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Archive 2016 · My D3s is missing focus with my 50mm 1.8

  
 
RSHPhotography
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · My D3s is missing focus with my 50mm 1.8


I can't figure this out. Everything is fine with my other lenses. I took at shot at 1/125 with f4.5 for a wedding portrait outside in decent light. Focus was on the eye. It missed. The next shot it nailed. Missed a series of shots and then nailed for a couple more.

I'm quite sure it's not camera shake. Model didn't move. The focus just did not hit. Any ideas before I get rid of the lens?



Aug 03, 2016 at 01:17 AM
some_film
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · My D3s is missing focus with my 50mm 1.8


Review the out of focus shots and verify the actual focus point in NX-D or with the plug-in for Lightroom.

Inspect the AF contacts of the camera and lens for debris.

Check your AF settings. It sounds like you should have been in AF-S single point. If you were in some other setting then possibly it's a settings issues: With AF-C 51 there could have been something attractive to the camera in the background, and the camera just responded to the input. If you were in something other than AF-S single, check your AF-ON setting and consider if you may have accidentally brushed AF-ON while shooting.

Do a simple test where you can control all the variables. Put the combo on a tripod, AF-S single point, and shoot a flat, high contrast, well-lit target.

RSHPhotography wrote:
I can't figure this out. Everything is fine with my other lenses. I took at shot at 1/125 with f4.5 for a wedding portrait outside in decent light. Focus was on the eye. It missed. The next shot it nailed. Missed a series of shots and then nailed for a couple more.

I'm quite sure it's not camera shake. Model didn't move. The focus just did not hit. Any ideas before I get rid of the lens?





Aug 03, 2016 at 06:37 AM
trenchmonkey
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · My D3s is missing focus with my 50mm 1.8


Replace the lens if you can't trust it.


Aug 03, 2016 at 07:13 AM
Conner999
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · My D3s is missing focus with my 50mm 1.8


Have had the same thing happen with an 85/1,4G on both a D3S and D800e. Will miss focus, on a perfect focus target consistently (back focus by random amounts). No amount of anything setting / AF adjustments l contact cleaning, etc., will fix it. First time it happened, it drove me nuts on a shoot until I switched to a backup lens.

Came from out of the blue after years of perfect performance. No damage, etc., nothing. Other lenses fine AND if you manual focus the lens by eye or using the dot indicator it's bang-on every time.

It's as if the AF motor or firmware in the lens is 'out of sync' (for lack of a better term) with instructions from the camera.

I have another great lenses in that FL, so I just use it in manual focus mode (which I prefer anyway) as can't be bothered going through a back / forth / "we can't replicate the issue", etc., repair process to repair the AF - at least yet.




Aug 03, 2016 at 07:19 AM
ckcarr
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · My D3s is missing focus with my 50mm 1.8


trenchmonkey wrote:
Replace the lens if you can't trust it.


Yeah. It's not like it's a $2,000 lens. I saw these on sale for $160 or so last week.




Aug 03, 2016 at 07:43 AM
RSHPhotography
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · My D3s is missing focus with my 50mm 1.8


This is single shot, right on the eye from a side view. If it misses, it should still get the other side of the face. But it looks like it front focused a bit as her chest area is in focus. I've seen this happen a few times.

On my D700 however with the 50 1.8G, the focus is spot on. Only on my D3s.



Aug 03, 2016 at 08:49 AM
CanadaMark
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · My D3s is missing focus with my 50mm 1.8


If you use it a lot, I would just buy another one for the D3S if you are consistently having this issue, and confirmed it consistently works on all other bodies with the issue isolated to the D3S. You can get them used for $120 so don't waste a lot of time worrying about it.

You also mention single shot - are you using AF-C? I would be using AF-C to counter any tiny movements by either myself or the model but at f4.5 it's probably not making much of a difference.



Aug 03, 2016 at 10:31 AM
RSHPhotography
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · My D3s is missing focus with my 50mm 1.8


CanadaMark wrote:
If you use it a lot, I would just buy another one for the D3S if you are consistently having this issue, and confirmed it consistently works on all other bodies with the issue isolated to the D3S. You can get them used for $120 so don't waste a lot of time worrying about it.

You also mention single shot - are you using AF-C? I would be using AF-C to counter any tiny movements by either myself or the model but at f4.5 it's probably not making much of a difference.


It was AF - Single shot. If I was shooting wide open, I'd understand. But a 50mm prime at 4.5 covers a lot of depth.

And I shoot with back button focus and use focus priority. In other words, camera should not take the picture if it cannot confirm focus.





Aug 03, 2016 at 10:46 AM





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