VR II Technology and AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor 105mm F/2.8G Lens

[raymond_ocampo]

I have just received this lens today and coming from the D80 kit lens - a 18-135mm DX - I have a few

questions:

 

1. The VR II when switched on makes a light clunking noise when focusing. Is this normal? I am

concerned because the packaging box was a little dented, although the lens box inside was okay. So I just

want to make sure it wasn't dropped by the courier and thereby damaging any internal optics or VR

mechanism.

 

2. The "cheap" kit lens focus ring stops from end to end. And that's what I love as it gives me a tactile

indication when I reached the end already. But this PRO lens doesn't stop. Although there is a slight

indication that I reached each end, I can still keep on turning the focus ring any which way forever.

 

This is a little disappointing because the PRO lens should help photographers make them manually focus

better by providing better feedback. But this particular lens does not. Again, is this normal?

 

Any Nikon PRO lens owner can tell me if all their GOLD RING lenses does the same thing or only select

lenses?

 

Thanks for any input.

[Ed_Ingold]

The VR mechanism becomes active when the shutter release is half-pressed, accompanied by faint noises. It stays active for a second or two after you take your finger off the release, then clunks again as the optics "park".

 

The focus ring of an AFS lens turnes 360 degrees without stops. You feel a slight increase in resistance when the focus reaches its limits. The throw is long compared to most conventional AF lenses, making focusing easy. You will also notice that the lens turns past infinity, and that you have to back up a bit to achieve sharp infinity focus. The ring does not move during AFS focusing, so holding it has no effect and turning it immediately engages manual focus until reactivated. I tend to pay more attention to the ground glass than the action of the focusing ring.

 

The gold ring signifies that the lense has ED elements, and has nothing to do with VR or AFS focusing.

 

Enjoy your new lens.

[raymond_ocampo]

Hi, Edward. Thank you for the info and insight which is much appreciated. I was honestly

expecting a more mechanical/tactile feel to this lens. But taking a few shots earlier, I am

impressed with the quality. Definitely a great buy.

 

I am looking forward to saving up for another AF-S VR IF-ED lens in the future. Perhaps a

zoom lens this time.

[scottconners]

Once you get used to a AF-S lens, it's hard to beat it. I still do *love* my old 105 2.5 and it's kin, but shooting with an af-s lens, especially when you are mixing AF and MF, is a real pleasure.

[mawz]

The 18-135's a little unusual for an AF-S lens in that it doesn't have a ring-type motor (the 18-55's and 55-200's are the only other AF-S lenses that lack this feature). This means that the focus ring is directly coupled to the lens's focusing helical and therefore can only move with the helical's range. All other AF-S lenses (including the 105 Micro) have a slip-clutch-like focusing action where the focusing ring can turn endlessly in either direction, but it only focuses the lens within the lens's range (Once the focusing helical hits the end of its range, the focus ring is just slipping). That behaviour is the downside of this feature, the upsides are that the focus ring doesn't move when you AF and you can manually override focus as soon as the lens locks on, there's no need to set the lens or body to MF mode to focus manually (but if your camera is configured for Focus Priority, you will have to wait for the camera to think its focused before overriding or the shutter will not release).

[raymond_ocampo]

By the way, the gold ring according to prior discussions here signifies it is a PRO lens with

better lens element including the use of ED elements. But the same is not true with a lens

having ED feature, hence being marked with a gold ring.

 

Case in point is my D80 kit lens which is an 18-135mm ED. It has no gold ring, but

features ED elements.

 

The gold ring lenses I see is has metal components than plastic on the non-gold ring

lenses and has weatherproof sealing.

 

Those are what I came across with so far while reading the discussion.

[raymond_ocampo]

Adam,

 

Thanks for the info. Can you please expand further, please.

 

For example what do you mean by "the focus ring doesn't move when you AF..."? The

focus ring on the 18-135 AF-S does not move also when it tries to focus. I can leave my

hand on the focus ring while it does auto focus action and it does not turn with it.

 

Also, I can focus manually with this lens after the camera finishes focusing automatically.

It acts exactly like the 105mm micro-Nikkor where I can fine tune focusing right after AF.

 

So I'm still wondering how the two focus rings differ when they can do exactly the same

auto focus then do a manual over ride action. But the cheaper lens gives a better tactile

feedback. In fact I don't have to place the mode to "M" to do a manual focus.

 

Help further explain! Thanks.

[Ed_Ingold]

All AFS lenses behave the same way - the focus ring does not turn during auto focus, and instantly engages manual focus when turned.

 

The focus ring turns during focusing in most mechanically-coupled AF lenses. The older 105/2.8 Micro is one exception - there is a mechanical auto/manual focus selector - the focus ring spins freely in the auto mode. When you focus a typical mechanical lens, it turns the AF mechanism in the camera too, which adds a lot of "tactile" sensation. It's also hard on the mechanism, and not recommended practice.

 

If you disengage the coupling (the C/S/M lever on the body), the focus ring loses nearly all "tactile" feedback, and has a throw of less than 90 degrees. This presents a real challenge to focus manually, compared to a manual lens (best) or AFS lens.

[ShunCheung]

Edward, not all AF-S lenses behave the same way. As Adam points out above, some of the really inexpensive consumer lenses such as the 18-55, 18-135 and 55-200 behave differently. On those lenses, you cannot manually override the auto focus.

[raymond_ocampo]

I have a consumer 18-135 and I can manually override the autofocus. After it has focused, I can just turn the focus ring and press the shutter. So I still don't know the different between the A-M mode and A/M-M mode as both times I can manually focus afterward while in Auto mode.