How to see the Aperture of MF-Lenses through the FTZ-Adapter

[Frank Fremerey]

With my F-Bodies I am used to give my MF-lens a "No" and tell the camera that "No 1" is a 35mm f/1.4 and it "sees" and records the current value of the f-stop.
Not so with the Z. So my question is: Is there a replacement for the FTZ that can tell the camera or is the only way to chip the lens?

[Ian Watson]

I am not aware of an adapter with the necessary mechanical follower to read the aperture. So you need a chipped lens. However, without that follower you must control the aperture from the camera. Which in turn means that you need an AI-S lens for accurate results.

[Birna Rørslett]

In principle, a dedicated "FTZ" for manual lenses should be feasible. If the lens is not CPU-enabled, an aperture follower on the lens' side is required. The signal from the position of the follower has to be encoded and sent to the camera. This is actually what the Voigtländer and Viltrox Z lenses do already. The camera indicates the actual aperture as you rotate the aperture ring on the lens.

[Bernard Delley]

With my F-Bodies I am used to give my MF-lens a "No" and tell the camera that "No 1" is a 35mm f/1.4 and it "sees" and records the current value of the f-stop.
Not so with the Z. So my question is: Is there a replacement for the FTZ that can tell the camera or is the only way to chip the lens?

I entered my AI and pre-AI lenses as non-CPU lenses on my Z 7ii controlling the aperture via camera and it works: the stopped down apertures come through to the exif data. I have not tested  yet how accurate the stopped down apertures are, rough accuracy was enough for the purpose at hand. The pre-Ai unmodified lenses were not allowed on my DSLR.
https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/67384895

[pluton]

I entered my AI and pre-AI lenses as non-CPU lenses on my Z 7ii controlling the aperture via camera and it works: the stopped down apertures come through to the exif data.

It doesn't work on my Z7II.  Using a non-CPU Nikon lens + FTZ, the aperture is displayed in the top info panel as "F--", therefore there is no way to control the aperture from the camera.
I suppose that, before each time an exposure is to be made, one could re-enter the planned shooting aperture into the Non-CPU Lens Data slot as the new maximum aperture and then the EXIF would report that aperture, but that would be a difficult way to work!

[Birna Rørslett]

Again, the issue all boils down to the FTZ not having a mechanical aperture follower on the camera side. This simplifies the design for Nikon, of course, but possibly adds grey hair to the users?

Controlling the lens aperture from the camera side requires some electronics inside the lens. Without this one can stop down the lens so exposures will be OK, but the actual setting cannot be recorded.

The newer Voigtländer and Viltrox Z-mount lenses have the capability to set the aperture on the lens because they have a classic aperture ring, and the camera is told by way of the electronic communication what aperture is set. So that is the approach to get the best from both worlds. Nikon clearly could provide the same feature but choose not to do so.

[pluton]

I suspect that the main reason Nikon didn't produce an aperture communicating adapter for non-chipped Ai lenses is the cost vs sales prospects. I'd guess that such an adapter would cost double what the FTZ II costs.  It would almost certainly be heavier and probably more prone to customer complaints due to dirt getting into the mechanisms. I'd buy at least 1 if they made it.

[Bernard Delley]

I ma sorry, you are right! I had forgotten how I did it.
FTZ obviously does not know the aperture and you cannot control the aperture  by the camera.
 I apparently had set the aperture ring by hand. The exif data as based on non CPU lens data comes out as this:
F Number                        : 3.5
Lens                            : 0mm f/0
Lens Info                       : 0mm f/?
Lens Model                      : 55mm f/3.5
Lens Spec                       : 0mm f/0 MF
Focal Length                    : 55.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 55.0 mm)

irrespective of the aperture setting at the ring.
I had recorded the aperture by hand and wrote a little program that inserted the correct number into the MTF-plots.

[Snoogly]

Mr Chips 

[Gerhard2006]

Nice set of lenses to be chipped? Are they all AIS lenses? If they’re not the exposure readings will not be accurate because AI lenses are not linear, but AIS lenses are. If you haven’t done them before, I just took the metal shroud off the back of the lens after I scribed The location of the chips and use the hacksaw to cut into that area and made it look like teeth after which I broke off each little tooth and then I filed it flat so I could glue the chip on and have it supported by both shoulders of the shroud on the back of the lens . They communicate well with the FTZ adapter. Regards, Gerry.

[Snoogly]

Nice set of lenses to be chipped? Are they all AIS lenses? If they’re not the exposure readings will not be accurate because AI lenses are not linear, but AIS lenses are. If you haven’t done them before, I just took the metal shroud off the back of the lens after I scribed The location of the chips and use the hacksaw to cut into that area and made it look like teeth after which I broke off each little tooth and then I filed it flat so I could glue the chip on and have it supported by both shoulders of the shroud on the back of the lens . They communicate well with the FTZ adapter. Regards, Gerry.

You speak the truth!

I chipped a mixture of ai-s and ai and pre-ai. A few pre-ai lenses seem to ignore the exposure reading rule, and perform as well as ai-s lenses. But as you say, most result in unpredictable and often wrong exposure using the FTZ. I only use those on my D4s.

So far I have only relied on glue for the chips, and am waiting to have enough courage to attack my 180mm ai-s with a hacksaw and files.

[Øivind Tøien]

In somewhat well behaved AI lenses where one can adjust the aperture lever, it may be possible to optimize performance within a limited range of apertures controlled from the camera body. For instance my chipped 55mm f/3.5 Ai provides a pretty linear aperture response in the f/3.5 to f/11 range after adjustment, whereas at the f/16 setting which I do not care much about, it is pretty abruptly stopped down to f/22.

[MILLIREHM]

I suspect that the main reason Nikon didn't produce an aperture communicating adapter for non-chipped Ai lenses is the cost vs sales prospects. I'd guess that such an adapter would cost double what the FTZ II costs.  It would almost certainly be heavier and probably more prone to customer complaints due to dirt getting into the mechanisms. I'd buy at least 1 if they made it.

I dont think that it is a cost/sale perspective for the gadget itself, its just some sort of Nikon specific policy we can observe since 1988 or so. Imho they
 just want to sell more new lenses so one should not feel too comfortable with a better integration of old ones.

[Hugh_3170]

This is a happy outcome for a chipped non-AI lens on a DSLR or Z camera without an aperture follower.

How do others cope with such chipped lenses on a Z-Body?  Dial in exposure compensation or via bracketing?

In somewhat well behaved AI lenses where one can adjust the aperture lever, it may be possible to optimize performance within a limited range of apertures controlled from the camera body. For instance my chipped 55mm f/3.5 Ai provides a pretty linear aperture response in the f/3.5 to f/11 range after adjustment, whereas at the f/16 setting which I do not care much about, it is pretty abruptly stopped down to f/22.

[Birna Rørslett]

This is a happy outcome for chipped non-AI lens on a DSLR or Z camera without an aperture follower.

How to others cope with such chipped lenses on a Z-Body?  Dial in exposure compensation or via bracketing?

I simply meter as usual. The latitude of the NEFs takes up any slack in my experience.