# Problems with my 55-200mm Nikon lens



## PhotographicIdiot (Mar 14, 2010)

I dont know if this is the right place for it but you can move it if you want to. But Ive been noticing the more I am doing photography is that my 55-200mm lens aren't exactly working right. See when I zoom in up close to something far away, its always blurry even when I use the AF. I tried using the manual but found out I couldn't. And my question is is it broken? or am I not doing something right? Its able to focus at a certain focal length but other wise its usually just all blurry. any help would be great. Thanks.


----------



## gsgary (Mar 14, 2010)

100% sure your shutter speed is too slow you have a variable apurture lens so the more you zoom the higher your shutter speed should be , can you post a pic
User error, not lens


----------



## PhotographicIdiot (Mar 14, 2010)

I can post a picture. Do you want one that shows the blurriness or just any with the 55-200mm lens will do?


----------



## gsgary (Mar 14, 2010)

PhotographicIdiot said:


> I can post a picture. Do you want one that shows the blurriness or just any with the 55-200mm lens will do?



One taken with the 55-200 at 200mm with the exif data, shutter speed should be 1/250 minimum


----------



## PhotographicIdiot (Mar 14, 2010)

ok ill upload it.


----------



## PhotographicIdiot (Mar 14, 2010)

currently having problems uploading photos. but will post them here soon as i fix the problem. sorry.


----------



## khallene (Mar 14, 2010)

Definitley could be shutter speed, but also, what camera are you using?  Is it the kit 55-200?  I had an issue with mine a while back - I have a D40x, and the af motor in the lens stopped working on me.  A few weeks before it totally crapped out on me, I was having some issues where it would be blurry even when a/f was supposedly working.


----------



## Darkhunter139 (Mar 14, 2010)

How close are you to the thing you are trying to focus on? And does it look blurry in the viewfinder or just after you take the picture?


----------



## KmH (Mar 14, 2010)

You'll find this is the third sticky thread from the top of the

*Photography Beginners' Forum & Photo Gallery* 
Brand new to photography, or brushing up on some of the basics? Don&#8217;t be shy! Talk to other beginners and ask all your basic photographic questions here. Show us some of the photos you have taken so far and get some review - so you can learn where there is room for improvement!


http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...forum-functions-pictoral-guide-using-tpf.html
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.


----------



## PhotographicIdiot (Mar 14, 2010)

KHM its not the photobucket problem or anything like that. its my computer. its not really reading my camera when I have it plugged into it. 

Dark, I am standing at a good distance from the subject. And I did try Gsgary and it seemed to fix it. Though before I could definitely tell it was blurry on the LCD screen. 

KH, the camera I am using is a Nikon D60. I got the standard 18-55mm lenses as well as the 55-200mm lenses. Yeah it was as you said blurry when the AF was working just fine with my 18-55mmm lenses.


----------



## gsgary (Mar 15, 2010)

PhotographicIdiot said:


> KHM its not the photobucket problem or anything like that. its my computer. its not really reading my camera when I have it plugged into it.
> 
> Dark, I am standing at a good distance from the subject. And I did try Gsgary and it seemed to fix it. Though before I could definitely tell it was blurry on the LCD screen.
> 
> KH, the camera I am using is a Nikon D60. I got the standard 18-55mm lenses as well as the 55-200mm lenses. Yeah it was as you said blurry when the AF was working just fine with my 18-55mmm lenses.



Have you adjusted the diopter to your eye ?


----------



## PhotographicIdiot (Mar 15, 2010)

No i have not done that. explain to me where it be?​


----------



## gsgary (Mar 15, 2010)

PhotographicIdiot said:


> No i have not done that. explain to me where it be?​




There is a small wheel at the side of your veiwfinder that you can adjust for different strength's of vision, use auto focus to focus on an object and turn the wheel until it looks sharp in the veiwfinder


----------



## PhotographicIdiot (Mar 15, 2010)

oh okay I know what your talking about now. I do that.


----------



## PhotographicIdiot (Mar 15, 2010)

hey gsgary here is the photo i took using your setting. It worked. Hope this picture is not too big if so i will resize it.

F/4.0 @ 10/250 sec ISO 100 (is that what you mean by Exif data?)


----------



## Aayria (Mar 15, 2010)

Maybe it's just my "noob" eye, but the birdfeeder looks in focus to me:blushing:


----------



## PhotographicIdiot (Mar 16, 2010)

Its actually in focus before I guess I was using the wrong setting for it. I guess it did the trick.


----------



## PhotographicIdiot (Mar 27, 2010)

yeah i don't really know what to say right now. I am once again having problems with this lens and about ready to chuck out the window. I used what one of you guys said to set it on my camera when using that lens. The 1/250 speed and well at first it was working really great. but then i starting playing with the zooming. you know getting it up close. well now it will focus on auto-focus but won't take the picture unless you zoom outward. Would really love more help with this ...annoying problem. It just basically won't take a picture up close anymore when you zoom in from far away. thanks.


----------



## KmH (Mar 27, 2010)

The photo you posted was done with flash.

In low light there is not enough contrast for the lens to focus, unless you have the AF Assist function turned on. Did you?

That works ok for subjects that are within 10 feet or so of the camera.

Because of the Inverse Square Law that little AF Assist light on the camera can't throw enough light to help auto focus beyond 10 feet, so when you zoom out you're usually reaching out to a subject beyond that 10 foot range.

I don't think there is anything wrong with your lens. I think you're wanting it to perform beyond it's capabillites, but don't understand what the limits of those capabilities are.

Further, the auto focus module is in the camera body (the bottom of the body actually), not the lens. The lens does transmit information to the camera but it's the camera that tells the lens what to do.


----------



## PhotographicIdiot (Mar 28, 2010)

Okay well I am just getting frustrated with it but ill keep working on it. the AF assist function where is that exactly?


----------



## KmH (Mar 28, 2010)

PhotographicIdiot said:


> Okay well I am just getting frustrated with it but ill keep working on it. the AF assist function where is that exactly?


Open your camera users manual to page 187. That is the index.

Go down the left column till you see "*A*". Go down the column a little further till you see "AF-assist" go to the page it references.

Do you know what RTFM stands for?


----------



## table1349 (Mar 28, 2010)

KmH said:


> PhotographicIdiot said:
> 
> 
> > Okay well I am just getting frustrated with it but ill keep working on it. the AF assist function where is that exactly?
> ...




Real Time Financial Management????????        :lmao: :lmao: :lmao: :lmao:


----------



## Bitter Jeweler (Mar 28, 2010)

You don't need no stinkin' manual.


----------

