Using old lenses with a Nikon D60

[metalmoth]

Hi everyone. This is my first post on this site, I joined this forum as I have a specific query/problem I am hoping someone can help me with.

I have a Nikon D60 and have just been lent 5 old lenses to use with it. However I am having problems getting them to work. They are all manual focus lenses. Here are their details:

1) Zoom-NIKKOR 80-200 1:4
2) Sigma UC ZOOM 70-210mm 1:4 5.6
3) Micro NIKKOR 55mm 1:2.8
4) Zoom-NIKKOR 28-85mm 1:3.5-4.5
5) NIKKOR 50mm 1:1.8

I just got them home and attached them all to have a go with them in my room however when I tried to take pictures on the D60 in A mode and other modes it said lens not attached. I found that when I put it in M mode it would allow me to take pictures and adjust shutter speed, but not aperture as that is manually controlled on the lens aswell as the focus.

The problem I now have is that when it takes pictures they are very dark. In some cases they are all black! I have managed to get it to take pictures that are ok-ish by getting the flash to work and upping the ISO. However I am surprised that they dont just normally take a picture in my room, the light is fine. It seems odd that flash has to be used or ISO put up high just to take a normal picture.

Does anyone have any advice for me about using these lenses with a D60? I also have access to a D70 if that helps!

[OsmosisStudios]

Your camera may or may not meter with them, so you'll have to guess at the aperture/shutterspeed/ISO combination to get decent exposures. Indoors, even in what would seem to be good light, you may find that things are darker than they appear.

[Aegea]

Nikon's lower-level digital bodies will not meter with manual lenses. Nikon chose to omit a simple linkage that would have enabled this; the higher level bodies have this linkage and will meter properly. You are basically stuck in manual mode - guess at shutter speed and aperture, shoot, look at the histogram, make adjustments, shoot again ... the common term for this is "chimping", for some unknown reason.

It is possible to add an electronic chip (dandelion chip) to the lenses that will enable full metering capability - do a search on dandelion chip and you should turn up the information.

The 55 micro and the 50/1.8 at least have good reputations, I don't know about the zooms.

[metalmoth]

Many thanks everyone for your help, it is what I thought. Good in a way as it will help me learn about ISO, aperture and shutter speed and how to get good exposure.