Ok, so heres an issue that only recently popped up. The lens gives me the fEE error you get when the ring isnt locked when put on my D700.

Problem is, the aperture ring is locked in place. Ive fooled around with it, locking it and unlocking it, cycling through the apertures, wiping down the contacts, and checking that the aperture level works properly, with no success.

All my other lenses (including other D lenses) work fine on the D700 with no issue. I started to assume it was the lens until I put the lens on another Nikon (an old D70s I have lying around) and to my dismay, it works on that camera. But not on my D700. Tried everything I could think of and still cant figure it out.

Anyone have such an issue? And is it the lens, or the camera? I'm at a lost for what the problem could be, and who is the culprit.

Maybe check with Nikon, or a dealer?  If it's not some sort of damage to this lens / camera, but rather an incompatibility, there has to be documentation somewhere.

Are you sure the aperture is locked at the "smallest minimum" aperture?

Clean the contacts on both camera and lens, I like using a pencil erasure to remove any build up followed by a tiny bit of 99% alcohol making sure that neither of these two substances contaminate the sensor.

Have you got fully charged batteries in camera.

Have you accidentally placed the camera in some "weird" exposure mode.

Looking back at the camera with the lens off, is the small circular bit of black plastic that slides around the lens mount moving freely or is it sticking.

Two most obvious things: make sure the lens is locked on the smallest aperture (f22?), and clean n check your contacts.

If it still doesnt work, you can try to reset the camera to factory settings.

I have both and with the lens set correctly I have not experienced this problem.

I think i may have the same problem as you.

A bit confused, though. If I understand it correctly, the fEE problem happens even if you have the aperture locked at the smallest ap. Right?

I have a D7000 with a Bower vertical grip and my 85 1.4D sometimes goes into it's own aperture setting which always happens to be (constantly) f/7 as the EXIF shows but the camera display only shows F--.

I sent the camera and the lens to Nikon and they haven't found anything. I was happy to hear that and kept shooting only to find the problem to remain. I kept investigating and the conclusion is very simple :

My camera doesn't like third party batteries. It may be the contact of the vertical grip, but I'm more suspicious of the battery. As soon as it goes below 80% the aperture starts to lock up.
No problem when using Nikon battery in the body.

I hope this helps.

I had the same issue with a 28mm 2.8 on my D90. Try this, put the lens on, rotate it till it locks in. Then, without pressing the lens release button, gently rotate it back like you were going to remove it, until it stops. It will probably move only a few degrees. It temporarily resolved the problem on mine, perhaps it will work for you. I think the contacts were not properly aligned on mine, but that is a guess.

Good luck.

My D7000 does not work with my 85 1.8D, I get a fEE code.  It works with a D80 fine.  I took the lens into a photoshop and they said it may be the contacts on the D7000, which I hardly change lenses on.