D7000 Aperture Help

Hi all,

New here, and I'm having trouble with my D7000 and 50mm f1.8 lens. I shoot primarily pictures of my kids and used to be able to get beautiful bokeh when shooting wide open. However, lately I can't get any. It's as if the entire photo is in focus or the little bit of depth of field I get is minimal. My kids also get ahold of my camera occasionally...... I cannot for the life of me figure out what setting got changed in the camera or what is happening that I can't get any depth of field anymore. I tried the lens on my old D40 and I get really nice depth of field so it is not the lens.

This is just a guess since I use strickly manual mode on my Nikon's! But maybe the kids changed the mode to shutter speed priority, or some other mode that leaves the aperture auto controlled.
That is what I would check first anyway!

That's a good guess. I'm shooting in Aperture Priority mode and it seems to make no difference in my photos whether I'm at f1.8 or 10. I only get slight blurring of the background at 1.8.

Could the aperture in the lens be sticking?

OH, never mind, I see you tried it on another camera and it worked. Hmmm!

Ok, are you shooting in raw, or jpg? When post processing what aperture does it say you shot in, when you set it at f1.8?

jpg and when I load them up in Lightroom it shows the correct aperture, 1.8, 2.2, etc. but no blurry background. I feel like I am missing something stupid.......

It would really help if you uploaded a photo showing us what the problem looks like. Be sure to include the EXIF data, Follow the directions below to upload the photo. Be sure to resize the photo to 1000px on the long side first.


Guidelines to adding a photo to your post.

1. Resize photo to 1000px on the long side.
2. Resolution set to 72ppi (Pixels Per Inch)

These guidelines will be good for viewing on a computer but will not be good for printing. This will help safeguard your copyright.

You might want to check your focus point. Is it set to a single point or to a group? You might be focusing on wide field instead of a single point.
I generally keep mine on a single point.

Cool! Don can help you better than I can! He is well versed in the workings of the D7000 if I remember right!

I think that is exactly what is happening - how do I change it to a single point? When I go into the menus, I have the option for 11 or 39 focus points. I stepped it down to 11 but there was no change in my photos for the same aperture setting. I'll try to get a couple photos uploaded later. Thanks!

I think you need to look for the AF area mode in the settings. Set that for single point!

I hope that works for ya! If not, ask Don after posting your photos!

FocusLaurie said:

I think that is exactly what is happening - how do I change it to a single point? When I go into the menus, I have the option for 11 or 39 focus points. I stepped it down to 11 but there was no change in my photos for the same aperture setting. I'll try to get a couple photos uploaded later. Thanks!

Click to expand...

Some of these may help you understand focus point settings

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=setting+single+focus+point+on+a+d7000

With the camera turned on look at the top screen. It should look something like this



Look at the area here that has a box with AUTO on the top and AF_ASC in the bottom and a bunch of dots and 3D in the middle

that is the area that shows what mode you are in. Now what we want to do it to change that so it jut shows 1 single dot with AF-S under it.

holding the camera in your hand on the left front side down by the lens there are a coupe of buttons. 1 is the one that removes the lens but right under it there is a button/switch marked AF / M that turns off the AF focus for the body. I leave mine in AF all the time. Now if you push the button in the middle of that you can change the AF modes

Push and hold it down. Now while holding it turn the Sub-command dial (the front one by the Shutter switch) This changes from single to auto, Make sure you get it to just 1 dot. the is the mode for single point focus. I live in that mode for everything with the exception of Bird in Flight and that is a little more difficult so you have to go to a different mode there, Now while still holding the button down (Front left below lens release) Turn the Main Command Dial (By your thumb) This will change the Af Mode from AF-C (continuous ) to AF-A (Auto) to AF-S (Single) Again AF-S is a good place to be for now for you.

Hope this helps.

Next we will get you into Back Button Focus. But just one thing at a time for now,

is the lens a “D” series?