Nikon 'D' Lenses and New DSLRs (formally 1.4TC Problem)

htid

htid

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Skip to post #89 if youre here to see the cause of the problem. All the rest of the posts are sort of irrelevant now.

I bought a second hand 1.4tc II from mpb. Taken it out first time today with a 500mm f4 lens and it works for about 5 mins, then suddenly the TC starts making a very fast clicking sound and the f stop flashes between f4 (the lens lowest f stop) and f5.6 (the lowest with TC attached) with a triangle next to the f stop. It then no longer autofocuses but I can still manual focus. Any idea what the issue is? Sometimes taking it off both camera and lens makes it work for another 5 mins and sometimes when I put it back on its just the same. Any ideas? Thanks
 
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Sounds like bad contacts, have you cleaned them off ... preferably with some cleaning solvent but could also carefully do it with a rubber, taking care not to get bits into the lens. What camera are you using it on and am I right that the 500 is one of the older versions?
 
Haven't tried cleaning yet as I'm still out at a reserve. Ill have to look up how to clean them as I have no idea.

It's on a d7200 and the AFS ED II lens, so they are compatible as far as I've read.
 
htid said:
Haven't tried cleaning yet as I'm still out at a reserve. Ill have to look up how to clean them as I have no idea.

It's on a d7200 and the AFS ED II lens, so they are compatible as far as I've read.
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I had a problem with a 400 f2.8 AF-S which would not accept TC's on a D810.
Cleaning the contacts is fairly easy but what might be a concern is the 'flashing' between f4 & f5.6 ... could indicate faulty contacts rather than just dirty but clean them when you get home and see what it's like. At least with MPB you can return it :)
 
Dont mess about, send it back, even if it is only dirty contacts its shoddy to supply anything without testing and cleaning prior to dispatch
 
Well there was a guy on the reserve with a 600mm, 1.4tc and d4. We tried all the different combos of my stuff with his stuff and everything worked fine! My TC no problem in his setup, his no problem in mine etc etc...so it's just my combination that seems to have the problem! Since all 3 (body, TC and lens) are second hand, it's hard to know which is the problem and which I can return :/

Just to add, the problem is intermittent so the tests we did with this guy's camera might have not shown the problem due to it being intermittent. Body and lens work perfectly all the time, only when introducing the TC that the problem occurs so I do think it must be that.
 
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htid said:
Well there was a guy on the reserve with a 600mm, 1.4tc and d4. We tried all the different combos of my stuff with his stuff and everything worked fine! My TC no problem in his setup, his no problem in mine etc etc...so it's just my combination that seems to have the problem! Since all 3 (body, TC and lens) are second hand, it's hard to know which is the problem and which I can return :/
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Well I would return it and try another, if nothing else it will help eliminate the uncertainty :)
 
htid said:
Well there was a guy on the reserve with a 600mm, 1.4tc and d4. We tried all the different combos of my stuff with his stuff and everything worked fine! My TC no problem in his setup, his no problem in mine etc etc...so it's just my combination that seems to have the problem! Since all 3 (body, TC and lens) are second hand, it's hard to know which is the problem and which I can return :/

Just to add, the problem is intermittent so the tests we did with this guy's camera might have not shown the problem due to it being intermittent. Body and lens work perfectly all the time, only when introducing the TC that the problem occurs so I do think it must be that.
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I know that it is obvious Chris - but are you certain that it is always locked in place, particularly the camera, (sometimes you can press the locking button by mistake and it just moves it), - are you using a tripod or hand held on a bean bag
 
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htid said:
I bought a second hand 1.4tc II from mpb. Taken it out first time today with a 500mm f4 lens and it works for about 5 mins, then suddenly the TC starts making a very fast clicking sound and the f stop flashes between f4 (the lens lowest f stop) and f5.6 (the lowest with TC attached) with a triangle next to the f stop. It then no longer autofocuses but I can still manual focus. Any idea what the issue is? Sometimes taking it off both camera and lens makes it work for another 5 mins and sometimes when I put it back on its just the same. Any ideas? Thanks
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htid said:
Well there was a guy on the reserve with a 600mm, 1.4tc and d4. We tried all the different combos of my stuff with his stuff and everything worked fine! My TC no problem in his setup, his no problem in mine etc etc...so it's just my combination that seems to have the problem! Since all 3 (body, TC and lens) are second hand, it's hard to know which is the problem and which I can return :/

Just to add, the problem is intermittent so the tests we did with this guy's camera might have not shown the problem due to it being intermittent. Body and lens work perfectly all the time, only when introducing the TC that the problem occurs so I do think it must be that.
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I always thought there wasn't much going on (moving elements etc) inside a teleconverter. I thought the elements were fixed with through contacts and an aperture lever but I may be wrong. The fast clicking sound from the TC sounds weird. Is your 500mm f4 the older D type with an aperture ring? If it is is the aperture ring locked in place (I think in the fully closed aperture position f22?). Is the the mk2 TC compatible with your lens? Is the aperture lever on both the lens and teleconverter both free, aligned and moving ok?
 
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When I used Nikon and often used a 300mm f4 with a 1.7 tc a common problem was loss of contact between body and lens ,usually fixed by unlocking the set up and clicking back into place .very annoying and also reported by other users
 
@BillN_33 pretty sure it was connected correctly. I'll have another look tomorrow but I don't know what you mean about the locking mechanism.

@rob-nikon It is the older D type with aperture ring ( http://imaging.nikon.com/lineup/lens/singlefocal/Telephoto/af-s_500mmf_4d_if_2/ ) but I checked that and it's set correctly. As for compatibility

2131

AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/4D IF-ED II

No limitations

So it looks all good. Not sure what the aperture lever is so will have to look at that.

@the black fox taking the TC off and putting it back on sometimes works and sometimes does nothing and it'll keep showing the problem

@gramps But I tried that guys same TC 1.4tc II) and that also exhibited same problem so it can't be the TC.
 
Gary Coyle said:
Dont mess about, send it back, even if it is only dirty contacts its shoddy to supply anything without testing and cleaning prior to dispatch
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^^^ this.
 
htid said:
Well there was a guy on the reserve with a 600mm, 1.4tc and d4. We tried all the different combos of my stuff with his stuff and everything worked fine! My TC no problem in his setup, his no problem in mine etc etc...so it's just my combination that seems to have the problem! Since all 3 (body, TC and lens) are second hand, it's hard to know which is the problem and which I can return :/

Just to add, the problem is intermittent so the tests we did with this guy's camera might have not shown the problem due to it being intermittent. Body and lens work perfectly all the time, only when introducing the TC that the problem occurs so I do think it must be that.
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htid said:
But as I say I tried the other guys Tc, the exact same one as mine, and it did the same thing. So what would that achieve?
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Well that's confused me as you said before that his stuff worked fine on yours :confused:
 
snerkler said:
Well that's confused me as you said before that his stuff worked fine on yours :confused:
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You're right sorry. I knew I'd tried his and it didn't work, I have no idea why I originally wrote that it worked fine!!! :S
 
Possibly the contacts in your camera are dirty then ,if I remember as well ,take a close look into the bottom of your camera throat just below the contacts to see if there's any brass swarf in there ,another common problem on nikons and could cause intermittent shorting .lf so it will need extracting ,and the contacts cleaned with I.p.a solution .all these little problems build up over time.
 
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htid said:
But as I say I tried the other guys Tc, the exact same one as mine, and it did the same thing. So what would that achieve?
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If you have tried another TC on your lens and camera that could rule out the TC if it's happened on two different TCs but maybe not the actual use of a TC. The next point is to try your lens on another camera. Does this problem occur when you only use the lens and camera (ie no TC)?

I'm wondering if it could be a problem when using a Teleconverter, ie the Teleconverter makes for a looser connection and it's slightly parting the contacts during use. I find I have to be careful when using a bean bag to ensure I hold the weight at the lens rather than camera when moving my 200-400 about due to the extra weight. Im always worried I'm putting extra stress on the camera mount without noticing. Were you on a tripod or bean bag?
 
Hi Chris, I had the same trouble with my 500/4 AF-S II. I believe there's an issue with the communication between the new bodies and the old teles. I have spoken to Nikon about this and they couldn't get to the bottom of it after 12 months. It has nothing to do with the contacts - I have had mine replaced/renewed and it made no difference. Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings...
 
htid said:
But I tried that guys same TC 1.4tc II) and that also exhibited same problem so it can't be the TC.
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Ah sorry, I clearly misunderstood that ... can you get any other TC's to try and see if they are the same?
As I mentioned before my older 400 f2.8 AF-S would not work with any TC's so maybe there is a potential problem with older lenses and newer camera bodies.
Otherwise thorough clean of the contacts right the way through the setup and check one of the contacts on your lens isn't loose/damaged.
 
gramps said:
Ah sorry, I clearly misunderstood that ... can you get any other TC's to try and see if they are the same?
As I mentioned before my older 400 f2.8 AF-S would not work with any TC's so maybe there is a potential problem with older lenses and newer camera bodies.
Otherwise thorough clean of the contacts right the way through the setup and check one of the contacts on your lens isn't loose/damaged.
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I heard the old 300mm AF-S D (non VR- the one before the new smaller VR lens) model didn't play nicely on a D750.
 
That would really be a killer and I'd have to consider whether I keep the 500 in that case :/ All that money for 80mm more than my old 300mm f4 af-s with 1.4tc on a d7200 which caused no problems whatsoever. It seems to be intermittent as I said (but happens more often than not) so it obviously does work. At first I had it on for 10 mins without a problem and then after swapping all the things about with this other guy it worked for 15 mins. This indicates to me that it can work. Maybe I'll have to accept that it sometimes won't work but that really would be quite rubbish!

@rob-nikon yeah the camera and lens work fine together all the time. The camera on the guys 600mm with his 1.4 worked fine. My body on his 600mm with his 1.4 worked fine. My body and my 1.4 on his 600 worked fine. His body and my 1.4 on my lens worked fine. It was literally just my body, my lens and my 1.4tc. I had it on a beanbag in a hide but made sure that the weight distribution wasn't putting pressure on the TC or body. I did think of that and since there's some slight give between body/tc/lens I moved it about a bit, jiggled it etc to see if the contacts would connect again but nothing changed, it still did the same thing. I don't know what fixes it when it does work, it just seems to periodically work fine, then the error happens, then I got annoyed, took it off for a bit and shot fine without it, decided I'd give it another go, it'd work for a bit then stop, then suddenly one time it just worked again and stayed working until it was too dark and I needed to take it off anyway.

*edit* actually as I said though, the tests with this other guy were done for at most 30 seconds literally to see if it would AF. Since the problem is intermittent, it may not have shown up in that time anyway, or maybe there's just no problem with that setup.

Haven't had chance to clean or check the parts yet as I'm visiting my parents for the weekend. Will have a look in the next few days but I really hope there's it's not an unfixable problem!
 
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htid said:
Haven't had chance to clean or check the parts yet as I'm visiting my parents for the weekend. Will have a look in the next few days but I really hope there's it's not an unfixable problem!
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TBH 'intermittent' would tend to suggest a fixable problem rather than a no-go ... could simply be cleaning all of the contacts thoroughly or maybe it's a fault with a contact or a connection to a contact.
 
Talking of cleaning contacts, would medi-swabs be good for this lol?
 
Search showed one successful rectification on DPReview, albeit with a different telephoto:-
I applied some isopropyl alcohol(i think 98% pure) to a Q-tip and swabbed the contacts on the teleconverter. I think the contacts on the inner groove of the teleconverter needed to be swabbed.
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gramps said:
TBH 'intermittent' would tend to suggest a fixable problem rather than a no-go ... could simply be cleaning all of the contacts thoroughly or maybe it's a fault with a contact or a connection to a contact.
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That's what I'm hoping. Did the 300 and d750 work at all or just a no go?
 
gramps said:
Search showed one successful rectification on DPReview, albeit with a different telephoto:-
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I did a search for 'Nikon teleconvertor clicking' and got nothing useful whatsoever. I hope it really is as simple as that :)
 
htid said:
@BillN_33 pretty sure it was connected correctly. I'll have another look tomorrow but I don't know what you mean about the locking mechanism.
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Morning Chris

if you use the set up on a bean bag, (or even a tripod) - there is initially (sometimes) a tendency to use the camera to turn or hold the lens for the shot, (when resting on the bean bag) - when you keep your hands only on the camera you have to grip it very tightly and all the pressure and stress is on the camera to TC connection - sometimes even your fingers will touch and (unintentionally) press the locking button on the camera..... this can cause the TC to lose contact with the camera and the focusing system of the camera/lens/TC

Very occassionally I have had the body move slightly and disconnect from the TC, with the consequence that the system does not focus - there can be a lot of pressure on that connection

I always rest one hand on the lens and put pressure on that and lightly press the shutter with my right hand - also if you put pressure on the lens in the correct place it helps to dampen any movement that comes from the camera, (because of the action of pressing the shutter and the mirror movement) along the lens

Hope this helps
 
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Chris,

As you're away you could try some nail vanish remover to gently clean the contacts if your mum has any in the house. Dilute with a little water as it will be stronger than IPA IIRC. I clean my contacts regularly with IPA and earbuds and never experienced a problem and keep a cloth close by in-case of any spills.
 
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@BillN_33 thanks for the info. Not sure right now what I was doing as I'm out in the peak district (walking, not photography) but I'll keep that in mind for future :) pretty sure I was turning the lens with the tripod foot (which I had aiming upwards) in one hand and the body in my other hand, but I'd have to see what feels natural next time I'm using the lens.

@Swanseajack thanks for the tip. Only here for the weekend, going back home tonight so won't need the camera again before I leave. Hopefully my girlfriend has some nail varnish remover at home I can use.
 
Swanseajack said:
Chris,

As you're away you could try some nail vanish remover to gently clean the contacts if your mum has any in the house. Dilute with a little water as it will be stronger than IPA IIRC. I clean my contacts regularly with IPA and earbuds and never experienced a problem and keep a cloth close by in-case of any spills.
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I carefully use Lighter fluid? or medical Alcohol which the doc gave me for my Knee I think
 
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BillN_33 said:
I carefully use Lighter fluid? or medical Alcohol which the doc gave me for my Knee I think
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There's other things which are probably lying around the house which can be used for cleaning such as aftershave (Alcohol based), WD40 (will leave a residue so I wouldn't use on electricals), vinegar etc...... My father used to use diesel for cleaning engines and heavy grease removal

I had the tip for using nail varnish remover from another kitchen fitter when I was on the tools. When I used to butt and scribe the laminate worktops we would use Colorfill (http://www.screwfix.com/p/colorfill-worktop-compound-black-granite-2-pcs/26816?kpid=26816&cm_mmc=Google-_-Product Listing Ads-_-Sales Tracking-_-sales tracking url&cm_mmc=Google-_-Shopping - Bathrooms and Kitchens-_-Shopping - Bathrooms and Kitchens&gclid=CIup-6-h8ssCFckaGwodQ_MMqA) to seal/hide the joint and use the matching Colorfill solvent for cleaning the joint. The solvent was very expensive about £4.00 IIRC for a small bottle when I could get Tesco's nail varnish remover for a large bottle for something like 79pence. Great saving over the years for me.
 
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I'm fairly certain that this has nothing to do with the 'contact'. I have sent the body and lens to Nikon NPS and have even changed the bayonet of the lens and they still cannot get it to work. The symptoms that Chris described is pretty much what I experienced.
 
dragonfly said:
I'm fairly certain that this has nothing to do with the 'contact'. I have sent the body and lens to Nikon NPS and have even changed the bayonet of the lens and they still cannot get it to work. The symptoms that Chris described is pretty much what I experienced.
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Did yours not work at all? Or did it work intermittently as mine seems to?
 
Can I just check, am I cleaning just the raised bumps on the lens and TC, and the inset small metal squares (see here:https://flic.kr/p/F29uDc ) on the body and TC? Or is it the whole metal surface on all connecting parts?
 
htid said:
Can I just check, am I cleaning just the raised bumps on the lens and TC, and the inset small metal squares (see here:https://flic.kr/p/F29uDc ) on the body and TC? Or is it the whole metal surface on all connecting parts?
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The small metal squares in the camera and the 'bumps' and 'squares' in both converter and lens (where fitted) :)
 
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