Comments on: 1129 – Roll River Roll http://manessinger.com/2009/11/1129-roll-river-roll.html The Daily Photography – One image per day, shot that day Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:14 +0100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Flo http://manessinger.com/2009/11/1129-roll-river-roll.html/comment-page-1#comment-4353 Flo Mon, 16 Nov 2009 22:07:39 +0000 http://manessinger.com/?p=3030#comment-4353 Andreas, I have an old Tamron 200-400 mm autofocus lens that I've never had a problem with on about 5 different Nikon bodies. But, I have a 3-yr-old Tamron 180 mm Macro autofocus that's just not sharp. In fact, my favorite camera dealer wouldn't take it in trade, due to the sharpness issue. Recently I bought a Tamron 90 mm Macro autofocus lens. It has a switch for autofocus/manual and another for short range/long range autofocus. At times it won't autofocus, so I flip that switch and then it'll behave. I don't like the lens so will probably trade it in for a Nikkor 100 mm Macro. I'm thinking now that I'm going to stay away from the Tamron brand! I have a Nikon D300. It could be that when you seat the lens into the camera, one of the electrical contacts doesn't quite mesh properly - and you may bump the lens while using it, causing this contact to malfunction. But this doesn't explain why turning the camera off and then back on makes the autofocus behave. Andreas, I have an old Tamron 200-400 mm autofocus lens that I’ve never had a problem with on about 5 different Nikon bodies.

But, I have a 3-yr-old Tamron 180 mm Macro autofocus that’s just not sharp. In fact, my favorite camera dealer wouldn’t take it in trade, due to the sharpness issue.

Recently I bought a Tamron 90 mm Macro autofocus lens. It has a switch for autofocus/manual and another for short range/long range autofocus. At times it won’t autofocus, so I flip that switch and then it’ll behave. I don’t like the lens so will probably trade it in for a Nikkor 100 mm Macro.

I’m thinking now that I’m going to stay away from the Tamron brand! I have a Nikon D300.

It could be that when you seat the lens into the camera, one of the electrical contacts doesn’t quite mesh properly – and you may bump the lens while using it, causing this contact to malfunction. But this doesn’t explain why turning the camera off and then back on makes the autofocus behave.

]]> By: andreas http://manessinger.com/2009/11/1129-roll-river-roll.html/comment-page-1#comment-4348 andreas Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:27:19 +0000 http://manessinger.com/?p=3030#comment-4348 Ahh, fantastic! I see, we're getting somewhere. Any other Tamron owners who want to come forward? Experience with D300/D700/D3 preferred, as they share the same AF module. As I said, I am no action shooter, when it happens, I simply turn the camera off and on again, but for others it may be a real show stopper. For me it's just the compromise, the price to pay for an otherwise fine lens. Anyway, there may be even more to it. I guess the D300 has problems with this lens on AF points where it works just fine with other lenses. AF may really be the Achilles heel of this lens, but otoh it's still too early for conclusions. You know the effect, you see a problem in one aspect, and soon you suspect problems everywhere. I plan for a rather tedious experiment with the Nikon 35/1.8 and this Tamron, set to 35mm, different AF points, focusing from infinity to a certain target, the same from very near to that target, making the images without much care, just as one would in action, repeat 10 times for every lens and point and focusing way. Count the perfectly focused vs slightly focused vs unfocused images, compare by lens. Oh dear, it's tedious to just write that :) Anyway, that's the plan. Ahh, fantastic! I see, we’re getting somewhere. Any other Tamron owners who want to come forward? Experience with D300/D700/D3 preferred, as they share the same AF module.

As I said, I am no action shooter, when it happens, I simply turn the camera off and on again, but for others it may be a real show stopper. For me it’s just the compromise, the price to pay for an otherwise fine lens.

Anyway, there may be even more to it. I guess the D300 has problems with this lens on AF points where it works just fine with other lenses. AF may really be the Achilles heel of this lens, but otoh it’s still too early for conclusions. You know the effect, you see a problem in one aspect, and soon you suspect problems everywhere.

I plan for a rather tedious experiment with the Nikon 35/1.8 and this Tamron, set to 35mm, different AF points, focusing from infinity to a certain target, the same from very near to that target, making the images without much care, just as one would in action, repeat 10 times for every lens and point and focusing way. Count the perfectly focused vs slightly focused vs unfocused images, compare by lens. Oh dear, it’s tedious to just write that :)

Anyway, that’s the plan.

]]> By: Earl http://manessinger.com/2009/11/1129-roll-river-roll.html/comment-page-1#comment-4347 Earl Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:51:01 +0000 http://manessinger.com/?p=3030#comment-4347 Andreas, I don't know if this is chance or if it could be related, but I have a recent generation Tamron AF28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC LD Micro lens which I have experienced the AF problem you describe. It doesn't happen very often and I cannot find any sequence that will cause it to happen each time. When the AF does stop working I usually quickly turn the camera off and on and that starts it working again. I've used the lens with a Nikon D700 & D300 and have had this happen with both camera bodies. I returned this lens once to Tamron Repair for a problem with the VC (grinding noise). They fixed the VC problem and said the lens checked out OK. The AF problem however still happens on occasion. I don't use this lens much anymore, mostly because I feel it lacks sharpness at certain focal lengths, but the random AF issues are also a bothered. Andreas, I don’t know if this is chance or if it could be related, but I have a recent generation Tamron AF28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC LD Micro lens which I have experienced the AF problem you describe. It doesn’t happen very often and I cannot find any sequence that will cause it to happen each time. When the AF does stop working I usually quickly turn the camera off and on and that starts it working again. I’ve used the lens with a Nikon D700 & D300 and have had this happen with both camera bodies.

I returned this lens once to Tamron Repair for a problem with the VC (grinding noise). They fixed the VC problem and said the lens checked out OK. The AF problem however still happens on occasion. I don’t use this lens much anymore, mostly because I feel it lacks sharpness at certain focal lengths, but the random AF issues are also a bothered.

]]> By: April http://manessinger.com/2009/11/1129-roll-river-roll.html/comment-page-1#comment-4338 April Sun, 15 Nov 2009 21:40:33 +0000 http://manessinger.com/?p=3030#comment-4338 Oh, yes; definitely bittersweet. I can image this scene mid-winter, and it's going to be a long time before the greening of spring. Oh, yes; definitely bittersweet. I can image this scene mid-winter, and it’s going to be a long time before the greening of spring.

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