NikonGear'23

Gear Talk => Lens Talk => Topic started by: PeterN on June 09, 2017, 16:21:32

Title: Seeking advice: AF finetuning or Service?
Post by: PeterN on June 09, 2017, 16:21:32
Last week I spoke with a photographer who got a free replacement of his Sigma 35mm Art lens after the lens started to misfocus. That got me thinking. Finetuning was needed for my sigma 35mm art lens  (+10 on D750 and +20 on D810) and my nikon 58mm (+7 on D750 and D810). Both worked fine before.

What should I do? Stick to AF finetune setting or send the lenses back for check-up?

When do you decide to send it back? When finetuning does not work or when the AF is off?

Thanks for your help.

Peter
Title: Re: Seeking advice: AF finetuning or Service?
Post by: Akira on June 09, 2017, 17:02:25
Peter, I had my 50/1.8G and 20/1.8G calibrated at Nikon service and since then I've never been in need of the in-camera AF fine tune of my D750.

At Nikon service, the rep said that the neutral position of an SWM motor will be off after using the lens for a certain period of time which will cause the focus error, and that you need it re-calibrated periodically.

The neutral position may be off even the lens is brand new.  My 50/1.8G was such a sample.
Title: Re: Seeking advice: AF finetuning or Service?
Post by: PeterN on June 09, 2017, 17:09:29
Peter, I had my 50/1.8G and 20/1.8G calibrated at Nikon service and since then I've never been in need of the in-camera AF fine tune of my D750.

At Nikon service, the rep said that the neutral position of an SWM motor will be off after using the lens for a certain period of time which will cause the focus error, and that you need it re-calibrated periodically.

The neutral position may be off even the lens is brand new.  My 50/1.8G was such a sample.

Thank you for your helpful advice. I will go to the service center!
Title: Re: Seeking advice: AF finetuning or Service?
Post by: Akira on June 09, 2017, 17:14:03
You are welcome.  Hope your problem will be solved.
Title: Re: Seeking advice: AF finetuning or Service?
Post by: richardHaw on June 10, 2017, 03:19:54
i still have the Sigma dock but no own no Sigma lenses anymore  :o :o :o
Title: Re: Seeking advice: AF finetuning or Service?
Post by: Akira on June 11, 2017, 02:18:20
Thank you for your helpful advice. I will go to the service center!

Peter, you'd better have your camera checked along with the lenses.  They would calibrate both.
Title: Re: Seeking advice: AF finetuning or Service?
Post by: Ilkka Nissilä on June 12, 2017, 00:19:55
If you need a very large positive or negative fine tune setting then it may be a good idea to have service look at it.
Title: Re: Seeking advice: AF finetuning or Service?
Post by: the solitaire on June 12, 2017, 00:28:15
i still have the Sigma dock but no own no Sigma lenses anymore  :o :o :o

Happy coincidence We have no dock, but my girlfriend owns 2 Sigma Art lenses. The 35mm behaves just fine, but the 135mm shows significant back-focus
Title: Re: Seeking advice: AF finetuning or Service?
Post by: CS on June 12, 2017, 01:43:53
Sigma does not show that the Dock is compatible with my 17-50 2.8 for Nikon DX. So, no fine tuning for me?
Title: Re: Seeking advice: AF finetuning or Service?
Post by: richardHaw on June 12, 2017, 03:49:24
Happy coincidence We have no dock, but my girlfriend owns 2 Sigma Art lenses. The 35mm behaves just fine, but the 135mm shows significant back-focus

i can sell you mine if you need it  :o :o :o
Title: Re: Seeking advice: AF finetuning or Service?
Post by: Frank Fremerey on June 12, 2017, 04:47:43
I sent my Nikkor 1.4/58G to service, because it did work differently on my three DSLRs. Now it works consistently good on all three. Nikon service can check the lens alone or you give them the lens and all bodies you want to work with.

My aim is to have the lens perform consistently on all of my bodies.

My 1.4/24G needed treatment with all bodies in the same room. They could only fix it at the third try