D7000 Focus issues

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sandygrant

New member
I have inconsistent results with my D7000 also. I primarily take shots of field lacrosse, at night, with my 80-200 F2.8 lens, and box lacrosse, in poorly lit arenas - my previous body is a D90. I got the D7000, because of the low-light capabilities, and I was getting pretty frustrated with not being able to what I wanted out of the D90. No, I don't use a flash, the players don't tend to like being blinded while they are trying to play.

I was thinking it was something I was doing with the camera, but now that I've looked online, I'm thinking it's not me... I get inconsistency in focusing on action shots. I have the multiple frames set as high as I could, and the movement reactivity is as low as possible too. I pre-focus pretty much all the time, but I have quite a few shots from the D7000 that come out with the main subject NOT in focus - the background subjects are in focus, but the foreground are quite fuzzy.

Hopefully I can get through to support tomorrow
 
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photojewels

New member
Any update, roguebear? I was also having issues as you were with my D7000 after upgrading from the D50 last November. I was in denial, thinking it was my error, but surely my studio lights are enough for sharp portraits?? I just sent my body off to Nikon today for repair and I'm hoping to God it comes back in two weeks on time for my brother's wedding because I would just cry if I got 7 out of 10 shots at his wedding blurry like his engagement photos turned out.

For those having issues, I found changing to a single focus point helped the most, but it's just unacceptable to me that I paid $1400 for a camera that doesn't do what they promised (39 point tracking autofocus never worked for me and getting it to focus in live view was impossible). I'd like to know if your camera came back ok! I've seen others elsewhere on the web who had success and those who sent theirs back multiple times to have it replaced with a new one. My biggest problem now is that I sold my D50 thinking I wouldn't need it and clearly I was wrong. How did things turn out for you?
 
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Curt

Senior Member
Odd, when did this problem start, was it right away or did it happen after you had the camera for awhile?
I have had mine now for about three weeks and it has worked perfectly, I have had no problems with it at all.
Maybe there are (like with any product) a few out there that are faulty? For every one that seems to have a problem I hear 10 that love their's, sorry you guys are having such problems. Please keep the rest of us up to date.
 
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fripple

New member
Did you guys get the problems fixed? Also what are the first four of your serial? I'm thinking that I might be having the same issues with my new D7000.
 
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Curt

Senior Member
Just got back from a two week trip to Sweden, took my D7000 (see my gallery) it worked fantastic.
No focus problems at all, it is a great camera, love it :).
 
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nikolasdassis

New member
Hi guys. Listen to me, it is very important, I am also an owner of a D7000 and it also has a problem with focusing. I did many many tests and came to the conclusion that this model has indeed a problem in focusing.
After lots and lots of tests where I had it in auto focus and then manually focused, found a much easier way to test if your camera has a problem.
First of all you must NOT be in live mode. Have your camera on a tripod, put an 18mm lens on, give it a single point to focus and try the point that you gave her to focus to have almost or smaller size than the focus point in the viewfinder, if you do that you are absolutely ready to test your camera. Press to focus button till the middle and check the ring of your lens as it rotates to get the distance from the subject. When it is finished with the wrong focusing (here the bib) without shooting anything press again and again and again the focus button, you will see every time the distance in the lens changes!
So it's a random play if you catch it to focus!!! This is outrageous!!!
I also have a D300 and of course there is not such a problem!! It finds the focus point and stays there forever!!!
Ok listen to me...... we must all send a message to NIKON to show them how disappointed we are. I have already sent a message to them.
If many people send them a message, they will be forced to fix the problem or change our cameras. I don't want a camera for which a payed $1200 not to be as I want it to be!
Here is the mail I sent to NIKON

"Hi there, I am a very old customer of yours and I have always used Nikon products.
I have decided after my D50, my D90 and my D300 to upgrade to a D7000 since in the papers it is a much better camera.
My question is the following: I've had this camera about a month now and I am very disappointed!
It is impossible for the camera to focus right! This is a very serious problem which I believe is not a firmware problem but a hardware problem.
I am considering sending my camera to get serviced, but I really need it and from what I read on the internet and in forums the problem cannot be fixed!
It is outrages for your customers and for a product that we payed $1200 not to focus.
So the question is, are you going to do something about it?
On the internet there are plenty of forums that talk about your broken product!"

If many of us message them they will be forced to fix the problem one way or another!!!!
 
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Curt

Senior Member
I have had my D7000 for a couple months now and I can't say I have had any problems what so ever?
I just got back from a trip overseas where I used my D7000 everyday and put it though its paces. It seems with any product (new) there are lemons, I am really sorry you are having a problem and I hope Nikon fixes it for you and the others that are having the same problem. How many other D7000 owners out there are happy with their D7000?
 
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Ed B

New member
Hi everyone.
I bought my D7000 in January and believe me I never dropped or damaged the camera. Since day one, I noticed the camera is having focus issue and my pictures don’t seem to be sharp enough. Being a Nikon user for almost thirty years I never thought that I'll have such a problem with a Nikon Camera. So I kept testing my new camera with different Nikkor lenses with different autofocus settings in different light conditions but almost all of the pictures came out of focus. I’ve called Nikon twice and just like one of the comments I was reading above, I was told to try the single focus option, then I was advised to try not to shoot pictures in speeds below 1/100s. Believe me, after shooting pictures for over thirty years and almost always with Nikon, I think I know enough about camera speed and focusing to say, that I am sure, the focus issue is not caused by the operator and it is related to the camera itself. What surprises me is that why Nikon hasn't done anything about it. I also know that, not every user of D7000 seems to have the focus issue with their camera but believe me it is true and the D7000 does have a focusing problem. Took the camera to Nikon and they said, they will fix it for me, but they never told me how or what the problem is. So, I took the camera back and am about to send it back to the dealer where I bought it from. I’d rather return my D7000 and get a different model, as despite the excellent new features that it has one of the fundamental features (focus) is not usable on Nikon D7000.
Wondering, what the outcome of the repair on one of the member’s was as he indicated that he took his to Nikon for repair. Was the problem fixed? Does anyone know what is causing this front or back focusing issue?
 
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Curt

Senior Member
I am going to ask my camera guy about the percentage of D7000s that are having this problem. It’s a big camera store that does a fair volume of sales (on line as well).
I am very curious to know just how many D7000 owners are having this problem.
I know for myself I have had mine for a few months, took it overseas, have used it pretty much everyday and have had no problems. I will let you know when I hear back from him about the percentage of people with this problem that go through that store.
 
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sanjeevmulay

New member
I have had the D7000 for a couple of months now and don tthink there has been any problem with it whatsoever. In a few low-light, indoor situations I have had to change AF mode to ensure I get spot-on focussing. But my experience has been that its quite fast, especially with the AF (not AF-S) prime lens that I usually use.
 
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gqtuazon

Gear Head
I wish I could say that I am very satisfied with the AF of my D7000. I used it for group shots with the Nikon 16-35mm f4 VRII, flash and even stopped it down at f5.6. There's go to be something wrong since I get razor sharp images using my D700. I'll post some pictures when I get the chance. My camera is only 3 months old. So frustrating...
 
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Curt

Senior Member
This shot was taken last night at about 11:00p.m. Totally dark, backlit by my garage light. I took it with my D7000 w/55mm macro lens set at 2.8. I had no problem focusing at all?

DSC_1925.JPG
 
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cooper1275

New member
Hello all..
I’m new here & I signed up just to be able to reply to this post.

It caught my attention simply because I was having the same prob’ with my D7000 and wanted to research it further, but as I delved into the AF settings on my D7000, I realised my mistake. In my case it was the fact that I was at a wedding & took a LOT of shots, but then realised TO MY HORROR, when I got home & looked at them on the comp’, that about 40% of them were actually OUT OF FOCUS…..SHOCK! ! ! HORROR! ! ! “how could this happen” was my initial thought….(along with a LOT of cursing & swearing I must add)
(thank Christ I wasn’t the official photographer-phew)
I’ve read each and every reply to this topic and I’ve noticed there isn’t one of you that mentioned the default AF settings on the D7000.

On the D7000 go to the CUSTOM SETTING MENU, then to AUTOFOCUS, then look at the settings in both a1 & a2. (I’m actually amazed that none of you ever mentioned this) These settings determine what the camera will do AFTER you have pressed the shutter release button.
You have two choices here, 1) set the camera to RELEASE PRIORITY, 2) set the camera to FOCUS PRIORITY. In release priority, the camera assumes that timing is absolutely vital (ie; fast action shots) so it will take the photo whether or not focus has been fully achieved.
However, in focus priority the camera will assume that FOCUS is a must & will achieve proper focus before the shot is taken. The decision by the camera to focus first & then take the shot takes just milliseconds, and you or I will not notice the difference between the two choices, especially if you keep your finger half-pressed on the button to maintain focus. I am assuming here that you had your camera set to AF-C and not AF-S…..as for me well I always have it set to AF-A.
AF-C defaults to release priority & AF-S defaults to focus priority.

MY recommendations……..If you set AF-A, the camera will give you the best of both worlds, that is to say it will first choose AF-S and will assume your subject isn’t moving, but if it detects that your subject IS moving then it will go for AF-C……
So just in case you are still trying to decide between FOCUS PRIORITY and RELEASE PRIORITY…??? Well then let me put it like this, ANY PHOTO that’s out of focus, even tho’ it otherwise might be a great shot, is simply fit for the bin…..it’s useless.
My apologies if this is a bit long-winded but I wanted to explain myself fully & properly.
 
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cooper1275

New member
PS....I strongly recommend you go to Thom Hogans site (Thom Hogan's Nikon Field Guide and Nikon Flash Guide) & get yourself a copy of his Ebook on the D7000. Thom Hogan is a no nonsense & no B******ER type of guy. This ebook will cost you the price of a few beers but as far as I'm concerned, is WELL worth it. Along with the ebook you will also get a printed field book that you can put in your camera bag & refer to it any time you are let loose with your camera....

May the force be with you (in photography terms) Smile ! ! !
 
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Sambr

Senior Member
Wow - don't know what to say? I have had mine for a couple weeeks tested it in all kinds of conditions, even used old glass 28-105 - 24-120D(non vr) 18-70 and guess what folks no problems what so ever. In fact until the D400 comes out the D7000 will be my "wildlife camera" with my D300 as a secondary. This shot with Nikon 300mmf4
coopershawk2sept05-L.jpg
 
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fotojack

Senior Member
salvatore said:
Wow - don't know what to say? I have had mine for a couple weeeks tested it in all kinds of conditions, even used old glass 28-105 - 24-120D(non vr) 18-70 and guess what folks no problems what so ever. In fact until the D400 comes out the D7000 will be my "wildlife camera" with my D300 as a secondary. This shot with Nikon 300mmf4
coopershawk2sept05-L.jpg
Click to expand...

WOW! Absolutely gorgeous shot! Love the clarity and focus of this. A total keeper!
 
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