METHOD ONE - Setting Lens Specs by Using the Shooting Menu

Below, you’ll find both a quick summary and detail on how to set the lens specs using the camera menus.

METHOD ONE SUMMARY

1. Open the Shooting Menu
2. Select Non-CPU lens data
3. Set the Focal Length
4. Set the Maximum Aperture

METHOD ONE DETAIL

Now, you’ll need to set the Focal length, then the Maximum aperture. See Figures 2 and 3 for the steps.

As in figure 2, select Focal length from the menu. The next screen will give you a series of focal length ranges, these are 6-45, 50-180, and 200-4000. Select the range into which your lens best fits. (Examples: a 50mm or 135mm lens fits best in the 50-180 selection, while a 300mm or 600mm lens fits best in the 200-4000 selection)

If you are using a zoom lens, there is no difference in the setup. Simply enter the minimum focal length, and there should be good results across the entire zoom range. (Example: an 80-200mm zoom would go in the 50-180 range, since the MINIMUM focal length is the important number!)

In figure 3, we see how to set the Maximum aperture. The selections run from f/1.2 to f/22, with an N/A selection for specialty lenses with no aperture settings. Look at your lens, see what the largest aperture is, and set it in the menu. For instance, my AI-S Nikkor 50mm has a f/1.8 maximum aperture. If there is no exact match, use the one closest to your lens’ actual maximum aperture.

Once again, with a zoom lens, just enter the maximum aperture as you would on a prime lens. As long as the zoom is not a variable aperture zoom, which most pro lenses aren’t, you’ll be fine. Variable aperture zooms are discussed in the Conclusion section at the end of this article.

Remember that we are only concerned with the MAXIMUM aperture. The D2x will take the Maximum aperture menu setting and detect the position of its aperture ring to know what aperture is in use. As you turn the aperture dial on the lens the D2x will adjust the meter accordingly.
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