Just a quick hello.
I found this group while researching adding focus confirmation chips to Nikon MF lenses. My current favorite camera is a Nikon D610 which is my first digital full frame camera. In my youth, I used Minolta cameras but fell away from photography over the years.
I entered the digital SLR world by first removing the CCDs from various semi or non-working Nikon cameras to build a cam84
https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/497530-diy-astro-ccd-16-bit-color-6mpx-camera/?hl=%20cam84 I started this project years ago and finished it but have to finish the cooling software. In the meantime, I built a telescope to use with this camera
https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/757128-diy-equatorial-inverted-fork-pillow-block-flange-bearing-build/?p=12078911 Unfortunately, due to too many projects and too little time, the camera has not seen first light.
I am currently grinding glass to build a small Schupmann telescope.
https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/772868-easy-schupmann-design/Long story short, I ended up with some working D50 and D70 DX cameras and gradually picked up some MF lenses. Some were pre-AI and I had to AI modify them. I chipped these with Dandelion chips since D50 and D70 cameras had no native support for MF lenses. Recently, I acquired a used D610. This camera does not require the lenses to be chipped but I find it very convenient to not have to manually set which lens is attached in order to get correct EXIF data. I've added additional lenses after acquiring the D610.
With the demise of nikonhacker.com, I've been looking for further information on chipping lenses. Especially since Dandelion chips do not play nicely with the D70 and the D610. Long story for another thread. In any event, I stumbled on the work that Birna and others did on this site in the past.
As you can see, I have way too many partially finished projects and haven't spent enough time actually using my new toys. Hoping to remedy that over time. So for the time being, you will probably see me in the "What the Nerds Do" forum as I work to complete some of these projects and start a few more. I hope to do some lens evaluations as I strive to determine what my current collection can do. Then I really need to actually use them!
Thanks,
Michael Toups
