Colosij

I have a Nikon D7200 with a Nikkor 18-300mm zoom. Sometimes when I press the shutter button, nothing happens. It seems to be intermittent. I have back button focus and shoot in manual with auto focus on. If I switch to manual focus the shutter seems to work when I press the shutter button. What do I need to do to fix this problem? I only started about a year after I bought the camera.

bleirer

Just a question, does the shutter fire when focus is not acquired in autofocus? purposely choose a subject that autofocus can't handle to test it, something low contrast in low light, like a painted wall or a cloud, temporarily turn off the focus light if there is one to see if it will fire.

Also, is the back button focus set to activate the meter and AF or just AF? You could also try to put the shutter back in default mode, partial shutter press activates meter and AF. if that solves the problem, there is something in how you set up the BBF that is causing an issue.

NCMtnMan Loc: N. Fork New River, Ashe Co., NC

Not sure if this is the problem, but there is a setting that controls the shutter based on whether the camera has obtained focus while set to autofocus. Don't remember which one, but remember it from reading Steve's Secrets of the Nikon Focus System.

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

It sounds like your camera is set to fire only when focus is achieved. You can change this in the menu. I have a D7200 and use back button focus too but I still have my camera set to fire only when focus is achieved. I can’t accept out of focus shots.

olemikey Loc: 6 mile creek, Spacecoast Florida

The D7xxx series release modes and focus modes can cause this effect. You pick a target, frame it, initiate focus and once focus is achieved it will allow release of the shutter (fire). My guess is that due to lighting, subject to close, or actual focus (sharp focus not acheived) it will not fire, it is waiting for you to get focus right. Do some test shots for confirmation. You could default back to half-press focus and shutter release with main shutter button (turn off back-button focus) and see if it still happens. Mine will not fire if not focussed, due to my settings.

Steve Perry Loc: Sylvania, Ohio

I agree - it's probably a focus priority setting - for proper BBAF use, the camera should be set to AF-C and release priority for AF-C should be set to "release" in the custom settings menu. I have a free guide that can help:

https://backcountrygallery.com/free-back-button-af-guide-for-nikon/

joncogar Loc: WV

Reset camera to factory specs
Nikon D7200 Factory Reset: To restoring Nikon D7200 to its default settings, just hold down the [ISO button] button and the [+/- Exposure Compensation button] together, until the control panel turns off briefly while the camera resets itself to the factory default settings.

rodpark2 Loc: Dallas, Tx

The camera looks for contrast to focus. If it's pointed a something lacking detail, like a clear sky or clothing lacking textural detail it won't fire if it's set up in the menus to acquire focus before firing. Overriding the focus lock will let it fire regardless of acquired focus, usually not a good idea. Look for something at the same distance that has detail, push part way to lock focus, keep the button partially pressed and recompose and finish the shot. This won't work if you are set to autofocus continuously. There is a button on the AF-M lever that blows you to change the setting in the top menu. Try AF-S rather than AF-C.

olemikey Loc: 6 mile creek, Spacecoast Florida

Definitely see Steve Perry's guide on this, it is very good!

Colosij

Thank you everybody, I tried shooting with auto focus at easy to focus and hard to focus objects and it fired on the easy to focus ones and not one the hard to focus ones. So the camera seems to okay, it just thinks that it is smarter than I am and it is probably right.
Joe

tomcat

I have this problem a lot with portraits of babies. Skin has no contrast so camera cannot acquire focus. I’ll try to grab the eye/skin intersection to provide the contrast necessary for the camera AF to grab onto

Howard5252 Loc: New York / Florida (now)

I agree with you - that is the problem. I hope the OP gets out the manual and finds the setting - it is there.
I think it's AF-C Priority Selection but don't quote me.

NikonRocks Loc: Sydney

In reference to your D7200 camera, bring up the CUSTOM SETTINGS MENU and check the settings for a-Autofocus. Settings in a1 AF-C priority selection and a2 AF-S priority selection determine whether the shutter will release if the image is in focus or not.

Assuming your camera is powered up and you are using the AE-L/AF-L button for BBF and have pressed that button, look through the viewfinder. At the bottom left hand side under the image projected by your lens you should notice that there are 3 indicators associated with the focusing system. Only a maximum of two can be illuminated at any one time. Going from left to right the first indicator is a filled in triangle with its apex pointing to the right. The middle indicator is a filled in circle and the third indicator is a filled in triangle with its apex pointing to the left. The camera will deem focus to have been acquired whenever the subject under the active focus point causes the filled in circle to illuminate.

If the settings in AF-S and AF-C priority have been set to "focus" then the shutter can only be released when the circle is illuminated. The filled circle is effectively bracketed by the triangle indicators which when illuminated indicate whether the lens is focused in front of the subject or behind the subject.

The left hand triangle will illuminate if the lens is focused in front of the subject and the other triangle will illuminate if the lens has focus behind the subject. Both arrows will illuminate if the camera can't determine focus.

These three indicators are useful in the manual focusing of the lens. If the left triangle indicator lights up then you need to rotate the lens focusing ring clockwise until the circle illuminates. At this point focus has been acquired and the triangle disappears from view. Conversely, with the lens focused behind the subject, rotating the focusing ring counter clockwise should see the triangle to the right remain illuminated until the circle appears and that triangle disappears.

Remember, irrespective of the settings for AF-S and AF-C, the camera will deem the subject to be in focus whenever the circle is illuminated.

Howard5252 Loc: New York / Florida (now)

Almost forgot ... I believe the AF-C setting is needed when BBF is set up.

Bill_de Loc: US

It isn't needed, but it doesn't make sense to not use it.

Changing to BBF in itself only determines which 'switch' turns on A/F. The big advantage does come from always using AF-C.

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