In addition to points already made and whilst I suspect it's not an issue, I pondered over the 125iso setting. As I've read comments in the past about getting better results (from some bodies) if sticking to multiples of the cam's base iso ... I wondered.

pp

I don't think so. I'm sure he just wonders why similar circumstance, different result. There's an explanation.

Exactly, he is learning what we have all had to learn at one time or another. When you get a result that you don't like, you ask questions..adjust..try again...and again..and again..
Back in the day you had to wait for your prints to get back from developing and then compare to your notes. Now that sucked .
Its what makes it fun for me, the adjustments, tweaking, cheating the process or equipment to get the result you want.
Gary

Originally Posted by EphTwoEight Heres a sample. Untouched, straight from camera. Yes they were under a big tent, so I tried the spot meter mode, slightly overexposed but... this is $6k worth of camera. I would expect this from my phone maybe.

That's not user error, unless you decided to lean forward by like three feet after confirming focus. Send it in for warranty calibration and service. Even dialing -20 on the focus calibration won't save this.

I have posted a handful of other times about how to check focus calibration, (without a ridiculous $200 device) ...and it is something I would HIGHLY recommend that you do right now.

Get your camera on a tripod, preferably with a cable release but a 2-second timer will do if your tripod is rock-solid. Focus on a very flat surface that fills your entire focus point, with lots of contrasty texture to focus on. (newspaper text works great) Crank your in-camera sharpening all the way up, shoot wide open, and go to town. The best way to do this is to compose the transition from foreground to background, so for example set your tripod to it's lowest setting, and put a cardboard box on grass / carpet about 10-20 feet from the camera, and compose so that the box is about three focus points wide in your frame, thus allowing you to see the carpet / grass transition fore/aft of the box. With your in-camera sharpness turned all the way up, precise focus will be VERY visible on any high-end lens. If you're too afraid to start dialing in focus calibration with such a low-budget, ghetto method, that's fine, you can simply use this process to test your camera and see if it needs to be sent in. But if you're a MacGyver and want to give it a shot, start dialing in +/- compensation (per-lens is better) in increments of ~5, and see if the images get better / worse. As I believe I mentioned elsewhere, a friend of mine had a D800 that needed -18 calibration, to focus correctly! (The max is +/-20, so it was right at the threshold of being un-calibratable!)


Good luck,
=Matt=

Originally Posted by EphTwoEight Well, I got the body, then cards, then got the 24-70, then later got the 70-200 then the grip, then the SB910, etc... Yes maybe 1/200 is slow, but other than her bow, thats all that was moving. Now I did get several that were 'in focus' and still had to sharpen them all. And they were acceptable, but I wouldnt want to blow them up very big. But its this that I get often enough to make this post. I dont remember my D300 letting me down, other than when using slow crappy DX lenses.

Trust me, I look at 10,000+ images per week for a living, and I know the difference between "user-error camera shake" and "camera not focusing properly" when I see it. 1/200 sec is fine, with good technique and/or VR. ISO 125 is fine, although I usually stick to 100/200/400 etc.

If you were in AF-S and you placed the focus point over the spot that is indeed highlighted red in the image, heck even if you were in AF-C or any other mode, ...the camera should have NAILED focus. And with the 70-200 VR mk2, it should have been flawlessly sharp.

Get it serviced, and rest assured this fancy new camera isn't THAT complicated that it can't handle a simple situation such as this.

Yeah, a high-end camera like this requires complete mastery of it's options and settings to perform optimally, in extremely challenging conditions such as erratic action or pitch-black low light, and NO, the camera does not magically do all the hard work for you just because it's expensive. However any camera should have been able to nail a shot like the one you posted. Again, unless one of you was swaying back and forth like crazy, you should have nailed it. Check your focus via the technique I mentioned, and then send it in for calibration.

=Matt=

Thanks Matt, for being a gentleman! Rather than a name calling presumptuous pretentious ^%$#!

I love the D800 and its features, I'm really unimpressed with the Nikon company right now. But I guess I have no right to mention it without being flamed.

I've been shooting film since the early 80's won sweepstakes on the local level and state, using a rented studio, and beautiful models. And that was before I had my drivers license. Also my dad had a darkroom in our house, plus ran the darkroom at my HS.

So, yes the camera and its features are new, mashing a button is not.

At first most images were fine, but now the camera is sloppy on the lens, and pics are rarely sharp. So, maybe could the heat or driving it around all day screw it up?

Nikon wont answer their phone, wont update the firmware, and cant ship their goods to dealers with any certainty or timely manner etc.

Originally Posted by Matthew Saville That's not user error, unless you decided to lean forward by like three feet after confirming focus. Send it in for warranty calibration and service. Even dialing -20 on the focus calibration won't save this. I have posted a handful of other times about how to check focus calibration, (without a ridiculous $200 device) ...and it is something I would HIGHLY recommend that you do right now. Get your camera on a tripod, preferably with a cable release but a 2-second timer will do if your tripod is rock-solid. Focus on a very flat surface that fills your entire focus point, with lots of contrasty texture to focus on. (newspaper text works great) Crank your in-camera sharpening all the way up, shoot wide open, and go to town. The best way to do this is to compose the transition from foreground to background, so for example set your tripod to it's lowest setting, and put a cardboard box on grass / carpet about 10-20 feet from the camera, and compose so that the box is about three focus points wide in your frame, thus allowing you to see the carpet / grass transition fore/aft of the box. With your in-camera sharpness turned all the way up, precise focus will be VERY visible on any high-end lens. If you're too afraid to start dialing in focus calibration with such a low-budget, ghetto method, that's fine, you can simply use this process to test your camera and see if it needs to be sent in. But if you're a MacGyver and want to give it a shot, start dialing in +/- compensation (per-lens is better) in increments of ~5, and see if the images get better / worse. As I believe I mentioned elsewhere, a friend of mine had a D800 that needed -18 calibration, to focus correctly! (The max is +/-20, so it was right at the threshold of being un-calibratable!) Good luck, =Matt=

Thanks will try these things when I get some time!

Originally Posted by EphTwoEight Thanks Matt, for being a gentleman! Rather than a name calling presumptuous pretentious ^%$#!

I apologize for being judgmental..
Many options have been posted with supporting explanations with no sense of heeding from your end, rather finger pointing.

I doubt heat is causing any problems with your camera, as I often leave my d800 in the trunk of my car sitting under the hot GA sun for lengthy periods.

I recommend what has been suggested thus far... I suppose you can try testing it yourself before sending it in for repair.

1) Go mount your camera on a tripod and let us know how a still object looks.
2) Post a couple pics.

Cool, thanks man.

I will try those things soon. Have another game tonight and one Friday night.

So, my gripes are;

Very poor luck with commander mode with either the SB800 or 910. (never noticed this with D300)

Wobbly lens = feels cheap, but costs a months wages.

Now more often than not, very soft images.

Think of all the things $7k can buy. Entire motorcycle, daughter bought a nice 02 BMW for that, all kinds of shop machine equipment for my business, just bought a 34' telehandler 20,000 pound diesel forklift that works perfect for the same amount, etc.

?

EphTwoEight,

Can you help me out here?

As I understand it you bought a high end fairly expensive camera and lenses from Nikon who you openly refer to as "awful". Why didn't you buy from Canon if you "know" how "awful" Nikon is?

Over a month ago you asked for help with regard to your gear and soft images. You have received great advice from very knowledgeable people like Mat and Ziggy.

In summary the advice is to test the focus under controlled conditions on a tripod and if micro adjusting didn't solve the issue send it back to Nikon for warranty repair.

The response to date has been..............well.......ah.............maybe when I gets time.

You claim you can't be without your camera and use it every day, but don't have a backup.

You seem to be more inclined to continue to use a camera producing sub par images than solving the issue.

This is so basic and simple I am stumped.

TEST THE AUTO FOCUS, IF BAD, MICRO ADJUST. IF STILL BAD, RETURN IT TO NIKON.

BEG, BORROW, RENT, OR BUY A BACKUP TO USE WHILE YOURS IS BEING REPAIRED.

Sam

The sloppy lens mount could be an issue. You probably just need to suck it up and send it in. My D3s shutter went bad last year. The camera was still under warranty and Nikon had it back to me in about 2 weeks.

You shouldn't be able to beat up your camera from heat or driving around. My cameras get dirt sprayed on them, knocked around and dropped in the snow. None of my lenses are loose on the mounts. I do not shoot every day. But most weekends I am shooting 1000s of frames at some event. Usually crawling around on the ground. Send it in. Nikon service, at least in CA where mine went was great.

Yes, I should. Still need todo the things Matt suggested, then I'll take that route. Shot a couple FB games this week, and some were ok, and focused, and others, completely off, not like when the focus point is hitting something in the foreground or background, just way off.

Originally Posted by EphTwoEight Yes, I should. Still need todo the things Matt suggested, then I'll take that route. Shot a couple FB games this week, and some were ok, and focused, and others, completely off, not like when the focus point is hitting something in the foreground or background, just way off.

You're welcome to try the AF calibration I mentioned, however unfortunately I'm going to be that your camera is past +/- 20 on the scale in which case you won't be able to fully correct the problem yourself.

=Matt=

Ok, with my el'cheapo 50mm 1.8 I got some pretty sharp pics. And its really tight on the camera.

Maybe you just have a bad lens mount. That el cheapo 50mm is a really good lens anyway. Amazing the shots that come out of a $125 lens huh. I think everyone that owns a nikon should have one just because it is good practice to shoot with it. On another note that thing is a screw drive. Maybe you have issues with the electronics of the AF too? Try another AFS lens.

Here is a 100% crop from the cheapie 50 @ 1.8.



I got my 24-70 2.8 back from my daughter, and so far its very sharp.

So maybe its just the 70-200. But when I read about so many others complaining about the left side focus problem and even a center spot problem too. Maybe mine is plagued with that?

Originally Posted by EphTwoEight ... Maybe mine is plagued with that?

With your camera set to one-shot mode and single point center AF:

1) Basic AF accuracy is best accomplished using a flat target, i.e. a brick wall or other large textured surface. If a camera/lens cannot accomplish this task, it has no chance of passing any subsequent AF tests including real world use. Make sure that the target is at the typical distance for your normal use of the lens, meaning that a long focal length lens that you would normally use for wildlife at a distance should be tested at that same distance for AF accuracy. Always test a lens at least twice Minimum-Focus-Distance (MFD). Lenses rarely do their best at MFD (the exception being true "macro" lenses.)

If a lens shows consistent front or back focusing with the wall test, then use micro-focus adjust technique until you get consistent accuracy. If the particular camera body does not have a micro-focus option, it should be serviced, or the lens should be serviced. If you have consistent results with all lenses then send in the camera. If the problem only exists with a particular lens, it's the lens that needs service.

If the lens passes the wall test, proceed to the next test. If the lens fails the wall test and you cannot gain accurate AF with micro-adjust, send the lens back to where it came from or explore camera issues.

2) A fence line or similar, shot at an angle to the subject. Put a singular strong-contrast target on the top of the middle post and use a single focus point in the camera to focus against the target. This shows focus accuracy and/or how easily distracting for/aft objects influence AF accuracy (compared to the above wall shot). It also shows bokeh tendencies at different aperture settings.

3) A focus target/chart like in the following:

http://regex.info/blog/photo-tech/focus-chart

I do recommend testing these charts at twice minimum focus distance or greater. Most lenses, especially most zoom lenses, do not do their best at MFD. True macro lenses are the major exception.

4) A US stop sign, or similar very high contrast signage, both centered and off center and to the side and/or corner. This can show chromatic errors and off-axis errors.

5) Now just shoot "typical" subjects for your use of the lens(es). It's important that the lens perform correctly for your intended uses.

I'll throw in my two cents worth.

It the problem is intermittent, the focus calibration probably isn't going to fix it.

If a different lens is working, and this other lens is always the one to give you problems, it's not the camera, it's the lens.

See if you can find someone else in your area that has a Nikon and try that lens on their camera, or maybe try it on a camera in a store.

It seems like it should be the lens at fault.


One question, do you have a filter on the 70-200?

If so, take it off and give it a try.

Thanks Ziggy, I will look further into those those when I get home.

And yes, I removed the UV filter.

My Daughter has a D5100, I could try it on that camera, but no one I know with a FX camera.