Getting closer by using manual focus?

[graham_marsden]

I'm only 6 months into my Nikon D80 and I've just made a discovery. While

doing close-ups of flowers I can get maybe 2 centimetres closer if I switch to

manual focus. Is this due to the camera's autofocus design? Or is it normal

across the range?

[jautey]

Nothing to do with the camera. Its the lens your using.

[larrydressler]

Yep the lens even on my N90s some of the lens I have just get a little closer with manual. Yes I still shoot film.

 

Larry

[primeimages]

All lenses would normally have a "minimum focusing distance" whether you are in manual of AF mode. But at 2cm, not even my 60mm Micro lens focuses that near.

[jack_l3]

None of my lenses or bodies do that. However, all my AF lenses are older designs (pre-D) and I only shoot film. What lens(es) are you using?

[tonybeach]

http://www.nikonusa.com/template.php?cat=1&grp=5&productNr=2139

 

The limitation seems to be that phase detection AF requires that the sensors can determine that there is out of focus area in front of the subject and some lenses have no added margin to allow for that. For instance, the Nikkor 80-200/2.8 has a minimum focusing distance of 6 ft., but the Nikkor 70-200/2.8 has a minimum focus distance of less than 5 ft.