SL and Novoflex LET/NIK adapter

[profus]

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Just started to use this adapter. Working fine...I think

 

Anyone can explain what's the purpose of turning this blue ring and what those two circles represent? I do not seem to

notice any difference ( what difference should I expect to see?? ) no matter position of it ?

 

 

 

 

Thank you in advance

 

BR / Alex

 

[Suteetat]

When you use it with G lens, diaphragm of Nikon lens will be wide open and you have no control over the aperture on the lens.

If you want to shoot wide open, there is no problem but if you want to step down, you will need to do it with the diaphragm on the

adapter. It is only an approximation and there is no way to really know if you are at f5.6, f7.1r or whatever. With AI-s or zeiss ZF.2 lens,

just leave the diaphragm on the adapter wide open (in the picture, the diaphragm is set to smallest aperture) and control aperture from the lens itself.

Edited July 13, 2016 by Suteetat

[ericborgstrom]

Alex,

 

You use this ring to close the apperture on lenses without an on lens aparture ring.

With the lens shown leave it on "big"=fully open and use the on lens apparture control ring.

 

Somewhat cryptic on the Novoflex instruction sheet.

 

Eric

[profus]

Aha, I see it. Thank you very much! Both of  you!

 

2 things though:

 

1. When I leave ring on my adapter as shown on a picture ( pointing to the smallest circle ), then I am able to change the aperture directly on the lens.

    If it points to the big circle, then it is wide open and nothing changes when choosing the aperture on the lens.

    Isn't it right opposite of what you suggested?

 

2.  No matter what I am not able to close my lens more than f4 ( it is 135/ f2 lens ). But I don't think it has anything to do with the adapter. Also without the adapter I am not able to

     do it - no change on aperture blades when it's bigger than f4. Bugger. Lens is completely new. I will use f2-f4 in like 99% of situation, but anyway...

[ramarren]

When you use it with G lens, diaphragm of Nikon lens will be wide open and you have no control over the aperture on the lens.

If you want to shoot wide open, there is no problem but if you want to step down, you will need to do it with the diaphragm on the

adapter. It is only an approximation and there is no way to really know if you are at f5.6, f7.1r or whatever. With AI-s or zeiss ZF.2 lens,

just leave the diaphragm on the adapter wide open (in the picture, the diaphragm is set to smallest aperture) and control aperture from the lens itself.

 

 

Actually, the inverse is true:

 

The Nikon mechanical auto-diaphragm mechanism in the lens defaults to stopped down, to match the setting on the aperture ring. When fitted to a body, there's a lever in the body that opens the diaphragm for viewing and metering; when the exposure is made, the lens aperture is allowed to drop back to whatever stop the lens is set to. With G lenses, there is no aperture ring so the lens is fully stopped down when off the camera. When on the camera, bodies compatible with G lenses open them up for viewing and metering same as for aperture-ring lenses; these compatible bodies have highly calibrated movements of the body's aperture selector lever that stops them down precisely to the aperture setting made on the body at exposure time. 

 

The ring on the LET/NIK adapter allows you to operate the G lens aperture mechanism manually. When set to the large circle, the lens will be fully open. When set to the small circle, the lens will be fully closed.

 

You say you cannot achieve anything smaller than f/4. First test the lens properly: take it OFF the adapter and look through it. Turn the aperture ring through its entire range from f/2 to f/22 ... you should see the diaphragm operate from wide open to a small circle. If not, there's something wrong with the lens and it should be exchanged (if new) or serviced. 

 

Now fit it to the Novoflex adapter. The adapter works the same way with aperture ring equipped lenses as it does with G lenses, since the underlying mechanism is the same: set the lens to minimum aperture (f/22), fit it to the adapter, and look through the lens. You should see the lens wide open with the ring at the large circle, and when you move the ring to the small circle, the lens should stop down all the way to f/22. The Novoflex ring is unmarked so you won't be able to know precisely what aperture is chosen other than wide open or fully stopped down, although you can mark approximate settings on the mount if you're so inclined.

 

So: there are two correct ways to use this adapter with Nikon mount lenses that have an aperture ring. Either set the lens to minimum aperture and use the Novoflex ring to close it down to where you want to use it, or set the Novoflex ring to the small circle and use the aperture ring to set the aperture you want to use according to the markings on the lens. 

Edited July 13, 2016 by ramarren

[steppenw0lf]

I have a no-name Nikon G adapter that can be used in two ways: (On my adapter it says open and close instead of big and small circle)

 

With Nikon G lenses: It allows you to close the aperture (which is completely open by default). Drawback: It has no steps, only a single smooth movement. So you cannot check the aperture "mechanically". The lens feels this way a bit like a video lens.

 

With Nikon D lenses:

A: Using the adapters closing mechanism works as described above, if you put the aperture ring of the lens to the smallest aperture  (22 in my case)    (The adapter will close the lens down to the aperture you selected on the lens, to 4 in your case, to 22 when used properly as in my case).

B: If I want to use the lenses aperture mechanism I have a small problem. In this case the adapter needs to be closed. But then I cannot reach the biggest aperture of the lens anymore (2.8 in my case), it just goes to 4. (Without adapter the lens does not show this problem.)

 

Conclusion: I have to use a dedicated adapter for D lenses if I want to use the D lens in its "normal" way. Or accept that I use all lenses with the adapter mechanism (without aperture clicks). Or change the method for each occasion that requires it - using once the adapters and once the lenses steering mechanism - which I actually do.

 

All in all it is not a serious problem - and there are several ways to cope with it. (At least for me it is still ok).  

 

P.S. I heard once that mental exercises are a way to avoid or at least postpone Alzheimers disease. So I take it as a small exercise useful for my (future) health.  

Edited July 13, 2016 by steppenw0lf

[Suteetat]

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opps, sorry for the typo. Yes, for zf.2, d lens, the ring on the adapter needs to be at smallest aperture setting to control aperture from the lens.

I am not sure about being stuck at f4 though.

I have Novoflex F to E mount and Kipon F to T mount, with Zeiss 135/2 apo sonnar, I could go from wide open to f22 with no problem.

(I assume it is f22, the aperture opening was about 4-5mm in diameter, if I take the adapter off, and move aperture ring to f22, it looks about

the same size as when the adapter was on).

[Louis]

I do not have SL, but I am using T which has the same mount. I use this camera with a bunch of old Nikkor lenses; and therefore, I had to purchase a Novoflex adapter.

When I received my adapter, I had the same questions in my mind, and contacted Novoflex for better understanding of their adapter.

 

This is the information I received from them:

 

with Nikon G-lenses you use the blue ring to set the aperture. The larger circle means aperture is open, the little circle means aperture is maximun closed, which depends on the lens. 

 

 

Please set the integrated aperture control ring to „aperture closed“ when attaching the adapter to the lens.

 

Using lenses with integrated aperture rings you have two options: You can leave the ring on the closed-position and set the aperture at the lens. Second option is to close the aperture on the lens to where you want to have it (for example 8 or 11, whatever) If you now open the blue ring aperture is maximum open for focussing. If you close the blue ring (little circle) aperture will be closed to the value you choose on the lens. I think that´s a helpful feature. 

 

The distances set on the lens are slightly shorter when using the adapter than when used on the original camera.

E.g., sharp depiction of a distant object is achieved immediately before the mechanical infinity stop on the adjusting dial.

This is for technical reasons and is not a fault.

 

I hope the above would help.

[steppenw0lf]

Using lenses with integrated aperture rings you have two options: You can leave the ring on the closed-position and set the aperture at the lens. Second option is to close the aperture on the lens to where you want to have it (for example 8 or 11, whatever) If you now open the blue ring aperture is maximum open for focussing. If you close the blue ring (little circle) aperture will be closed to the value you choose on the lens. I think that´s a helpful feature. 

 

 

That's a nice short description how to use the adapter - equivalent to my description but definitely much clearer.  

Thanks.

[bherman01545]

I have another couple of questions now that (with your help) I've mostly figured out the adapter.

1.) If I turn the blue ring to the large "O", it lets me view the image with what appears to be open aperture, but when I turn the actual aperture ring on the lens, it doesn't change the exposure. It is only when I turn the lens to the small "o", it recognizes the changes in aperture, but it looks like stopped down metering - i.e. setting the aperture to F/16 darkens the image in the EVF, so I really need to focus and compose with the lens aperture wide open and then stop down or set the aperture accordingly, correct?

2.) The other question related directly to the menu settings in my Leica SL2-S. I stumbled upon this after mounting the Novoflex adapter and my 55mm Micro Nikkor lens. I noticed that Image Stabilization is grayed out in the menu. I called my local Leica store, and we pretty much figured this out together. 

To fix the IS issue:

• Go to Page 4 in the menu
• Camera Settings>Lens Profiles,>other profiles
• Put in Focal Length of the lens, e.g. 55mm
• Image stabilization is now ‘on’
• Then Save the User Profile, e.g. NIKKOR MF

There are no in-camera automatic adjustments (lens corrections made) simply by inputting the focal length. The camera doesn't know which lens I'm using, right? 

When I punch in the specific focal length, does the camera do anything specific with that - if I were to input 28mm or 55mm? 

Thanks again!

-Brad