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Archive 2017 · Testing the sharpness of my Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G on my D3200

  
 
newjerseysurf
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Testing the sharpness of my Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G on my D3200


hey all, awhile back i made a thread with some surf photos and the issue of sharpness reared its ugly head with this Nikkor 70-300 on my Nikon D3200.

i was told to get an idea if there is an issue with the lens or body, to buy a tripod and take a few photos.

i did just that. please see below. do you see any of the same clarity issues i was noticing when taking photos at the beach? to my untrained eye, this looks relatively sharp.

this is the AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED

photo 1 data:

210mm
ISO 200
1/160
f/11

photo 2 data:

210mm
ISO 200
1/640
f/5.3

thanks!





Edited on Oct 21, 2017 at 10:03 AM · View previous versions



Oct 21, 2017 at 08:55 AM
90 5.0
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Testing the sharpness of my Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G on my D3200


Several factors can affect sharpness, some being processing and or upload settings etc.
but generally when asking how it looks as opposed to what is presented it helps to know what settings the photo was shot at. Ie listing the iso,f stop etc.

I need a new hosting account since the photo bucket debacle, I could post some reference shots sooc from mine so you could compare sharpness.

Which version exactly is yours? Nikon has made a lot of 70-300’s.

But generally I would have expected on a tripod more “sharpness” from the shot you posted.




Oct 21, 2017 at 09:42 AM
newjerseysurf
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Testing the sharpness of my Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G on my D3200


90 5.0 wrote:
Several factors can affect sharpness, some being processing and or upload settings etc.
but generally when asking how it looks as opposed to what is presented it helps to know what settings the photo was shot at. Ie listing the iso,f stop etc.

I need a new hosting account since the photo bucket debacle, I could post some reference shots sooc from mine so you could compare sharpness.

Which version exactly is yours? Nikon has made a lot of 70-300’s.

But generally I would have expected on a tripod more “sharpness” from the shot you posted.



this is the AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED

photo 1 data:

210mm
ISO 200
1/160
f/11

photo 2 data:

210mm
ISO 200
1/640
f/5.3



Oct 21, 2017 at 10:02 AM
Berkyboy
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Testing the sharpness of my Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G on my D3200


By looking at the grass in the photos you've posted both of them are back focused.

Steve




Oct 21, 2017 at 10:09 AM
trenchmonkey
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Testing the sharpness of my Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G on my D3200


+1 and with no "fine tune" ability, I'd find another lens.



Oct 21, 2017 at 10:17 AM
newjerseysurf
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Testing the sharpness of my Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G on my D3200


Berkyboy wrote:
By looking at the grass in the photos you've posted both of them are back focused.

Steve



for the novice, what does this mean? did i do something wrong?

my focus point was on that bowl part of the bird bath.



Oct 21, 2017 at 10:19 AM
TooManyShots
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Testing the sharpness of my Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G on my D3200


Both are back focused. The lens has VR. You don't need to shoot it on a tripod. What can you do? Return the lens of course. Two, send the lens to Nikon to have it serviced under warranty.

There are ways to AF tune the D3200 but is not recommended...........because it would require realigning the AF module of your D3200. Two, the correction would apply to all your lenses. It may cause focusing issues with your other lenses....



Oct 21, 2017 at 10:35 AM
Vcook
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Testing the sharpness of my Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G on my D3200


trenchmonkey wrote:
+1 and with no "fine tune" ability, I'd find another lens.


could be the body, same test should be performed with other lenses.




Oct 21, 2017 at 10:41 AM
ckcarr
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Testing the sharpness of my Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G on my D3200


If you're testing a lens you DO want to use a tripod. You don't want the camera moving, you want single point center, AF-S, VR off and preferably using a timer delay of a few seconds. Especially with the 70-300mm since it doesn't have a lens mount and may be front heavy... And take a set of four or five shots at the 300mm length, not at 210mm or whatever.

VR only matters once you're dialed in with the lens and then begin actual photography. But for testing... no.

You also have a rather crappy target. You need more defined contrast.

However make sure that you have the camera focus settings correct.

I'm not sure but am guessing that you have the camera settings wrong as far as focus modes, since it looks like the D3200 will default to some kind of "easy operation" settings, which may then default to a location other than what you think your focusing on.






Oct 21, 2017 at 11:04 AM
newjerseysurf
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Testing the sharpness of my Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G on my D3200


Ok well I did have VR on and was on AF-C

What's a better subject with some more contrast?



Oct 21, 2017 at 11:16 AM
ckcarr
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Testing the sharpness of my Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G on my D3200


I don't know. A can or bottle of something from your kitchen or garage. Steve Perry used a jug of antifreeze so you could focus on the letters. Put it on top of the birdbath. Make sure there is writing facing you. Ideally, IMO you also want the camera on the lowest aperture which would be f/5.6 at 300mm with that lens.


Oct 21, 2017 at 11:35 AM
Berkyboy
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Testing the sharpness of my Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G on my D3200


newjerseysurf wrote:
for the novice, what does this mean? did i do something wrong?

my focus point was on that bowl part of the bird bath.




The easiest way to describe what is happening is your camera has two sensors, one is the focusing sensor, that is used to focus the lens before you take a picture, and the other is the image sensor, which records the image once you've pressed the shutter.

Both sensors are entirely separate from each other and in your case, at least as far as the two photos you've posted, are not in synchronization as far as focus is concerned.

Unfortunately in the cheaper consumer cameras there is no way to compensate for this where in the more expensive camera bodies you can "micro adjust" for this characteristic if it is a problem.

Please refer to the link below to see a better example on how most dslr's focus.

https://www.slrlounge.com/dslr-auto-focus-actually-work/

Steve



Oct 21, 2017 at 11:36 AM
newjerseysurf
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Testing the sharpness of my Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G on my D3200


ckcarr wrote:
I don't know. A can or bottle of something from your kitchen or garage. Steve Perry used a jug of antifreeze so you could focus on the letters. Put it on top of the birdbath. Make sure there is writing facing you. Ideally, IMO you also want the camera on the lowest aperture which would be f/5.6 at 300mm with that lens.





Oct 21, 2017 at 01:41 PM
Berkyboy
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Testing the sharpness of my Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G on my D3200


Set the paint can on the grass so we can evaluate where the camera's plane of focus is.


Oct 21, 2017 at 01:48 PM
newjerseysurf
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Testing the sharpness of my Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G on my D3200


Berkyboy wrote:
Set the paint can on the grass so we can evaluate where the camera's plane of focus is.





Oct 21, 2017 at 02:25 PM
Berkyboy
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Testing the sharpness of my Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G on my D3200


With the image you've posted it looks to me like you have a lens element that is "decentered" as the left side of the image seems to be front focusing and the right side seems to be back focusing.

This is something that is expensive to fix unless the lens is still under warranty or you can still return it. Otherwise follow trenchmonkey's advice and find a different lens.

Steve



Oct 21, 2017 at 09:16 PM
newjerseysurf
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Testing the sharpness of my Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G on my D3200


Berkyboy wrote:
With the image you've posted it looks to me like you have a lens element that is "decentered" as the left side of the image seems to be front focusing and the right side seems to be back focusing.

This is something that is expensive to fix unless the lens is still under warranty or you can still return it. Otherwise follow trenchmonkey's advice and find a different lens.

Steve


could it be user error, something i am doing wrong?



Oct 22, 2017 at 09:56 AM
ckcarr
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Testing the sharpness of my Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G on my D3200


could it be user error, something i am doing wrong?

Of course it could, and most likely is.

The lens, on the tripod, needs to be perfectly level when testing focus, and particularly front or back focusing. If you are shooting down toward the ground (which is what it looks like), or up, or sideways, or cockeyed - then the result means nothing. I wouldn't dismiss it, but I also would not worry too much about a decentered lens. That would be highly unusual with a basic, fairly bulletproof, 70-300mm VR lens.

What would be helpful is if you could use View NX-D and check your focus point, and also post a picture with all the exif data retained. You can download and then install the software here for free:

http://downloadcenter.nikonimglib.com/en/download/sw/108.html

You need to have the camera and lens level to whatever target your shooting. Set the lens at 300mm, VR off, single point AF-S in the center. Remote release or timed release. Put a few things in front and in back of the target your shooting to then see if they are in or out of focus rather than what your shooting.

There are tons of YouTube videos out there that will help guide you through this.



Oct 22, 2017 at 10:10 AM
sk66
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Testing the sharpness of my Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G on my D3200


newjerseysurf wrote:
could it be user error, something i am doing wrong?


No. But it could be something other than a de-centered element. It could be a loose lens mount (on lens or camera, check the screws) allowing the lens to tilt, or it could be a tilted sensor (which can be adjusted/calibrated).

If it's camera side, then a different lens isn't going to help...



Oct 22, 2017 at 12:30 PM
steve807
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Testing the sharpness of my Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G on my D3200


Hey, there's a guy on Nikonites with a very similar problem.


Oct 22, 2017 at 08:05 PM
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