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Nikon 600mm f4 prime stops autofocusing intermittently

nikon 600mm 600mm lens nikon 600mm f4 autofocussing

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7 replies to this topic

#1
Zimsmith

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I shoot with a Nikon D850 and a Nikon 600mm f4E FL ED VR AF-S Lens

I sometimes use a 2 x teleconverter (AF-S TC-20E III)

 

April 2022 I was photographing at a Peregrine site and all was fine. 

I put on the teleconverter and took a few shots then removed it. 

From that point the 600mm lens would not autofocus.

I checked all settings, removed and re-set lens, removed battery, cards......... I tried everything. 

Autofocus worked fine with another lend with and without the teleconverter therefore issue seems to be with the lens. 

Next day I tried it again and still no autofocus. 

 

I drove and dropped all the kit to "Advanced Camera Services" 

​Next day they tried the lens and couldn't;t find any fault with it. It worked fine. 

They checked everything and nothing was stuck, dirty or faulty. 

I collected it and used it occasionally through the summer with and without the teleconverter. No problems. 

 

27 July I was in a hide photographing birds. No problem. 

Woodpecker landed a way off so I put on teleconverter and took some shots. 

Teleconverter off and then same thing again. No autofocus. 

I tried everything and nothing worked. 

I put the 600mm lens on someone else's D750 and it would not autofocus on that either. 

I put another lens on my D850 and it auto focussed perfectly. Issue is with the lens. 

That evening... still not working

Next morning... Still not working

 

29 July I tried it just on the off-chance and it was and is now working as normal 

Called ACS who said it "may" me an intermittent fault with the DC/DC ???? but they aren't really sure. 

 

​31 August I tried it all again with and without the teleconverter and it's working perfectly. 

My issue is that I drove 4 hours to get to this hide to photograph birds in flight. 10 minutes into this shoot it stopped working. That was a very expensive wasted trip. 

 

The kit is clean. It has not been bumped. 

 

Any sensible suggestions?



#2
Merco_61

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Do you use the grip and large battery? I have found that the higher voltage solved the same intermittent DC/DC fault with TC on my AF-S 80-200 on both D700 and D800E. It might be that an undervoltage caused by the extra resistance in the TC triggers some fault in the DC/DC circuitry.



#3
Zimsmith

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Do you use the grip and large battery? I have found that the higher voltage solved the same intermittent DC/DC fault with TC on my AF-S 80-200 on both D700 and D800E. It might be that an undervoltage caused by the extra resistance in the TC triggers some fault in the DC/DC circuitry.

Hi Merco, 

I don't have a battery pack no. Hmm food for thought though thank you. At the moment it's all working again but it seems to go wrong at the worst possible moment. I've used the lens and teleconverter together for 2 years and only this year the issue started. Never had an issue with the set-up on my D810 or my D4 that I used previously. Maybe I'll look into getting a battery grip. Or just scrap the 2 x teleconverter.. 



#4
Merco_61

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It might be worth cleaning all contacts with DeoxIt Gold if the contact resistance has detoriated with age. Standard electronics cleaners or alcohol don’t have the same cleaning performance and long-term protection on gold-plated contacts.



#5
fallout666

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try cleaning your self for take to true camera store check it out. they will try to fix and tell you what real issue is. 



#6
Zimsmith

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try cleaning your self for take to true camera store check it out. they will try to fix and tell you what real issue is. 

I did take it to camera specialist shop and they could not find anything wrong with it then a few months later is happened again. It is very very clean and has been professionally cleaned. It is not that. It is something to do with the 2 x teleconverter being fitted. 



#7
fallout666

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then you do might have issue with that thing or have one that does not work with some lenses. 



#8
g4aaw pete

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Intermittent faults - the bane of the electronics world!

 

I had a lens which failed (AF), but was within warranty.

 

Sent it back to the supplier, but they could find no fault with it when tested of three different cameras.

After a conversation the chap who tested it, he agreed to test it one more time before sending it back to me.

Lucky me! When he tested it for the final time , the fault re-appeared, & I was sent a refund.

 

The company involved was the London Camera Exchange.

I've since vowed to only deal with them when it comes to second hand lenses.