Strange flickering with nikon lens on C300 at DVinfo.net

Justin St.Clair Lewis · March 14th, 2013, 11:20 PM

G'day everyone,

I've recently tried using my manual Nikon 50mm 1.4 ais lens with a pro Fotodiox adapter on my C300. I've been looking forward to trying this lens on it since I got the camera but only just now got the chance during a quieter moment of a shoot.

What I'm getting is a strange flickering when using this combo. I'll be honest and say I haven't tested it enough to know whether its exposure (how could it be?) or something else that's flickering, but it's there in the viewfinder/LCD and its there in playback. Its not uniform flickering, and its not massive but is sporadic and happens in every shot.

The Fotodiox adapter is the most expensive pro one which I've used with great success on my Canon 5Ds. It is the one with the focus confirmation chip on it - could that have something to do with it?

Anyone else run into this or got any ideas?

Brett Sherman · March 16th, 2013, 11:48 AM

I had a bizarre problem of having my 24-105 Canon lens flicker with an over-exposed background. Shortly after this happened the Iris Wheel stopped working and it couldn't tell me what the F-Stop was. I removed the lens and stuck it back on again and the F-Stop came back and I didn't have any flickering. I chalked it up to a bad connection between the camera and the lens. I wonder if that is what is creating your problem.

Justin St.Clair Lewis · March 17th, 2013, 07:45 PM

Thanks Brett. I think I know that type of problem, which i think is similar to what can sometimes happen if lenses are changed without turning the camera off (I wish they would fix that - hot swapping lenses would be so useful).

I will have a play around and see if i can recreate the problem and report back.

Justin St.Clair Lewis · March 19th, 2013, 02:02 AM

Ok I solved it!

I have 2 types of Fotodiox Nikon to EOS adapter - with and without focus confirmation chips.

These chips can be useful for stills on a DSLR but are of no use in video. The 50mm I was trying to use had an adapter with one of these chips on it. I swapped it out for one without and voila! No flickering at all - totally normally functioning lens.

The good news for those who use Nikon manual lenses and adapters with the C300 is that the Fotodiox adapters (which IMO are the best quality ones) are cheaper without the chip. Happy days!

March 14th, 2013, 11:20 PM	#1
Justin St.Clair Lewis Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Sydney, Australia & London UK Posts: 21	Strange flickering with nikon lens on C300 G'day everyone, I've recently tried using my manual Nikon 50mm 1.4 ais lens with a pro Fotodiox adapter on my C300. I've been looking forward to trying this lens on it since I got the camera but only just now got the chance during a quieter moment of a shoot. What I'm getting is a strange flickering when using this combo. I'll be honest and say I haven't tested it enough to know whether its exposure (how could it be?) or something else that's flickering, but it's there in the viewfinder/LCD and its there in playback. Its not uniform flickering, and its not massive but is sporadic and happens in every shot. The Fotodiox adapter is the most expensive pro one which I've used with great success on my Canon 5Ds. It is the one with the focus confirmation chip on it - could that have something to do with it? Anyone else run into this or got any ideas?

March 16th, 2013, 11:48 AM	#2
Brett Sherman Major Player Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mount Rainier, MD Posts: 428	Re: Strange flickering with nikon lens on C300 I had a bizarre problem of having my 24-105 Canon lens flicker with an over-exposed background. Shortly after this happened the Iris Wheel stopped working and it couldn't tell me what the F-Stop was. I removed the lens and stuck it back on again and the F-Stop came back and I didn't have any flickering. I chalked it up to a bad connection between the camera and the lens. I wonder if that is what is creating your problem.

March 17th, 2013, 07:45 PM	#3
Justin St.Clair Lewis Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Sydney, Australia & London UK Posts: 21	Re: Strange flickering with nikon lens on C300 Thanks Brett. I think I know that type of problem, which i think is similar to what can sometimes happen if lenses are changed without turning the camera off (I wish they would fix that - hot swapping lenses would be so useful). I will have a play around and see if i can recreate the problem and report back.

March 19th, 2013, 02:02 AM	#4
Justin St.Clair Lewis Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Sydney, Australia & London UK Posts: 21	Re: Strange flickering with nikon lens on C300 Ok I solved it! I have 2 types of Fotodiox Nikon to EOS adapter - with and without focus confirmation chips. These chips can be useful for stills on a DSLR but are of no use in video. The 50mm I was trying to use had an adapter with one of these chips on it. I swapped it out for one without and voila! No flickering at all - totally normally functioning lens. The good news for those who use Nikon manual lenses and adapters with the C300 is that the Fotodiox adapters (which IMO are the best quality ones) are cheaper without the chip. Happy days!