A live view question

[Simpo Two]

I just sold a Sigma 70-200f2.8 on eBay. The buyer is complaining that it won't focus with live view, so he wants to return it.

I've never used it with LV so it's news to me!

My belief is that the focusing system is down to the camera not the lens (he has a Nikon D7500), and that he should use optical focusing (ie the viewfinder).

It is reasonable to expect a 20-25 year old lens to work with a D7500's live view system?



NB I've withdrawn the payment from my eBay account which is now at zero. Can they still make me refund him?

[DibblyDobbler]

I think there's a few reasons it might not focus on live view but they're all to do with the camera rather than the lens as far as I know - he'd have to prove it was faulty to get a refund, if you disagree he'd have to appeal to eBay... I would stick to your guns and sit tight. Good luck!

[Simpo Two]

Thanks, I think it's the camera too. The problem is that whilst the advert was set to 'no returns', eBay has a buyer protection programme which overrides it. I put up a good defence explaining how the LV system is different from optical and not as good, but all he had to do was say 'Item not as described' and that forces me into a choice of (a) accept a return, or (b) offer a partial refund and he keeps the lens. The good news is that to get a refund he has to return it, which he's started to do, and I have two days to make sure it's as it left me. If not, we have a fight!

So, he's off to a racetrack this weekend and wants to use a 70-200mm f2.8 with live view...

Anyway, next week he'll be back on eBay looking for a replacement lens - and when that arrives and also doesn't work with LV perhaps he'll realise that what I've told him is true! What he really has is buyer's remorse, but telling him that won't help.

One slightly bothering thing is that his 'feedback left for others' is 36% negative... so that could be another fight...

[DibblyDobbler]

Jings that sounds like a PITA

It's a shame really but it's stuff like this that puts people off eBay... sorry to maybe state the obviosu but have you tried MPB or Wex for a tade in price? I've found them to be decent and a no hassle option

[Simpo Two]

Didn't think of that but there's no harm in asking. He only paid £200 for it so anything over that is a win.

Let's hope it comes back as sent. It's the first return I've ever had.

[peter tdci]

Is the buyer saying that it doesn't focus in 'normal' mode (ie through the viewfinder), or only in Live View mode? Are the focus settings on the lens correct? More information needed before future action from either side?

[Simpo Two]

peter tdci said:

Is the buyer saying that it doesn't focus in 'normal' mode (ie through the viewfinder), or only in Live View mode? Are the focus settings on the lens correct? More information needed before future action from either side?

He didn't commented on 'normal', only that it doesn't focus in LV. In my replies I did come up with a polite version of 'Then try using the fking viewfinder like a proper photographer you idiot'...

Unfortunately there's no option to go into the technical intricacies as we would here, all he has to do is click the box saying 'Item not as described' and that's the end of it.

[Turtle Shed]

Live view does use a different focus method (has to as the mirror is up), and from my experience it's pretty crap. I'd only ever use it when I couldn't look through the viewfinder (holding camera above my head and tipping the screen forward springs to mind).

My guess is that he's confusing "doesn't work" with "doesn't work very well".

[GravelBen]

I haven't used a D7500 to compare, my D7200 live view AF is slow and awkward but accurate once it gets there - contrast detect rather than phase detect. I'd never use it for moving objects though! The D7500 is a newer model so might be a bit better.

I can't think of any reason a lens wouldn't focus in live view if it will focus normally on the same camera. Could be the muppet in question had just set it to MF or something daft like that...

Why you would want to use live view with a 70-200 is beyond me though (unless possibly they mean live view AF for video I guess), especially for sports/action which sound like the case here - if you are holding it above your head to see over a crowd you aren't going to be steady enough for that focal length anyway.

Maybe they were wobbling around so much holding a 70-200 f2.8 that way the photos are blurred by the shake and they think that is out of focus...

Obviously the cause is a bit academic as the return policy seems to rely entirely on the buyer's word, but its a funny one.

[Simpo Two]

Well the good news is that I got the lens back with all the bits as sent, so I issued the refund.

To my surprise he was right - I tried it on my D500 with LV - not a twitch. My Nikon 17-55mm f2.8 and 70-300mm VR work fine. Maybe old Sigmas just aren't compatible with LV for some reason?

[GravelBen]

Interesting... you made me curious so I just tried it with my Sigma EX 100-300 f4 and 150 f2.8 macro (also quite old lenses) on the D7200 and found the same thing, no AF in live view. Worked fine with a Tamron that is a bit newer.

Learn something new every day!

A quick search found a few discussions of the issue, seems like its a fairly common compatibility issue with older Sigma firmware - if the lens is too old to connect to a dock for a firmware update then you're probably out of luck if you want to use live view.

Edited by GravelBen on Wednesday 9th July 12:02

[Simpo Two]

Thanks for the corroboration! I bought the lens s/h 20 years ago so it's probably 25 years old and well past any firmware updates. I'll just have to advertise it as 'not compatible with Live View'.