Controlling Aperture on Nikon Lenses - Forums

Topic starter

Mar 8, 2017

I bought the Nikon lens adapter from ZWO and it connects the camera and filter wheel to the back of the lens, but it doesn't engage the little tab on the lens that controls the aperture.

A spring-load on the aperture diaphragm pulls the aperture to the minimum position - f/22 for my 600mm lens. This won't work. Does anyone know a way to connect the ASI1600 to a Nikon lens in a way that permits control of the aperture - or at least holds it wide open (f/4 for the 600mm)?

I'm considering fabricating a small clip to just hold the tab in the right place.

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David Dearden

Mar 8, 2017

I have a Tamron lens with a similar kind of spring-loaded tab. If the tab is not engaged, in my case the aperture stays full open. I just inserted a few pieces of cut-up toothpick to push the tab over, engaging the manual ring so that I can use it to set the aperture.

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Caley

Mar 8, 2017

I wonder if there is also an adapter for aperture control that you can seat between the lenseand your adapter from ZWO. Apparently there are adapters for people who wish to use other brands of lenses for their cameras. Good luck on getting something that will work. Sorry I am not of any help in this. Caley Ann

carl0s

Mar 8, 2017 · Edited: Mar 8, 2017

Fotodiox Aperture Control 52mm Filter

Look here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZjP1VlE9S0

It looks like it works, but you still need a adapter from 52mm to your image train. I don't know if there is still enough room for the image train

But Fotodiox also has one for c-mount https://fotodioxpro.com/products/nikg-c-pro
It should be easier to adapt it with ZWO

Bill Dally

Topic starter

Mar 8, 2017

Fotodiox Aperture Control 52mm Filter Look here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZjP1VlE9S0

It looks like it works, but you still need a adapter from 52mm to your image train. I don't know if there is still enough room for the image train

But Fotodiox also have one for c-mount https://fotodioxpro.com/products/nikg-c-pro
It should be easier to adapt it with ZWO

The 52mm adapter looks interesting - if I could find another adapter that would take me from 52mm to 48mm (M48-0.75) male threads to attach the camera. However, I worry about hanging a heavy camera off of "filter threads". This needs to be strong enough to support the camera without flexing.

A C-mount adapter is too narrow. It will not expose the full sensor.

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Benni12345

Apr 22, 2017

I have the solution for this problem:

There exists a ZWO to Canon Lens Adapter with the correct distances for filterwheel or without. Canon has a longer lens-sensor distance than Nikon. So all you need is a Nikon F to Canon EOS adapter with aperture control.

Then you can use the Canon Lens to ZWO Adapters from ZWO.

The Nikon to Canon Adapter should be of high quality. Do not buy a cheap adapter since they have the property not to go off anymore or not to sit tight enough or to mess with your apperture and damage the lens.

A high quality Nikon to EOS adapter is made by Novoflex

https://www.amazon.com/Novoflex-Adapter-Objektiv-EOS-Geh%C3%A4use/dp/B003NF1S28

Unfortunately, its just
$227.14.

So a different lens might be better if it is a cheap wide angle lens. If it is a 300 2,8 then the adapter may be the cheaper solution…..

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Richard Bratt

Apr 25, 2017

I have used wedges cut from a plastic milk carton inserted into the slot the lever rides in to hold the aperture open.

Francois Theriault

Oct 24, 2017

Hi Bill,
I am imaging with Nikon lenses. I use an SBIG camera that also can be fitted with a Nikon lens adapter.
I had the same problem with the spring-loaded lever controlling the aperture iris on the lens. I then realized that the adapter was mode with OLD Nikon lenses in mind.

Pre-digital era Nikon lenses are not spring-loaded, the aperture can be manually set.

So instead of using modern lenses, you can go on eBay and pick up some very good quality older lenses for about $ 150 to $ 200 a piece.
Popular focal lengths are the 50mm of course, the "portrait" lens at 135mm and 200mm. These offer a very good selection for widefield choices.
I personally picked up a very good 50mm at f/1.8 and a good 200mm APO lens.

I tried the 28mm lenses, but I personally don't like it. Too wide of a field of view, you lose too much detail, not to mention it is a real dog to try to focus.

You might want to check some of my images. I have a wide field shot of IC 1396 and a couple of the North America Nebula done in Narrowband.

Experiment and have fun with it.

Clear skies.

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