d40x refusing to take picture: r04 and r07

[tyger]

Tonight I was taking some pictures with my d40x, 55-200mm VR lense, and various

filters (PL, FLD and UV filters). I ended up getting a dual-picture with the

FLD filter that turned out nifty.

 

The question I have, is I kept getting the errors I mentioned above. I have

been able to sort out that the r04 is an auto-focus problem, but still haven't

been able to find what the r07 message is. One reasoning I have seen is: "First

the r07 this is not an error code this is how many shots are left in the

buffer." If this is the case, then it is irrelevant to the issue and doesn't

help to diagnose the problem at all.

 

Other indications from the times that I was unable to take a picture: the dot on

the far left would be flashing, then three dots in the sideways bracket, then

"60 f 5.6 [r07]"

 

If I tried turning off the camera, then turning it back on, it would be hit and

miss whether it would take the picture. If the above thought of r04 meaning

auto-focus is the reason why it is messing up, should I try doing some moon

shots with it switched to manual focus?

[Peter_in_PA]

Good news! The dot is flashing because it can't find focus! That is probably your ONLY

problem here.

 

The r04 and r07 only indicate how many shots in the buffer, they are NOT error messages.

Were you shooting in near darkness? Switch to manual focus, you will be fine. Your camera

can't autofocus on something far away in very very dim light. It just isn't able to.

[lex_jenkins]

Sounds like the AF error was due to a combination of the slowish variable aperture lens and use of filters. Most autofocus SLRs need a lens with a maximum aperture of at least f/5.6 to AF properly. Add a polarizer or other light-robbing filter or try to AF in dim lighting and most cameras will have trouble. The conditions you described cover all the bases for poor AF peformance.

[tyger]

Peter,

 

I'm going to give things another go tonight and see how it works out with the manual focus. I'm hoping that it is only complaining that it can't AF in the dark on the moon. The strange thing to me is that it would focus in just fine some times, and others it wouldn't. Guess that's just the difference between the human eye and the camera's eye!

 

 

Lex,

 

I know that it was not strictly speaking due to the use of filters, because it was doing it without any filters on the camera as well.