Old Nikon lenses and manual mode

Thirty or forty years back, my dad bought his first 35mm Nikon and some lenses... which I kept all these years. They still look like new.

I am currently experimenting with No. 486439 : 28mm f2.8 to_f22

Its also my first time in manual mode, so I am a bit blind ; but its a great learning experience.

Quick question which is currenetly frustrating me (I am putting down the camera now to pick up the guitar!).

For manual lenses: Is it simply done on the lens itself? There is no visual indication of aperature on the screen.

For AF/VR lenses : How do you change aperature!! I can of course easily set shutter speed with the mode dial, but I could have sworn I read once about needing to press the XXXX button to change aperature, but I cannot find that reference anymore. I know how I can go to Aperature, and change it there, and then go back to Manual. Is that how its done??

Hi mediaman

The D5100 should tell you to set your lens' aperture to the biggest or lowest number, I forgot which it was but one of the two.
From there on, you just change it on the BODY and don't touch the aperture on the lens itself.

To change the aperture in manual mode, you press the contrast button on top of the body (＋/−) and turn the cogwheel at the same time. This will change the aperture to where if you don't keep the contrast button pressed down, it will change the shutter speed.

Now someone please educate me on this one...how in the heck does a D5100 change the aperture on a manual focus lens?

Mediaman congratulations that you stioll have your dad's lenses...if the 28/2.8 is an AIS lens then you have one of the best wide angle lenses ever made by anyone...and on a crop camera it is the photojournalist's great friend...

I have no idea but it definitely told me to put it on a certain aperture, the 5100 was blocked until I did so.

I found it odd as well but it seemed to be changing the apertures as I tried myself, pictures became more and less exposed as I changed it on the body.

I think I understand now..you are talking about using newer lenses AF/VR etc on manual mode..yes I can see where the camera would have to index everything...

With an old lenses no electronics you use the ap ring to set the aperture and the camera body to set the shutter speed and then you have to use the focusing ring to get in focus....

Eye-level , thanks. Re the ol' lens, it indeed does seem to be a very high quality lens ; my greatest joy however is knowing who it came from!

As to AIS or not, according to this reference, it would appear I have the AI lens, and not the AIS lens, but it's still pretty good nonetheless.

As to the manual mode confusion, yes, correct, thata what I was trying to get at in my orignal post, ie

• legacy manual lens - set the aperture on the physical lens ring
• modern lens-manual mode - set the aperature via the thumbwheel ( I finally found the reference in the user manual I was looking for).

To change the aperture, keep the first button on the right just below the on/off (has a +/- on it) pressed, and turn the wheel. (the same one for shutter speed). Sorry my english is poor... hope this helps!

Good old full manual lenses. I approve.