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MonkeySee....

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Sep 24, 2010
3,858
437
UK
My D40X has random issues with focusing I think. When I click the button to take a photo it won't do anything. When I remove and re-attach the lens it works again.

Is this a body or lens issue?

Thanks :)
 

ChristianVirtual

macrumors 601
May 10, 2010
4,122
282
日本
Could be the contacts between lens and body ? I think your user manual will tell you how to clean those. Do you another lens with the same issue ?
 

nburwell

macrumors 603
May 6, 2008
5,436
2,352
DE
Could be the contacts between lens and body ? I think your user manual will tell you how to clean those. Do you another lens with the same issue ?

I agree here. You may want to clean the contacts just in case. But like Christian said, is this just an issue with one lens? Or all of them?
 

MonkeySee....

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Sep 24, 2010
3,858
437
UK
Could be the contacts between lens and body ? I think your user manual will tell you how to clean those. Do you another lens with the same issue ?

I have another lens but replicating the issue is a bit tough. Its my second child 1st birthday in May and I've been warned by my wife that the camera better work. Eek!
 

ChristianVirtual

macrumors 601
May 10, 2010
4,122
282
日本
That leads to a second question: do you have enough contrast and ambient light for auto-focus ? What f number has your lens ? A 5.6 used indoor might cause trouble in focusing as not enough light hit the sensor. Or in the moment you reattach your lense you might recompose the scene just different and hit a better contrast.

I know too well if the camaera not focus good and the mother want pictures from the child: I have a Canon, can be a nightmare.

Another thought: is the lens a 3rd party lens ? Or same maker ?
 

ijohn.8.80

macrumors 65816
Jul 7, 2012
1,246
2
Adelaide, Oztwaylya.
I agree that it's possibly the contacts or lack of light. Have you tried outdoors in well lit conditions with this same lens? Can you separate out the focus button on your camera, so that you are back button focusing and the shutter button is just that, a shutter button?
 

MCH-1138

macrumors 6502
Jan 31, 2013
448
543
California
Lots of good suggestions so far -- diagnosing gremlins like this can be challenging. More info might help eliminate some variables.

When you are having the AF issue, what happens (or doesn't happen)? When you press the shutter button, does the camera try to focus, but then not release the shutter? Or does it release the shutter without trying to autofocus? Or does it literally do nothing (as if the battery were removed)?

When you say that you have another lens but that replicating the issue is a bit tough, do you mean that you are only having the AF issue with one lens, or do you mean that you have the AF issue intermittently with both lenses?

Do you always turn the camera off before changing lenses (or removing and reinstalling the same lens)?

Alternatively (or in addition), if you have a neighborhood (or neighbourhood, if you prefer) camera shop nearby, maybe they can take a quick look to see if there is anything obvious.
 

MonkeySee....

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Sep 24, 2010
3,858
437
UK
Thanks for all you advice guys :)

Just to give a bit more info...

Sometimes the lens (its a standard kit lens by the way) will focus but not take. I can take 400 photos + with the lens then it will just stop. When it stops I move the camera about trying to focus on a different subject in different conditions and that does nothing.
 
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