D40X and Nikkor AF-S Question

I9kon

I own a Nikon D40X and Nikkor lens AF-S (18-135mm). I use them to take pictures of the family's routine and trips we take. It is the best way to keep the grandparents, who live far away, part of their day-to-day development. The problem (or perception of a problem) I am having relates to the focus of this set. I used the camera under various conditions (daylight, flash light, tripod, etc.), and almost all the time under "P" or AUTO programs. The impression I have is that the focus is a tad off when I look at the results on a larger screen. I post-edit the images with the "Picture Perfect" and it always improve the sharpness to a point I would have been satisfied, had it first being like that.
Is this perception just the result of my unreasonable and demanding "quality control" for a cristal-clear photos or something justifiable. Is there a way to have the camera lens checked for focus accuracy without being ripped-off?

thedude

I also had the same initial impression when I started using the D60 (which shares many of the same settings/features). But I found a way to quickly improve the accuracy of focus by paying attention to two settings: "Focus mode" and "AF-area mode".

Which settings are you using?

The ones that give me the most consistent results is when I use:

> Focus mode: AF-S Single Servo AF
> AF-area: single point

What this essentially means is that the camera only focuses where you tell it to. I.e.: you select which focus point it should use, you point that at the subject you want in focus, you then press the shutter half-way, you recompose the shot (without letting go of the shutter) and then fully press the shutter to take the picture.

The difference (in a nutshell) is that the other options for these two menu settings make the camera "think for you". I.e.: it will use it's artificial intelligence to figure out where the focus should be (which may not always be where you want it).

In terms of what the other settings mean:

> AF-area: Closest subject = the camera will try to focus on what's closest to you (within the limits of it's focus-area range)
> AF-area: Dynamic area = you choose the focus area but the camera is prepared to follow a moving subject

> Focus mode: continuous servo = the camera does not lock focus when you press the shutter half-way. Instead it will start but will shift to follow a moving target.
> Focus mode: Auto-servo = the camera will decide whether the subject is static or moving and will either use singe-servo or continuous servo respectively.

Note: this will work in the "P" mode, but in the full (green) Auto mode you can only change the AF-area (the focus mode is limited to either auto-servo or manual focusing)

I hope this helps.

(P.S.: I'm not ruling out the possibility that your lens may have a front-, or back-focus issue which would need Nikon's service to realign the lens with your camera...but I - personally - have not come across this issue)

ziggy53

I9kon wrote:

I own a Nikon D40X and Nikkor lens AF-S (18-135mm). I use them to take pictures of the family's routine and trips we take. It is the best way to keep the grandparents, who live far away, part of their day-to-day development. The problem (or perception of a problem) I am having relates to the focus of this set. I used the camera under various conditions (daylight, flash light, tripod, etc.), and almost all the time under "P" or AUTO programs. The impression I have is that the focus is a tad off when I look at the results on a larger screen. I post-edit the images with the "Picture Perfect" and it always improve the sharpness to a point I would have been satisfied, had it first being like that.
Is this perception just the result of my unreasonable and demanding "quality control" for a cristal-clear photos or something justifiable. Is there a way to have the camera lens checked for focus accuracy without being ripped-off?

I9kon, welcome to the Digital Grin.

It would really help if you could post some links to original, unprocessed, images with EXIF demonstrating what you describe. There could be several issues at work here.