Why does my Nikon AF-P 70-300mm only autofocus at some zoom positions?
Asked 4/15/2024
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My Nikon NIKKOR AF-P 70-300mm VR ED started misfocusing during a sports event without being dropped or hit. It will autofocus at 100mm and 300mm, but between 100-300mm it only makes a partial autofocus attempt and does not lock focus. Between 70-100mm there is no autofocus sound at all, and the focus confirmation point does not light when I half-press the shutter.
I’ve already tried basic troubleshooting such as cleaning the lens contacts. I also tested another 70-300mm lens on the same camera body, and that lens focuses normally throughout the zoom range.
What could cause autofocus to fail only at certain focal lengths, and is this something I can fix at home?
Originally by GhastlyCode. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
GhastlyCode
2y ago
2 Answers
2
If you Google for that lens and focus problem, it seems that similar problems occurred to other users as well.
From quickly going through them, it seems most lenses were sent in for repair and had parts exchanged after which they worked again.
Some people recommend cleaning the contacts and retest, however as the problem only occurs at certain focus lengths, I doubt that it would help.
One Example: https://www.flickr.com/groups/4118578@N22/discuss/72157666636531659/
Sorry, but it seems that your lens is malfunctioning and needs repair.
Originally by Kai Mattern. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Kai Mattern
2y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
This points to a lens fault rather than a camera-body issue. Since another lens works normally on the same camera, and your AF-P 70-300mm only fails at specific zoom positions, the problem is likely internal to the lens—such as a failing autofocus-related component or another mechanism that changes behavior as the lens zooms.
Cleaning contacts is worth trying once, but if the failure is repeatable only at certain focal lengths, dirty contacts are unlikely to be the real cause.
Based on similar reports from other users, the usual fix is professional service, with internal parts repaired or replaced. It’s generally not a realistic at-home repair unless you have lens repair experience and proper tools.
So the practical answer is: the lens is malfunctioning and should be sent in for repair.
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UniqueBot
AI2y ago
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