Disabling AF on Nikon 70-300mm VR

[paintingwithlight]

Hello all,

I have a Nikon 70-300mm VR lens on a D7100. The lens does not have an AF/M switch so I tried to disable AF by rotating the focus switch from AF to M on my camera body. The system still tried to AF when I depressed the shutter button (I do not use back button focus). Has anyone else experienced this? Will Nikon issue a firmware update? I was shooting without a cable release on a tripod so my workaround was to use the timer and manually re-focus the lens in the interval between when I depressed the shutter and when the photo was taken. It was however annoying.

Michael

[Stagecoach]

Michael,

It may help if you give the exact model details of your specific lens, I say this because the VR model I have looked at does have a M/A - M switch on the lens.

[george013]

If it's a AF lens, you can't disable it on the lens. Turning the focus ring might damage either the camera or the lens. The AF-S lens has a possibility to swith between AM/M.

The reason for this is that an AF lens has the motor for focussing in the camera. Camera and lens or connected with a gear.
An AF-S lens has a motor in the lens. The camera is using that motor by an electrical connection. It can be manual overruled by turning the focus ring, the AM position. In the M-position it works only manual.

To disable the AF on a AF-lens, you must disable the focus engine on the camera.

George

ps.
Just wanted to know how it works so I search for it. If you've an AF-lens, put the aperture ring in the highest position.
http://www.thephotoforum.com/threads...0-dslr.334735/
I think that only counts for the exposure.

George

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Michael,

We definitely need to know the exact model of lens since it appears the new 70-300 mm AF-P doesn't have the switch to disable AF, nor (I think) do some of the old lenses which rely on the camera's motor.

Comparing lens versions and features is one thing Ken Rockwell's site is quite useful for.

If you have one of the new AF-P lenses, my first suggestion would be to check and update the camera's firmware as necessary, this may make it 'play nicely' with the newer lens.

Good luck, Dave

[Stagecoach]

If it's the new 70-300 AF-P here's a good article covering it's limited compatibility from Thom Hogan

http://www.dslrbodies.com/lenses/nik...5-63-af-p.html

[george013]

Reading the post over. It's a VR lens so it must be a AF-S lens or a P-lens. It doesn't have a AM/M switch, so the P-lens is left. With an in-lens focus motor.

George

[paintingwithlight]

Hello all,

Thanks for all the replies.

I thought that I included the information but I now see that I did not. It is the AF-P lens. It is supposed to be compatible with the D7100 and I have updated the firmware. I thought that selecting Manual on the body should disable the AF but it does not.

Michael

[george013]

Hello all,

Thanks for all the replies.

I thought that I included the information but I now see that I did not. It is the AF-P lens. It is supposed to be compatible with the D7100 and I have updated the firmware. I thought that selecting Manual on the body should disable the AF but it does not.

Michael

It's new for me too. I have Nikon so I want to know what AF-P is. It's not fully compatible with the D7100.

The main difference between the AF-s and the AF-P, or should I say a difference, is that manual control on the AF-S is done mechanical. When I turn on the focus ring, the elements in the lens are moving. This is not the case with the AF-P. The focus ring sends a signal to the camera and the camera sends a signal back to the lens to change position. Not mounted on the camera, you can't change the focus position.

Thom Hogan http://www.dslrbodies.com/lenses/nik...5-63-af-p.html

Note: This lens is only compatible with a few recent Nikon DSLRs. The current list of full compatibility is D500, D3300, D3400, D5300, and D5500 (but make sure that you’re using the latest firmware). The following cameras have no way to set VR and may change focus position if the camera’s meter goes inactive (requiring you to re-obtain focus): Df, D5200, D7100, D7200, D750, and D810. All other Nikon DSLRs should be considered completely incompatible with this lens. Further note that this is a fly-by-wire lens, so while it may appear to mount on those other Nikon DSLRs, you can’t focus the lens manually, thus the incompatibility warning.

Thanks, no AF-P for me.

George

[Stagecoach]

Michael,

Are you possibly able to use the camera 'AE/AF lock' button once focused to disable any further AF adjustment as a workaround?

and from the lens manual ............................

[paintingwithlight]

It's new for me too. I have Nikon so I want to know what AF-P is. It's not fully compatible with the D7100.

At one point I found a website, not sure if it was Nikon, that said the lens was compatible with he 7100. My experience indicates otherwise.

Grahame, thanks for the tip. I haven't tried the AE/AF button with that particular lens but otherwise I use the feature often. Unfortunately in this case that would not have been an option since I was shooting longer exposures with a tripod and pushing the button would have shaken the tripod.

If I haven't already said this the camera was set to focus on a single spot, AF-S, with AF disabled on the body.

Michael

[Stagecoach]

At one point I found a website, not sure if it was Nikon, that said the lens was compatible with he 7100. My experience indicates otherwise.

Grahame, thanks for the tip. I haven't tried the AE/AF button with that particular lens but otherwise I use the feature often. Unfortunately in this case that would not have been an option since I was shooting longer exposures with a tripod and pushing the button would have shaken the tripod.

If I haven't already said this the camera was set to focus on a single spot, AF-S, with AF disabled on the body.

Michael

This is interesting Michael,

Re the camera AE/AF LOCK button (once configured in the camera for AF Lock).

If you were to focus, either by AF or manually then press the AF LOCK I do not see that this would cause camera shake on the tripod as your next operation would be to press the shutter release. That is of course if the AF LOCK camera command works with that lens combination.

[paintingwithlight]

If you were to focus, either by AF or manually then press the AF LOCK I do not see that this would cause camera shake on the tripod as your next operation would be to press the shutter release. That is of course if the AF LOCK camera command works with that lens combination.

It was my understanding that the button had to be continually depressed to keep the lock. I've just googled the term for the 7100 and that seems to be the case. My understanding is that the lock remains while depressed. Your explanation seems more like a toggle to lock, then toggle again to unlock. My 7100 is set up (by default) to lock while depressed only. Are you suggesting that I can make the lock button act as a toggle? Interesting.

Thanks all.

Michael

[Stagecoach]

It was my understanding that the button had to be continually depressed to keep the lock. I've just googled the term for the 7100 and that seems to be the case. My understanding is that the lock remains while depressed. Your explanation seems more like a toggle to lock, then toggle again to unlock. My 7100 is set up (by default) to lock while depressed only. Are you suggesting that I can make the lock button act as a toggle? Interesting.

Thanks all.

Michael

Michael,

From the manual but using the AF On function possibly ?

From page 77 of the manual I have, end of the Focus lock section.



It may also be necessary to have the camera set so that it will take pics when not registering 'focused'.

[george013]

I first thought that the expression "fly-by-wire" was from Thom Hogan. Google on "fly-by-wire lens" or "fly-by-wire". It shows the problem.
I don't know what his remark was about not being able to set VR. Can't it being set off or set on?

Got rid of the aperture scale, got rid of the distance scale, got rid of the dof scale and now got rid of manual. And extension tubes or elbows will be a problem.

George

[paintingwithlight]

Got rid of the aperture scale, got rid of the distance scale, got rid of the dof scale and now got rid of manual. And extension tubes or elbows will be a problem.

George

Taking gelding to a whole new level.

Michael

[Mike Buckley]

I don't know what his remark was about not being able to set VR. Can't it being set off or set on?

See this, which is nine months old and explains that "The AF-P system also eliminates the need for external switches and buttons and allows users to access AF/MF and VR On/Off options from the camera menus. One side effect of this system is limited compatibility since these options are currently only available in the D7200, D7100, D7000, D5500, D5300, D5200, D3400, D3300, D3200, and D3100 DSLRs."

[george013]

See this, which is nine months old and explains that "The AF-P system also eliminates the need for external switches and buttons and allows users to access AF/MF and VR On/Off options from the camera menus. One side effect of this system is limited compatibility since these options are currently only available in the D7200, D7100, D7000, D5500, D5300, D5200, D3400, D3300, D3200, and D3100 DSLRs."

That bold is not a pro for me. One reason I bought a D80 in 2008 was the minimal use of the menu.

Thom Hogan, the link I gave, is dividing the camera's in 3 categories: full compatible, partly compatible and not at all compatible. The D7100 is partly compatible.
I think "only available " should be "not available".

If Michael bought the lens at B&H he should contact them.

George

[Dave Humphries]

I was thinking whoever wrote that (at B&H) missed a career in politics

[Stagecoach]

Disregarding the VR switching option, what Michael has not confirmed yet is that there is actually a way with his D7100 and 70-300 AF-P combination to lock the focus without keeping your finger on a button.

This is a pretty important basic and regular procedure many of us use.

[paintingwithlight]

Hello all,

I am going to do something rare in Internet forums - I will admit that I am wrong - I made a mistake (I think).

Out of respect to Grahame's question I pulled out my camera and tested the AF/AE button. Two findings:

1. Try as I might, I was unable to get my camera to recreate the malfunction that I reported in my original post. Either the AF/M switch malfunctioned on Saturday and now works fine or I made an error, trying to switch the camera into manual focus and somehow failed to do so. Today the 70-300mm AF-P lens did not refocus when the D7100 body AF/M selector is set to M; and

2. The AF/AE button on the D7100 does not disable AF when used with the 70-300mm AF-P lens. When I put the camera into AF continuous, depressed the shutter half way to focus, depressed and held the AF/AE button (with the shutter still depressed halfway) and shifted my focus point. The lens auto refocussed. Depressing the AF/AP button does nothing.

Well, this is a bit embarrassing.

Thanks all.

Michael