"MANUAL" Aperture NIKON Lenses ??

[George D.]

I know the RedUser Forum is probably not the right place to be asking this question, but since there are many highly skilled and experienced people that frequent this forum, I hope you will tolerate my question. Actually it does pertain to this forum since we are using this photography in conjunction with footage we are shooting with our Red-Ones.


I'm looking for Nikon Prime Lenses in the 30mm to 105mm range with "NON-AUTOMATIC or MANUAL"" apertures.

I'm not sure Nikon ever made manual aperture lenses in the past or present, but if they did, I need them for special effects work we are doing. These will be used on a DSLR where the aperture will NOT close down each time the shutter is pressed, but will stay at the f-stop it was previously set at.

No, I cannot use Live View while doing this photography, so that is not an option. The aperture control MUST be within the lens itself.

*If there are any good "off-brand" lenses that are adapted to Nikon, that could work too. (I do have a couple of Hasselblad Lenses (80mm & 150mm) that I use, but I need other millimeters too, especially designed for a 35mm camera).

NOTE: I do not believe Ai or AiS lenses will work. To my knowledge, the "aperture" is still automatic in those lenses, and closes down every time the shutter is released.

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

If anyone knows of a lens, or lenses like that, please let me know what brand, model, mm, and where I might be able to buy them.

Thanks for your time and patience.

.

 

[Robert Hart]

There is a comprehensive ranged of genuine "Nikon", "Nikkor", "Micro-Nikkor" and third-party "for Nikon" prime lenses out there. With the 35mm thing that started with 35mm adaptors and ramped up a bit with Red cameras and the gathering throng of other digital cinema 35mm cameras, Nikons have started to become more expensive. The ones you would want other than brand new are tagged AI or AIS. The older lenses may require modifiying by a good lens-smith as some modern Nikon-compatable mounts do not play nice with some, due to a fully encircling overhang of the iris ring which jams.

Favourites in the more modern lenses are the f2 flavour of 24mm, 28mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm. These are apparently comparable wide-open to the older faster f1.4 lenses at the same f2 iris setting. There was also a 50mm f1.2 and older 55mm f1.2.

Older favourites which often have remained in kits built up for 35mm adaptors are f1.8 flavours of the same focal lengths also the faster f1.4 models. The f1.4 lenses were then and remain highly sought after but you can be lucky with a uniquely worded eBay offering which is not readily pulled in by the search function.

Two discontinued lenses which represented the pinnacle of Nikon's achievements in fast lenses are the 58mm f1.2 Noct-Nikkor and the 28mm f1.4 Nikon. The aspherical front elements were hand-made. They hold extreme value as collectors items if they are mint. For journeyman work it is now almost a mortal sin to disrespect the handcrafting by actually using one. However lenses like old automobiles were made to be used if with extreme care. They have also been made somewhat redundent due to digital cameras and their fast sensors, another reason for discontinuance. These two lenses fall into superspeed or near-superspeed in performanceand are priced accordingly to the point where they may equal or outprice comparable purposed cine lenses.

Third-party brands of Nikon F-Mount lenses most well known are, Zeiss, Voigtlander ( read excellence ), Sigma, Tamron, Tokina. I believe some of the Canon range of stills lenses may have been released with Nikon mounts. The third party lenses range from excellent to absolutely dissappointing. Published lens reviews findable by web searches of a particular lens type are often a good guide.

Listen to the better wisdom of others who may respond. This is just to get you started.

 

[Nathaniel Haban]

As Robert stated, the older AI and AI-S lenses sound like what you're looking for, unless I'm not reading your original post correctly. If you're looking to buy, I'd consider:
http://www.rplens.com/products.htm
I have a set of his lenses, and have been such a fan of them I've added a 15, 105 micro, 135, & 180mm. All told, including cine-mods and RED Nikon Mount, less than $7,000 for a 9-lens set. The only thing you should be aware of, is that some AI and AI-S lenses have metal elements on their lens mounts that can rub on the inside of the RED Nikon Mount, and need to be shaved down, which is a simple (and cheap) procedure which any lens tech should be able to do.

 

[Shane Kelly]

Any ai or ais lens should give you what you need or just get any of the zeiss zf's 1 or 2. Do not get these with a declcked aperture if you are using then on a nikon stills camera (which it sound like that's what you are doing).

 

[George D.]

Any ai or ais lens should give you what you need or just get any of the zeiss zf's 1 or 2. Do not get these with a declcked aperture if you are using then on a nikon stills camera (which it sound like that's what you are doing).

I'm sorry, but I have Ai lenses, and they do NOT work because the aperture DOES close down to the pre-set f-stop each and every time the shutter is released. I need some lenses that do NOT do that.

Thanks.

.

 

[Alex Veitch]

George, have you considered using any of the old M42 mount lenses with a Nikon adaptor? Many of these have a manual stop down on the iris so you set the f stop and then have to close it afterwards. Trouble is, they may not be the sharpest lenses you can get hold of.

I'm assuming you're shooting with a Nikon SLR. If you have the option of a Canon SLR (or a Red) the Nikon AIS / AI auto iris will open or close per the aperture (at least, that's the case with my Nikons). I think its different on a Nikon body but I don't have one to test.

Alex

 

[Kennan Ward]

For time lapse consistent aperture settings we have used the end of a zip tie to stop the aperture prong. Some of us have been doing this for decades, and at least we have been careful enough not to damage the mechanics.

I think this is what you were thinking, excuse me if I am wrong?

Kennan & Karen Ward

 

[Alan Peterson]

That's pretty much how all still photo lenses work - the camera holds the aperture wide open while you focus and frame your shot, then closes it down to the setting you've chosen when you release the shutter. To get around that, you're going to have to either use a camera/mount that doesn't interface with the lens's aperture or modify the lens (I think removing the AI tab takes care of this, but I'd confer with someone who's actually done it to confirm).

Edit: Tying the aperture tab in place like Kennan said is probably the better way to go.

 

[George D.]

For time lapse consistent aperture settings we have used the end of a zip tie to stop the aperture prong. Some of us have been doing this for decades, and at least we have been careful enough not to damage the mechanics.

I think this is what you were thinking, excuse me if I am wrong?

Kennan & Karen Ward

Thanks, but exactly HOW do you achieve that?

You're not "wrapping" it around the end of the lens are you? I can't imagine that would work.

Could you explain it in detail?

Thanks.

.

 

[Kennan Ward]

You might have to see it and we are in the field. Best way of discribing it.....and we are not the only ones doing this!!!

Is set your apeture ( say F8) and take the lens off the camera. Clip the rounded end of a zip tie to about an 1/8 inch..place in the gap to the counterclockwise of the apeture prong. I also use a small piece of gapher tape to retrieve the stop when finished.

Since then we have made an exact peice of nylon to fit and adjusts to the desired F stop.

Karen is a lot better at this as she takes her time and is delicate in the operation. Don't call her delicate around Grizzly Bears though...she is very protective!

On occasion in very cold weather, we are more careful and wait till the lens gets cold first.

To some it is a HACK...to some of us..... it is life in the field!

I know there are dozens of people who do this but don't talk about it so now it is out there for everyone!

Bottom line, is time lapse has to be the same F stop throughout!

Kennan & Karen Ward