Can you add a separate autofocus motor to a Nikon D3200 for older AF lenses?
Asked 4/18/2014
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I use a Nikon D3200, which does not have a built-in screw-drive autofocus motor. That means older Nikon AF lenses without their own motor won’t autofocus on my camera. Is there any separate accessory that can go between the camera and lens—similar to an adapter or teleconverter—to provide autofocus for those lenses?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
12y ago
2 Answers
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You are comparing two lenses in different price ranges. Some of the price difference naturally comes from the focus motor, but most of it comes from the more expensive one having:
- Vibration Reduction (VR)
- More advanced optics (17 lens elements compared to 13)
- Extra-low Dispersion glass (ED)
- Internal Focusing (IF)
There are certainly cheaper lenses with that zoom range that has a focus motor, even if Nikon doesn't make them. You can get a Tamron AF 70-300/4.0-5.6 Di Macro for Nikon for about $150.
As for a motor attachment for Nikon cameras, that is not likely to appear. As the target group would be people with a newer type camera body and older type lenses, it's a shrinking market where there isn't any lasting profit.
Originally by user149. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user149
12y ago
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Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
No—there generally isn’t a practical add-on autofocus motor for Nikon bodies like the D3200.
The main issue is mechanical and optical: placing anything between the camera and lens increases the lens-to-sensor distance. Without optics, that acts like an extension tube and limits focus to close distances. With optics, it becomes more like a teleconverter/relay system, which adds cost and can reduce image quality.
There’s also very little market for such a product, since it would mainly serve newer entry-level Nikon bodies with older screw-drive AF lenses.
Also, the price gap between Nikon’s 70-300 options is not just about the autofocus motor. The more expensive AF-S version also includes features like VR, more advanced optics, ED glass, and internal focusing.
If you want autofocus on a D3200, the practical solution is to use lenses with built-in focus motors (such as Nikon AF-S or similar third-party motorized lenses). There are lower-cost third-party options in some focal lengths, so you’re not limited only to Nikon’s higher-end versions.
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