Auto focus no longer works (D50) :(

Tamron 16-300mm Di II VC PZD MACRO w/Canon Nikon mount

09/26/2008 08:32:20 PM · #1

Hi everyone..
I just got a new lens in the mail today (50mm 1.8D)
I was excited, put it on the camera to try it out... all is fine.
I take it off and put my 10-20 back on and my auto focus will no longer work at all, with any lens!

has this ever happend to anyone elts?
i tried all the modes, auto settings, manual setting, focus points..
nothing works at all. doesnt even try, and wount take a picture unless the switch is set to manual, so i ruled out the switch... i think.

does anyone know what the problem is, or how much about to fix it?
its a Nikon D50 with no warrenty. I realy wanted to upgrade anyhow, but i wanted TWO nice cameras to play with.
guess i gotta practice with manual focus.

thanks in advance for any help.

JulietNN

Canon EOS R7

09/26/2008 11:39:11 PM · #2

SOrry no help, take it to the shop is my only advice. Hope you get it fixed soon

09/26/2008 11:56:25 PM · #3

Do you hear any sound at all when you put a lens on and let the camera try to focus it? I would check two things, first, the little drive on the camera's lens mount, lower left looking at the mount. Does the little focus drive tang pop out when you switch the camera from manual to AF?
Second, make sure nothing has happened to the little lever just above it on the outside of the mounting ring on the camera. Inspect these areas closely for anything bent too. The aperture ring on the D series lenses moves the little lever downward when the lens is stopped down, and that lets the camera know that the lens is at minimum aperture. Make sure that the aperture ring is set to minimum.
You may also want to try a full reset, the procedure is in the manual.
I hope it is something very simple.

09/27/2008 01:15:19 AM · #4

nope, no sound at all. not a click. checked all the pins and everythink looks fine. changed the battery out. maybe ill dig up the manual and do that reset
thanks for the tips. i dont even think im going to bring it anywhere, ill just manual focus it.
maybe i can find a cheap D70 for now. focusing that 1.8 might be tricky

09/27/2008 01:34:50 AM · #5

Manual focus takes a little practice. I have found that it helps to turn on the grid lines in my Fuji, and use them to make sure that my eye is not drifting the focus. By focusing my attention back and forth from the grid line to the subject, I can get pretty good manual focus, even with the 1.4 most of the time.

Try gently cleaning the contacts in the camera and on the lenses with a pencil eraser. Be careful to not leave any eraser left overs inside though.

09/27/2008 02:04:34 PM · #6

Originally posted by MelonMusketeer:

ok, ill give that a try with the cleaning. The camera has never been cleaned. I should do the sensor now too. Ive never cleaned it, ive always been scared to mess something up. I dont think i have a grid or anything like that to help me focus.. should clean my veiw finder too though, that might help. thanks for the advise.

09/27/2008 09:53:15 PM · #7

Try putting a "D" lens on the camera, and in manual focus, you should be able to turn the focus ring easily. Switch to auto focus (with camera switched off,) and when you try to turn the focus ring, you should feel the focus motor drive lock in, making it tight to turn the focus ring on the lens. If this works, then the mechanical linkage from the motor to the lens is ok.
You should still be able to focus, with the camera turned off, but you can feel the motor turning if the linkage and gears are all ok.
With the D lenses, the focus collar must turn when the lens is being focused by the motor in the camera. If you hold the focus ring, or force focus manually while the camera is trying to focus in auto focus, you can overload the focusing motor and drive gears, and possibly strip them or burn up the motor. There may be some sort of electrical protection in the driver electronics for the motor that has tripped if it was forced or unable to run freely as it attempted to focus.
In any case, I hope that this story has a happy ending.
I shoot over half of my shots with older all manual lenses, and just love them. It is because I learned SLR shooting when the best SLR's only had a little needle and ring in the viewfinder to indicate light level.
The older manual lenses are actually easier to manually focus than most of the newer ones built for auto focus, because most of the older ones have larger and more convenient focusing collars. They are a lot less expensive too.

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

09/28/2008 03:03:52 PM · #8

ya, everything seems perfectly fine with the pins and the focus pin goes in and out perfectly when its switched from manual to auto. focus ring turns and clicks into place, and you can turn the motor with the focus ring.

im thinking the motor burnt or shorted out.
I guess autofocus is kind of a luxury anyhow, and Ive bean ready for an upgrade.

marbo

Nikon D5000

09/28/2008 03:25:26 PM · #9

Maybe a long shot but make sure custom menu for the AE-L/AF-L button has not been set to option "5" ON. If it is the camera will only Autofcus via this button [ AE-L/AF-L].

If you have done a camera reset it won`t be this.

09/28/2008 05:35:01 PM · #10

HA!!

that was the problem!!
i thought i changed all that stuff to see if that would fix it. Apparently not.
i much appreciate everyones time, and help! ive learned so much from DPC already, and now its fixing my gear too!!

what a relief.
I must say i was looking forward to an upgrade. at least now i have time to save for a D90..

thanks again everyone

dd1989

Fujifilm x100

09/28/2008 06:29:28 PM · #11

Sorry but, I have to laugh LOL.

09/28/2008 07:09:44 PM · #12

im laughing too!! glad i am.
i never played with that before, so i had no idea.

FireBird

09/28/2008 09:08:08 PM · #13

Originally posted by rasras:

im laughing too!! glad i am.
i never played with that before, so i had no idea.

On thing you should always do before panicking is a master reset of the camera. That will find problems like you have even if you're not aware of them. Good to hear you had a happy ending. Some people like operating their focus in that manner. I do about half of the time.

09/28/2008 09:15:16 PM · #14

I am happy that

marbo helped you find that problem, and that everything is working again. How did you manage to change the menu option while changing lenses? I guess that it is just one of those "stuff happens" stories. I learned something that may someday be useful too.

09/28/2008 09:26:21 PM · #15

Originally posted by MelonMusketeer:

I am happy that marbo helped you find that problem, and that everything is working again. How did you manage to change the menu option while changing lenses? I guess that it is just one of those "stuff happens" stories. I learned something that may someday be useful too.

i also swiched flash modes, and focus point, maybe some other stuff.. I was setting up for my Abstract Emotion shot.
i also cant find my manual. i know its around somewhere, but i dont know how to reset the camera.
im good now, and happy that people where willing to help.

09/28/2008 09:35:45 PM · #16

You probably could find the manual on line from Nikon here if you need info about your D50.
Nikon Support, Download Center