Odd old 35 mm film camera question - Nikon

[Gigi]

My son needs a film camera for a photo class, and with an old Nikon 50 1.4 lens sitting around, I found a F3HP locally. I always like the F3HP, and this was an easy way to justify one! The problem is the lens:camera fit isn't working out right. The lens seems fine, the body seems fine, the lens just doesn't work right when mounted on the camera.

It went on once just fine, and everything worked, but since then the aperture ring is stuck in one spot when the lens is mounted. The lens is the older "metal tang on top"  type - will this work with the F3? Everything else seems OK, lens works fine off the camera, but is wedged too tight when mounted on the camera.

Is there something to know here, or is this just a matter of something being out of whack and needing repair?

Thanks,

Geoff

[Chairman Bill]

I use my old Nikkors on my film & digi bodies. If the lens doesn't work on the F3HP, there's a problem somewhere. It isn't any generic lens/body incompatibility

[jimk]

how old of a lens which version?

[AFairley]

Geoff, if you have a pre-AI lens (if your 50mm has a metal focusing ring instead of a rubberized ring, it's pre-AI), you will have to flip up the metal tab on the lens mounting ring on the F3 (if memory serves, it is around 1 or 2 o'clock as you face the camera body.  Then when you mount the lens, the aperture ring will turn freely.  Note that with a pre-AI lens mounted on the camera, you will not get accurate exposures, for that you will need an AI or AI-s lens.  (but you can get the correct exposure for f1.4 and extrapolate for a stopped down aperture from that, I believe).

Good luck!  You might want to consider shelling out another $85 or so at KEH.com to get a used 50mm f1.8 AI lens....

[Gigi]

Now, that did the trick! Didn't know it wouldn't expose correctly, thanks for making that clear too. Its working fine (although the metering isn't, as you pointed out!).

Much appreciated!

[AFairley]

Geoff, I forgot that you will be able to meter with the lens stopped down with the DOF preview button, the metering will be accurate for that aperture then.