Lens Compatibility?

I'm an amateur photographer that uses a Nikon N65 at the moment. I've only delved into film photography, for the very first time, for about a year now. During that year, I used the standard lens that came with the camera and haven't really had any experience in trying out different lenses.

My father used to own a variety of very old Nikon cameras and lenses that I have now inherited. One of the lenses is a Vivitar Series 1 24-48mm lens that is at least 20+ years old. Putting the lens at the lowest aperture ring setting (f/22), I have gotten it on my camera, but whenever I try to take a picture, it gives me a "F --" message on my display screen.

Are the lens and my camera uncompatible where my camera can't read to lens setting? Am I doing something wrong? The lens being fairly old, and my Nikon being of a more recent model, I just wondered if this arrangement cannot be done. I would love to be able to take these lens on a spin though.

There are probably no electronic contacts on your old lens, so it may well fit but not all the features will be available. Try it with manual stop-down exposure and see what happens. I don't think the N65 has a coupling lever for the old Nikon meter coupling prong on the lens.

For those Nikon bodies that work that way (pre-AI days) you set the lens to f5.6 before mounting on the body, then do the "Nikon twist" from smallest to widest aperture to key in the value of the lens's maximum aperture. I think that's the right way round...

John