Why do both camera bodies and lenses have AF/MF switches?
Asked 6/14/2018
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Many cameras and lenses both have autofocus/manual focus switches. If both can control focus mode, what does each switch actually do? Do they conflict with each other, and why would you use the lens switch if the camera already has one?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
8y ago
2 Answers
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Some cameras can use lenses that don't have a built-in autofocus motor like the Nikkor AF series of lenses. Those cameras have an internal motor with an AF-coupling. So you have a switch on the camera, which switches not just the coupling but also the whole AF-feature.
Newer cameras also enable the use of older lenses like e.g. Nikon D300/500. And many newer lenses have their own AF-motors. So now you have both: A switch on the camera and one on the lens.
Originally by user71264. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user71264
8y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
They usually control different parts of the focusing chain, so they don’t conflict.
On the camera body, the focus switch commonly selects how the camera behaves: autofocus mode such as single-shot AF, continuous AF, or manual focus. In some systems it also enables or disables the camera’s own AF drive mechanism.
On the lens, the AF/MF switch usually controls whether the lens will respond to focus commands from the camera. On mechanically driven lenses, it may physically disconnect the coupling. On electronically driven lenses, it tells the lens to ignore focus instructions.
So if the lens is set to MF, it won’t autofocus even if the camera is set to AF. If the lens is set to AF, it can accept focus commands from the camera.
This exists because different systems and generations of gear work differently. Some older lenses rely on a motor in the camera body, while many newer lenses have their own built-in focus motors. Having switches on both body and lens preserves compatibility and gives you more direct control.
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