Can AF speed get slower as lens ages?

[jae_myung_shim]

Hi,

 

It may not sound sensible, but am still curious.

 

Can AF speed get slower as the lens ages or usually it doesn't

matter? I bought a used AF Nikkor 35/2 (non D) and it seems to focus

tad slow.

 

Thank for your comments in advance.

[gaius1]

Yeah, it can, but it shouldn't. When I shot Canon EOS3s, my 50mm f/1.4 USM got slower and slower over the course of about a year, then it could only AF in one direction (i.e. closer than when it last focussed, so every few shots I'd need to manually turn it to infinity before I could AF again). For AF performance, the Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 AF-D on an F5 absolutely <i>crushes</i> the Canon equivalent (even when it was brand new!).

[vivek iyer]

Mechanical gears will grind down over time and lubricants will evaporate with use. Fact of life.

[joseph_wisniewski]

Some lenses start life slow, from being geared down rather low, but I don't recall the 35mm f2 being in that category.

 

Some lenses get there through age. I've never seen an AF Nikkor with worn down gears (although it sounds like Vivek has, and he has more lenses than me) but I've seen more than one with the lubricants either gone, or "thickened".

 

The way I usually check is to try turning the AF drive myself, with the widest of my jewler's screwdrivers. You can feel a sticky lens...