Nikkor lens

[brittaniadriver]

I bought a new Nikon D3300 body and a Nikkor AF-P 3.5-5.6G lens which I believe is used on the D3400 but it will not auto-focus.Are they incompatible? Thanks for any help.

 

[Derrel]

Focusing mode on AF-P lenses is set in the MENU of the camera. The D3300, D5300, and D5500 can use the AF-P lenses. So, yes, the D3300 is compatible with the 18-55 AF-P, and was originally sold in kits with that specifc AF-P zoom lens.

See this article from around a year ago, when the AF-P lenses were announced. The AF-P Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G DX lenses works only with three Nikon DSLR cameras | Nikon Rumors

As you can see, there is a Nikon D3300 firmware update here, which may or may not be needed for your camera. Firmware update C version 1.01 for the Nikon D3300 released | Nikon Rumors

 

[Designer]

Are they incompatible?

What does it say in your user's manual? Look for the chart of compatible lenses.

 

[astroNikon]

As Derrel mentions, you'll have to make sure you are running the newest version of the camera's OS for the proper menu options and functionality.

I do have cameras compatible with the AF-P lenses but have never tried one to really know.

 

[nerwin]

Is Nikon's AF-P suppose to be like Canon's STM lenses?

 

[Solarflare]

It is my understanding that AF-P is simply a very cheap but silent motor.

Most importantly the higher Nikon bodies still have no support for AF-P. That means in practice you cannot switch off image stabilization on a D7x00 or D500 with an AF-P lens. The lens has no switch and the menu system of the camera doesnt offer that option either. Thats how much Nikon assumes you wont use an AF-P on higher cameras.

Theres also no AF-P lens thats not also DX.

And the highend lenses however, like for example the AF-S 17-55mm f2.8 DX, already have a motor that does all that does AF-P does, without the disadvantage of being extremely cheaply made.

As far as I've seen, STM has no such negative connotation on Canon.

 

[Derrel]

Here's the URL to Thom Hogan's Sept. 25, 2016 review of the NEW 70-300mm f/4.5~6.3 AF-P VR DX zoom lens. According to Hogan, its performance betters that of the over a decade-old 70-300 AF-S VR lens!
Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 AF-P VR DX | DSLRBodies | Thom Hogan

Some excerpts, form one of the world's foremost Nikon reviewers and writers:

"The new AF-P lenses at the low end of the consumer DX lineup use a very different approach to focus motors. The AF-P lenses have stepper motors in them that are unlike the previous AF-S lens motors...
...The good news is that these new stepper motors are fast and quiet. The bad news is that only a few cameras are compatible with them ...Focus mode is determined by the camera body; there are no switches on the lens to set focus mode. However, unlike other low-end DX autofocus lenses, the AF-P lenses allow user manual override of the focus at any time (just rotate the focus ring while continuing to half press the shutter release)...
... focus ring: it’s fly-by-wire...
...I really didn’t care that the lens was fly-by-wire for manual focus...
... VR on/off ability is buried in the Custom settings [#D10])...
...The big surprise is that the new AF-P focus motor is very snappy and nearly silent...
And now the biggest bombshell of the review. so big, I am going to quote Hogan, in bold type:
"In good light and with a cross focus sensor, this lens performs right up there with many of the big, expensive lenses, for sure, even on the least expensive Nikon DSLR body."

"Optically, the lens seems to shine, as well..." "Flare control seemed particularly good, both with edge of frame light source and just-outside-frame light sources. That’s a good thing as I was testing the lens without the optional lens hood,"

And another bombshell, " if you’ve got a recent DX DSLR and need a telephoto lens, the 70-300mm AF-P just became a better choice to me than the 55-300mm, or even the older full frame 70-300mm f/4-5.6. Yes, I wrote that. The 10-year old 70-300mm AF-S lens is nearly double the weight and struggles a bit with the 24mp DX sensors. I don’t see that same problem with the new 70-300mm AF-P. "

So...there's MORE to read in the review. But this is an interesting development. Hogan mentions that teven NEW Nikon bodies that ARE compatible with AF-P lenses, might need their firmware updated. And as he noted, "The D7100 and D7200 can’t turn off VR, which is a shame."