Nikon D7100 with Sigma Apo 400mm f/5.6

[wolf_weber]

<p>After a long hiatus from Nikon I finally decided to give the D7100 a try... Sounds great on paper, and I still have a few excellent lenses for Nikon AF & AIS. In particular I was hoping to be able to use a mint cond. <em>old</em> (ha) Sigma Apo 400mm f/5.6 telephoto lens, the non macro version with a 72mm filter thread. Imagine: a 600mm, even 800 at the 1.3 setting, 5.6 AF telephoto, light enough to be used without a tripod... After pretty much setting my menu choices, the trouble hit home. The Sigma lens works, even in AF, but only 1 single focus point at the extreme right is showing. Couldn't figure a way to shift it to another area. A dozen or so test shots gave excellent results. I just don't see myself working with this particular lens successfully whithout being able to choose my focus points.<br /> I know from experience that Sigma won't be able to help. I called Nikon T.S. and explained the situation... The moment <strong>Sigma</strong> was mentioned the <em>Help agent</em> informed me that not only could she not provide assistance but that in general, Nikon does not recommend using 3d party lenses on their DSLRs. Wow..!<br /> Does anyone here have an idea or is that it; <strong><em>No Solution..? </em></strong>Which would mean, the camera<strong><em> goes back. <br /></em></strong>Too bad.<strong><em><br /></em></strong></p>

[Barry Clemmons Photography]

<p>Wolf, did you try moving the focus point with the Focus Selector Dial on the back? Make sure it is unlocked and then push the "OK" button and it should move the focus point back to the middle position. You can then move it around using the dial. When it is where you want it be sure to lock it so that it isn't accidentally moved.</p>

[ShunCheung]

<p>Right, as Barry points out, can you control (move) the AF point around on the D7100 without any lens attached? Do you have any Nikon AF lens (AF, AF-D or AF-S) to check the D7100 with?</p>

[evannorth]

<p>good grief! the nikon agent should have been a lot more sympathetic to your problem. if the above response does not work try it with a nikon lens. if the problem persists, give them another call.</p>

[devon_mccarroll]

FYI, I contacted Sigma about my two Sigma lenses and the D7100. I have a 135-400 and a 105 macro. They said the 135-400 is too old

to get a software update, but they can update the 105 macro for me. So this may be what you're running into--a Sigma lens that won't

work with the newer cameras, and if it's too old they won't have an update for it.

And I agree that you should try a Nikon lens to be sure that the camera doesn't have an issue.

As for Nikon saying they don't recommend using 3rd party lenses, of course they don't, because they want you to buy theirs!

[tony_demonte]

<p>I have a weird problem with my sigma 10-20mm lens with the D7100 also. In live view, when I try to focus, it won't focus and gets stuck at close focus. so everything is out of focus. only in live view though. the lens works great with a lot of different settings when focusing through the view finder. it's not a big deal, but still weird.</p>

[Hector Javkin]

<p>I'm surprised by this. I purchased the Sigma APO 400mm to use with a D90 some time ago. I ultimately returned the lens because autofocus was quite slow on it, but I used the central focus point for the attached photo, and would have noticed if the focus point couldn't be selected. I don't know why you shouldn't be able to select the focus point on the D7100.</p><div></div>

[wolf_weber]

<p>Well, wouldn't you know... <strong><em>Human error</em></strong> or some such, mainly from inexperience with Nikon DSLRs. <br />Gonna be another <em>learning</em> <em>curve</em>. <br />A grand <strong><em>"Mahalo"</em></strong> to this here community. Coming from Pentax, Canon & Sony in the dg world, I was not familiar enough with some Nikon operational quirks... I was fiddling with the little wheel top right, when in fact the manipulation is being done via the <em>joggle</em> dial. Once I understood the moves, I indeed managed to bring the focus point to wherever I wanted. AF was 90% on target and the resulting IQ was about 20% better on far away/infinity subjcets than, for ex, with a 300mm f/4 L IS + the EF 1.4x III on a 7D... Quite a surprise, I must admit, but then with the +/- 30% higher pxl count almost logical. Pixls seem to be of better quality than those of the current Canon CMOS'. Looks like I will keep the D7100 and gradually move away from Canon. Though I must add that I received an e-mail from the Nikon T.S. agent shortly after our discussion, where she repeated the co's policy regarding the (non) use of lenses from Sigma, etc. I am quite baffled, to say the least.</p>

[Wouter Willemse]

<p>There is a difference between a tech support policy, and a real company policy.<br /> Given the history with some 3rd party lens builders not licensing (but reverse engineering) the electronic protocols for the lens mount, I can imagine Nikon is hesitant to give full support on lenses of which they cannot be 100% sure they'll actually fully work as intended. So, as you report an issue with the body, basically they seek to first identify whether the problem is the body or the lens - and with an older Sigma lens, they simply cannot be as sure. To me, it makes sense what they report as policy. But without seeing the actual wording they use, it might be they report it in a clumsy way.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>I know from experience that Sigma won't be able to help</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I would be far more baffled by this, actually. Sigma should be able to help just as much as Nikon should.</p>

[wolf_weber]

<p>Wouter, Sigma does not keep records or parts for... nor do they provide sevice on lenses older than 10 years. Other than that the people <em>there</em> (Ronkonkoma) are usually accessible and friendly. As to the person I dealt with from Nikon, she was quite firm, almost abrupt in her manner. Not the slightest <em>courtesy</em> as a <em>courtesy</em>... Can't reprint content of e-mail because of potential legal consequences. World we live in.<br /> <strong>Charlie Chaplin</strong>: <em>"<strong>Modern times</strong>"</em>.</p>

[mike_halliwell]

<p>Tony D, sadly this is a common problem with non-Nikon lenses from yester-year. If you Google it, you'll find lots of info. Sigma can do a re-chip for about £32. There are also quite a few posts here on P'net.</p>

<p>I decided not to have mine done, as I have 6 to do! The 'problem' is the same on my D5100. I can live with it.</p>

<p>Live-View did not exist when these lenses were built and the code sent by the camera is not understood by the lens.</p>

[DawsonPointers]

<p>I've used my Tokina 12-24mm f/4 (no focusing motor), Sigma 50mm f/1.4, Sigma 85mm f/1.4, Sigma 150mm macro (no OS), and Sigma 150-500mm without any issues on the D7100. </p>

[wolf_weber]

<p>Just in case you might return to this here thread, <strong>John Roswell</strong>, it would be of great interest to hear what you make of results with the Sigma 150-500mm on the D7100<strong> - at Infinity... </strong><br /> I for one decided to return the gizmo, mainly because of above reported experience, but also because results were too soft for my taste past, say, 30 to 50 yards. Even mounted on a tripod at 800' up to 1200' of a sec. Similar, not quite as bad, disappointments with EOS 7D plus EF 300mm f/4 L is, sometimes with a 1.4x (III)... From what I've learned, there's practically no solution because the mirror boxes of these cameras are of fairly old design, not quite up <em>to snuff</em> in today's hi performance dg bodies. More so with Nikon than with Canon. If only longer fixed focal lenses (portable, for the <em>mobile Shooter</em>) were available for PENTAX, I wouldn't have to scramble. <br /> Go figure...</p>