Nikon 16mm,AF-S autofocus & low visability problem

I have just problems after problems

Today i was in the Blue hole in Dahab , the weather was windy and there was sand particles in the water. Visability was not great ca 20 meters

My Camera, Nikon d70s was imposible to focus .. I have used AF-S and I have try spot, closed object & multi... NOTHING

Not one picture.

AF-C is working but many photos are out off focus..

I use a Nikon 16mm and aperature 5,6 ISO 200

I have never experience this

I remember in Greece last summer that the Nikon 10.5mm was easear to focus in low light that the 16mm

So guys what to do??

I will try tomorrow the 10,5 but i like to use the 16mm

How to get everything in focus in AF-C mode....

Lambis again

Are you using the 16mm fisheye? If you are, it is not just focus, there has to be something else to the problem. This lens is very short, very fast to focus and has a very large depth of field, all your shots should be in focus (even when you think the camera didn't focus ). Are you sure you have the correct dome port for it? Are you using any filters?

Luiz

Luiz

I use Magic Filter and the right port.. I have use the same configuration in Greece.

IN AF-S the just dont take a picture becauce they cant focus...

in AF-C there are many fotos out off focus

STRANGE...

maybe it is a Lens problem but themn again its work perfect on land....

It won't take a picture unless the camera thinks it's in focus. In low viz, this may be NEVER.

What you should do is focus on your fin about 3' away, then flip the camera from AF-S to M focus.

Now you are in manual focus for objects 3' away. If you're at f8 or above, just about everything behind 3' out to the limit of vizibility should be in focus too.

Good luck,

James

James thanks

I take anyway photos between F5.6 & F8 . I use Iso 200 or 400 depennce off the light..

I will try it tommorow and see...

3 inches thats ca 7.5 cm, right?

Lambis, that's 3 feet, 1 meter for us. Strange, I never had this problem with neither the 10.5 nor the 16, they always focus, even in very low light/viz, but again I have never used them with the D70. You can also use the focus lock button when you think it is in focus and take the picture.

Luiz

FEET!!!!

O.K. so just 1 meter.. Luiz The D70 cant focus very whell in low light

I hope I have a D2X but untill then I think the best solution is to go manual like james told me.. focus 1 meter underwater nad go to manual

focus lock is not a good for me becauce i freedive and now i follow

world champions in the way down.... not so easy task.. evedrything is very fast and i have enough problems to ewqaulizing hollding the camera with both hands and falling down with 1-2 meters the second...

It's not low light that is the problem Luiz, it's low CONTRAST. The AF sensors look for contrast changes. In the Blue Hole in low viz trying to photograph freedivers, I can see why this is a problem.

Cheers

James

James now that you write is its make sense...

freedivers in black neoprene suits are almost invisible...

I have some photos from some fredivers wearing a cammo suit

LOW CONTAST... how right!!!!

It's not low light that is the problem Luiz, it's low CONTRAST.  The AF sensors look for contrast changes.  In the Blue Hole in low viz trying to photograph freedivers, I can see why this is a problem.

 

Cheers

James

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sigh!

It breaks my heart reading you folks talking about low viz in what was, let's see now, 20 meters? G-Suz!

OK, back to plowing snow here...

timo

I have some photos from some fredivers wearing a cammo suit

I saw this new fashion on free divers also, from what you have to hide there in the deeps?

James, good advice, I'll have to remembet it in real time next time with a similar situation.

It only works on housings that have the A-M switch (for Nikon) or the * button (for Canon). Now that I think of it, you could probably use the AF-On button for Nikon.

Cheers

James

It only works on housings that have the A-M switch (for Nikon) or the * button (for Canon). Now that I think of it, you could probably use the AF-On button for Nikon.

 

Cheers

James

last weekend in the water, in the second dive I'm trying to focus on something and nada, the AF on my 60 mm don't work, I looked into the housing and see the A-M switch somewhere in the middle between the A & M, all the rest of the dive I'm trying to figure how its possible, I used the camera the dive before and didn't opened the housing between them and I don't know a way to change this mode inside the housing

Only in the safety stop, at last I enable to switch it back with the control that uses also to release the lens.

Another way to discover new functions in your housing. <_<

It only works on housings that have the A-M switch (for Nikon) or the * button (for Canon).  Now that I think of it, you could probably use the AF-On button for Nikon.

 

Cheers

James

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What I do with my 15mm Sigma is to shoot it in fixed focus. Essentially, I went to the pool (that has a moderate Viz in our terms =;-)) and shot a set of trial images from various distances of targets using AF and noting the distance and focus setting after each image. From these I found that if I set the lens to focus at about 25cm behind a small Hugyfot dome, I get an image that is acceptably in focus from 20cm to maybe 10 meters for wreck shots thanks to the inherently wide focus range of a FE - helped by the physics of the dome. This is plenty more than enough range in the kind of Viz you ever get here. Now I just prefocus the lens before closing the housing and fire away. Not perfect, but in the conditions here, AF is totally useless most of the time. Of course, if I aim to shoot something very close, I have to use a different focus setting. Which is a problem dusing a dive because I do not have a focus ring for the 15mm.

And when I was shooting the D70 with this lens in Sweden the other day in a glorious 8 meter viz using AF, it was in deed a bit frustrating..

timo

Or AF-L(ock), let the lens hunt until it gets close to focus, press AF-L and shoot.

last weekend in the water, in the second dive I'm trying to focus on something and nada, the AF on my 60 mm don't work, I looked into the housing and see the A-M switch somewhere in the middle between the A & M, all the rest of the dive I'm trying to figure how its possible, I used the camera the dive before and didn't opened the housing between them and I don't know a way to change this mode inside the housing 

Only in the safety stop, at last I enable to switch it back with the control that uses also to release the lens.

Another way to discover new functions in your housing.  <_<

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Good call Arnon...I would not be surprised if that was his problem....

This happened to me once.....luckily we can access that switch in the Ikelite housing

Karl

This with the pool is a great idea.

I will do it with both my lenses so that if i get later the same problem i have the solution

I have checkt the manual focus button but it was corectly .. is just low contrast..

In one day I have learn more that the last 5 moanths..

Who I pay you back you great guys.

You are priceless!!!!!

It Must be the 16mm Lens!!

I have try with my 10,5mm with no problem ... the 16mm just dont whant to focus in Subjects with accetable contrast

The 16mm is set on 2,8. Above there is a button,, what funtion this button have? I dont remember...

Hi Lambis,

I believe that button is to lock your aperture to f/22 for digital and other cameras with electronic aperture control.

I have the Nikkor 16 mm fisheye, and use it with my D70. I haven't had any more problems with the 16 mm focusing, than with my other uw lens, 60 mm macro. I think it's a D70 problem.

When I was in Lembeh I used the 16 mm at the Kapal Indah wreck and had no problems focusing (only bad photographer problem). :-) Perhaps your lens needs to be checked out by a Nikon service center.

Good luck,

Kathy Mendes

Oh boy...you can't use the 16mm (or any lens with an aperture ring) on the D70 without locking it using the little switch. Sounds like we found your problem.

You need to lock the aperture at the highest value (I think it's the orange one) or the camera will not fire.

The 10.5 is a G type lens w/ no aperture ring, thus it worked for you. Haha!!

Cheers

James