Is F-601 (1993) compatible w/ vivitar 28-210 (1997, 1:3.5-5.6)?)

help me please, I am stranded in India with a nikon f601 body, and I

urgently need my camera for some volunteer work, and nobody seems to

be able to help me here.

 

When using the body with a 1997 vivitar lens (the latter was working

fine on a nikon f-50) it seems to systematically focus (both AF and

manual) a few meters before the intended point of focus. In other

words, objects much closer than the intended focus are properly

focused, while the rest is soft (including the spot that the camera

recognizes as properly in focus - i.e. where it displays the little

dot).

 

Is it a problem of compatibility or either the lens / the camera are

damaged?

 

Thanks a lot in advance

Problems like that are usually caused by the AF in the camera. Can you get another lens to put on that camera just to check it out?

I don't know for sure, but it's <i>possible</i> the two are incompatible. Nikon has made at least one (probably more) update to their camera / lens electronic interface that affects AF performance. Nikon AF lenses on Nikon AF cameras seem to maintain compatibility across the change, but 3rd party lenses can be 'caught out' by a change they did not foresee / engineer for. I owned a Sigma lens that worked well on my N90s, but had a significant focus error on 'five sensor' (F100) bodies.<p>

I wrote it up at:<br>

<a href="http://www.thepeaches.com/photography/Sigma.htm">http://www.thepeaches.com/photography/Sigma.htm</a>

Are you saying that if you manually focus (camera AF disabled) so the image looks ok on the focusing screen, the on film image is out of focus? If this is the case, it sounds like a mirror, screen, or finder problem in the camera. Try another lens to confirm this.