Hi everyone

Has anyone had the problem with a D80 and Tamron 18-250 combination that the apperture reading shows f-- and no picture can be taken?? This has happened to me several times over the past months but by removing the lens and then reconnecting it it was always resolved. Now unfortunately the problem persists and the reading permanently shows f--. I already tried cleaning everything and also reset the factory settings but no luck... What else can I do?

Thanks a lot and kind regards
Tuende

Just to be sure, you do have the lens set to minimum aperture (f22 or f32) and locked, correct? Easy enough for it to get unlocked occasionally.

That's true, another view, but the d80 usually shows an Fee error when you do that.
Maybe not with that Tamron.
Tuende, do you have other lenses that this happens with?

It sounds like the camera isn't making electrical contact wit hthe lens.
Try cleaning the contacts on the lens?

First of all, thanks to everyone who read and especially those who answered this thread. If you understand that I am in the middle of a worldtrip (currently in the Pantanal of Brazil surrounded by wildlife...) then you will realise how crazy not being able to take any photos is making me!! :-)

I have tried to clean the metal contacts of the camera and those of the lens but this didn´t change anything. I do believe that the aperture is on minimum based on the 'photos' I can take (I can still change the speed) but I'm not sure what was meant by 'locking' and unlocking' this. Do you mean that it was inadvertantly locked? What do I need to do to unlock this??

Some further information: This problem happened very sporadically with two other lenses on my D80 - a Sigma 50-150 and a Tamron 17-50 but it could always be solved by disconnecting the lens from the camera and then reconnecting. At the moment, however, I just have this lens with me and haven't been able to test with any other.

Thanks again and regards from Bonito, Brazil

Good news. The problem has finally been resolved. I set the camera from M to A, removed the lens, reconnected it and then the aperture reading changed from -- to 36. Coincidence? Perhaps because as I mentioned previously, removing and reconnecting the lens usually worked in the past and the setting was always on M. Anyway, the main thing is I can now take photos again and perhaps this can be added as another point to try if anyone has the same issue in the future.

Thanks a lot again for the hints
Tuende

Thanks for getting back to us Tuende. Seems a bit of an odd problem and when you get somewhere that it can be checked, it might be a good idea to do so.