I read your previous post where you set the focus on the 200-400mm for a back focusing problem. I don't believe that is your problem as the Owl is showing too much detail far in front of it, meaning you are now front focusing, however there is some motion blur in the overall scene.
Many things can contribute to obtaining a good sharp picture, from shutter speed to shooting style and post processing.
If you want, supply more info on how these were taken and the people around here probably would be willing to help out or if you want to, you can pm me and I would be glad to work with you the best that I can across the internet.
I am not trying to be critical, just trying to extend a helping hand.
Thank you for the info.
The owl shot was taken with no calibration..................
the chickadee with -7 calibration
I can email you some shots of the lensalign unit with various settings for lens calibration. This lens has been horrible since it came out the box--it is a replacement for one that got damaged and that lens was superb.
Both of these shots were taken with lens on Gitzo 3541 XLS tripod, Wimberley II head with arm adjusted per instructions (45 degree swing each direction will hold without the swing arm tightened.)
The swing arm and pan functions were locked tight on the wimberley, the shots were shot in mirror up mode with cable release.
I do not like shooting a longer telephoto without having one hand on the lens and one on the camera body, mirror lockup or not. You body is a natural vibration damping tool, well some bodies (like mine) have more dampening mass than others.
Where you using spot focusing? If you were using spot focusing, at what point were you focusing on? What ISO and shutter speed were these shot at? I do not have one of those exif readers. What sharpening level did you use? Were these post processed using something other than NX2?
I do not believe in trying to re-invent the wheel. His discussion really covers the bases well. You may have read this but, just in case you have not here is the link to Moose Peterson writeup. It's just past half way down the page.
I know that you locked down you wimberly and used mirror lockup with cable release but, this will introduce vibration from just the shutter opening and closing. Good sharp pictures are all about removing any motion within a system. The way you described your setup 1/125 sec shutter speed is just too slow, now had you been holding on to it, it would have been fine. Don't be afraid to open your aperture up on the 200-400, they are sharp even at f4.
the owls a neat shot Jim, the dees are always good subjects, you have already been give advise on the SS, heres a little tip that might help you.
When you have a bird such as in shot #1 if the bird is parrallel to you. You can drop the f stop down to f5.6 you will get all the bird in focus becuase he is parrallel to the focal plane and you can gain some much needed SS. If the bird was facing you or away from you then f9 might be more approiate, it depends how far away the bird is from you. the closer the bird the more DOF you will need. (higher f/stop)
read GSteele's comment - - VR off on a tripod & your shutter speed should be approximately 1/800s - but I'd bump it to 1/1000s with the Chickadee. Little birds move fast - your shutter needs to be as well. And I think you can shoot that lens wide open.
May I ask - - are you in Aperture Mode or Program mode? You should either be in Aperture or Shutter - - or if you know how - Manual.
Thanks--I will do that. I usually shoot aperture mode, but occasionally shoot manual when I need to control the situation like moving animal or bird with changing background. (yep-I know how-been using SLR cameras for wildlife since the early 70's)
Guess I have gotten overconfident with the VR. I have lots of very crisp elk and moose pictures with my previous 200-400-but they do not move around like a little chickadee
I am going to practice more this weekend using the "Long Lens Technique" and not be so cautious about wide open aperture and higher ISO. Lens is going back to Nikon next week based on the calibration shots I took with the lensalign.
Thanks-I will let you folks know how all this works out for me. I appreciate the openness and help.
Hi Jim,
Before returning the lens back remember that is the combination of the lens and the D300 that produce the pictures. Make sure that you get sharp pictures with the D300 and other lenses of comparable focal length before sending the lens back. My D300 is consistently off by -7 units. However, by fine AF tunning I manage to get very sharp pictures with all my lenses. Therefore I have not felt compelled to return the D300 for recalibration.
By the way, you do not need the "lens alignpro" to calibrate the camera-lens combo. Just vary the auto fine tune from -20 to +20 and shoot at a target on a wall that is parallel to you camera sensor. Look at the pictures with PS at "actual pixel" magnification. Choose the setting that gives the sharpest image on the screen. Hope this helps.
Saba
Dear Jim,
My sincerest apologies. I had not realized that you had already AF fine tuned the lens with two different camera bodies. I guess the lens probably needs expert Nikon attention and maybe calibration. It would be nice if they gave you a brand-new one
Saba
Thanks, It is good to hear I am not the only one that has had to do a calibration for a Nikon!
My 70-200 works great on both D300 bodies with no af fine tuning. What is bothersome about this lens is that the af fine tuning is non-linear. Different tune for different distances
Jim
You are absolutely right! For a zoom lens the fine tuning should be nonlinear. You probably have to select a most commonly used focal length and calibrate for that. Hopefully when it comes back from Nikon everything will be OK!
