Need help......new to me Nikon 105 f2.8 VR.....

[Butlerkid]

I just received a used Nikon 105 f2.8 VR lens from KEH. Rated EX+. It looks brand new....included caps, hood and cloth bag. Nice.....except...........!

I put it on my D850 in aperture mode and try to set it at f2.8. No dice. Only opens to f3.3. I go to manual mode. f3.3 is still the widest I can set the aperture. I then put it on my D5.......f3.3 is still the widest aperture I can set. The camera batteries are pretty low, so I am charging the D850. But I don't think that should effect my setting the aperture at f2.8.

Thoughts?

 

[Chris101]

Hi Karen, I don't have that lens, but I do have another Micro lens. Micros normally stop down when focusing close. For example my 60mm only opens to f/3.2 when focused to 1 meter. Does your 105 go to f/2.8 at infinity?

 

[Palouse]

Mitch will be on soon enough . . . the expert 105 guy!

 

[Butlerkid]

Hi Karen, I don't have that lens, but I do have another Micro lens. Micros normally stop down when focusing close. For example my 60mm only opens to f/3.2 when focused to 1 meter. Does your 105 go to f/2.8 at infinity?

I'm not trying to stop down.....I want to test it wide open, i.e. at f2.8. Regardless, my old 105 f2.8 could be set at f2.8 regardless of focusing distance. Same with the 24-70 and 70-200. Is the newest 105 f2.8 VR different?

 

[Commodorefirst]

What distance are you focusing? Try focusing on a distant object first at f2.8. Then a subject very close to the lens. What do you find?

The lens will not open wider than f4 when shooting at true macro 1:1 ratio.

I believe the new ones operate the same.

 

[gnagel]

What distance are you focusing? Try focusing on a distant object first at f2.8. Then a subject very close to the lens. What do you find?

The lens will not open wider than f4 when shooting at true macro 1:1 ratio.

As you point out, my Nikon 105 VR opens to f/2.8 at infinity, but stops down as I focus on closer subjects.

Glenn

 

[Butlerkid]

Hi Karen, I don't have that lens, but I do have another Micro lens. Micros normally stop down when focusing close. For example my 60mm only opens to f/3.2 when focused to 1 meter. Does your 105 go to f/2.8 at infinity?

What distance are you focusing? Try focusing on a distant object first at f2.8. Then a subject very close to the lens. What do you find?

The lens will not open wider than f4 when shooting at true macro 1:1 ratio.

I believe the new ones operate the same.

OK...you guys seems to be correct. THANKS! (Maybe I should add this to @Mike Buckley 's thread about "How Dumb I am....."!

If I focus at a distant object, the camera indicates f2.8. If I focus on a very close object, the camera reads about f3.3 or so.

I've never noticed this in the 20+ years I had my old 105 f2.8....although to be honest, I seldom used it! LOL!

Also, it seems to be a bit noisy or jerky in focusing. That is to say it is not silent or smooth. EDIT: I guess it is the VR motor that stays on a while that I hear whirling. Is this typical with this lens?

 

[mneary]

If I recall correctly, the 105 micro is f/4.8 at min focus distance. Which is why Nikon officially labels the TC-14e as "incompatible for AF"...

 

[Butlerkid]

I just read the info below in the 105mm AF-S VR manual about using the AF-On button and VR:

" With AF cameras featuring an AF start (AF-ON) button, such as D2-Series, D200, F6 and
F5 models, vibration reduction will not operate even if the AF-ON button is depressed. "

DRATS! I always use the AF-On button to focus!!!!

 

[Randy]

All macro lenses do that

 

[Randy]

OK...you guys seems to be correct. THANKS! (Maybe I should add this to @Mike Buckley 's thread about "How Dumb I am....."!

If I focus at a distant object, the camera indicates f2.8. If I focus on a very close object, the camera reads about f3.3 or so.

I've never noticed this in the 20+ years I had my old 105 f2.8....although to be honest, I seldom used it! LOL!

Also, it seems to be a bit noisy or jerky in focusing. That is to say it is not silent or smooth. EDIT: I guess it is the VR motor that stays on a while that I hear whirling. Is this typical with this lens?

This fools everyone

 

[Butlerkid]

All macro lenses do that

Are you referring to my comment in Post #9? If so, you have to turn AF-On off in order to get VR on the 105mm?

 

[Randy]

Are you referring to my comment in Post #9? If so, you have to turn AF-On off in order to get VR on the 105mm?

No, I was referring to why no 2.8

 

[Pa]

I just read the info below in the 105mm AF-S VR manual about using the AF-On button and VR:

" With AF cameras featuring an AF start (AF-ON) button, such as D2-Series, D200, F6 and
F5 models, vibration reduction will not operate even if the AF-ON button is depressed. "

DRATS! I always use the AF-On button to focus!!!!

VR will actuate when you half-press the shutter. Isn't that enough?

 

[Butlerkid]

VR will actuate when you half-press the shutter. Isn't that enough?

Not when I use back button focusing 100% of the time! LOL! It seems to mean I'll have to go to into the menu and put focusing back on the shutter button.

Using back button focusing I can focus continually or focus and recompose so easily! And the shutter button has nothing to do with focusing. Oh well.....hopefully I can remember to change settings when needed.

 

[Pa]

Not when I use back button focusing 100% of the time! LOL! It seems to mean I'll have to go to into the menu and put focusing back on the shutter button.

Using back button focusing I can focus continually or focus and recompose so easily! And the shutter button has nothing to do with focusing. Oh well.....hopefully I can remember to change settings when needed.

That's the way I do it. And with all of my VR lenses, even if I'm holding down the AF-on button, VR kicks on as soon as I start to depress the shutter.

 

[Butlerkid]

That's the way I do it. And with all of my VR lenses, even if I'm holding down the AF-on button, VR kicks on as soon as I start to depress the shutter.

I suspect that the lens manual (quoted in Post #14 above) has not been updated for more recent cameras. Good to know that VR now kicks in when using the AF-On button!

 

[Pa]

I suspect that the lens manual (quoted in Post #14 above) has not been updated for more recent cameras.

I think it's just a bad translation from the Japanese. It is true that VR doesn't activate when the AF-on button is depressed. But it does when the shutter is depressed.

 

[gnagel]

I think it's just a bad translation from the Japanese. It is true that VR doesn't activate when the AF-on button is depressed. But it does when the shutter is depressed.

And there are advantages to this. I prefer to have my AF and VR motors operating separately. When shooting sports, for example, I am constantly holding the AF-ON button while tracking the action. I don't want VR activated the entire time. Then, when I am ready to activate the shutter, VR kicks on.

By not having VR continuously running, it helps with battery life and it sure seems to help with the AF responsiveness.

Glenn

 

[Pa]

And there are advantages to this. I prefer to have my AF and VR motors operating separately. When shooting sports, for example, I am constantly holding the AF-ON button while tracking the action. I don't want VR activated the entire time. Then, when I am ready to activate the shutter, VR kicks on.

By not having VR continuously running, it helps with battery life and it sure seems to help with the AF responsiveness.

Glenn

Agree completely.