Can't get to maximum aperture

[Joe from So Cal]

I'm using a D600 in very good condition. Just had a checkup at Nikon Service.

I put on my 105 Micro Nikkor f2.8 D and shooting aperture priority at first all I could get was f5.
I gave the aperture ring a twist, got the usual EE, and now I get f4.8, but not wider.

Can anyone offer a reason for this? The lens has rarely traveled with me and seems to be in good condition.

 

[RAZKY]

I'm using a D600 in very good condition. Just had a checkup at Nikon Service.

I put on my 105 Micro Nikkor f2.8 D and shooting aperture priority at first all I could get was f5.
I gave the aperture ring a twist, got the usual EE, and now I get f4.8, but not wider.

Can anyone offer a reason for this? The lens has rarely traveled with me and seems to be in good condition.

Have you locked the aperture ring at f/32?

 

[Strodav]

Micro lenses are a bit of a different animal. If I remember correctly, you can get f/2.8 when focusing at infinity. As you focus closer, the effective f stop increases. The camera sees the effective f stop.

 

[480sparky]

For lenses with an aperture ring on a D600, you don't turn the aperture ring. You set it at the minimum, and adjust the aperture with the camera.

 

[hemlock1962]

try it in manual mode.

 

[Joe from So Cal]

Have you locked the aperture ring at f/32?

Yes. In any other position I get the customary "EE".

 

[Joe from So Cal]

For lenses with an aperture ring on a D600, you don't turn the aperture ring. You set it at the minimum, and adjust the aperture with the camera.

I turned the aperture ring to kind of "exercise" things, see where they would land. Can't operate it any other way as we all know.

 

[Joe from So Cal]

try it in manual mode.

That is how I discovered this condition.

 

[Joe from So Cal]

Micro lenses are a bit of a different animal. If I remember correctly, you can get f/2.8 when focusing at infinity. As you focus closer, the effective f stop increases. The camera sees the effective f stop.

You nailed it. It didn't occur to me to try in at infinity because I never mount this lens for anything but close work.

I have some constant aperture fast lens I bought when shooting film. Another reason was build quality. I believed it when they said all metal construction can take more abuse. While I've always tried to be nice to my equipment my 80-200 f2.8D is at Nikon right now for an overhaul for a couple of issues.

Micro lenses are pushing things I don't understand and I'm not really concerned if I can't get to f2.8 at a 1:1 ratio. I usually stop down when that close anyway. Now with the great performance at iso 400, 800 and 1600 these new cameras offer, I won't be buying lenses based on speed, rather I'll be looking at what others here say about sharpness.

I appreciate all the replies here.

 

[Soocom1]

And THIS is the reason why I am so infuriated at the camera manufacturers trying to make cameras smarter than me.

it never works out like that.

 

[RAZKY]

You nailed it. It didn't occur to me to try in at infinity because I never mount this lens for anything but close work.

I have some constant aperture fast lens I bought when shooting film. Another reason was build quality. I believed it when they said all metal construction can take more abuse. While I've always tried to be nice to my equipment my 80-200 f2.8D is at Nikon right now for an overhaul for a couple of issues.

Micro lenses are pushing things I don't understand and I'm not really concerned if I can't get to f2.8 at a 1:1 ratio. I usually stop down when that close anyway. Now with the great performance at iso 400, 800 and 1600 these new cameras offer, I won't be buying lenses based on speed, rather I'll be looking at what others here say about sharpness.

I appreciate all the replies here.

You threw us a curve ball there, Joe. When in your original post you said you couldn't get to the maximum aperture, I thought you meant that you couldn't get to the maximum aperture. It's good you now know that the maximum aperture decreases by 2 stops when you go from infinity to 1:1.

 

[Joe from So Cal]

You threw us a curve ball there, Joe. When in your original post you said you couldn't get to the maximum aperture, I thought you meant that you couldn't get to the maximum aperture. It's good you now know that the maximum aperture decreases by 2 stops when you go from infinity to 1:1.

Sorry, I should have been more clear.