Do Nikon do a good job correcting D7000 focus error?

<p>I have acquired a D7000 as part of a deal and just as with the one I owned back in 2013 this one struggles to get the subject in focus. With the 50mm f1.8 AF -20 is not enough, with the 50mm f1.4 AF-S -20 is just about there. Other lenses are similar. I am sure that it is a matter of adjusting the camera but how successful are the fixes? I don't want to waste Monet only to have it come back worse or with different faults. So, anyone send their camera in for service for this issue? Was the fix as you hoped or a waste of money?</p>

<p>Its a lovely camera so want to do the right thing.</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

<p>Can't you take it back and have the seller take care of the issue?</p>

<p>Ian, what are the light conditions? I mean is it day light, or inside very dark interior? At what ISO are you shooting? Make sure that you AF-assist light is ON.</p>

 

<p>Shooting conditions are bright indoors. I was doing a large multi-sitter portrait session with the 50mm f1.8 at f4 and at the completion all the eyes were out of focus. I then set up at home with a brightly lit test target and the camera repeatedly was out of focus when using the AF (but not when using live view). -20 was not enough - the range needs to be at least to -40.<br>

The camera was bought from a friend so asking for a refund would strain the friendship. People REALLY don't like giving refunds.</p>

<p>Ian, to eliminate all variables try to take a couple of pictures using manual focus through viewfinder. Just to make sure that camera doesn't pick a random focus point. How many AF points do you have selected? Try to shoot using just one AF point and recompose. Is this how you did it?<br>

Regards and good luck.</p>

 

<p>If it's like on the D300, and it probably is, this is a mechanical adjustment issue, and the adjustment is extremely simple if you know how to do it. There are two adjustments that do similar but different things: the first changes the focusing relationship between the film and the groundglass by changing the angle of the mirror, how low or high the mirror stop lets the mirror drop by moving the stop the mirror falls against. This is done when the manual focus is off.</p>

<p>When manual focus is on but auto focus is off, the problem is a similar adjustment for the little mirror under the main mirror, on its back, that reflects the focusing image to the focus mechanism. This also has a stop that's adjusted until the autofocus corresponds with the film and GG focus.</p>

<p>There's quite a bit on the web about this, and a lot of argument, so I'll just let you do your own research:<br>

https://www.google.com/search?q=adjusting+nikon+autofocus+mirror&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8</p>

<p>+1 to what Michael just said with a couple of caveats.<br>

Firstly, of course, manual focus refers to focusing using the 'ground' glass not the electronic manual aid since that uses the AF system.<br>

Secondly, by adjusting the mirror it should be possible to get the centre focus point working OK but that does not ensure that the outer focus points are OK. Thom Hogan writes that there are lookup tables within the camera that ensure that the outer focus points work OK. This is presumably necessary since there is no easy way to ensure that the AF sensor is (optically) parallel to the image sensor and the tables correct for this though there is no way for a user to modify them. This means, therefore, that it might be possible to get the centre focus point correct but that the others will be wrong. It was apparently errors in the tables which resulted in the focus issues on some of the D800s.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>I tested a refurbished new-looking D7000 and guess what, it focused badly. Worse than thrashed ones.<br>

Maybe your friend isn't such a 'friend' and passed you a camera that tantalisingly costs almost as much to repair as buy a used replacement of.</p>

<p>I have had a service quote of £59 through Jessops. I am in two minds seeing how cheap D7000's are now - if I sold what I have and added the £59 for the service I would only be out of pocket about £75 - for a new camera. I think that's the way to go. I can't see the service agent messing with all the alignment points for all the focus areas...</p>

I have just picked up the camera from

Jessops. They sent it to Nikon for a full

service with particular emphasis on the AF.

Well I am very pleased with the performance

now and AF is accurate and so the work

done was worthwhile.