D7100 and Tam 150-600 problem

J

J-see

Senior Member
I've been shooting her all day at different mm and she didn't freeze up this time. What I had now, contrary to previous times, is that she often was very slow at starting to focus. It was as if she fell asleep between shots and needed more time to wake up.

That's about as annoying as a freeze since a BiF is gone before she kicks into action. It wasn't always but still quite a lot.
 
J

J-see

Senior Member
Two freezes today and again after some waiting, it responded. Something deactivates after x seconds of non-use and that fixes it. I have VR off so all it can be is the focus system.
 
M

mikew_RIP

Senior Member
J-see said:
Two freezes today and again after some waiting, it responded. Something deactivates after x seconds of non-use and that fixes it. I have VR off so all it can be is the focus system.
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Yes and as far as ime concerned i have ruled out all possible external causes,it happens at any temperature,any battery state and any light conditions,the latter being proved by the fact if you put the lens cap on and try to focus it will hunt and thats in total darkness.
 
J

J-see

Senior Member
mikew said:
Yes and as far as ime concerned i have ruled out all possible external causes,it happens at any temperature,any battery state and any light conditions,the latter being proved by the fact if you put the lens cap on and try to focus it will hunt and thats in total darkness.
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Yep, it is purely related to the mechanical part of the lens. I have been trying to find info what part powers down after about 10 seconds but can't find anything. I wouldn't know if there is more than the ultrasonic drive.

Whatever it is, if it's mechanical I don't have high hopes on easy fixes.
 
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M

mikew_RIP

Senior Member
Yesterday i used it with VR switched off,within 10 min i had a focus freeze,couldn't take the lens off as it was windy and a lot of sand blowing about,i thought it was a fatal freeze as i had to switch off and on 4 times with manual focus in between.
 
J

J-see

Senior Member
mikew said:
I could repeat my previous post for todays experience,getting fed up now.
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I try to not let it get to me. It's not that a missed shot hurts my bank account but even so, I can't but admit tension is building up with each freeze. A couple of times a day is tolerable but I don't consider it unimaginable that one day she freezes when I really, really wanted that shot and I'll get that mad, she'll end up at the bottom of the canal.

I've come to realize I mostly don't shoot longer than 400mm and with the D810's size advantage that 400mm is pretty close to my previous 500mm for the end results.

That implies I'd do as fine with a 300mm and maybe a 1.4x TC. I'm giving it some weeks more before I decide since I'd really like to know how the new 300mm performs with the TC2x. I have that one already and if the IQ would be similar to the IQ of the Tam at 600mm, that might still be the better (read = financially wisest) option.
 
P

photogramps

Senior Member
You really seem to be getting hit with this problem Mike, I've had the Tammy on my D7100 this morning from just after 8am till around 3 pm and didn't have a single AF fail.
 
M

mikew_RIP

Senior Member
photogramps said:
You really seem to be getting hit with this problem Mike, I've had the Tammy on my D7100 this morning from just after 8am till around 3 pm and didn't have a single AF fail.
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I guess it could be a lens fault that is worse in some than others,not seen any mention of it with Canon since the early days,although some of the canon problems where certain cameras had a setting that if the lens couldn't find a focus point it told it to stop trying.
 
M

mikew_RIP

Senior Member
With a bit of luck its going back again this weekend,my dealer has a second hand sigma 50-500 due in and ime using that while the Tamron is away.
 
M

mikew_RIP

Senior Member
Just posted my last pictures with the Tamron for a few weeks,now i have a Sigma 50-500 while Tamron try again to fix it,first thoughts are before processing any shots from the Sigma i like it to use.
 
J

J-see

Senior Member
I just became aware that I've been shooting the big Tam a lot lately and can't say I had a freeze. Today none during the whole day. The only difference with before is that it is now spring and there's plenty of light when I shoot her.

It almost makes you wonder if low light has something to do with it. My problems only started when the winter season started too.
 
M

mikew_RIP

Senior Member
J-see said:
I just became aware that I've been shooting the big Tam a lot lately and can't say I had a freeze. Today none during the whole day. The only difference with before is that it is now spring and there's plenty of light when I shoot her.

It almost makes you wonder if low light has something to do with it. My problems only started when the winter season started too.
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Dont think its that with me i had it freeze on some really bright and sunny days
 
M

mikew_RIP

Senior Member
Still researching this problem and i joined a flickr group,they had members with the problem some one said they had cured it by slacking off the tripod mount,i would have thought a round clamp on a round tube would need to be really tight to distort it.
 
J

J-see

Senior Member
mikew said:
Still researching this problem and i joined a flickr group,they had members with the problem some one said they had cured it by slacking off the tripod mount,i would have thought a round clamp on a round tube would need to be really tight to distort it.
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I doubt very much that would be the problem. ;)

The only one able to squeeze his lens by tightening the collar is called the Hulk.
 
J

J-see

Senior Member
mikew said:
Dont think its that with me i had it freeze on some really bright and sunny days
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Same here but while I had at least one freeze each session, and often two or three, for some strange reason it now doesn't happen nearly as often. And I shoot VR on and off.
 
M

mikew_RIP

Senior Member
With the amount of research i have done there is a problem that Tamron are aware off but cant or are reluctant to fix,one guy sent his back twice with no fix and then the third time it was with Tamron for a few weeks,he contacted them and was told they where waiting for a new circuit board from Japan,this board never turned up so he took his lens back unfixed.
If the Sigma 50-500 was a little sharper at 500mm its the lens i would have,it handles better for me and to have 50-500mm in one lens is great.
 
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