Focusing Problems (mechanical)

[d2creative]

My D700 seems to be having issues with focus.
Sometimes I half-press the shutter and nothing happens. Lift my finger, press again, and it works. Then I'll hold the button down half way and try to pop off a couple more shots without refocusing and it wont take the pic. Or sometimes it will. It's been pretty frustrating and I'm missing shots.

Any thoughts?

[Rson]

Did you bump the lever in front that selects C, S, m focusing modes? I hit it all the time.

[d2creative]

No... it's on S.

[tc95]

Dennis...I did this with every one of my Nikons...make the AF-ON button your focus control...take it away from your shutter button...will take you a little bit to get used to it...but will greatly help your shots...you can focus on a subject...them move the camera to compose the shot...then take it...

...(just in case)...

Menu - a5 AF activation

Shutter/AF-ON: In its default position, the AF system turns on when you press the shutter or the AF-ON button on the back.

AF-ON only: The D700 won't focus when you press the shutter. It only focuses when you press the AF-ON button on the back.

Hope this helps...

[Bruce M. Morris]

Dennis, just checking. I have had similar problems with D300. Turned out I had changed the focusing area and the focus point was looking at flat single color image. There was no contrast in color or lighting for the lens to focus on. Dont know what you were shooting but this is one option that will cause the problems you mentioned.

[Stargazer77517]

Try cleaning the contacts between the camera and lens. My canon was acting up something like that Focus would work and then not work,it was dirty contacts, Cleaned them with a qtip dipped lightly in alcohol, not dripping just moist.