D7000 manual: Caution notice for use of AF lenses, clarification requested.

[bill_brooks]

<p>My question below relates to AF-S lenses vs AF lenses and the following cautionary note on pg 99 of the D7000 manual:<br>

"AF lenses: Do not use AF lenses with the lens focus mode switch set to <strong>M</strong> and the camera focus-mode selector set to <strong>AF</strong>. Failure to observe this precaution could damage the camera."<br>

Do AF-S lenses apply to this caution as well as AF lenses? (at this point I have only AF-S lenses, so I am not up to speed on some of the differences, though I am aware that AF-S have their own focus motors).<br>

Many thanks- Bill</p>

<p> </p>

[Matt Laur]

<p>You're fine with AF-S lenses (in fact, that's one of the best things <em>about</em> most AF-S lenses - you can use them in AF mode, and still grab the focus ring to fine-tune as you go ... though there are a few AF-S lenses that don't behave that way).<br /><br />The reference in this case is to older style AF lenses that use the mechanical screw-driven AF systems operated by the motor in the camera body. You want to switch the camera body's physical AF mode switch to "M" so that it mechanically dis-engages that drive train when you're going to be operating the lens manually.</p>

[ShunCheung]

<p>I am afraid that those lower-end pseudo AF-S lenses also fall into that category; i.e. those AF-S lenses that you cannot freely rotate their focus ring to override the focus unless you switch off AF on the body.</p>

[bill_brooks]

<p>Matt, Shun, many thanks, very helpful...<br>

Shun, sounds like the 18-105 AF-S kit lens falls into that category. I have a new 17-55 f/2.8G DX lens as well so far. I smiled, my Dad used to caution me as a kid "handle very gently!" when he let me pick up one of his Rolleiflexes, he let me actually use them starting about age 12 and I've been super-cautious with fine equipment ever since!</p>

[ShunCheung]

<p>Examples of those pseudo AF-S lenses include the various 18-55mm DX, 55-200mm DX. Most of them have a plastic mount. The new 55-300mm AF-S VR is another example, but that lens has a metal mount. I do not own any one of those lenses myself.</p>

<p>On the 17-55mm/f2.8 AF-S DX, you can override AF without switching off AF. That is also true for the 35mm/f1.8 AF-S DX.</p>

[andylynn]

<p>The better kit zooms (18-105, 18-200 and 16-85) also let you grab the ring to MF.</p>

[stank]

<p>I am still trying to figure out the quote; "AF lenses: Do not use AF lenses with the lens focus mode switch set to <strong>M</strong> and the camera focus-mode selector set to <strong>AF</strong>. Failure to observe this precaution could damage the camera."<br>

It warns about setting the AF Lens to "M" and the body to "AF". Are there screw drive lenses with a switch for M or AF? </p>

<p>Stan</p>

 

[lornesunley]

<p>>Are there screw drive lenses with a switch for M or AF?<<br>

Yes, there are lots of them, all of the ones that I own have a switch for manual/auto focus.</p>

[photo5]

<p>I think it is important to note that you can only override focus on an AF-S lens if you have focus activation set to the AF-ON button only. If you have focus activation set to the shutter release, you will not be able to override focus with the focus ring on the lens, as the next time you depress the shutter release button, focus will activate again. As I do not use the AF-ON button for focus, I do not override focus with the focus ring.</p>

[ShunCheung]

<p>Dave Lee, I don't use the AF-ON button.</p>

<p>This is how AF override works for me: First of all AF is set to AF-S, single servo. I half depress the shutter release button to get the initial AF. While holding the shutter release button half way down, I use my left hand to fine tune AF on an AF-S lens. Since the shutter release is maintained at half depressed on single servo, it will not AF again.</p>

[Michael R Freeman]

<blockquote>

<ul>

<li><em>"AF lenses: Do not use AF lenses with the lens focus mode switch set to <strong>M</strong> and the camera focus-mode selector set to <strong>AF</strong>. Failure to observe this precaution <strong>could damage the camera</strong>."</em></li>

</ul>

<p>Do AF-S lenses apply to this caution as well as AF lenses? (at this point I have only AF-S lenses, so I am not up to speed on some of the differences, though I am aware that AF-S have their own focus motors).</p>

<ul>

</ul>

</blockquote>

<p>While there are AF-S lenses (i.e. the lower end "kit lenses") that you can not override the autofocus without first switching the lens to M, the above statement does not apply to those lenses. You can not damage the <strong>camera</strong> if you have an <strong>AF-S</strong> lens set to M and the camera focus mode selector set to AF, because there is no mechanical connection to the camera body focus motor on these lenses. You might damage the <strong>lens</strong>, but not the body. These "pseudo AF-S" lenses have only an 'A' or 'M' selection for the switch.<br>

<img src="http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u255/mikerfns/photonet%20stuff/AFS_switch1.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>"True" AF-S lenses (i.e. those with "Silent Wave Motors") that you can manually override in autofocus mode have 'M/A' and 'M' selections for the switch.<br>

<img src="http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u255/mikerfns/photonet%20stuff/AFS_switch2.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>So in summary if you have <strong>only AF-S lenses</strong> (either type) you can safely leave the body switch set to 'S' or 'C' (or 'AF') at all times, even when manually focusing these lenses. There is no mechanical connection to the camera body autofocus motor, and you can't damage it by manually focusing an AF-S lens when the body switch is set for autofocus.</p>

 

<hr />

<p>The above caution in the D7000 manual refers specifically to <strong>AF</strong> and <strong>AF-D</strong> lenses that <strong>also</strong> have a focus mode selector switch (ring) on the lens barrel. These lenses have a selector switch/ring that looks like this:<br>

<img src="http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u255/mikerfns/photonet%20stuff/AFD_switch.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>The switch on these lenses is designed to completely disengage the manual focus ring when the lens switch is set to 'A'. Switching the lens switch to 'M' mechanically engages the focusing ring with the lens focusing helicoid. If the camera body focus mode selector is set to AF, the lens remains mechanically engaged to the body "screwdriver" coupling and will still autofocus even if the lens is switch set to M. So if you grab the focusing ring with the lens set to 'M' and the body set to AF, you will force the in-body motor to also rotate (the resistance will be immediately obvious) as you manually focus the lens, and damage to the in-camera motor is possible.</p>

[Michael R Freeman]

<blockquote>

<p><em>"If you have focus activation set to the shutter release, you will not be able to override focus with the focus ring on the lens ..."</em></p>

</blockquote>

<p>Of course you can, as Shun detailed. AF-S lenses have been around long before the "AF-ON" button was introduced, and when the only option for activating autofocus was via the shutter release. :)</p>

[bill_brooks]

<p>Michael, thanks very much for your great post. Thanks too to everybody who posted; this forum is wonderful, and serious amateurs who want to get the most of our equipment really appreciate that.</p>

[adam_leung]

Hi, recently bought a nikon d7000 and im new to dslr.

 

If i use a AF-S lens, will i cause damage if i set

- camera body focus switch to M and the lens focus mode switch to A?

 

Thanks for your reply

[ShunCheung]

<p>An AF-S lens does not have the mechanical shaft that connects the lens' AF mechanism to the body's AF motor. Therefore, you won't damage anything. However, if your AF-S lens has pseudo AF-S so that you cannot just manually override AF, the focusing ring won't turn when the lens is set to AF. If you apply a ridiculous amount of force to turn the AF ring, you could damage it, but that is generally true when you apply excessive force anyway.</p>

[mark_paz]

<p>hi guys! good i found this forum, i have a nikon d7000 and my friend borrowed the body and used a sigma 24-70mm lens not the new model i think it is an old model. the body was set to AF and the lens was set to M. He used it the for a whole day under that setting and i am afraid that it would damage my d7000 body. do you think that it coulld damage the body that fast even if he use it for only a day. will be waiting for your helpful response,</p>