Advice for shooting without an anti-alias filter ?

Can any of those who have used the Nikon digital cameras without anti-aliasing filters share any advice that might help those of us having problems with them? (Me!!!)

I just can't seem to get over having issues with my D7100, and know that it's likely my techniques that are causing the problem... My photos with the camera seem consistently soft.

I've heard that having no anti-alias filter will expose your shortfalls, and in my experience, it seems to be absolutely true. My frustration level with this camera (D7100) is really getting to me!!! I'm really beginning to regret purchasing it!

WM

Soft can be caused by a lot of things.

Whats worrying you ?

Please post an example then perhaps people can help.

As Wornish suggested, plus do you shoot in RAW or JPG & how do you Post Process?

As far as I know I haven't got an AA filter in the D3300 and can't complain about soft images. Of course sharpness requires either adjusting the settings for JPEG or actively making it sharp when post processing Raw

The problem might be that people talk up the removal of the AA filter way too much, and expecting some magical super sharp pictures when they buy the D7100.
Yes I can tell that it is sharper then my D300 was, but not by a mile and a half.

I've linked these elsewhere when talking about sharpening.

The first is straight out of the cam, the second after sharpening in post (and exposure adjustment).





Is the one out of the cam soft? Yes, a bit but no RAW file is sharp as a knife. You have to do that.

What lens are you using

Whiskeyman said:

Can any of those who have used the Nikon digital cameras without anti-aliasing filters share any advice that might help those of us having problems with them? (Me!!!)

I just can't seem to get over having issues with my D7100, and know that it's likely my techniques that are causing the problem... My photos with the camera seem consistently soft.

I've heard that having no anti-alias filter will expose your shortfalls, and in my experience, it seems to be absolutely true. My frustration level with this camera (D7100) is really getting to me!!! I'm really beginning to regret purchasing it!

Click to expand...

I've been where you are and I had a similar experience. Here's what I've learned about shooting with my D7100:

1. Good glass is beyond essential; I can't stress this enough. And by "good" I mean really good.
2. Checking your glass for front/back focus is critical; maybe it's there, maybe it's not, but you need to find out and fix it if you find any.
3. Good post processing skills are essential to bring out the full potential.
4. You've heard about keeping the shutter speed at one-and-a-half, to two-times the focal length? Yeah, pay attention to that. I shoot at focal length x 2 as much as possible.
5. Use the Quiet Shutter release mode if you don't need continuous. Really. It makes a difference. It took me a while to adjust to using that setting but it's worth the effort IMO.

....

My wife and I have 7100s with no issue. The only thing I do for handheld is let auto ISO run at two times focal length for shutter speed.

A few other points.

1. If you've come from a lower mp camera don't view the 7100 at 100% and expect it to be as sharp, as you're viewing a much bigger image. Unless a tripod etc is used you won't achieve that. I have a D800 and it's even more obvious.

2. I AF fine tune all my lenses. I've never had one that's perfect without doing that.

3. Sharpening technique is important with raw files.

The 7100 is an extremely sharp camera. Yes good glass is nice but it won't be less sharp than another camera viewed at the same size (see point 1). With good glass attached I sometimes wonder why I have the D800, it's that good.

Take some controlled shots on a tripod. Try using viewfinder and liveview to take the picture. Liveview will focus perfectly and eliminate fine tune issues. You can then compare the two versions.

Good luck.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Thanks for the quick replies; there is good advice in them I'll try to exercise. I'd love to post the images, but the ones i'm having an issue are for limited posting and I can't post them here. I'll try to take some tomorrow and post them, if my schedule allows.

I've been shooting at high ISO due to low lighting conditions at the stadium, and was used to higher noise due to the low light. But yesterday, I was shooting the 7100 with a 70-200 2.8 VRII on a monopod, with the VR engaged. I had earlier fine tuned the focus, and the shutter speed was often 1/1600 to 1/2000 of a second, since we were in afternoon sun. (Tough lighting with the subjects facing me with the sun over their right shoulders at 3:30 PM. I post-processed in Lightroom and sharpened for display upon export.

I so hope that I'm doing something wrong and I don't have a bad camera or lens.

Thanks again!!

WM

WM

Whiskeyman said:

But yesterday, I was shooting the 7100 with a 70-200 2.8 VRII on a monopod, with the VR engaged. I had earlier fine tuned the focus, and the shutter speed was often 1/1600 to 1/2000 of a second, since we were in afternoon sun.

Click to expand...

I suggest you turn *off* the VR when using a stabilizer such as a mono-pod.

....

Whiskeyman said:

I post-processed in Lightroom and sharpened for display upon export.

Click to expand...

If you only use the sharpening option in export, that might not always be enough.

The lack of an AA filter should do the opposite of soften your images. That said, Geoff's and Horoscope Fish's posts are on the mark. I rarely use a monopod or tripod with my D7100, but the shutter speed recommendation and Quiet shutter mode are key with this camera. If you're shooting one frame at a time, and especially in low light, I cannot emphasize just how much a hard mirror slap can impact sharpness, and Quiet mode minimizes that to a very large extent.

High density sensors will smack you around for bad technique rather quickly - I know, I learned the hard way. Don't regret the purchase - take advantage of it. It's quite a camera and it gets as much use as my D610, and maybe even more given what I tend to shoot. Learn to give it a solid platform to shoot from and shoot away.

The D3300 also has no AA filter. So here is my experience
. 24MP DX requires extremely steady hands, and shake or wind and the image looks soft.
. Most lenses do not focus spot on, especially at close range, so you have to fine tune the AF (not possible in D3xxx). Once you do that the images become much sharper.
. When ever I need sharper images I use higher F stops - F8 to F11. That ensures minor focus errors are flattened out.
. In low light at close range, flash freezes action and images are much sharper.

Hi
Nice discussion, I have a Nikon camera I want to buy second hand lenses for that any one guide me what I do.

socameras1 said:

Hi
Nice discussion, I have a Nikon camera I want to buy second hand lenses for that any one guide me what I do.

Click to expand...

Welcome to the forum.

It's a good idea to create your own thread - that way more people get to see it & can help. Let people know which Nikon camera you have, which lenses you are interested in buying & which country you live in.