Do any Nikon DSLR lenses lack manual focus, and what should I look for if I want to focus manually?
Asked 2/27/2012
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I'm considering a Nikon DSLR such as the D3100 or D5100 and want the option to manually focus my lenses. Are there any Nikon DSLR lenses that don't allow manual focus at all? Also, when comparing lenses, what features make manual focusing easier or harder to use in practice?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
11
If there are, I've never seen one.
They do not offer the same comfort for focusing. On cheap lenses, I noticed you have to turn the front element to focus which does not give much grip and also rotated the front element which is not good if you have a polarize filter.
Better lenses have a nice texture focus ring to let you easily change focus. There is also something called the throw distance which is how much you have to turn to focus. If it takes more distance to change focus than you can focus more precisely. This is often how macro lenses work.
The other nice thing is to have quick-shift focus (maybe called something not the same for different brands). This allows you to focus manually without switching to manual focus mode! You just turn the ring and it works. I find we can search for lenses with that feature for Nikon for example.
Originally by user6472. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user6472
14y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
For Nikon DSLR lenses, manual focus is generally available; the concern is usually not losing manual focus, but whether a body/lens combination supports autofocus.
What varies is how usable manual focus feels. Entry-level lenses may have small or awkward focus rings, short focus travel, and sometimes a rotating front element, which can be annoying and less precise—especially if you use a polarizing filter. Lenses that are easier to focus manually often have:
- a wider, better-textured focus ring
- longer focus throw for finer precision
- a distance scale
- full-time manual override (“quick-shift”/manual override), letting you tweak focus without switching modes
One practical note: manual focusing through a DSLR viewfinder can be harder than expected, especially compared with older manual-focus cameras, unless you have a focusing screen designed for it.
So: with Nikon, you generally don’t need to worry about a lens being autofocus-only. Instead, look for lens handling features that make manual focus comfortable and precise, and remember to check autofocus compatibility separately if that matters to you.
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