How do you control the aperture in "G" series Nikon lenses ?

EDV

EDV

Well-known member
ie, Nikon 14-24mm AFS f/2.8 G ED

I was about to order this lens, when I realized it lacked manual aperture controls. I know some of you guys have used this lens for video so I am wondering how you deal with this. Or does it not make any difference? Using a 35mm adapter here and the manufacturer is not sure. Suggested to plug the lens to a DSLR and adjust aperture that way, and then plug it back to the 35 mm adapter. Seems absurd. I think I might be ordering a different lens now, one with full manual controls on the lens.

EDIT: I DO NOT REQUIRE A NIKON to MFT ADAPTER!!
 
Last edited:
Can anyone recommend one of these adapters? ( ebay link or something? )Are there any drawbacks to using them?
 
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=646931&Q=&is=REG&A=details
http://fotodioxpro.com/index.php/fo...ra-lens-mount-adapter-with-aperture-dial.html
http://www.metabones.com/buy-speed-booster/nikon-g-mft-speed-booster-detail

The Novoflex is much smoother than either of the other 2 in controlling aperture
The Fotodiox is less expensive but still fits well
The SpeedBooster is freaking awesome, but you may or may not desire the focal reducer features it has

Drawback to all of them is that without calibrating and marking them in some way for each lens, you won't know your exact f-stop
 
I have the Novoflex... it's pretty ridicules. Not cheap, but worth the coin as far as I'm concerned. I had the Fotodiox literaly fall apart in the middle of a shoot... good thing my hand was on the lens or it would fallen nearly six feet onto a hard surface.
 
"I have the Novoflex... it's pretty ridicules. Not cheap, but worth the coin as far as I'm concerned"
I agree, I bought a Leinox at 50$, it sucks, period, so I bought the novoflex. I remember someone on the site that said he had 4 adapters, and only one was good, the novoflex. It is more expensive but the truth is there, cheap doesn't work, cheap can't be quality, if you wanna be safe, invest a little more, before you are sorry.
 
Thanks for the info guys, but.... those adapters seem specific for 4/3 cameras or Canon cameras. I don't need that. I just want an adapter to control the aperture in a G lens. Lens will mount on a Nikon mount camera ( 35mm adapter + video camera ).
 
Last edited:
I am now looking for one of these Novoflex or Metabone adapters that ONLY lets you control aperture. No Nikon to Canon, or Nikon to 4/3 conversions. Haven't found anything so far...
 
Well it looks like I will not be buying the Nikon 14-24mm based on the lack of aperture control or a suitable adapter. All my google searches directed me to Nikon to MFT and Nikon to Canon adapters. Stupid omission by Nikon... they lose my business to Zeiss now. Full manual control on those primes.
 
you're not looking for an adapter, there's typically no such thing as a nikon to nikon, or any other such device, since doing so would increase the flange distance and negate infity focus. the only time you see the same mount front to back, is in other types of adapters such as macro tubes and focal multipliers, but those do their thing in modifying the image. unless you can swap out the nikon mount for a canon mount on your 35mm adapter, you'll need to look elsewhere.

and why do you call nikon stupid, for not having something that you want? canon hasn't had manual aperture control for far longer, i guess they're stupid as well? if that's the case i'd slap a kitten to be as stupid as them so long as it comes with the metric ton of success that each company has achieved.
 
What is the benefit of leaving the aperture feature out ? Make the lens more affordable? Not if the user is forced to buy a $200 adapter! Besides... people spending $2000 on a lens are not doing to save money.
 
EDV said:
What is the benefit of leaving the aperture feature out ? Make the lens more affordable? Not if the user is forced to buy a $200 adapter! Besides... people spending $2000 on a lens are not doing to save money.
Click to expand...

Because Nikon makes Nikon lenses to go on Nikon cameras. I would wager only a very tiny percentage of their lenses are sold new to non-Nikon owners. Most people with Nikon or Canon glass buy it for Nikon or Canon cameras, and many Nikon and I believe most Canon cameras have the aperture controls off the lens in camera. Nikon simply made theirs in a way that is easier to use with third party applications. Most people I know with Nikon or Canon cameras don't really care (at least that I'm aware of) that the aperture controls are on the camera and not the lens.

Remember, we're a tiny niche market as far as they're concerned, and we're not their target audience. Most of these lens designs were made well before the DSLR/large format revolution in video production. It doesn't make sense to revamp their entire lens production lines to cater to a tiny market that isn't going to buy their cameras.
 
Many 35mm adapters have interchangeable mount flanges... The old Brevis I have includes mounts for Nikon and Canon.

Is changing to Canon mount and an adapter on top of that an option?

If not, I have a Brevis for sale: cheap!

As for camera system manufacturers and aperture rings... Well, almost nobody puts aperture rings on there. Canon, Sony, Panasonic, Olympus, Fuji... Nikon actually does have a few modern system lenses with an olde-timey aperture ring, so in that sense they're better than most. There are multiple reasons for this: enabling the system to react quicker in auto-aperture modes, putting controls in one hand, and of course creating incentive for using their brand lenses only with their brand camera bodies.
 
Last edited:
EDV said:
Well it looks like I will not be buying the Nikon 14-24mm based on the lack of aperture control or a suitable adapter. All my google searches directed me to Nikon to MFT and Nikon to Canon adapters. Stupid omission by Nikon... they lose my business to Zeiss now. Full manual control on those primes.
Click to expand...

This is pretty ignorant to be honest.

Nikon do not make video cameras they make DSLRs, they make these cameras primarily for photographers and they make their lenses for these customers for their cameras. They dropped the aperture ring quite a few years back as the auto metering of their cameras where becoming incredibly smart for shooting in shutter priority mode, the mechanics became smaller to be driven by smaller motors when in full auto or semi auto mode so that photographers could allow the camera to judge the aperture if they required a particular shutter speed (sports for example). Lens design and engineering has reached a level that would allow a manual aperture ring to be included along side the auto mechanics but that's only happened fairly recently (Olympus M43 12&17mm f1.8) but I don't think there is a big enough call for it to be warranted by Nikon.

The very nature of what you are trying to do is adaption. You are trying to use said lens in a way that it was not intended and you're unhappy that a photographic company has not thought of your odd request when designing their lens for their photographic customers executing their hobbie/job of photography?
 
I am sure the whole DSLR *video* Revolution has not gone unnoticed by either Canon or Nikon. Is it really that hard to come up with an aperture adapter for a Nikon G lens? Anyway... I am not spending $180 on a Canon mount, just so that I can spend another $250 on a Novoflex adapter. Thank God for Zeiss!

vdpoy1.jpg
 
EDV said:
I am sure the whole DSLR *video* Revolution has not gone unnoticed by either Canon or Nikon. Is it really that hard to come up with an aperture adapter for a Nikon G lens? Anyway... I am not spending $180 on a Canon mount, just so that I can spend another $250 on a Novoflex adapter. Thank God for Zeiss!

vdpoy1.jpg
Click to expand...

The point is that there are companies like Zeiss and Samyang that make SLR lenses that can be used for video relatively easily if not directly made for that purpose (Samyang for example) but they are just SLR lenses, just manually controlled. Look at PL lenses if you want dedicated lenses for video but if like most of us you find them too expensive then just use the many other alternatives out there. Canon and Nikon are not going to work hard at making their lenses work on rival brands, no company would do that!

Oh and the 24-70 is a zoom, Zeiss don't make a comparatively affordable SLR zoom at that or any range, so I'm not sure how your comparison to a Zeiss prime is really your example of a saviour?

Move over to a mirrorless video camera, ditch the 35mm adapter and adapt these lenses more successfully? or instead move over to Zeiss and their expensive primes and no zooms to keep your aged system going?, your choice dude, be thankful you have them and stop complaining about Nikon not supporting your non Nikon camera?

Justsaying ;0)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top