Why won't my Nikon 18-105mm kit lens focus on subjects very close to the lens?
Asked 1/16/2014
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I’m using a Nikon D5200 with the 18-105mm kit lens, and it won’t focus on subjects that are about 15–20 cm from the lens. Is there a camera setting I can change to make it focus closer? Also, why does the camera sometimes refuse to take the picture when the subject is out of focus?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
12y ago
2 Answers
11
According to the specifications, the 18-105 has a minimum focus distance of 45cm. This is measured from the focal plane of the camera, so is probably further away than 15-20cm from the lens. If you want to focus on things closer than that, you will need a macro lens, known as a micro lens in the Nikon world, or alternatively some extension tubes.
Originally by user11371. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user11371
12y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
This is not a camera setting issue. Your Nikon 18-105mm lens has a minimum focusing distance of about 45 cm, measured from the camera’s focal plane, so the subject must be even farther than 45 cm from the front of the lens. At 15–20 cm, the lens simply cannot focus.
If you need to focus closer, your options are:
- a dedicated macro lens (called a Micro lens by Nikon)
- extension tubes
- close-up/diopter filters
A true macro lens is usually the best solution for close-up work.
For the shutter not firing: in autofocus mode, many cameras are set to give focus priority, meaning they may refuse to take the shot until focus is achieved. If you switch to manual focus, the camera will usually let you take the picture even if it is out of focus.
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