plessner Loc: North Dakota

my brother discovered that his camera would not take a picture if he did not have his lens set to manual. I suggested he try a different lens, and then it worked fine. What do you think the problem might be with the other lens?

Dave327 Loc: Duluth, GA. USA

Try cleaning the contacts on the camera & lens. Q-tip and rubbing alcohol - just dampen, not dripping wet.

CO

Please supply more information. What make and model is the camera? What are the lenses? It might be that the camera is not establishing proper focus with the other lens and will not allow the picture to be taken. You can override that. With Nikon it's menu option a1: AF-C Priority Selection and a2: AF-S Priority Selection.

Other makes of cameras probably have that menu option also but I'm only familiar with Nikon.

plessner Loc: North Dakota

it is a Nikon but I am not sure which one. it was working up until last weekend when we were at a family reunion

I will pass on the info to him thanks

CO

In low contrast or low light situations, sometimes a camera's autofocus can't establish focus. If the Nikon's menu options a1 and a2 are set to Focus, the camera will not take the photo. Try taking some photos of a scene that has high contrast and where the lighting is good. I'm not sure if that's what is going on with your camera. That's one of the possibilities.

Geezer Bill Loc: San Diego County, CA

Check the switch on the lens to see if it was turned to manual.

Skiextreme2 Loc: Northwest MA

Check the aperture ring on the lens and see if it's locked. If not, that can cause that problem (on a Nikon). It won't be able to auto focus if the aperture isn't locked, I think they lock at f22 for auto focus.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

NEVER use a Q-Tip anywhere inside a camera.

Common cotton swabs like those shed tiny, tough fibers that can get into and jam mechanisms such as DSLRs' mirrors and shutters. If that happens, you're likely to have a very expensive repair.

Only use lint free rags or optical swabs such as Pecs.

But, honestly, I doubt it will help in this case. It sounds as if the camera is unable to autofocus that particular lens... most likely the AF motor or circuitry in the lens has failed.

However, I gotta ask... Did the lens ever work on the camera or is it a recent purchase that has never worked?

Nikon camera bodies and lenses have all sorts of compatibility considerations. For example, D3000-series and D5000-series models can only autofocus AF-S and AF-P lenses.

Older Nikkor AF and some others... lenses without built in motors.... can only autofocus on D7000 and higher camera models, which have a focus drive motor built into the camera.

There is a camera/lens compatibility list on the Nikon website. There's also one at Nikonians.org and some more description of the various types of Nikkor lenses and Nikon cameras at Ken Rockwell's website.

plessner Loc: North Dakota

he has had the camera and lens for a couple years and it has worked in the past--I will call him tonight and give him all the helpful ideas found here

plessner Loc: North Dakota

thanks everyone, I will call my brother tonight and give the info that has been passed on here

Bobspez Loc: Southern NJ, USA

Sounds like a manual lens.

CO

She just said that the camera and lens has worked in the past. Two posts before yours.

Bobspez Loc: Southern NJ, USA

Sorry I missed that.