Front focusing issue on D600

My D600 consistently front focuses with both my Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 and Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses. Attached is an unedited photo (except for resizing) which was taken at 300mm using autofocus (single point AF-S), aperture f/5.6, shutter speed 1/400, ISO 400. The focus point was towards the far end of the body near the butterfly's head. It is even more apparent when using the Sigma with a wider aperture, but those photos are of students performing on stage which I won't post because of privacy issues.

I read another thread (in the D7000 forum I think) about back focusing, but the link for what to do doesn't work. Does someone have a recommended link on how to fine tune the focusing issues? I don't have this problem on my D90 so I feel a little technically challenged at the moment. Thanks for any help!

Google is your friend. There are literally hundreds of tutorials, and YouTube videos on using that camera's Focus Fine Tuning feature.

Basically you setup a test target to determine exactly how much front/back focus each of your lenses are producing. Then you use the Fine Tune menu to make adjustments for each lens.

Back and front focusing is fairly common and as long as it's not too far off, the Fine Tuning function works fairly well. If on the other hand you cannot achieve a sharp focus using FT you can send the camera body and lens to Nikon and they'll do a full adjustment for you.

The angle of the shot may be the issue. Shoot something level and perpendicular to you and see how sharp it is (I use a stop sign). You can also take a more scientific approach with the focus cards and set up the exact angle you need. Also long range shots on a small subject sometimes puts the entire subject in the focus box. You can check in the nikon software to make sure of what it focused on.

Rick M said:

The angle of the shot may be the issue. Shoot something level and perpendicular to you and see how sharp it is (I use a stop sign). You can also take a more scientific approach with the focus cards and set up the exact angle you need. Also long range shots on a small subject sometimes puts the entire subject in the focus box. You can check in the nikon software to make sure of what it focused on.

Click to expand...

I don't think it is just the angle of the shot. I notice it in many of my photos when using the D600 with three different telephoto lenses but not when I use the D90.

I know there are many videos available--just wondered if someone knew of one that explained how to make the adjustments in easy-to-understand terms. I've seen a couple that didn't explain autotuning well. Hopefully I'll have a chance this week to search for more videos. Thanks for the responses.

Below is a video that demos the SpyderLensCal... There are 2 components to adjusting the len's focus... One is the target and the other is the 45º angled plane... Focus on the target...and then read which direction the angled plane is going... The 0(zero) on the angled plane should be in focus... There is no correlation between the actual lines and numbers...they're just reference points... so if your camera is either front or back focusing, you just take a stab at the amount, add/subtract (depending on whether that lens is front or back focusing) and make an adjustment with your camera... I add/subtract 10 for a starter... Then repeat the test and take another shot... and see how much the focus point on the angled scale moved... make the necessary adjustment... Remember... the object of the exercise is to get the 0(zero) on the angled plane in sharp focus... Now, do you need a $70 calibration tool to do this? No... there are numerous focus targets on the web you can use... and by setting up a ruler as an inclined plane at 45º, you can achieve the same results... just be sure to setup the ruler so some arbitrary 0(zero) point is in the same plane as the focus target... and your camera and targets are perpendicular to each other...Datacolor SpyderLensCal - Autofocus calibration - YouTube

My setup for fine tune:

1. Sturdy tripod for the camera: this is important!
2. Yard stick laying on a table just barely propped up at the "far" end enough that you can see the markings through the camera.
3. A simple cardboard target with a lot of detail on it that is bent to sit upright and is fairly tall so that when it's sitting next to the yard stick on the table it sticks up above the stick and is perfectly perpendicular to the table. Use something like a cutout from a cereal box or something (I like thing like cereal boxes because they are printed with a process that uses millions of tiny dots which provide a lot of contrast to focus on and clearly show when they are out of focus.
4. Set the tripod up with the camera so that it's just above the table and pointing down the length of the yard stick and use the LCD electronic level built into the D600 to make sure the camera is perfectly level.
5. Set the camera to use only one focus point (I recommend using the middle focus point first, as that's the most important one to get right)
6. Put the cardboard target down right next to the yard stick facing the camera (make sure it is well beyond the minimum focusing distance of the lens, move the tripod back if you need to).
7. Look through the camera and put the target under the middle focus point.
8. Set the camera to have an exposure delay (you don't want vibration from you pressing the shutter release to throw off the results). Set custom function d10 to 3 seconds.
9. Put the camera in A (aperture priority) mode - and a low ISO (100 is good) - and the widest aperture your lens can do (that will show any imperfections more strongly)
10. Make sure you have autofocus turned on!
11. Push the shutter button halfway down and let it focus on the target.
12. Push it the rest of the way down and let the exposure timer start then stand back and wait for it
13. Review the photo and zoom into the yard stick right where the target was. The marking on the stick should be most clear right next to the target. A little in front of the target should also be in focus and a bit more behind (Depth of Field (DoF) is 1/3 in front of a target and 2/3s behind it... This is where the old adage comes from to focus 1/3 of the way into a landscape scene for maximum DoF)).

if the most in focus markings are well in "front" of the target (ie closer to the lens) then your system is front-focusing... If it's "behind" the target it's back-focusing.

14. Make adjustments (in AF Fine Tune) and reshoot until you think you have it right.

15. Switch to Live View mode. Use the joystick to put the focusing box on the target. Hold the shutter button halfway and let it focus completely on the target. Snap one off.

16. Compare your best "normally" focused shot against the Live View shot. If you've done your job the photos should be nearly identical.

Live View focusing gives you "perfect" focusing because it's done using e sensor and (as long as it got a good lock on the target) it can't be off. So if your regular focusing matches the Live View focusing you're good to go.

17. If you are using a zoom lens make sure to do this at both ends and in the middle and try to pick an AF Fine tune setting that optimizes all 3. If the lens is wildly different at the different zoom lengths then you'll likely need to send the camera and lens in to Nikon and have them adjust the system. It could be the lens but it might be the camera.

​Hope that helps!!!