How do you lock S or C mode without duct tape?

[Luke_Miller]

Not sure everyone experiences this and the other, related, problem of accidently bumping the lens release button. I am one who has not. As Ed Gerson notes this design has been used since the earliest Nikon autofocus bodies. Coming from Nikon manual focus bodies I cup my support hand around the lens focus ring so it is nowhere near the body. This allows me to take advantage of the manual focus override feature with AFS lenses. Sometimes when I did not intend to .

I think I would be complaining if Nikon required me to go to a menu to change from Single to Continuous servo modes.

[Felix01]

Originally Posted by Ed Gerson

What are the brand names of non-residue tape you guys are using?.

Permacel Pro

Much better than their #665 although I'll admit none of them can be left on indefinitely without consequences.

[Terry Zorich]

Originally Posted by Luke_Miller

I think I would be complaining if Nikon required me to go to a menu to change from Single to Continuous servo modes.

You'd apparently be in the minority.
And better than making you "go to a menu", they could do it as Canon has done, which is short of having to go to a menu. It's a two-step process that prevents accidental changes, but can still be done very quickly.

It's also stupid (IMO) for Nikon to have physical autofocus switches on the lens AND the body. Whenever my camera is not autofocusing, now I have to check both switches. Poor design leads to missed shots...

[David_Buzzard]

It's a hold over from the old pre AF-S lenses. You'll see a little drive crank on the mount that pokes it's head back down into the hole when you turn that switch to 'M'. Nikon never takes anything out of the design unless they have to. That's why my 35 year old f/1.4 primes will operate on my modern D2x cameras.

David Buzzard

[Luke_Miller]

So I guess one man's "poor design" is another man's example of loyalty to long time customers. I'm still using manual focus lenses on my D3 that I bought in 1975 for my FTn. Also I am still using on the D3 the autofocus lenses I bought in the 90s for my F4. I'll take this "poor design" any day.

Should Nikon decide at some point to abandon the F mount and build a new body that did not support the legacy lens base I suspect the design would be very different from the M-S-C mechanical switch of today. Those of us who grew up with the current design and appreciate the decision Nikon made to support our legacy glass tend not to have a problem with it. Those new to Nikon and owning only AF-S glass might well question why Nikon does it this way.

Nikon decided to support legacy glass and Canon made the opposite decision. Is one decision (and the resulting design) "bad" and the other "good"? Depends on on where you sit.

[Roger_Martin]

It must be in the genes, or else Nikon designed their pro cameras for me. Neither my sons nor I have ever had any problems with the switches or their locations. We pick up the SLR bodies and just shoot intuitively. My youngest son never even looked at the manual. I set up his camera, told him to push the AF-ON button and shoot what he saw through the viewfinder and he has more keepers than I do after shooting pictures for over 50 years.

Contrary the Canons, especially the Mark III does not fit my shooting. Their AF button is too small and the camera cramps my hand. The layout on all their bodies feels totally non-intuitive to me. Although I can get good results, I have to look at the camera before shooting and read the manual many times.