ok...so I just got a D300 and an AF-S Nikkor 70-300mm zoom. When I put the zoom on the camera it won't auto-focus. Since I haven't played with camera much since I got it I can't tell if the lens is broken and I need to send it in for repair or if I'm a newb and don't know how to set my own camera.
I have the lens on m/a, and VR is on. Camera is on Continuous Low mode with continuous focus on....am I missing something that will make this work?
If you bought the D300 used, check in the menu and see how the focus is set up. A lot of people set focus to be active when pressing the AF-On button as opposed to half pressing the shutter button.
galenapass wrote:
What do you mean by "I have the lens on m/a"? Which is it set to "m" or "a".
All G lenses (that I'm aware of, at least) have an M/A setting. It's the autofocus setting, and just means that it works for both autofocus and manual focus.
ARgh...thanks gvg45! That was exactly it. Now I feel even MORE stupid because I actually remember reading that at some point in the manual and going "hmm...I should try that" but then I directly forgot that I wanted to try it . I'm now going to go sit in the corner in shame. (and I know the CL mode doesn't affect focus, I was just trying to cover all the settings I had)
there is an M/A setting on the lens which is Autofocus with a manual override.
gvg45 wrote:
If you bought the D300 used, check in the menu and see how the focus is set up. A lot of people set focus to be active when pressing the AF-On button as opposed to half pressing the shutter button.
Well it's not as dumb of a question as you asked because plenty of lenses out there have lost it's autofocus ability so it's not that uncommon. But glad you found the solution, happy shooting
Clean the electrical contacts on the lens and body with a non-linting swab or lens tissue and isopropyl alcohol. Be sure you have the latest D300 Firmware.
DLGPhotog wrote:
ARgh...thanks gvg45! That was exactly it. Now I feel even MORE stupid because I actually remember reading that at some point in the manual and going "hmm...I should try that" but then I directly forgot that I wanted to try it . I'm now going to go sit in the corner in shame. (and I know the CL mode doesn't affect focus, I was just trying to cover all the settings I had)
there is an M/A setting on the lens which is Autofocus with a manual override.
It happens, no need to feel stupid. I remember reading some time ago of a user that set their camera up that way and did a photo shoot and all their images were blurry. It turned out that they forgot this setting when they got into their work flow and didnt realize it until reviewing the images on their computer!
It can take some time for it to become second nature but, I feel, a transition that is well worth the effort. I'm glad to hear that this was the fix for your issue as opposed to having to send your equipment in for repair.
. I'm now going to go sit in the corner in shame. (and I know the CL mode doesn't affect focus, I was just trying to cover all the settings I had)
