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Old 21-05-2022, 06:17 PM
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Is manual focus possible?

I really don't know what I am talking about when it comes to camera lens but I bought this one some time ago thinking I could do some widefields however it does not seem that it can be focused manually. I may have asked this question years ago but if I did I can not recall.

If you are familiar with this lens is that the case?

Or is there a way to manual focus..I cant see a switch ch like on other lens A/M .

At this point I am thinking to focus it via auto at a distant point and tape the focuser ring in place switch it off...hardley an acceptable solution even if it works.

I would like to use this lens ( all of them really) for a while and later buy something better once I get a feel for a focal length assuming I dont lose interest in widefield which I doubt..I once did nice ones with my long gone canon and its kit 2 lens kit...happily I was not critical of those lens so I expect these will do me for a while.

I have a cheap 50 mm that only this week worked out how to use, set it up on a static tripod to test got in a couple of captures which were encouraging and talk about being a cloud magnet..they did not roll in but just appeared in minutes while I went off to find my shutter release.

Well my new intervalometer arrived and I am getting ready for that night that I can use these units, rather test them and learn what can be done which is most suitable the flattest field etc.

Is there any hope for this lens?
How can it be focused?

Alex
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  #2  
Old 21-05-2022, 06:59 PM
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AstroViking (Steve)
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Hi Alex,

I'm assuming that your camera body is a Nikon? What model is it?

If there is a switch on the lens body, you can disable the auto-focus there. If not, there may be a switch on the body of the camera. (Although my very brief search showed that some low-end Nikon DSLR bodies may not have a physical switch to disable autofocus.)

The attached image shows both lens and camera focus on/off switches.

Cheers,
V
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Old 21-05-2022, 07:12 PM
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mura_gadi (Steve)
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could be a "M" on one dial somewhere, but a camera model would be very useful.
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Old 21-05-2022, 07:49 PM
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Thank you both for your interest.

It is a Nikon D5500 I suppose its getting on now.

I have been thinking of a full frame if their lens kits work .I have not looked into that yet. Sole purpose is widefield.

There is definitely no M anywhere on the lens or on the Camera ... it seems to me that both these lens units were targeted at ding bats like me with the company thinking folk like me would not go past auto..well if not for astro I would not bother these days..in fact I only use my phone for photos its good enough.

I was thinking maybe to cut the circuit somehow using the angle grinder of course .. but it seems like a dead duck.

You want to hear something funny I had just woken up when I made that post but I thought it was Sunday morning..I think I passed out watching a video...I looked for the election results and thought they were recordings of the live cast from the night before ..As I could not find a suggested result I gave up but noticed it was not getting light when I looked out at 7-15 ( me thinking AM not PM) I was a little casual because I was not rushing off to do road work today as ordinarily I would be working by 6am so I thought the end of the world was upon me... It took some time to jerry but I think as earlier I left the oven on without the van door open that maybe the apparent lack of oxygen caused my confusion...they are a death trap after all...so I took my morning medication and yet to take this evenings medication...so its still Saturday night right?

I think I will put in some sort of ventilation fan as that is a bit of a wakeup call...wake up call ha ha..I still feel confused so that points to oxygen starvation I believe.

Anyways back to the lens it would seem usless if it can not be manually focused. What about a new Nikon full frame maybe with a lens kit... Or best just buying a good lens for the old camera?

Hey now I can watch the election results how exciting..life is wonderful isnt it.

alex
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Old 22-05-2022, 01:22 PM
JA
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Originally Posted by xelasnave View Post
It is a Nikon D5500 I suppose its getting on now....

Anyways back to the lens it would seem usless if it can not be manually focused.
Hi Alex,

I take it your interest is using it on your Nikon D5500 body, rather than rigging it for manual focus use with an astrocam, which it won't do as it requires electronic comms and power from the Nikon camera body. If you want to do that sort of thing you need a different manual lens type.

Given that your interest lies in using it on a Nikon body, it matters which model, as the AF-P lenses are not supported on all bodies. Your lens is a Nikon 18-55 AF-P and should work on your D5500, depending on its firmware version and also a specific custom setting in the menu reading something like " manual focus ring in AF mode" and set it to ON. Which when engaged should should allow your to turn the manual focus ring even when the camera is in an autofocus mode; however, if that doesn't work you could delve in to the camera menus and try various AF modes / manual mode.

Preferably look at a Nikon website, but there is some info here....https://www.dailycameranews.com/2018...-af-s-or-af-p/

Best
JA
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Old 22-05-2022, 02:14 PM
glend (Glen)
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Alex, there should be a M on your mode selection dial on top of the camera body. There is on mine. When in M, or Manual mode, you have control. It should be covered in your camera booklet. If you do not have the booklet, it should be available Online.
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Old 22-05-2022, 02:37 PM
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Originally Posted by JA View Post
Hi Alex,

I take it your interest is using it on your Nikon D5500 body, rather than rigging it for manual focus use with an astrocam, which it won't do as it requires electronic comms and power from the Nikon camera body. If you want to do that sort of thing you need a different manual lens type.

Given that your interest lies in using it on a Nikon body, it matters which model, as the AF-P lenses are not supported on all bodies. Your lens is a Nikon 18-55 AF-P and should work on your D5500, depending on its firmware version and also a specific custom setting in the menu reading something like " manual focus ring in AF mode" and set it to ON. Which when engaged should should allow your to turn the manual focus ring even when the camera is in an autofocus mode; however, if that doesn't work you could delve in to the camera menus and try various AF modes / manual mode.

Preferably look at a Nikon website, but there is some info here....https://www.dailycameranews.com/2018...-af-s-or-af-p/

Best
JA
Thanks JA I saw your post very soon after you posted and have gone thru everything in the menu not only things that mentioned "focus" ( and on that point it covered focus points only) but stuff that was obviously unrelated just in case it was in a silly place.

Not a thing.

So I went to the site that you linked and brought myself up to speed but it more or less told me I probably was not going to manual focus ..I was thinking to update the firmware but thought maybe later in the hope something has changed.

Anyways you know how I say I am just unbelievably lucky?...Another example...So I had given up hope but I thought to put that lens on the camera and have a play and maybe take a photo of the magpies or some fungus I noticed on a stump...I put the lens on but it was already extended and I tried the ring and blow me down the damn thing responded to turning the focus ring...now this was inside and I have yet to test it outside but I am hoping that putting the lens on extended has caused the focus to respond to manual input...if not I have no other explanation which would be unacceptable ..I need to have an answer you see.

What the ????....the camera just openned the shutter for no reason?..just now? Sitting alongside me...???....Maybe it was an auto shut off?...Anyways I plan to take it outside when the rain stops and try to manually focus on distant trees...I am not getting too excited and don't know the internals of the lens and certainly if putting it on extended plays any roll...but like with all other things the rain is stopping me.

Thanks so much for your post as I had given up on the lens and was going to look at cameras later today when I complete the little project that I am taking a break from...mmm losing time but it was worth it...

Thank you and everyone who helps me.

alex
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Old 22-05-2022, 02:44 PM
Hemi
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Quote:
Originally Posted by glend View Post
Alex, there should be a M on your mode selection dial on top of the camera body. There is on mine. When in M, or Manual mode, you have control. It should be covered in your camera booklet. If you do not have the booklet, it should be available Online.
Manual mode on the camera dial refers to manual exposure, ie setting shutter speed, aperture and iso. It is not referring to focus. You can focus auto or manual in “manual mode” depending on how the lens is setup ( thru a physical switch if present or thru the cameras menu options)

Cheers
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Old 22-05-2022, 04:14 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by glend View Post
Alex, there should be a M on your mode selection dial on top of the camera body. There is on mine. When in M, or Manual mode, you have control. It should be covered in your camera booklet. If you do not have the booklet, it should be available Online.
There is deffinetly no M on my camera ..or on the lens.

On my 70/200 lens it has A/M and I set it on M...no problem

Cheap lens is all but maybe it will focus by putting it on while extended as it did work and the only thing different to when it would not work was putting it on while extended...seems to good to be true...and usually I would not have it extended but I gave up on it and did not put it away like I usually would do with any lens. It was being treated like junk.

Anyways it would not matter if I had $10 k of camera and lens on the latest Staradventurer because of this damn rain no Milky Way...

Thank for addressing my problem.

alex
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Old 22-05-2022, 08:19 PM
JA
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Hi Alex,
Further to my previous post, your lens the 18-55mm AF-P Nikkor lens is a kit lens and has a travel or stowed position to keep your camera lens as short as possible. When using the lens the lens must be taken out of this stowed or locked position indicated by an L on the barrel of the lens. To do so push the round button on the lens barrel down while at the same time twist the lens away from the L position until the marker gets to the numbers indicating focal length starting at 18 and going up to 55. As you do this the lens extends in to its normal use position where the manual focus ring can be used whenever you wish irrespective of focus mode.

When you are done using your camera and you want to stow it away, as compactly as possible, say in a small travel bag, you simply twist the lens barrel in the opposite direction until it engages in the L locked / stowed position.

Best
JA

Last edited by JA; 22-05-2022 at 08:54 PM.
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Old 23-05-2022, 04:49 AM
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xelasnave
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Originally Posted by JA View Post
Hi Alex,
Further to my previous post, your lens the 18-55mm AF-P Nikkor lens is a kit lens and has a travel or stowed position to keep your camera lens as short as possible. When using the lens the lens must be taken out of this stowed or locked position indicated by an L on the barrel of the lens. To do so push the round button on the lens barrel down while at the same time twist the lens away from the L position until the marker gets to the numbers indicating focal length starting at 18 and going up to 55. As you do this the lens extends in to its normal use position where the manual focus ring can be used whenever you wish irrespective of focus mode.

When you are done using your camera and you want to stow it away, as compactly as possible, say in a small travel bag, you simply twist the lens barrel in the opposite direction until it engages in the L locked / stowed position.

Best
JA
Thanks again JA.

I was aware of pushing the button but I had always fitted the lens first then extended it and the manual focus did not work ( although I now wonder if it did and I was too stupid to notice)

The only reason it was off the camera and extended was an accident, you could say, as I normally reduce it before it gets removed...but it now seems to focus and fitting it already extended seems the only difference..unfortunately I have not even been able to take it outside for a testing session..the real test will be blowing up the target on the screen and then seeing if it will manually focus...I am hopeful..

And again thank you so much for your help I know you and others are busy folk and just as my time is precious so must be yours.

Your kindness is greatly appreciated by me.

Alex
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