Help!!!

Can anybody help me? Using my new D810 and a new AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm 1:2.8 GII ED Lens ... I am getting garbage like this. Everything is just slightly out of focus. These are in F/L jpeg but the RAW files show the same.

I just spent 12 hours circling the island of Maui on a 'photo mission' and every last single one of 700 shots is mushy ... no exceptions! Wide aperture, narrow aperture, close, mid-range, far, low light, and bright: I might as well have smeared oatmeal over the scene. Total disaster!!!! A whole day of Hawaii vacation down the toilet!

For $5,000 worth of camera gear, on the hoof, something has to be wrong!

Here are two representative shots, a 1200x900 chunk, taken out of the photograph. I wasn't able to find a single part of any scene that was in focus:


I should have been able to count the individual specks of reflective paint on those signs when taken from 30' away!

Any ideas??????????

The shutter speeds are reading out 10/500 and 10/800. I'm assuming that means 1/50 and 1/80? If shutter speed is that low then yes, the above pictures are possible with or without vr on.

Did you adjust the AF fine tuning of the lenses? Use a higher ISO, smaller aperture, and faster shutter speed. When using a D8x0 body, technique must be executed perfectly...meaning that huge sized sensor will pick up the slightest movement resulting in blur. Use VR when you can or a tripod.

Photo 1: Shooting wide open on any lens tends not to be the sharpest aperture. Stop down more.
Photo 2: Still would have used a smaller aperture than f/3.5. Those two signs don't look to be exactly side-by-side (one is slightly closer than the other) so a smaller aperture would have given you more DOF.

It is a typical thing with the D810, it shows everything. Also the things you do wrong.

Same impression with me, the shutter speed seems to be too low. It is possible to shoot that slow, but you really need to pay attention.
Second point is the fine tuning on the focus, might help as well.

You probably can use the pictures when not pixel peeping.
Try some shots where the camera is supported (improvised bean bag?) with mirror up and on timer and some high shutter speed (accept high ISO).
You should see a difference (maybe other noise, but different noise).

80th @ f2.8 iso 3600 @ 70mm for the first one sounds like night time,the second one is iso 100 cant understand why 2 stops ,more iso would have given you a decent shutter speed.

Were you by any chance using a CP filter for these shots? The shutter speed<iso<aperture combination tells me there either wasn't enough light or you were using a filter when the light was too low. Both shots show camera movement. This is how the more resolution on a sensor can be.
Don't forget that when you go to 100% magnification with a 36mp file, the print you would get is probably 5 or 6 feet large. And you would never never look at that sized picture from the distance you are from your computer screen when you look at the 100% mag.

It's called pixel peeping and can help you get better results, but it can also be discouraging as to why you spent so much money on a pro camera that is not used right.

Now for the shots, you could try giving them a bit of sharpening in post production and they probably could be used (not for billboards though). Just try to look at them on your HDTV from a reasonable distance and see how you feel about them.

But the main thing is be aware of the shutter speed limits when using a telephoto lens. Also read the VR lens instructions about giving the lens the time to set VR BEFORE going down further on the shutter.

Hope you can get the results you were hoping for eventually with your present gear.

The 70-200 lens is extremely sharp, even at 100% crop.

Easy things first. Not mentioned, but first thing is to verify and tell us that Auto Focus was in fact switched on. Both the camera and the lens have switches to disable it. You can verify that you actually see the lens (the distance scale) change when you focus on near or far things. I sometimes forget I turned AF off, which is always a surprise.

Another thing not mentioned, is to examine the focus pattern mode. If you let it select from 51 focus points, you have no clue on what or where it might focus. If you specify ONE single focus point, it focuses on where you place that one point. Both of these pictures want Single Point.

You only want 51 points to help follow very fast motion. IMO, for all else, subjects that are not moving fast, I surely want single point, so I can choose where it focuses.

The first thing you have to do with these cameras is to fine tune the lenses. It will make a difference so much of the time. Also when I moved to FX from shooting a DX I found that I really needed to shoot a faster shutter speed since these cameras have such a fine resolution that any slight movement shows up in the final photos. Go to twice the focal length with the shutter speed and see if it clears the problem up for you,

Nothing sharp and slow shutter speeds tell me this is subject blur. You needed faster shutter speeds.

thanks all for your suggestions.

I went through and rechecked all my settings and changed them for optimal performance, changed to my 24-70mm Nikkor, set the ISO for a fixed 400 for more light, double photographed for aperture and shutter speed extremes, used a tripod, ...

... same result. Mush.

900x1200 grabs from the originals of a Carving from 18 ft away:



With tripod and delayed shutter it is NOT shake ... with the change of lenses it is not the lens ... the EXIF data shows it isn't DoF related or shutter speed related.
I guess the next step would be to 'fine tune' the AF. I don't know how to do that, so its back to the user's manual for me!
If that doesn't cure it then off it goes back to Nikon for replacement.

The auto focus is engaged right? On the body and on the lens? I ask because you have removed shake.

Have you fine tuned the lenses yet? That is the first thing you need to do on every lens.

Have you fine tuned the lenses yet? That is the first thing you need to do on every lens.

Also a problem my wife was having was she was just pressing the shutter button down without giving it time to focus first on her D7000. She was always complaining about it not focusing. I would pick it up and get perfection every time. I finally watched her shoot and realized what she was doing. She is getting a little better with it now.

This is different from the point and shoot or bridge cameras you are used to shooting. Press half way and wait till it is in focus then finish pressing down. OF better yet switch to Back Button Focus.



Back Button Focus is a great tool for so many photographers and is something I think everyone should try at least once. Below are a few sites that talk about the how and why of Back Button Focus.

Benefits of Using the AF-ON Button for Autofocus by Nikon USA


BACK BUTTON FOCUSING – EASIER THAN YOU THINK! by Improve Photography


Here is a good YouTube video that goes over the why and how of Back Button Focusing.

You can do a search of the forum on "Back Button Focus" or BBF and see the many threads that have been created on this subject.

Try it, You will like it.

The auto focus is engaged right? On the body and on the lens? I ask because you have removed shake.

Click to expand...

yes and one focus point

Don Kuykendall said:

Have you fine tuned the lenses yet? That is the first thing you need to do on every lens.

Click to expand...

thanks Don, that's next on the list

lorenbrothers said:

thanks Don, that's next on the list

Click to expand...

When I got my D750 recently that was the FIRST thing I did even before I took the first photos. Had problems just like you are having now with the D7000 when I got it and was not happy with it at all. I tried everything until I learned about Fine Tuning my lenses. Fine tuning a lens is not something to rush through or just guess at either. there are a number of different ways to check it and do it but just make sure you take your time and follow the instructions.

By the way the standard distance for fine tuning a lens is 50 times the length of the lens. 50mm lens should be at 2500mm or 98.4 inches from the target. It can be a little off but try to get it at least that far.

thanks Don

lorenbrothers said:

thanks Don

Click to expand...

Lets hope its just a getting to know it thing,its like a first date sometimes we need the second one to enjoy it

@lorenbrothers

Are you shooting in JPG? And if so, have you adjusted the in-camera Sharpness setting in the Picture Control menu? If you are shooting JPG and you've not adjusted the Sharpness setting, you need to do that. I suggest increasing it to +7.

I'm not familiar, specifically, with the D810 menus but these directions should get you close:..


Try that and see where it gets you. I'm hoping the fix is just this simple...

I would suggest that you take the following steps to home in to the problem area

LENS AF
1. Set up the camera on a tripod
2. Use the following settings - Fixed ISO 100, Aperture priority - F2.8, AF-S, Single focus point, RAW, select centre focus point
3. Focus on an object about 20 feet away, using the centre focus point only
4. Take a shot
5 Repeat the shot with aperture at F4, F5.6, F6.3 and F8

Check the results on the computer. If the images at all the F stops are still fuzzy, then there is an AF problem. If the sharpness increases with F stop, the AF fine tune is indicated. To check for AF accuracy

1. Put a graduated scale (1 foot/30cm will do), on a table set against the wall. The scale top should rest against the wall and the bottom away so that it is inclined at approximately 45 degrees.
2. Set up the camera on tripod, level the camera so that it is horizontal. Raise/lower the tripod so that the centre of the scale is at the centre of the focus grid
3. Take a shop wide open - F2.8 in your case

Now check the sharpness of the scale on the computer. If the AF is spot on the centre graduation (where you focused) will be sharpest. If there is front/back focus then the sharpest graduation will below/above the centre. Use the camera AF fine tune to get the AF spot on. A few trial and error will be enough.

In case that does not help, then either the lens or the body is malfunctioning. If you have another AF lens use it and see if the problem persists. If not, then your the problem is with your lens. Otherwise it is CAMERA AF.