D200 built-in flash - full manual

On 12/07/2010 5:25 p.m., Paul Furman wrote:
Me wrote:
Paul Furman wrote:
Me wrote:
If it's set to use normal iTTL mode, is it firing reliably?

OK, if I put on a lens that it meters properly with, instead of the
bellows - the flash works reliably so yeah the problem as I suspected is
something with the internal computer trying to protect me from bad
exposures.

This is apparently due to the communication problem it's having with
lenses - which I probably caused my mounting something odd that I
shouldn't have - which messed up the contacts. D-lenses don't work at
all: the camera complains EE even though I've moved the aperture ring to
22. AF-S and AI lenses don't meter quite right but the aperture & DOF
preview function fine in manual exposure. What does meter right is AiP
type oddballs like the 40mm f/2 V/C although curiously, I can use the
aperture ring and not have to set it to f/22. Anyways, for that one, the
flash works normal... but only if I set the aperture ring to f/22
grin.

I just tried (D300) with an extension tube fitted but no lens attached,
tube has both AI coupling and electronic contacts but nothing on the
other end), then the internal flash still fires regardless of being set
in M (flash) or TTL mode.

The AI coupling ring on the tube, even with no lens fitted, does
fractionally move the AI ring (perhaps 1-2mm). There's no fEE error,

It looks like my problem is not the Ai coupling used to trigger the
aperture at taking (located inside the camera mount at 9:00) but the
outside tab which relays the aperture ring's position. I doubt any
extension ring has that.


camera reports f0 - the same as if no lens fitted.

What if you set the non-cpu lens data? I guess it's set to a 0mm f/0
lens by default? If you set 50mm f/1.8, with extension tube attached,
does it say f/1.8 or f/22 on the camera? Mine is saying f/22


But it reports fEE if a (non G) lens is not set to smallest aperture. So
how does it know? The only thing that seems to be obvious is that as the
aperture ring is moved, then the stop down lever moves. So if there's no
stop down lever, perhaps it should work, but if there's a stop-down
lever either not aligned, or connected to a lens that's perhaps twisted
radially (bellows?), then maybe that's why you get fEE?

I have tried at least two D-lenses (and several others). My theory (was)
one of the electrical contacts broke. But yeah, the Ai lenses aren't
metering right either. With an old manual Ai lens, no contacts, the
camera indicates stopped down to f/22, no matter where I turn the
aperture ring.

But the DOF preview works & it stops down for taking... just that the
metering is messed up, and the exif. That's the same mode I'm working
with on the bellows except there's no aperture tab. I'm connecting to
the bellows with a pre-Ai E2 extension tube which is officially
incompatible and could be the cause of damage but I can't see how - it
doesn't even have an aperture coupling. The camera continues to read the
fully stopped down setting though. Moving that aperture tab outside the
mount has no effect. I think it used to default to the wide open setting.

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction; the aperture registration
tab isn't working. It moves fine but apparently it's wiring wore out?
Hopefully will just take a dab of solder to fix g.

I don't quite get how the fEE message works on D300. (IIRC the first
camera I saw this message on was my FA - back in the '80s)
If I fit an extension tube, with both aperture coupling ring and chip
contacts (*marumi brand) then there's no fEE message, but "f0" with ring
in default position, changing to "f8" if the ring is rotated - same as
if there's no lens fitted - the camera will still fire. If I move both
the coupling ring and the stop-down lever, then there's still no fEE
message. IIRC my old FA (long gone) used the prong at the base of the
lens, as well as an AI-"s" indent in the lens mount to communicate lens
data to the camera.
There's no switch etc to use either the prong or the AI-"s" indent on
the D300 - it's long redundant on modern bodies.
But with the tube connected and a "D" (non "G") lens attached, then if
the lens isn't set to smallest aperture, the familiar fEE message is
displayed - not f0. Apart from the ring and stop-down lever, only the
electronic contacts can tell the camera that a lens is mounted (there's
nothing else it could be), so that it can then tell me by way of fEE
message that the lens isn't set to minimum aperture, and the camera will
not fire.
Perhaps it is something to do with the "E2" tube you're using, are you
sure it's not touching the electronic contacts in the camera body?

*My Marumi brand rings were sold here (NZ) a few years ago, but I've
never seen them for sale since. I thought they might be the same as
"Kenco" rings sold in the US, but apparently not. The rings have metal
tubes, I think the Kenco ones are plastic. Auto-focus actually works for
AFS lenses, contacts for "G" lenses, and they do have an aperture
coupling ring for "D" and earlier AI / s lenses.

On Mon, 12 Jul 2010 18:47:43 -0700, Paul Furman
wrote:

note: My camera is broken, and not fixable by changing settings, but
I'll continue commenting below on the interesting complexities of the
situation, for those who are curious about subtle abstruse Nikon
metering & mounting issues.

It's possible the cpu/electronics are simply gummed up, moisture
damaged, overheated and/or worn out and exhibiting random errors, or
there might be some decipherable patterns. So far we've determined the
aperture ring position coupling tab on the body is not communicating
with the camera.


Ain't those interchangeable lens cameras just effin' wonderful!

LOL!

LOL! wrote:
Paul Furmanwrote:

note: My camera is broken, and not fixable by changing settings, but
I'll continue commenting below on the interesting complexities of the
situation, for those who are curious about subtle abstruse Nikon
metering& mounting issues.

It's possible the cpu/electronics are simply gummed up, moisture
damaged, overheated and/or worn out and exhibiting random errors, or
there might be some decipherable patterns. So far we've determined the
aperture ring position coupling tab on the body is not communicating
with the camera.

Ain't those interchangeable lens cameras just effin' wonderful!

LOL!

Yep, I've had a heck of a lot of fun breaking them! g
All kinds of interesting optical experiments are possible.
I've also played with a webcam which allows unscrewing the lens.

On 13/07/2010 1:54 p.m., LOL! wrote:
On Mon, 12 Jul 2010 18:47:43 -0700, Paul
wrote:

note: My camera is broken, and not fixable by changing settings, but
I'll continue commenting below on the interesting complexities of the
situation, for those who are curious about subtle abstruse Nikon
metering& mounting issues.

It's possible the cpu/electronics are simply gummed up, moisture
damaged, overheated and/or worn out and exhibiting random errors, or
there might be some decipherable patterns. So far we've determined the
aperture ring position coupling tab on the body is not communicating
with the camera.


Ain't those interchangeable lens cameras just effin' wonderful!

It's all so we can take blurry out of focus macro shots. Some of us
prefer that to shooting birds flying as fast as they can out of the
frame as they try to escape slack-jawed, dull eyed, flabby bellied,
mouth-breather's chimping trips in the everglades.

On Tue, 13 Jul 2010 18:47:02 +1200, Me wrote:

On 13/07/2010 1:54 p.m., LOL! wrote:
On Mon, 12 Jul 2010 18:47:43 -0700, Paul
wrote:

note: My camera is broken, and not fixable by changing settings, but
I'll continue commenting below on the interesting complexities of the
situation, for those who are curious about subtle abstruse Nikon
metering& mounting issues.

It's possible the cpu/electronics are simply gummed up, moisture
damaged, overheated and/or worn out and exhibiting random errors, or
there might be some decipherable patterns. So far we've determined the
aperture ring position coupling tab on the body is not communicating
with the camera.


Ain't those interchangeable lens cameras just effin' wonderful!

It's all so we can take blurry out of focus macro shots. Some of us
prefer that to shooting birds flying as fast as they can out of the
frame as they try to escape slack-jawed, dull eyed, flabby bellied,
mouth-breather's chimping trips in the everglades.

Awww ... it's still ****ed off that it can't capture an in-focus image of
its standing-still mutt but others with the same kind of equipment can
capture tack-sharp images of birds in flight.

Boo... ****in'... hoo...

LOL!

On 13/07/2010 6:57 p.m., LOL! wrote:
On Tue, 13 Jul 2010 18:47:02 +1200, wrote:

On 13/07/2010 1:54 p.m., LOL! wrote:
On Mon, 12 Jul 2010 18:47:43 -0700, Paul
wrote:

note: My camera is broken, and not fixable by changing settings, but
I'll continue commenting below on the interesting complexities of the
situation, for those who are curious about subtle abstruse Nikon
metering& mounting issues.

It's possible the cpu/electronics are simply gummed up, moisture
damaged, overheated and/or worn out and exhibiting random errors, or
there might be some decipherable patterns. So far we've determined the
aperture ring position coupling tab on the body is not communicating
with the camera.


Ain't those interchangeable lens cameras just effin' wonderful!

It's all so we can take blurry out of focus macro shots. Some of us
prefer that to shooting birds flying as fast as they can out of the
frame as they try to escape slack-jawed, dull eyed, flabby bellied,
mouth-breather's chimping trips in the everglades.

Awww ... it's still ****ed off that it can't capture an in-focus image of
its standing-still mutt but others with the same kind of equipment can
capture tack-sharp images of birds in flight.

Boo... ****in'... hoo...

LOL indeed. You think I didn't deliberately select an image with motion
blur, taken with a P&S - knowing you'd think it was taken with a dslr -
just to wind you up?
The only reason that I waste my time trolling an idiot you is that every
second you waste replying to me is one second that you don't use to
harangue others with your drivel.
Let's see a larger version of your tack-sharp images of birds in flight.
No? I thought not.

On 14/07/2010 7:00 a.m., Paul Furman wrote:
Me wrote:
Paul Furman wrote:
There is a Russian company now selling chips that
can be glued on and programmed to various data by running through a
sequence, like setting the clock on a microwave oven g. I've got an
old mount from a gutted 28-200mm D Lens that I've turned into an
adapter... although I don't need that feature... oddly, it reports 45mm
with or without teleconverter.

Here's a link to the russian site:
http://filmprocess.ru/nikon_spec_en.htm
Programmed on camera using the sequence after "activating program mode"
by taking a sequence of shots at 1,5,1 second. I suppose you'd want to
be careful not to reactivate program mode later by accident.
Installation instructions he
http://ongabonga.wordpress.com/tag/dandelion-chip/
About $35 (27 Euro) & freight