofocus cameras going back to the late 1980s will show the effective F-Stop of the lens, either Macro lenses for Zoom lenses with variable apertures.

Nikon made an early F-Mount Micro-Nikkor 55/3.5 that mechanically compensated for close-up use. If you set the F-Stop to, say F8, the lens would maintain an actual F8 aperture as you focused in close. The aperture was coupled with the focus. It would work with a handheld meter.