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Can a PB-4 Bellows be Used with a Nikon D100 or D200 Successfully?

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eddie rukidding

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Feb 24, 2007, 5:03:57 PM2/24/07
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I have a PB-4 bellows unit and own both a D100 and D200 DSLR.

Is it safe to mount either camera to the PB-4?

If so, will I be able to get any type of metering, using a manual
focus and aperture type lens and realizing I will have to manually
stop down the lens?

The more I read on websites on this, the more confused I get and I
fear damaging my cameras in the process.

Any help appreciated!!

Matt Clara

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Feb 27, 2007, 10:51:44 AM2/27/07
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"eddie rukidding" <ed...@rukidding.com> wrote in message
news:j4d1u2hkbf9jca7n2...@4ax.com...

I'm sorry, I could not find a definitive answer on the web. I use a PB-5 on
a D200 to good effect. [some hours of googling later] I just found out
Nikon says I shouldn't do this (though not why I shouldn't do this) and
mirs.com says it will damage the autofocus electrical contacts. Hmmm... I
did it for years with a D70 with no ill effects, and several times now on a
D200 with no ill effects. I'm going to try to contact Nikon and ask them
directly.

Ok, I called them, and they don't know. What a crock that was. He said,
"It doesn't say, so if you're mounting it without any problems, I wouldn't
worry about it." I wonder whether that individual ever used a Nikon before?

I've just submitted an Ask Nikon a Question form. They said they'll get
back to me within one business day. I'm not expecting anything definitive.

--
www.mattclara.com


David Ruether

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Feb 27, 2007, 12:27:38 PM2/27/07
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From: "Matt Clara" <hey.w...@buzz.off>

Nikon says my 28mm f4 PC of my serial number cannot
be mounted either, but I say, "Nonsense!" ;-) The bellows
units and early (non-AI) PC lenses may nudge the body
meter tab a bit, but if there is no serious deformation of
the ring it is attached to, and if the rear of the bayonette
itself cannot contact the electrical contacts, I don't see what
the problem could be (other than misplacing the tab a bit,
giving an incorrect exposure, but making sure that the tab
is back in its normal rest location around the mount after
the lens/bellows is mounted takes care of this).
--
David Ruether
d_ru...@hotmail.com
www.donferrario.com/ruether/
(note the address change)


Matt Clara

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Feb 28, 2007, 6:32:03 AM2/28/07
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"Matt Clara" <hey.w...@buzz.off> wrote in message
news:Y5KdnRRIJsgOznnY...@comcast.com...

And Nikon's reply:

"Hi Matt,

The only bellows we can recommend using on the D200 or the D70 is the PB-6
bellows. Using any of the other bellows may damage the camera and we cannot
support it.

Thank you for contacting Nikon.

From
Michael H"


--
www.mattclara.com


Matt Clara

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Feb 28, 2007, 6:41:25 AM2/28/07
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"David Ruether" <rp...@no-junk.cornell.edu> wrote in message
news:es1pmo$9kl$1...@ruby.cit.cornell.edu...

Thanks David--mind if I quote you on my website? In context, of course.


--
www.mattclara.com


David Ruether

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Feb 28, 2007, 2:55:11 PM2/28/07
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"Matt Clara" <hey.w...@buzz.off> wrote in message news:AtCdnXoW0pj193jY...@comcast.com...

> "David Ruether" <rp...@no-junk.cornell.edu> wrote in message

>> Nikon says my 28mm f4 PC of my serial number cannot
>> be mounted either, but I say, "Nonsense!" ;-) The bellows
>> units and early (non-AI) PC lenses may nudge the body
>> meter tab a bit, but if there is no serious deformation of
>> the ring it is attached to, and if the rear of the bayonette
>> itself cannot contact the electrical contacts, I don't see what
>> the problem could be (other than misplacing the tab a bit,
>> giving an incorrect exposure, but making sure that the tab
>> is back in its normal rest location around the mount after
>> the lens/bellows is mounted takes care of this).

> Thanks David--mind if I quote you on my website? In context, of course. --
> www.mattclara.com

Sorry, the above has too many "ifs" and I no longer have my
PB-4 - and my memory is too poor to be sure the above is
correct with the bellows if the "ifs" are removed...;-(
BTW, all my web pages have new addresses - you may want
to change mine on yours by adding a "don" in front of the
"ferrario" on all pages (they then are updated...). Thanks.

eddie rukidding

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Mar 1, 2007, 8:17:09 PM3/1/07
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On Wed, 28 Feb 2007 06:32:03 -0500, "Matt Clara" <hey.w...@buzz.off>
wrote:


Thanks for your interest in this topic.

I read the page on your website regarding bellow use on a d200 and I
decided to send my PB-4 to Mr. White to get his opinion on possible
issues with mounting the unit on a D100 or D200 and to see if it can
be modified if necessary. He had converted a few Nikkor lenses for me
in the past.

I'll send feedback on his findings if you are interested.

Matt Clara

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Mar 2, 2007, 12:00:53 PM3/2/07
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"eddie rukidding" <ed...@rukidding.com> wrote in message
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Yes, very much so. Thank you.


--
www.mattclara.com


Matt Clara

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Mar 24, 2007, 8:41:43 PM3/24/07
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"eddie rukidding" <ed...@rukidding.com> wrote in message
news:j4d1u2hkbf9jca7n2...@4ax.com...

http://www.mattclara.com/misc/nikonbellows/

--
www.mattclara.com


Toby

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Mar 25, 2007, 8:24:03 AM3/25/07
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Obviously you need to use the lens in stop-down mode, and just as obviously
you can really only use old-style lenses with a manual f-stop ring. That
being said, the D200 meters excellently in that mode.

Toby

"Matt Clara" <hey.w...@buzz.off> wrote in message

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