Nikon Manual Focus

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ukranger

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Hi guys,

I'm curious about what settings my camera uses when I attach an old Nikon lens & manual focus on a subject.

I take it the camera uses single point focus but I notice I can still pick a focus point on the camera. Does this actually work?

What about metering?

I seem to get some fantastic results using MF on people but can't seem to repeat this on AF.

Any help or advice greatly received.

Rob
 
I am not familier with the Nikon D3100 but the following link will show you which of the various lens you will get what functionality.

http://imaging.nikon.com/lineup/dslr/d3100/compatibility02.htm

If you are using a manual focus lens then moving the focusing points around will do little, bets just leave it on the centre one. Most Nikon cameras have some sort of range finder in them so when focusing you will get a dot and two arrows telling if your in focus or not.
 
I use a manual 50mm on my 3100. It is the new model tho not an old one.

You still can use the focus points for the exposure. I don't know if it's the same on old lenses but on mine you lock the aperture at f22 then the camera allows you to change it with the wheel on the back.

I find that when I do manage to get the focus right that it's loads better than the kit lens though.
 
Wait, the D3100 has no AI ring so any manual focus Nikon glass won't be able to communicate with the D3100 body. That means no metering, surely?

What the focus point does is select the point for the green dot which tells you whether you are in focus or not. So if your subject is on the right of the frame, you have to select the autofocus point on the right of the viewfinder to get a proper and correct focus confirmation from the green dot. If you don't and leave it somewhere else in the viewfinder, you'll get inaccurate focus.
 
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