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AmigaJoX

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Was trying to do interval shots of stars last night, and set it up with my Z7 and the old 50 mm f/1.8. Figured I could just lock focus on Infinity and leave it. Strangely enough, even though the switch was set to M, the camera insisted on refocusing anyway. And result, every other frame was a fuzzy blob. Figured that a venerable old lens like that would be built in to the cameras lens database. Or was the adapter I was using (Viltrox) not passing on the signal from lens to camera?
 
AmigaJoX said:
Was trying to do interval shots of stars last night, and set it up with my Z7 and the old 50 mm f/1.8. Figured I could just lock focus on Infinity and leave it. Strangely enough, even though the switch was set to M, the camera insisted on refocusing anyway. And result, every other frame was a fuzzy blob. Figured that a venerable old lens like that would be built in to the cameras lens database. Or was the adapter I was using (Viltrox) not passing on the signal from lens to camera?
Click to expand...
When you say "old" 50mm f/1.8, which lens do you actually mean? I'm assuming the AF-S version?

I'm not sure what the lens being in the camera's lens database would have to do with AF issues. If the camera was set to M focus then the camera is not going to refocus the lens. There's always the AF/MF switch on the lens you can turn to MF as well.
 
AmigaJoX said:
Was trying to do interval shots of stars last night, and set it up with my Z7 and the old 50 mm f/1.8. Figured I could just lock focus on Infinity and leave it. Strangely enough, even though the switch was set to M, the camera insisted on refocusing anyway. And result, every other frame was a fuzzy blob. Figured that a venerable old lens like that would be built in to the cameras lens database. Or was the adapter I was using (Viltrox) not passing on the signal from lens to camera?
Click to expand...
I always make it a habit to turn off AF in the body and the lens (if it has an AF switch).

Since you're using a third party adapter it probably wasn't reading the lens being in MF so just turn off AF in the body. In fact, you may not even need to flip the switch on the lens using the adapter since it seems the camera ignores it -- just turn off AF in the body and you should be good.

--
NOTE: If I don't reply to a direct comment in the forums, it's likely I unsubscribed from the thread/article..
 
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AmigaJoX said:
Was trying to do interval shots of stars last night, and set it up with my Z7 and the old 50 mm f/1.8. Figured I could just lock focus on Infinity and leave it. Strangely enough, even though the switch was set to M, the camera insisted on refocusing anyway. And result, every other frame was a fuzzy blob. Figured that a venerable old lens like that would be built in to the cameras lens database. Or was the adapter I was using (Viltrox) not passing on the signal from lens to camera?
Click to expand...
On a lot of Lens, the last few Decades, the Focus Ring is able to rotate past the point of Infinity, So slapping the Ring against the Stop, can result in blurry Images
 
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Like I said, it refocused on its own, regardless of where I manually set it. Every other image was blurry because it kept changing without my input.
 
sirhawkeye64 said:
AmigaJoX said:
Was trying to do interval shots of stars last night, and set it up with my Z7 and the old 50 mm f/1.8. Figured I could just lock focus on Infinity and leave it. Strangely enough, even though the switch was set to M, the camera insisted on refocusing anyway. And result, every other frame was a fuzzy blob. Figured that a venerable old lens like that would be built in to the cameras lens database. Or was the adapter I was using (Viltrox) not passing on the signal from lens to camera?
Click to expand...
I always make it a habit to turn off AF in the body and the lens (if it has an AF switch).

Since you're using a third party adapter it probably wasn't reading the lens being in MF so just turn off AF in the body. In fact, you may not even need to flip the switch on the lens using the adapter since it seems the camera ignores it -- just turn off AF in the body and you should be good.
Click to expand...
That makes no sense. If the lens was set to M it is not going to auto-focus. Yes, turn off AF on the body.

But I really don't understand what the OP experienced. If any M mode was set anywhere the lens is not going to AF.
 
And yet, that's exactly what happened. I guess I can shoot a little video of it and upload so you can see it happening for yourself.
 
What firmware is the camera on? Only recently did the Z6/7 first gen cameras not reset focus after the camera timed out. Even though the lens is focused I’m wondering if the camera might have forgot the settings. Just a wild guess.
 
What firmware is you camera on? Please
 
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Try it with a genuine Nikon FTZ adaptor. Even though the Lens is turned off, a 3rd Party Reverse Engineered Adapter, might somehow be sending the commands to the Focus Motor via a different route. Electricity, will find its own path in some unexpected ways. Is the AF disabled in the Camera Body?
 
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