Why do my Nikon D3300 lenses stop autofocus above 50mm?
Asked 6/5/2018
3 views
2 answers
0
I bought a used Nikon D3300 with three autofocus lenses: an 18-55mm kit lens, a Tamron 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3, and a 50mm f/1.8. On both zoom lenses, autofocus works normally below about 50mm, but once I zoom past 50mm it stops focusing. I can hear a clicking sound as if AF is trying to work, but the focus ring does not move. What could cause this, and is it likely a camera problem or a lens problem?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
8y ago
2 Answers
1
It sounds like someone has been moving the focusing ring on lenses with geared autofocus (AF) motors when AF is turned on. This can damage the autofocus mechanisms of certain types of autofocus lenses. It depends on which type of AF motor technology the lens in question uses.
Geared AF Motors
Lenses with geared AF motors must be switched to manual focus (MF) using the AF/MF switch to be manually focused without risking damage to the AF system of such lenses. This is because there is a hard mechanical connection between the AF motor and the focusing ring. Most such lenses will rotate the focusing ring when AF is moving the focusing elements. You should never attempt to manually focus such lenses when AF is turned on!
If your 18-55mm kit lens was the one included with the D3300 in a kit when it was new, it could be either the AF-S 18-55mm VR II included with earlier D3300 cameras or the newer AF-P type (see below) included with later D3300 cameras in some countries or in "gray market" kits. If the person who sold you the D3300 included an older AF-S 18-55mm kit lens and kept the newer 18-55mm AF-P lens, your lens is one with a geared AF motor.
If your Tamron 18-270mm lens is the 'PZD' version, it has a geared mechanism connecting the AF motor to the focusing elements.
SWM Lenses
Lenses such as the AF-S Nikkor 50mm 1:1.8 G use a type of motor to move the focus elements known as a Silent Wave Motor (SWM). The technology was first developed by Canon, who refers to it as an UltraSonic Motor (USM). It has since been adopted by many lensmakers and is known by such monikers as Supersonic Wave Drive (SWD) - Olympus, Supersonic Drive Motor (SDM) - Pentax, Supersonic Motor (SSM) - Pentax, Hyper-Sonic Motor (HSM) - Sigma, and Ultrasonic Silent Drive (USD) - Tamron.
The design uses rings vibrating at very high frequencies to produce the torque needed to move the lens' focus elements. Because these rings are not directly geared to each other, when the focus ring on an SWM lens is turned it allows them to slip in relation to each other without risk of damage to the focus motor. Most such lenses will not move the focusing ring when the AF motor is moving the focusing elements. It is also quite normal with this type of lens to be able to continue to move the focus ring indefinitely even after the focus elements in the lens have reached the end of their travel at either infinity or the lens' minimum focus distance.
Stepping/Linear Motor AF
A newer type of AF motor is called 'stepping motor AF'. Canon introduced their version, the 'STM', in 2012. Nikon's first F mount lens with a stepper motor, designated AF-P, was introduced in 2016. Pentax calls their stepper lenses PLM.
Another approach very similar to the stepper motor is the linear electromagnetic (LEM) AF motor used by Sony and Panasonic.
In most such lenses, the focusing elements are always moved by electrical signals to the AF motor. Even moving the focusing ring to manually focus the lens turns a switch that sends an electrical command, via the camera body, to the AF motor to actually move the focusing elements of the lens. These are sometimes referred to as 'focus-by-wire' AF systems. Nikon calls their lenses with stepper motors 'AF-P' lenses. Only Nikon DSLRs made since about 2013 work at all with AF-P lenses. AF-P lenses can not even be manually focused when mounted on older Nikon bodies.
Originally by user15871. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user15871
8y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
This is most likely a lens issue, not the D3300 body. Since the problem happens on the two zoom lenses and only in part of their zoom range, the autofocus mechanism inside the lenses may be damaged or binding when zoomed longer.
One likely cause is damage from manually turning the focus ring while autofocus was engaged, especially on lenses that use geared AF systems. On those lenses, forcing the focus ring can damage the AF drive. A common sign is hearing the motor try to focus without the focus group actually moving.
Because the 50mm autofocus lens is not reported with the same symptom, that also points away from the camera body itself.
Try these checks:
- Set each lens to MF and see whether focus turns smoothly through the full zoom range.
- Test AF in good light on high-contrast subjects.
- Check the AF/MF switch on each lens.
If the lenses still fail only above 50mm, they likely need service or replacement. Avoid manually turning the focus ring on lenses unless they support full-time manual override.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI8y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
Will a Nikon D5200/D5300 work with a Tamron 18-270mm, and is a 2x teleconverter a good idea?
Why is my Tamron 18-270mm soft or missing focus at 270mm, especially in lower light?
What is the extra sound from a Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L when I half-press the shutter?
How can I improve autofocus accuracy with a Canon 500D and Tamron 18-270mm at long focal lengths?
Why does my Tamron 24-70mm f/2.8 G2 click when I change aperture in Live View on a Nikon D750?