Tamron lens won't AF on Nikon F5

beemermark · Jan 9, 2021

I have an F100, F5, F100, D700 & D750. I have a lot of AF lenses for those cameras. I have a Tamron SP 24-70/2.8 full frame lens that will AF on every body except the F5. All other lens work fine on the F5.
???

Ariston · Jan 9, 2021

I don’t know anything about that body. Is there firmware to update?

dynachrome · Jan 10, 2021

I had a similar problem trying to use a Sigma 75-200/2.8-3.5 AF on a Minolta Maxxum 600si. I had to go all the way back to the 7000/5000 models to get the lens to AF. The 7000 came out 35 years ago so I'm so I'm not looking for firmware updates at this point. If I don't need the AF to be too fast, the 7000 is still a nice camera as long as you have one which us still working properly.

MartinCrabtree · Jan 10, 2021

Aftermarket internal motor focus lenses are a crapshoot on older AF bodies. I'd contact Tamron before Nikon as they're likely to tell you to contact Tamron.

Paul Howell · Jan 10, 2021

Many early Sigma AF lens will only work on 1st generation bodies, in terms of the F5, the F100 is bit newer, just may not be compatible with the F5.

toyoboyo · Jan 10, 2021

I have the 45mm SP. The F5 can autofocus with it, albeit a bit slower than normal. I have to press the AF button and hold it for it for a moment for it to engage. Do you do the same with your 24-70?

Just curious, does the aperture work on the F100 and F5? I thought the 24-70 had an e-diaphragm that the older film bodies wouldn't be able to control.

Sirius Glass · Jan 10, 2021

MartinCrabtree said:
Aftermarket internal motor focus lenses are a crapshoot on older AF bodies. I'd contact Tamron before Nikon as they're likely to tell you to contact Tamron.

Clean the contacts of the F5 and the lens. If that does not do it, follow Martin's advice.

wiltw · Jan 10, 2021

Third-party aftermarket lenses are known for having incompatability issues with newer models of a camera brand (that workd well on earlier models) Sigma has a worse history of this issue, where the user would have to send the lens back to Sigma to get a firmware update installed.
In more recent times, Sigma resorted to docking units so the user could dock the lens and load a firmare update over the web.
Tamron is not immune, but I have heard far fewer complaints from users about incompatabilities...but it does happen once in a while. Check with Tamron tech support about your issue.

Tamron lens won't AF on Nikon F5

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