Want to use T-mount tele with Canon Digital SLR

[bliddel]

I have a 500mm and Celestron 1000mm T-mount (currently set-up for Nikon) that I'd love to use with ANY digital SLR body.

I bought a used Canon D60 EOS digital body with EF 35-105 f3.5 zoom that, frankly, takes great pictures (if there is enough light to focus). I tried one of those cheap import adapter rings for Nikon AI lenses, and the lenses would mount and I could still focus to infinity. However, when I tried to take a picture, the camera said "err 01" (AF contacts). I researched some more, and tried disabling the AF lever, but the body still says "err 01". I even left the lens off and just manually held the lever in the disable position, and still got the same error. So, I conclude that the Canon D60 is simply not capable of using a non-EF lens.

Am I wrong, or is there something wrong with my D60? Is there no way to use a T-mount manual focus lenses with the D60? Is there any Canon Digital SLR body (under $1500) that WILL work well with T-Mount manual focus lenses (and possibly adapted Nikon AI glass as well)?

I now have a small fortune in batteries and charger for the D60. Any chance there is such a body that could share the same battery as well, or am I just delusional?

[Skyman]

what mode did you have the camera in? I was under the impression that these connections would only work in manual mode and unless you had a way to close the aperture on the lens, with the lens wide open. I have seen fd mount to eos mount adaptors available, but not in a long time. if the lenses used the tamron adaptall system them getting an fd mount adaptor then using the eos adaptor would work (albeit still with no control over aperture) and only when the camera was in manual mode.

[bliddel]

Thanks Skyman...

I tried every operating mode there was on the D60, including full manual, aperture preferred and shutter-preferred, and full auto. I could get a meter reading and set a shutter speed; The shutter just would not trip, until I installed an EF lens.

These two T-mount lenses are both catadioptric mirror lenses with no adjustable f-stop. One always shoots wide open with this kind of lens, and optionally uses a neutral density filter if there is too much light.

I have (since yesterday) learned that I can use my Nikon AI and Nikon compatible lenses with a Nikon D200 body, so perhaps I will have to purchase one of those.

Bruce

[Glasstream15]

I have Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT and a Canon Eos K2 35mm. Both work without a problem on my Meade 1250mm telescope with "T" mounts And I have a remote, battery operated, focuser for the 'scope that really makes it work well.

I can't imagine why your 60D won't work unless there is something wrong with the "T" camera adaptor that you are using.

Good luck figuring it out.

Edit:

And 3 minutes digging found this:

http://gdlp01.c-wss.com/gds/0900000269/EOSD60IM-EN.pdf

Your answer may lie within. And, personally, I find the PDF manuals to be superior to the dead tree ones because you can use a search function a whole lot easier.

Hope this helps.

[Lemming51]

My guess is the Nikon-to-EOS adapter might be faulty. There is a pin switch in the mount flange on the camera (between 9 and 10 o'clock as you look in the camera mount) that is tripped by the lens bayonet lug and tells the camera to try to communicate with the lens. T-mounts and other manual lens adapters should have a shorter lug at this position so that it does not trip this switch. See if your camera works if you just do a partial turn of the camera onto the adapter rather than fully on.