Critique and question

M

milesleginois

New member
Hello, everyone:

This is my first post in the forum, and I'm reaching out to gain experience and ask a technical question. I have a D5100 with the stock Nikon 18-55mm DX lens, and back in 2012 it vibrated off a table on a ferry while overseas and landed right on the lens. Thankfully my lens hood absorbed the impact, shattering, but the lens was intact. I couldn't take a picture right afterwords, and found the mirror was pushed down past the little stops inside. I panicked a bit, but then very carefully pulled it back out, snapping forcefully back into place. I checked for scratches or wiggle, but it seemed solid. However, the remainder of the trip I suffered from blurry images on the right 1/3 of my photos.

When I got home, the lens went in for repair, as I tested older lenses on the camera, and they showed no blurring. Determining it was the lens, that got fixed by Nikon and sent back. All was fine up until this past vacation after Christmas. Some of the photos seem to show the blurring on the right side again, but not all. I've tested this lens to my 28-80mm old pre-DSLR lens, and they both seem sharp, so this issue seems to change in severity. I'm still trying to determine if it is at all magnifications. In the meantime, here is a photo from the night of 12/27 in Basel, Switzerland.



I read the posting rules, so I'll post another tomorrow of my wife in a shop with Christmas ornaments. It's full of color, but again I have issues on the right side. Can anyone determine from the photo if I have a lens or camera issue, or is the issue with just me and how I take photos?

D5100, 18-55mm DX VR lens
~35mm in Auto mode, flash disabled

I know using Auto mode probably makes some people cringe, but it was drizzling and the light rail line was quickly approaching. I leaned the camera up against a light pole to stabilize it and snapped the photo.

Thanks in advance.

Guy
 
Last edited:
F

FastGlass

Senior Member
The tree shows movement but strange movement. If you look at the lights on the tree. The movement is aim towards the center of the image. But only on the edge of the image and not on the left side of the tree. Very strange. I'll wait to see what others say.
 
Marcel

Marcel

Happily retired
Staff member
Super Mod
Just one thing that bothers me in your introduction. You mentioned that the camera fell and then you mention that you might have one side that is often not in focus. I would be suspicious that the lens mount could have been bent and the lens axis could have been misaligned. I think you should either have the camera tested or test it yourself for lens alignment. If not corrected, this could ruin all or most of your pictures.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
M

milesleginois

New member
@ Don--I'm sorry, but what does EXIF mean? Here's the details from the photo's Properties:

Dimensions: 4928 x 3264
300 dpi
Bit depth 24
Resolution unit 2
sRGB
f/4.2
1/13 second
ISO--3200
O step
26mm focal length
Max aperture 4.2

Oh, I think I found what you meant: EXIF version 0230

I'm familiar with some camera basics, as I've been an amateur astronomer for over 20 years now. However, I've always intend to learn more about the camera but that goal gets put aside due to work and family priorities. I'm making an effort to not do that at this point.

@ Marcel: I agree that it could be possible that it is bent. I thought I had checked it thoroughly when I had returned in 2012, but now I'm wondering. Here's a link to my best photos from the trip.

Rhine River Vacation Photos by Italy2009RomePompeii | Photobucket

But for immediate comparison, here's the photo of my wife in the Xmas store. Wind obviously couldn't have been a factor, and the distance between me and the left, and me and the right, is about the same. Therefore, I'm assuming that there shouldn't be such a big distortion. However, if you look at some of the other photos in the gallery, not all are blurred. Is there a specific method to testing the camera/lens/mount that I can do, so I don't have to send it out?



Thanks to everyone for taking part in helping me figure this out.

Guy
 
F

fotojack

Senior Member
I agree with Marcel on this issue. The axis of the mount on the camera is slightly off. This would necessitate the camera be sent to Nikon for a complete test and reset of the mount. I'm afraid there is no other way to fix this other than to send it in. Having said this, determine if the cost of repair is worth it to you, or if finding another (perhaps used) camera would be in your best interest.

Want to know if it's not the lens that's misaligned? Put the affected lens on a friend's camera, or one at your local camera store, to see if there is a difference in photo quality or blurriness. Do the cheap things first before following up with the more expensive alternatives. :)
 
Marcel

Marcel

Happily retired
Staff member
Super Mod
milesleginois said:
@ Don--I'm sorry, but what does EXIF mean? Here's the details from the photo's Properties:


@ Marcel: I agree that it could be possible that it is bent. I thought I had checked it thoroughly when I had returned in 2012, but now I'm wondering. Here's a link to my best photos from the trip.

Rhine River Vacation Photos by Italy2009RomePompeii | Photobucket

But for immediate comparison, here's the photo of my wife in the Xmas store. Wind obviously couldn't have been a factor, and the distance between me and the left, and me and the right, is about the same. Therefore, I'm assuming that there shouldn't be such a big distortion. However, if you look at some of the other photos in the gallery, not all are blurred. Is there a specific method to testing the camera/lens/mount that I can do, so I don't have to send it out?
Thanks to everyone for taking part in helping me figure this out.

Guy
Click to expand...

Yes there is. Place your camera in front of a wall with details. Now to be absolutely certain that the camera's sensor plane is parallel to the wall, have someone hold a mirror on the wall and align the center of the frame so the reflected image of the lens is dead center in the viewfinder. Then focus on the wall in LiveView, then look at your picture. if a side is out of focus like your example shows, then the sensor or the lens mount is mis-aligned.
 
SkvLTD

SkvLTD

Senior Member
If the problem ends up being the lens, perhaps get another/a new one. They won't break your bank, but some could even teach you some new tricks like the 35/1.8G DX. The 18-55 would likely cost more to repair than to get another one.
 
Top