Why does my Nikon V1 struggle to autofocus with a close-up filter?
Asked 11/3/2013
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2 answers
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I’m using a Nikon V1 with the 10–30mm lens and added a strong +10 close-up filter for macro-style shots. With the filter attached, autofocus won’t lock reliably. Is this normal with close-up filters, or am I using the camera incorrectly?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
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Closeup filters have a tendency to make the phase detect sensor go "insane", as they are operating effectively with distances well beyond the lens working range.
Usually closeup filters are used in manual focus, and - really - it's usually better to focus by moving your position slightly rather than by acting on the focus ring (specially if it is a strong close-up filter, or even more a reversed lens).
Originally by user15580. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user15580
13y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
This is normal. A strong close-up filter changes the optical path and greatly reduces the usable focusing range, so autofocus systems often struggle or fail to lock. That can happen on the Nikon V1 and on many other cameras as well.
For close-up and macro work, manual focus is usually the better approach anyway. At very short distances, depth of field becomes extremely shallow, so autofocus can hunt even when it technically works. Many photographers focus by moving the camera slightly forward and backward rather than relying on the focus ring alone.
A tripod can help a lot, and if you want more depth of field in macro images, focus stacking is commonly used.
So: you’re probably not doing anything wrong—this is mainly a limitation of autofocus when using a strong close-up filter. Switch to manual focus for best results.
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