Can not get Zeiss lens to work with D300

[EDVM]

Hey guys,

I am using a Carl Zeiss Distagon T* 2/35 ZF.2 lens on the Nikon D300.

This is a fully manual lens, with aperture ring so, lens must be recognized by the camera. I followed everything on this guide:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boICGwgYxYE

most of it is easy but I could not replicate what he does after 3:14

Live View also is disabled, could not get it to display at all, and I also followed the manual to the letter. A possible reason for it is described here, but doesn't clearly tell you HOW to fix it.

http://photo.stackexchange.com/ques...300-have-live-view-disabled-with-my-300mm-f-4

The shutter release half way, or all the way, made no difference... I could not take a single photo. Obviously I am doing something wrong, or omitting something altogether.

 

[trenchmonkey]

lens must be recognized by the camera

No, if it's not chipped...it won't be recognized. You go into Non CPU menu
and add the lens. Make sure to stop it all the way down, then get in A mode
and you can change the aperture with index finger wheel. Easy peasy.

 

[EDVM]

It's in A mode already. Once in A mode I don't know if there is an "On" and "Off" option. I've looked for it but didn't find it (other users say there is a way to switch A on or off ).
Whether I can control aperture from the camera, or from the lens, the main thing to me is to be able to take a photo. I CAN NOT TAKE A SINGLE PHOTO. Live View is disabled, and I don't know why. Tried a Zeiss, I am now trying a Nikon 105mm Macro, and getting nowhere.

 

[EDVM]

from the Nikon D300 manual:
"Note that regardless of the setting chosen, the aperture ring must be used to adjust aperture when a non-CPU lens is attached" pg 308

what is a "non-CPU" lens by the way? I registered the Zeiss ( manual only ) as a "non CPU" lens, and also the Nikon ( manual and automatic ) as a "non CPU" lens. Tried the Nikon in Auto, and in Manual, neither would work.

 

[EDVM]

Update: Got the Nikon lens to react when I pressed the shutter release, but it did not take a photo. Live view is still disabled.

 

[Thorsten]

First off, if your Zeiss lens is the newer ZF.2 model, then it has a CPU. So you would use it just like current Nikon lenses, only it has no auto focus of course. The aperture is controlled with the sub command dial on the camera. The older ZF models did not have a CPU, so the info for those would be set in the non-CPU menu, and you'd use the aperture ring on the lens to stop down.

But since it looks your camera has a problem with both the Zeiss lens and the Nikon 105mm lens, the issue would be in the camera and not the Zeiss lens.

 

[wizzard0003]

A CPU lens is any lens with a chip, like a computer... If the lens has electrical contacts it probably has a CPU
of some kind...

Since you stated your lens is a ZF.2 model it should have a CPU so try this:
> Custom setting menu (pencil icon)
> Scroll to 'f Controls'
> Scroll to 'Customize command dials'
> Scroll to 'Aperture setting'
> Press the right side of your navigation dial

If you want to use the aperture ring on the lens highlight 'Aperture ring' and then press 'OK'... Set your
shooting mode dial to A (Aperture priority)... Now your aperture ring on the lens controls aperture...

If you want to use the sub-command dial on the camera highlight 'Sub-command dial' and then press 'OK'...
Set your shooting mode dial to A (Aperture priority)... Now the sub-command dial on the camera controls the
aperture...

If you choose the 'Sub-command dial' option you must turn the aperture ring on the lens to the smallest aperture
(largest f number)... Many lenses also have a button that will lock it in place once you close the aperture down
so that it will not get moved by accident... If you don't turn the aperture ring to the smallest aperture when using
the 'Sub-command dial' option the camera will error and not function...

Don't know if this is the problem but see if any of this helps...

Edit:

Live View also is disabled, could not get it to display at all, and I also followed the manual to the letter. A possible
reason for it is described here, but doesn't clearly tell you HOW to fix it.

http://photo.stackexchange.com/ques...300-have-live-view-disabled-with-my-300mm-f-4

That does tell you how to fix it...

The 300mm f4 lens described has both an aperture ring and a CPU, the same as your lens... On the D300 if you do not
set the 'aperture setting' to the 'sub-command dial' option (with a CPU lens) live view will not work...

Here is a link to Nikon support that states the same thing...

https://support.nikonusa.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/16465/~/d300-/-d700-live-view-mode-disabled

Again, when using the 'Sub-command dial' option you must close the aperture ring down to the smallest aperture
or the camera will error...

For a non-CPU lens (which you don't have) none of this should matter... Non-CPU lenses must always use the aperture
ring on the D300 and it doesn't matter what the aperture setting is set to in the controls menu...

 

[EDVM]

Wow, thanks people! Live View is now working and the D300 is recognizing the Zeiss and the Nikon lens. This link proved the most helpful:

https://support.nikonusa.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/16465/~/d300-/-d700-live-view-mode-disabled

this one the least :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boICGwgYxYE

but seriously, it's my first time using a DSLR, so I appreciate a thorough explanation. I now have to figure out how to get the images in focus. Took a 3 or 4 of pictures and they all came out out of focus ( I was using hand held ) so I will look into that now.

By the way, the Nikon 105mm Macro lens has both Manual and Auto modes, should it be always set to Auto?
I can see that the aperture can be adjusted from the camera now, but I don't see the image display ( on Live View ) getting brighter or darker as I do this. Is that normal?

 

[wizzard0003]

Glad you're getting things sorted... :wink:

The aperture is always wide open for focusing... It only stops down
when the shutter is tripped and then opens back up...