Help me please

kdotaylor

Help!
I did an engagement session yesterday. A bunch of these turned out like this, with no spot in focus, and a blue shadow around her arm. ???
I was using a D7000 camera with a Nikon 50 mm 1.4 D lens. Settings were f/1.4 at 1/100 second with 100 ISO. I used one point focus, right on his left eye. What happened?

lifeinfocus

I organize and check out my images using Nikon's free ViewNX2 software. I turn on "Focus Point", so I can tell exactly the focus points on a single image.

Might want to try that to start.

Other than that I expect more experienced photogs will have better info. Good luck.

jonh68

I think your problem is slow shutterspeed. You have a very narrow depth of field at 1.4 to begin with AND a slow shutterspeed. Don't be afraid to bump up the ISO even outdoors. Just because the lens can go to 1.4 doesn't mean you have to use it. F2 and f2.8 can be used. For a full body shot like this where you are standing back and there isn't much benefit from using 1.4 with the type of background you have here. When shooting two people, a narrow 1.4 will usually have one of the subjects out of focus anyway because the DOF is so thin.

It looks like it was an overcast day so you also need to warm the WB up a bit.

zoomer

Try 2.8, iso 800. shutter speed at least 200.

Also that lens at 1.4 won't be sharp....bad recipe all the way around.
If you want to shoot at 1.4 try using continuous focus....but will with that lens won't be sharp.

...get em next time.

On these. Saturation take out the magenta tone...do a levels adustment...sharpen the crap out of them with unsharp mask....if just being used on the internet that will work.

Gary752

You should be able to save this if they were shot in RAW. One trick I learned from a Joel Grimes workshop on Creative Live, is when setting the Black & White points in Lightroom, to hold down the ALT key while moving the sliders. While holding down the ALT key with the Black slider, move it to the right until image is all white, then move it to the left until you just start to see some black specks. With the Whites slider it is the opposite. This should also work in ACR as well since it is the same RAW engine. From there I would follow all the suggestions posted earlier. Also, if using Lightroom, don't forget to scroll down to Lens Corrections and let it fix what it can.

GaryB

brianb

I would also do some tests and set the AF fine tune at the distance you would most use the lens, it might be front or back focusing. Agree with the others, for that type of shot, try at least f/2.8. That said, have you used the same lens before with better results? I have a D300 and same lens model and never saw it look quite like that even wide open. You might just have a poor copy.

Mitchell

Beating a dead horse, but two subjects at f1.4 is just asking for trouble. Best to stop down a bit. We've all been there.

michaelglenn

I don't think this is a DOF issue, nor shutter speed. When this shot was taken, were they stationary or moving? Also, did you recently drop your lens? I had a similar problem with my 35L last summer. My buddy dropped it at a wedding. When I used it, I didn't have a clear focal point. It turned out that they had to replace a part in the 35L responsible for AF. Ever since then, everything was tack sharp again. Try doing some test shots and see if you have trouble getting a tack sharp image.

kdotaylor

Thank you all ever so much...lots to think about and try. I appreciate all of your comments/suggestions!

Qarik

The blue outline is chromatic aberration (CA) which is likely due to the 1.4 aperture (lens perform better when stopped down a touch from maximum). from The poor focus maybe likely due to the very shallow DOF from 1.4 aperture as well. I wouldn't worry about the shutter speed too much unless you were shaking and the subjects were moving as well. In fact looking a the other shots from the same gallery, the CA is not so bad in the f/2.8 and 3.5 shots. The focus in other the f/1.4 shots look bad as well while the 2.8 and 3.5 shots look reasonable. So your lens is acting consistent..thought i would have expected the focus to be better overall.

kdotaylor

Qarik wrote: »

The blue outline is chromatic aberration (CA) which is likely due to the 1.4 aperture (lens perform better when stopped down a touch from maximum). from The poor focus maybe likely due to the very shallow DOF from 1.4 aperture as well. I wouldn't worry about the shutter speed too much unless you were shaking and the subjects were moving as well. In fact looking a the other shots from the same gallery, the CA is not so bad in the f/2.8 and 3.5 shots. The focus in other the f/1.4 shots look bad as well while the 2.8 and 3.5 shots look reasonable. So your lens is acting consistent..thought i would have expected the focus to be better overall.

Wow, thank you for taking a look at my other photos. I kept hearing what a great lens that is...I wished it had focused better throughout.

When I shoot their wedding in June, which is only the second wedding for me and which I'm quite nervous about, I will not use this lens!

Bryce Wilson

The 50mm 1.4 d is one of the sharpest lenses ever made by Nikon. It has a pretty fast focus too. If your copy is not damaged, the problems you are experiencing most likely has to do with the way it's being used and not the lens itself.

jonh68

kdotaylor wrote: »

Wow, thank you for taking a look at my other photos. I kept hearing what a great lens that is...I wished it had focused better throughout.

When I shoot their wedding in June, which is only the second wedding for me and which I'm quite nervous about, I will not use this lens!

Have you actually done any testing with the lens like on stationary objects? This is a great little lens. How many times have you actually used it? I wouldn't dismiss so easily based on this one session.

kdotaylor

Bryce Wilson wrote: »

The 50mm 1.4 d is one of the sharpest lenses ever made by Nikon. It has a pretty fast focus too. If your copy is not damaged, the problems you are experiencing most likely has to do with the way it's being used and not the lens itself.

I don't think it's damaged...how might I be using it wrong? Any tips for me?

Glort

Firstly, Stick the thing on a solid tripod and do some tests with the thing wide open and stopped down.
There is no way in hell any lens should be that far out just because it's wide open. The thing is either out of wack or it's movement.

Secondly, If the images still aren't sharp, put the thing in and have it serviced. Tell them the problem so they know what to test and fix.

Seems silly to say you aren't going to use a lens because you got some soft pics with the thing which you are still to determine the cause of. Even if it was the lens, have it serviced and you should have no worries.

zoomer

Bryce Wilson wrote: »

The 50mm 1.4 d is one of the sharpest lenses ever made by Nikon. It has a pretty fast focus too. If your copy is not damaged, the problems you are experiencing most likely has to do with the way it's being used and not the lens itself.

Not at 1.4 it isn't. But yes this is pretty obvious motion blur.