Soft focus nightmare

[Jason Scott]

A LOT of the pictures of the kids in the car seat do not turn out. Primarly when I am looking for a sharp/good picture of their little eye balls. they eyes, just do not look clear.

 

[Rick M]

Have you tried a different (better)lens? Might help confirm where the problem is. Also make sure active D lighting is turned off. Are these raw shots?

 

[pedroj]

A LOT of the pictures of the kids in the car seat do not turn out. Primarly when I am looking for a sharp/good picture of their little eye balls. they eyes, just do not look clear.

Just use your canon

 

[Jason Scott]

Actualy this is a great Idea, I will try and round up a friend with a better lens and see if the problem persists.

and as I daid, the camera even soft, is still out performing my s80
the rate of fire, and the tolerance to lighting conditions is amazing.

shots in the hospital without a flash. limited noise. beautifull shots, but IMHO soft focus. I will look for more, it is just hard to Identify what is camera shake, what is out of focus and what is soft.

 

[Rick M]

The distant shots of the girl seem good. If shot in raw, some sharpening is always needed. I think you need to do some controlled tests with a better lens and not in auto. Make sure active D is off, it can make shots look washed out. Since you can't just bring it back, you may as well do some tests before sending it out

 

[Rick M]

Also try using the picture control modes and increase sharpening 2-3 steps if shooting in Jpeg, that will sharpen them for you

 

[Dave_W]

There are a myriad of reasons an image can have "soft" focus. The main reason is for "soft" images is camera shake. Camera shake is typically due to too slow of a shutter speed. The faster the shutter speed the more likely you'll end up with a sharply focused image. The other reason is lack of contrast. The AF mechanism is only as good as the contrast you're giving it to work with. If you aim the focus point at an area what is all the same color and little to no contrast you will not end up with a finely focused image. The AF needs a solid contrast in order to achieve good focus. By in large, clearing up these issues - camera shake, slow shutter speed, poor contrast - will fix 90% of the so-called "soft" focusing cameras. However, there are examples of cameras in which the auto focus is not set properly or the lens/camera combo requires fine tuning in order to eliminate back or front focus problems and these must be address either with your auto-focus fine tuning. I don't know if the D5100 has AF-fine tuning or not, but if it does not you will need to send in your camera and lens to Nikon for adjustment. However, eliminate the possibility that camera shake, shutter speed and/or lack of good contrast are not your problem and then move to the next level.

 

[wysiwyg]

Another suggestion I can offer - before you do anything - reset your camera settings back to factory settings ! Often when someone is new to DSLR photography - they play around with settings - when the default factory settings are usually sufficient to get you started !
A process of elimination will help narrow down the problem. If your friend can loan you a better lens than your tamron - try that - but at the same time - get them to try your tamron on their body too !
Good luck -

 

[pedroj]

Set your auto focus to AF-C Auto Focus Constant...You or you subject may be moving, with this setting your camera will refocus continually..

 

[KWJams]

I believe the galery is up and running.
I think most of them show at least some degre of overt softeness.

Asa for this gentelman


If you figure all the posts whown are mine, you might be some extra special kind of stupid... or maybe you trying to out troill me? can't tell right now.
Nikon d5100 auto focus nightmare..: Nikon Consumer DX SLR Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review
thats right I sponsor, and have conversations with myself filling entire boards.

I guess this is what I get, I sign in to a new forum, and the first thing peopel try to do is show me how stupid they can be.
yeh, maybe I could have returned it within 30 days, I was still too busy being awestruck as to how much better it was than my last camera.
I am sorry I did not know exactly what to expect when I spent like 1600 on the camera and lense.
I am sorry, that I am not a pro. with like 1 8 cammeras and a full bag of kit for all.
as well as a history and full understanding that the problems I am seeing are not directly caused by me.

Easily the first 30 days I would have asumed any probolems are my fault, might still well be my fault. who knows.
but I apreciate you thinking I have seeded the entire internet. I am not sure where the terms and conditions of this board sit but wow are you dumb.

First off Jason, I seriously doubt that you can find another forum with more friendly and helpful people than you found here.
You post 3 google links to pages and pages of what looked like to me the same complaints that you are are expressing here. If you are the same poster in the threads I looked at you kept stating that example pictures were forth coming. I guess I should have spent more time digging through them because I never saw any examples in the limited time that I attempted to find anything helpful. For that I guess I am stupid.

The D5100 is not a point and shoot camera. The pictures in your gallery of your beautiful daughter were taken in auto mode according to the exif information.
EXIF Sub IFD

Exposure Time (1 / Shutter Speed) = 10/2000 second ===> 1/200 second ===> 0.005 second
Lens F-Number / F-Stop = 45/10 ===> ƒ/4.5
Exposure Program = n/a (0)
ISO Speed Ratings = 100
Sensitivity Type = recommended exposure index (REI) (2)
EXIF Version = 0230
Original Date/Time = 2012:10:05 15:25:26
Digitization Date/Time = 2012:10:05 15:25:26
Components Configuration = 0x01,0x02,0x03,0x00 / YCbCr
Compressed Bits per Pixel = 4/1 ===> 4
Shutter Speed Value (APEX) = 7643856/1000000
Shutter Speed (Exposure Time) = 1/200 second
Aperture Value (APEX) = 433985/100000
Aperture = ƒ/4.5
Exposure Bias (EV) = 0/6 ===> 0
Max Aperture Value (APEX) = 41/10 ===> 4.1
Max Aperture = ƒ/4.14
Distance to Subject = 141/100 m
Metering Mode = pattern / multi-segment (5)
Light Source / White Balance = unknown (0)
Flash = Flash fired, auto mode, return light detected
Focal Length = 320/10 mm ===> 32 mm
User Comment (Hex) = 0x41,0x53,0x43,0x49,0x49,0x00,0x00,0x00,0x20,0x20,0x20,0x20,0x20,0x20,0x20,0x20,0x20,0x20,0x20,0x20,0x20,0x20,0x20,0x20,0x20,0x20,0x20,0x20,0x20,0x20,0x20,0x20,0x20,0x20,0x20,0x20,0x20,0x20,0x20,0x20,0x20,0x20,0x20,0x20
User Comment Character Code = ASCII
User Comment =
Last Modified Subsecond Time = 00
Original Subsecond Time = 00
Digitized Subsecond Time = 00
FlashPix Version = 0100
Colour Space = sRGB (1)
Image Width = 756 pixels
Image Height = 576 pixels
Image Sensing Method = one-chip color area sensor (2)
Image Source = 0x03,0x00,0x00,0x00
Scene Type = directly photographed image
Colour Filter Array (CFA) Geometric Pattern = 0x00,0x02,0x00,0x02,0x00,0x01,0x01,0x02
Custom Rendered = normal process (0)
Exposure Mode = auto exposure (0)
White Balance = auto (0)
Digital Zoom Ratio = 1/1 ===> 1
Focal Length in 35mm Film = 48
Scene Capture Type = standard (0)
Gain Control = n/a (0)
Contrast = normal (0)
Saturation = normal (0)
Sharpness = normal (0)
Subject Distance Range = unknown (0)
Microsoft.Padding = 0x1cê0x08
Unknown tag, Tagnum 0xea1d = data ===> 4088

Why didn't you at least use the Portrait mode while taking portraits?
Why didn't you use center weighted metering mode to bring out better skin tones?
Why didn't you use spot focusing and focus on her eyes?

The D5100 is not an idiot proof camera, it requires knowledgeable user input to capture spectacular photographs.

My sugestions is to read the manual and some how to books on the D5100.

 

[Jason Scott]

I am still new, and the reality is, if I am using it as a point and shoot or things are changing, I will just as quickly use auto.
just as i am happy to use auto no flash.

I often use center or center weighted metering, however I do not believe it contributes to the soft images

and I often use single point focus (as while rock climbing, the camera is unable to identify a climber against the rock)

While taking a picture of a face, at that range, I would hope the camera able to Identify a face, in mid day sun, especial when the camera does have face tracking and recognition software.

I do understand it is not a point and shoot camera.
and you need to understand that sometimes, auto is convenient.

I like to use the landscape as opposed to portrate, as i get bolder colours, and higher contrast, and I do not believe it contributes to the softeness.

I have had the active d lighting set to normal, I may try and turn this off, or to other settings, as others have sugested it me contribute to the soft images.

as for the exif data

ISO 100 shoudl be a good
f/45 good depth of field
shutter speed 1/100 shoudl be fast enough to limit shake or blur
flash was used, (prob not needed)
metering (I can change the exposure easy enough, nothing was over/under saturated

setting wise, "auto" hit the nail on the head

I have played with manual, but it takes more time, and there are times I do not have the time.
and a camera like this shoudl be able to "auto" in mid day, outside, at 4 foot distance. on a facial lock on. without screwing it up.

 

[Eye-level]

And I would add grow some hide...you have to have thick skin on the internet eh?

So what you have soft pictures. I bet I have even more than you! Of my wife alone...no auto focus...haha

Come on man...

Automatically??? LOL

Gee I thought maybe you wanted to be a photographer...maybe you should start with a D40?

 

[KWJams]

My mistake, didn't realize that you had it all figured out already. Tell you what, I'll give you a Sony Cyber shot and $50.00 for your soft focusing D5100.

Cyber shot's are quick as an instant, no fiddling with settings or steep learning curve just point and shoot.

 

[Jason Scott]

yeh need thick skin, the trolls run rampant. By the way, the 2 images in your gallery, cleared the exif data? did not want us to see they were auto?
also, based, on the texture on your skin, I would bet picture was not taken with a 5100. I could be wrong, but that is the the feeling I get.


I would expect the senior members to be a little less.... how would I say it... trolololol. What a great Idea, I should go buy a D40.

If this board is a home for trolls, I don't mind being part of the problem.
If everyone thinks they are a troll and thinks I shoudl eb a troll, why not give them what they want.

 

[Dave_W]

There's a saying that applies to your photography Jason - a little information can be dangerous. Instead of spending your energy hunting down mysterious camera issues, your time and effort should be spend understanding photography. Your last post is very revealing, you do not understand even the most basic fundamentals of photography. If you ever do spend the time to understand photography, you will look back at this post in embarrassment at your naivety.

 

[Eye-level]

OK that is pushing a little hard my apology please Jason...

I think you are smart enough to go beyond auto dude and your body is a very capable asset. Good luck sir. Personally I find that my snaps require a lot of work to be even half way decent...no automatic sh!t for me...it is better or maybe more simple to just try and understand the light but hey that is just me.

 

[Eye-level]

yeh need thick skin, the trolls run rampant. By the way, the 2 images in your gallery, cleared the exif data? did not want us to see they were auto?
also, based, on the texture on your skin, I would bet picture was not taken with a 5100. I could be wrong, but that is the the feeling I get.


I would expect the senior members to be a little less.... how would I say it... trolololol. What a great Idea, I should go buy a D40.

If this board is a home for trolls, I don't mind being part of the problem.
If everyone thinks they are a troll and thinks I shoudl eb a troll, why not give them what they want.

Film has no EXIF baby!

I am the meanest frigging troll in the valley...at least in my head! LOL

 

[KWJams]

You should get a dog so you have a friend. You are not making many here.

 

[Eye-level]

Man we are not really an antagonistic bunch...passionate about our Nikons...weary when people try to beat up on them...please understand.

Bear with your camera and poke around here you WILL learn something I bet...I used to think I knew a lot about photography....sheeeet....I don't know crap! For real! Hell I am not even shooting anything right now I am so confounded with it all.

Hey I have a cybershot! Love that son of a buck!

 

[Dave_W]

Well, eye-level, at this point I'm waving the "Troll" flag. This is quickly degrading into a zero-sum gain thread and not worth spending any more time on.