AF assist light is dead

[lexiticus]

My AF assist light must have burnt out on my D50, it no longer works, Which is actually quite a problem since I am going to a concert on friday where I need all the light I can get. My Sb-600 will need to be on camera pretty much the entire time now.

But I'm still under warranty so i'm planning on sending it in, (I'm assuming it will be covered, its definitely a wear and tear issue) Also my jog dial sometimes doesn't register steps to the left, So Hopefully they will fix that aswell.

I won't be sending it in until the summer probably, I have too many races to shoot late april early may. And Having only the D70s would make my life more difficult than I want.

Anyone else have their AF assist light burn out?

 

[Equis25]

Does the D50 manual say anything about switching this light "ON" or "OFF"? If so, is it possible that you have inadvertently switched it off?

 

[PJohnP]

Check the menu for the D50, and see if you've inadvertently turned off the AF Assist in the Custom Settings. Look at pg. 90 of the manual.

If you don't have a manual handy, look at : D50 Manual.



John P.

 

[lexiticus]

Oh believe me I checked that, Its on, Even changed the battery and checked the menu (turned it on and off a few times), And sometimes after heavy AF light use it will shut itself off for a while. So I gave it a break and tested it later.

Still nothing, its definitely burnt out or its just being really really stubborn lol

 

[Beezle]

As I recall there are other frustrating reasons it will not turn on.

What is the AF mode?

I also would think that light is an LED, which means it shouldn't burn out.

 

[DrewC]

i've had issues with mine getting tired also... on a d70s... but it always comes back to life

 

[jaymc]

You wouldn't happen to have the mode dial in sports or landscape? Just a thought.

- Jay

 

[DrewC]

dunno 'bout lexiticus, but i almost always shoot in aperture priority

 

[lexiticus]

Shutter priority and aperture priority, Focus is usually Dynamic area or single, and thats what I always use (I never use closest subject)

Tested it again, still not turning on (And I don't think its an LED, the light spreads out too much, LED's are pretty direct in their light direction)

 

[xrdbear]

As I recall there are other frustrating reasons it will not turn on.

What is the AF mode?

I also would think that light is an LED, which means it shouldn't burn out.

No, it's a very heavily overdriven incandescent lamp. It probably has a lifetime under a hundred hours. I have heard that some battery combinations can push it over the edge but no direct information.

 

[lexiticus]

No, it's a very heavily overdriven incandescent lamp. It probably has a lifetime under a hundred hours. I have heard that some battery combinations can push it over the edge but no direct information.

I did change batteries recently, But to another ENL3a (that was in my new (but used) D70s)
Going to switch em back after they get charged, maybe that had something to do with it.
Also funny the d70s AF assist light is quite a bit bigger and seems brighter than the d50 one...
But considering how well the red lights on a sb600 or 800 work when focusing, i'm suprised all their camera's don't just use that...

 

[DanielD]

The AF assist light does not light if you have continuous AF set (AF-C), even if it is turned on in the menu.
Once fell into the same pitfall.

 

[lexiticus]

The AF assist light does not light if you have continuous AF set (AF-C), even if it is turned on in the menu.
Once fell into the same pitfall.

Ahh didn't know that, though I am not in AF-C, AF-S is what i always use (Focus recompose, I don't like using the side AF sensors, they seem too far off from the center)