Not getting sharp focus at full resolution with brand new D3300

Hi all. After 10 years of using my D40 that I loved, I decided to upgrade to a D3300. Came with 18 - 55 and 55 - 200 lenses. I'm used to getting nice sharp images with my D40 and expected it to be even better with a 10 years newer camera! In settings, I chose Fine and Large size, respectively. I shoot in Manual and choose ISO, Ap and Shutter Speed based on conditions for the exposure I want.

So far, almost every shot I take looks fine when viewing the image on my computer at about 50% or so of the resolution, but when I pump it up to 100%, they're muddy, not sharp! I can't figure out why. This is really bumming me out and I'm wondering if something might be wrong with the camera. Any thoughts about that - or what could be the cause? Here's two example of images with focus that looks okay, but when you make it 100% - it's actual size -not super sharp. Neither are great photos - just examples of what I'm talking about.Other kind of silly question - I was experimenting with using back button focusing and can't figure out how to turn it off and return to depressing shutter button half-way for focus. Can anyone tell me?All help appreciated. Thanks!

I don't have the camera so I don't know exactly how the menu goes, but to turn off bbf you need to assign AE-L/AF-L button back to AE/AF Lock, page 252 in the pdf manual. For bbf, you currently have it set to af-on.

Not sure about the pictures. they look sharp. The forum resizes so there is not much there to zoom into and we can't see settings. They look sharp with shallow depth of field. They don't look muddy, but I don't have the original to zoom in.

Somebody will ask for your exif data, so you might as well post them. If you resize the pics before posting to 1000px on the longest side, the forum won't mess with it and then we can usually see the exif data that way.

Many questions:
What is the EXiF?
Are you shooting in RAW or JPEG?
What post processing are you doing if shooting in RAW?
What Mode are you shooting in?


If you are shooting JPG I would suggest that you use the Fine>>Large setting and also set your camera for better sharpness. (it will not make any difference if you are shooting RAW)



Go into your Menus and highlight the "Shooting" menu (the camera icon)

Drop down to "Picture Controls" and click right one time.

From here, highlight "Standard" and then click right one time.

From this settings menu, increase the "Sharpness" setting to "7".

Drop down and increase the "Saturation" setting +1 notch on the slider.

Press "OK" to exit the menus and you're done.

Will a mod ( [MENTION=6277]Don Kuykendall[/MENTION] ) please combine the double posts or delete one. Here and in Q&A. Thanks.

cwgrizz said:

Will a mod ( @Don Kuykendall ) please combine the double posts or delete one. Here and in Q&A. Thanks.

Click to expand...

I deleted the other post.

Just a reminder to everyone, Please do not create multiple posts on the same topic. It just makes it harder for you and us to follow what has and has not been answered.

Hey Nickt! Thanks for the backbutton focus resolve! Yes - at this resolution - the images look fine - it's at original size that the issue I'm talking about shows up. I should have figured they'd need to be resized for posts... Thanks again for response!

Howdy. I was shooting in Manual mode, and in JPEG (not raw) with Fine/Large settings. Thanks, and sorry for double posting - am a newbie to this forum, so posted first one before realizing that there was a D3300-specific forum.

Thanks-

Ruby Gold said:

Howdy. I was shooting in Manual mode, and in JPEG (not raw) with Fine/Large settings. Thanks, and sorry for double posting - am a newbie to this forum, so posted first one before realizing that there was a D3300-specific forum.

Thanks-

Click to expand...

Since you're shooting jpg, look at the third post [MENTION=6277]Don Kuykendall[/MENTION] posted with some suggested settings changes. They may make the difference you're looking for.

Also I would like to add to take a look at your shooting form. You made a huge leap in MP and resolving power. 6.1MP to 24.2MP. These newfangled wonder sensors can be pretty unforgiving to shoot the higher the MP climbs. They can multiply a problem like bad form more than you think they could.

Deezey said:

Also I would like to add to take a look at your shooting form. You made a huge leap in MP and resolving power. 6.1MP to 24.2MP. These newfangled wonder sensors can be pretty unforgiving to shoot the higher the MP climbs. They can multiply a problem like bad form more than you think they could.

Click to expand...

Very true. I had to really work to relearn to shoot when I went from the D7100 to D750 even though they are both 24MP The resolving power of the D750 is so much better.

9/10 times when I blame the camera for something, it's usually me. I have learned when having issues with sharpness to slow down and think my way thru the process of taking a shot. Magically the sharpness usually returns. Go figure...


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Hi all. Thanks for the input - and my tendency is to agree - that the issue lies with me, not the camera. However, in this circumstance - I think it may be the camera. I dropped it on the 2nd or 3rd day I had it - and figured nothing bad had happened, because everything still seemed to work - but now, given this issue, I'm wondering if some damage did take place. :-(

Oh. Thats a whole new ball of wax.


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Yup.

That first picture looks sharpest on the woman's hand and the fabric she's holding. The front of her hat is also in sharper focus than her face. I think that's where your focus was. A smaller aperture (higher f-stop) would give you a greater depth of field. Most lenses tend to be sharpest from 5.6 to 9.

Because you cannot adjust the fine focus adjust I suggest you shoot at f8. auto iso 100-6400 in A Aperture mode.
Min shutter speed 1/60

Personally I always use sharp +9 and large basic with all my Nikons and I see no problems D3300/7100/800/810

To check if the camera takes sharp images do the following
. Put the camera on a solid tripod
. Set the mode dial to "A", aperture priority
. If shooting JPG, select "Fine"
. Deselect - NR, Distortion control and D Lighting
. Use 18-55 lens at 55mm
. Set ISO to 100
. Set AF Servo to AF-S - single servo
. Set Metering to "Spot" and select central point
. Now focus on a moderately contrast scene around 10 feet away.

Take a series of images at F5.6 to f16

Examine the images at 100% on the computer

If there is nothing wrong with the camera/lens combination all the images should come out sharp in the centre. As the F stop increases the DOF will increase and the images will get sharper away from the central focus area.

In case some thing has shifted due to fall, the camera will either focus in front or to back. It may even be sharp at one end and soft at the other. In case this is so, please get the camera serviced and aligned within warranty period.

Thanks for this -I will try your suggestion with the new one - same model/lenses - replacement for the first one. On some images, I'm not having the problem, but on others - particularly anything close-up, having same issue of it looking grainy when I view at full (100%) resolution. It might also be the issue mentioned by others on this thread that in the jump from 6MP with my d40 to the 20-something with the D3300, that any mistake is magnified. I find that with either lens it's not as problematic if I'm not shooting close-up. I'm not trying for macro or anything, just closeup with a shallow DOF and the images are not crisp at full res. Thanks again to all for thoughts/suggestions. Will be back with more questions later. ;-)

What focus mode are you using?
If you are focusing the camera and then recomposing you will be doomed re sharpness at close distance and wide aperture.
Why not try af-s and single point, moving the single focus point to the part of the image you want to be focused on. (this method is far better than using focus and then recomposing at close to medium distance).

I am using AF-s and Single Point- using the single focus point to focus, continuing to hold shutter button 1/2 way down and recomposing shot slightly at same distance.