You take your camera out, and you are ready to take the shot of a lifetime, but then… F33… F33… F33…. Your camera doesn’t fire, no photo is made, and the moment has passed. Urgh! So, let’s solve that F33 or FEE issue on your Nikon.
I am writing this article because I did not find any obvious solutions or reasons online when I had this problem.
I had just bought the then-new Nikon D850. While taking it out for a try, the LCD screen flashed the FEE problem, but it only did so with my 50mm 1.8 lenses.
The differences between the 50mm lens and the other lenses in my bag were not apparent.
At first, I thought the lens was not compatible. But after a bit of playing around, I noticed that everything was fine when I set the physical aperture on the lens to f/22.
What to do with the Nikon F33 error
It’s super easy. Just put the lens on its highest f-number or smallest aperture opening.
This is because your camera wants to have complete control over the lens. For some reason, Nikon made it only possible for the camera to do so at the smallest opening.
The Nikon 50mm 1.8 lens is at f/22. Of course, some lenses have a bigger or smaller minimum.
The most common f-stops.
If you are unsure what the smallest aperture is. It’s the highest number on the lens.
I remember the aperture openings being confusing when I started. So, a quick freshen up.
f/1.4 – f/2 – f/2.8 – f/4 – f/5.6 – f/8 – f/11 – f/16 – f/22 – f/32
Your lens will probably max out… or min out?… at f/22 or f/32. For your convenience, Nikon has highlighted the lens with the highest aperture in orange.
What if the F33 error remains?
It could be that this does not solve the error. In that case, it’s best to have your servo coupling checked. The people at your local camera store might help you out with that.
I hope this quick fix solved your issues. Happy shooting!
Disclaimer: In this article are some affiliate links. This means that, if you buy or book something, I get a small percentage of the fee. This comes with no extra cost to you but helps me run this website.
OMG thank you! That was the quickest search and the very quickest fix I have ever had. You have saved me hours of frustration! THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH!
Thank you for the simple fix.
Thanks! I thought my lens was broken.
Glad I could help. Another lens saved from the garbage. 😉
God bless you! I was about to give up on my glorious new lens!