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200-600 doesn’t zoom

Joni

By Joni,
in Sony Alpha Full Frame Lenses

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Joni Newbie

Joni

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Hi all, 

I’m a new Sony A7ii user who just bought a Sony 200-600 lens. I tried it out today and I cannot get the zoom to take. For instance, I was taking a picture of a beaver dam. I used the ring closest to the camera and zoomed into a stick on the dam. I pressed the shutter and it reverted back to the non-zoomed photo of the whole beaver dam. I experimented with half pressed shutter. I kept changing distances and could not get zoom to take. When I changed it from MF to AF, I could not zoom at all.

The camera without the 200-600 (FE 3.5-5.6) zooms just fine. Am I missing a setting?

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XKAES Experienced

XKAES

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Hello,

Do you have a manual for the lens?  Is this a new or used lens?  Does it have a warranty or guarantee?

Are you having a problem with the lens zooming or focusing?  Zooming is manually done.  Focusing can be done manually or automatically.

Please be more specific.

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Joni Newbie

Joni

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Hi,

2 hours ago, XKAES said:

Hello,

Do you have a manual for the lens?  Is this a new or used lens?  Does it have a warranty or guarantee?

Are you having a problem with the lens zooming or focusing?  Zooming is manually done.  Focusing can be done manually or automatically.

Please be more specific.

I am new to Sony cameras and lenses. I bought the camera from B&H, used. I bought the lens through a camera shop on Ebay. All came with manuals. I’ve spent hours researching today and haven’t seen the issue, that’s why I was hoping someone on this forum might have experienced this issue with a fast fix such as a setting.

I have no issue zooming and I get a clear picture in the viewer, but when I press the shutter, the picture isn’t the zoomed picture, it is of the distance. Not sure how to describe more clearly sine I’m a novice. When I have it on AF, I cannot zoom at all. When I have it on MF  I can zoom clearly, but the photo isn’t captured.

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michelb Community Regular

michelb

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Posted (edited)

The ring closest to the camera body (the narrower ring) is the focusing ring on this particular lens.

If you turn this ring you are overriding the AF system and it activates the focusing magnifier which gives the impression the lens is zooming but it is only showing you the center of the frame to help you confirming sharpness of that section. When you press the shutter button again after that, it returns the image to what your picture will be like at whatever zooming position that is selected on the other ring which is the zooming ring.

The real zoom ring is the one furthest from the body (and it is wider than the other ring) so that is the one you need to use for actual zooming.

This lens and a few others that have the focusing ring closer to the body are actually a little confusing to use since the vast majority of AF lenses have or used to have the focusing ring at a position that is away from the body and the zooming ring closest to the camera bodies.

You mention you have the instructions for this lens.

I strongly suggest you read them and get to understand the different controls and settings available on this lens. The section on OSS is particularly important to help setting it up properly depending on picture taking situations and this will help incease the sharpness of your pictures.

I also suggest you search and download the A7MII pdf help guide that is available on the Sony support site.

https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/e-mount-body-ilce-7-series/ilce-7m2/manuals

It has more detailed info on operating the camera body and the section on Manual focusing describes the viewing/reframing that you are experiencing.

Edited by michelb
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XKAES Experienced

XKAES

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Posted (edited)
46 minutes ago, Joni said:

When I have it on AF, I cannot zoom at all. When I have it on MF  I can zoom clearly, but the photo isn’t captured.

I don't have that camera or lens, but as Michelb suspected, it appears you are mixing up the manual focusing ring and the zooming ring.  Just do it all in reverse -- and re-read your manuals.  I know, it takes time!

Edited by XKAES
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Joni Newbie

Joni

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7 hours ago, michelb said:

The ring closest to the camera body (the narrower ring) is the focusing ring on this particular lens.

If you turn this ring you are overriding the AF system and it activates the focusing magnifier which gives the impression the lens is zooming but it is only showing you the center of the frame to help you confirming sharpness of that section. When you press the shutter button again after that, it returns the image to what your picture will be like at whatever zooming position that is selected on the other ring which is the zooming ring.

The real zoom ring is the one furthest from the body (and it is wider than the other ring) so that is the one you need to use for actual zooming.

This lens and a few others that have the focusing ring closer to the body are actually a little confusing to use since the vast majority of AF lenses have or used to have the focusing ring at a position that is away from the body and the zooming ring closest to the camera bodies.

You mention you have the instructions for this lens.

I strongly suggest you read them and get to understand the different controls and settings available on this lens. The section on OSS is particularly important to help setting it up properly depending on picture taking situations and this will help incease the sharpness of your pictures.

I also suggest you search and download the A7MII pdf help guide that is available on the Sony support site.

https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/e-mount-body-ilce-7-series/ilce-7m2/manuals

It has more detailed info on operating the camera body and the section on Manual focusing describes the viewing/reframing that you are experiencing.

You have been so helpful. Thank you! I thought I could zoom into the stick on the beaver dam. I totally understand now that it’s only focus. Now I need to get used to the idea that it doesn’t zoom as far as I thought it would. Thank you so much!

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Joni Newbie

Joni

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7 hours ago, XKAES said:

I don't have that camera or lens, but as Michelb suspected, it appears you are mixing up the manual focusing ring and the zooming ring.  Just do it all in reverse -- and re-read your manuals.  I know, it takes time!

Thank you!

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KennyC Newbie

KennyC

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New member here and first post.  Joni, I have the A7iv and I can go into the menu and on mine it is 25/53 item number 4 called Focus Assistant, click on that then the very first item: "Auto Magnifier In MF" you can turn this feature off or on.  Sure you can find it in your menu for the A7ii.  It sometimes is beneficial to have it on so the camera itself gives you a magnified section of what you have framed so you can make sure that you have your manual focus set to where you want.  At other times it can be annoying.  For the most part, I have mine set to off so it is a what you see is what you get, but if you are trying to manual focus on some particular part then it can be helpful to enable it.  I do believe it comes from the factor with this feature set to on, at least mine did.  

Edited by KennyC
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