JohnnyRottenNJ Loc: Northern New Jersey

I have an intermittent problem with my Nikon camera. Every so often I'll try to take a picture, the lens will zoom in and out, but the camera won't focus or allow me to work the shutter. I use Tamron lenses almost exclusively, so I'm beginning to think it is a problem with Tamron. Currently I have a Nikon D500. Before that I had a D300. Both had the same issue, and it happened with a number of lenses. All Tamron 70-200mm f2.8, 17-50mm, 18-270mm, 60mm f2.0 macro, and on occasion they all do the same thing. I shut the camera down, turn it back on....NG. I turn the auto focus off and then back on, still NG. The one thing that seems to work most of the time, I'll shut the camera off and remove the lens and then re-attach it. But even that is not a 100% fix.
Is anyone aware of an incompatibility between Nikon & Tamron, or has anyone else had the same issue? This happened first on my Tamron 70-200. I sent it back to Tamron three times, and it has always come back saying "repaired, tested, and it is now OK." But a short time later I go to use the camera and it will have the same issue. The one time I was in the middle of shooting a marching band competition, and all I had time to do was put it on "Manual focus." It worked, but the competition was at night under stadium lighting, and it was hard to get a really sharp image in the viewfinder.
Can anyone suggest a fix? other than dumping all of my Tamron stuff and going Sigma or Nikorr glass? The fact that it has happened on two different model Nikons but all with Tamron lenses, I'm thinking it isn't a Nikon problem. Any suggestions?

roxiemarty Loc: Florida

In my experience, you are trying to focus too close. Next time it happens, take a step back and try again. If it focuses, that is the problem. Every lens is different but that may be part of your problem.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

I have a 105 f/2.8 Micro Nikkor. It does that occasionally and it's usually when the subject is out of the focus range, but occasionally when there's not enough light.

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

Have you updated the Nikon D500 firmware?

whwiden

I have not had that problem with the Tamron 45mm or the newer 28-300mm or the 150-600mm G2.

DAN Phillips Loc: Graysville, GA

If you shoot Nikon, buy Nikon!

CO

Check settings a1: AF-C Priority Selection and a2: AF-S Priority Selection. If they are set to focus, the camera will not take the photo if it has not acquired focus. I set both to Focus in my Nikons but you can change that to Release.

hahersh Loc: Burlington, ON, Canada

The lens is not zooming in and out. The camera is trying to focus. Several possible causes: inadequate light - use a larger f-stop. (stadium lighting usually sucks) If the lens has a focus limiter set it to full range. Not enough contrast in subject - focus on a high contrast area such as an edge. Get Steve Perry's ebook "Secrets to the Nikon Autofocus System". https://backcountrygallery.com/secrets-nikon-autofocus-system/ If you get this book today and read it, I'm sure you will be able to solve your problem.

Paulco2 Loc: Gettysburg PA

I had a Tamron lens with my D300 and had similar problems with autofocus. It seemed to happen more often in humid conditions and my solution was to remove the lens and wipe the contacts with a lens tissue or soft cloth. That usually solved the problem. The lens was a 18 - 285 mm zoom and otherwise worked well. I eventually moved on to a Nikon lens and have not had the problem again. My guess is that the Tamron was more sensitive to weather conditions than the Nikon.

The Villages Loc: The Villages, Florida

Had (maybe) a similar problem. Had a new D200 with 18-135MM Nikor lens, and sometimes it would not allow focus. Only way I could get anywhere was to start to take lens off....and then snap back into place. That helped in the short term, but not for long. Had to send camera and lens to Nikon who found that the contacts were not properly aligned. They adjusted and all was OK.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

One of the first things I do when I get a new camera is set it to take a picture when I press the shutter button, rather than to wait for perfect focus. Perfect focus is good, but a picture is even better.

The subject can make it difficult for a lens to focus. Something with contrast and sharp lines will be easier than a cloud or a blank wall.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

When the focus moves in and out without focusing on the target photographers call that "hunting." It could happen if the aperture of the lens is too slow for the available light, if the distance for the lens to focus has not been reached or if there is not enough contrast to achieve focus. I cannot remember ever listening to anyone say that their Tamron lenses presented a problem to focus. In general, not meaning that is your case, most AF problems are operator's errors.
I cannot understand how your 70-200 f2.8 lens could possibly fail to focus. Have you cleaned the camera's contacts? Clean camera and lenses contacts and see if there is a difference. Let me repeat, you are the first person I have heard of who complains that is unable to focus with independent lenses.
Make sure the camera is set to AF-S. There is no way the camera will fire without achieving focus when set that way.

whwiden

I generally agree, unless the lens has a feature Nikon does not have. The 45mm Tamron is image stabilized and sharper than the 50mm Nikon lenses, for example.

Donwitz Loc: Virginia Beach, VA

Have you tried manual focus? I know that it can be difficult when you’re shooting a moving object, but the results can be amazing. What mode do you generally use?

olemikey Loc: 6 mile creek, Spacecoast Florida

I have a Tamron 18-270 that is fast and accurate with my D90, and D7100, does not like my D3200, focus hunts all the time, won't lock in for the shot, etc.... nothing I've done so far (cleaning contacts, changing focus modes and such) has changed that. Have realized that low battery increases the problem, and it could be inadequate amperage to the lens motor, seems to be a continuous issue for the 3200. Wish I had an answer, but I don't. Good luck