Unsharp images, what am I doing wrong?

<p>In October, I bought a Nikon 24-70 f2.8 and I have been having major issues with getting sharp images with it. I didn't think the problem was with the lens at first, my first thought was camera shake, even though I almost always use this lens in a studio, at 1/250. So, I started using a tripod all the time. I thought maybe it was still an issue with the camera moving, so I tried using a remote to trigger it. Same problem. I ended up replacing the D300 I originally had with a D7100, but the problem still existed. So finally I sent the lens back to Nikon to have it fixed. It was under warranty, so they never really said if they found a problem, just said they made some adjustments, calibrated and cleaned it. Well, yesterday I did the first shoot since getting it back, and... same problem. I want to point out that I also have a NIkon 70-200 f2.8 and I get perfectly sharp photos with it, but I use that lens outdoors. So the only real difference is that with the 70-200, I'm shooting in natural light most of the time while with the 24 70 I'm using strobes (Einstein or White Lightning strobes).<br>

I cannot figure this out. The image I've attached to this is a 100% crop of a typical image. Virtually every shot I took yesterday has this same issue. It LOOKS like the camera is moving, but I don't see how. It's mounted on a Vanguard tripod, I'm positive that the focus point in the camera was directly on her face, this particular shot was taken at 1/250 at f4 but I've had the same problem at f5.6, f8 etc. </p>

<p>Any ideas? I don't know what else to do, I cannot figure out why this is happening.<img src="http://www.joemig.com/img/s7/v159/p91221019-4.jpg" alt="" /></p>

I suspect you need to set the camera's AF micro-adjustment value for that individual lens on that specific cameras to

something other than zero.

Hod you see the issue when you shoot using the live view mode?

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<p>I want to point out that I also have a NIkon 70-200 f2.8 and I get perfectly sharp photos with it, but I use that lens outdoors. So the only real difference is that with the 70-200, I'm shooting in natural light most of the time while with the 24 70 I'm using strobes</p>

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<p>Have you tried shooting the 24-70 outside in exactly the same conditions as your 70-200? If so, how are those results; if not you should try that as well--preferably using no flash. What shooting mode is your camera in when you are using the flash? How are the strobes triggered?</p>

<p>Question 1: Where did you focus? On this woman's face, or on something else? And did you recompose the shot after you focused?</p>

<p>Question 2: Is your camera set to AF-S or AF-C? If you're in AF-C (Continuous auto focus), you might have focused on the woman, then moved, and the camera focused on something else, such as the window frame or the background.</p>

<p>I'll wait for your answers before commenting further, but it looks to me like a focus problem rather than a camera movement problem.</p>

<p>It's on Single-point auto focus and I used the closest focus point on her face (or her eye if I was close enough) and recomposed slightly if needed, but the focus lock was on her face. While I can see possibly somehow losing focus after setting it once in a while, this problem is on virtually every single shot. It does often seem as though it's focusing on something behind her though, that's one of the things I said to Nikon when I sent the lens back for repair. What they did about it, I have no idea. I have double checked the mode to make sure I didn't somehow put it into continuous, etc.<br>

It was thinking there might be a focus problem with the camera itself that was one of the main reasons for switching from the D300 to the D7100, but the problem remains.<br>

While using the flash, camera is in manual mode, at 1/250, different apertures depending on subject, but the problem exists regardless of aperture. I'm triggering the lights with a Paul Buff cyber commander remote trigger.<br>

I have NOT tried using it outside, I suppose that's something I need to do as well. In a way, it does almost look like a kind of double exposure, but I can't imagine the flash is somehow going off twice that quickly.</p>

For me it looks like shake

<p>The look reminds me the VR background bokeh on the 70-200VRII.<br>

You should check the lens at the right shutter speed, without flash. It will tell you if the lens is right or not.</p>

<p>Looks like you need to AF Fine Tune the lens, because the actual focus appears to be behind the model’s head. Also there is noticeable evidence of vertical camera movement, so you need to increase shutter speed (and possibly ISO speed), or use a tripod or monopod, to reduce camera shake. Alternatively, check on your handholding technique to see if it can be improved. See http://vesnakozelj.com/photography/support-camera-with-hands for tips on proper handholding stance and arm position for maximum stability.</p>

<p>As I mentioned above, this was shot on a tripod using a remote. If there is camera movement, I don't know what's causing it. It's a good tripod, it's solidly mounted. I do agree that it seems to be focusing behind the model, this is what I told Nikon before I sent the lens back. I will have to try to fine tune, but it seems like it's further out of whack than that would correct.</p>

<p>With the camera mounted on a tripod, how are you tripping the shutter? Cable release, self-timer, depressing the shutter release by hand?</p>

<p>AF fine tune!? If that blur is entirely due to a focus error it's a <strong>mile</strong> out! There's no way that AF fine-tuning will compensate for that amount of focus blur. Try magnified Live View focusing, make a note of where the focus scale is, and then go out of Live View and see where the camera's AF takes the focus to unaided. If the Live View image is no better, or if there's a focus discrepancy then I think it might be time to return the lens from whence it came for <em>replacement</em>, not a simple adjustment.</p>

There is clearly vertical shake, just look at the doubled upper edge of the

lips. That needs to be fixed before you can deal with any focus issues.

<p>Joe - I have the same camera\lens setup as you. I mounted the combination on a 40 year old tripod in portrait position and had to hold the lens as I manually fired to eliminate the shake. The results where tack sharp. You might try shooting in Live View mode and see if that makes a difference. The camera is way out of balance with this lens when mounted on a tripod and it does not take much to cause movement.</p>

<p>+1 Stefan </p>

<p>Just look at the 'nose ring' or the eye catch-light. that's about 15 pix up-down shift.</p>

<p>Somethings way hinky.</p>

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<p> It's mounted on a Vanguard tripod</p>

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<p>Which Vanguard tripod ? , Which head ? on what kind of floor ?</p>

<p>i may be mistaking, but to me it looks like :<br>

- either the camera moves because the tripod may be to light for the camera - lens setup,<br>

- or the balhead does not proprly lock / is properly locked ( on friction only ?) <br>

- or mayb the tripod is not based on a solid floor.. ( carpet..).<br>

this is not a light lens </p>

<p>I'd agree that it certainly looks like camera shake at first glance because of the double image, but we've been here before. A previous post a couple of years ago showed a similar effect, which turned out to be a severe lens fault. In fact you can get a similar double-image result from any lens by partly obscuring the subject with a branch or other thin object across the lens. Although I'm not suggesting that that's what's happened here. There's also quite a bit of purple fringing around the eyelashes and iris of the eye; I wouldn't expect to see that in an in-focus image normally, and camera movement would tend to further obscure it.</p>

<p>The shutter speed was 1/250th according to the OP, so it'd take some camera movement to produce that amount of blur - even on the flimsiest of tripods. My money is on a lens fault, despite Nikon's agents' declaration that the lens has been "adjusted" to specification. I doubt that their adjustment procedure runs to completely realigning decentred elements or replacing faulty ones.</p>

<p>Sorry double post for some reason.</p>

<p>Have you tried switching lenses on the same tripod with the same setup?. Process of elimination.</p>

<p>I agree with Rodeo Joe. Even in my shaky hands a strobe shot @ 1/250 sec would not be blurry. Send it back to Nikon with a sample image and ask for a replacement lens.</p>

<p>If you would like to test a lens, I would shoot some static objects rather than a person, as the person could move regardless of how sturdy your tripod may be.</p>

<p>This could well be a lens optics issue. I have had similar issues with a couple of refurbished Nikon lenses that produce problems like motion blur. I am sure that the OP has captured a lot of sample test images, but if you ask me, I would like to see a few more samples to be certain.</p>

<p>I would expect Nikon repair to pick up such issues the first time around.</p>

To test autofocus accuracy, choose a non-moving subject (not a person). Take one shot with normal autofocus. Take a second in live up

view, which uses a different type of autofocus.

 

If the live view shot is sharper than the first shot, you have a focus problem. If neither a sharp, you have a vibration problem, possibly due

to mirror slap.

<p>Just to answer some of the questions posed above. The tripod is an Vanguard Alta Pro 263AT and the ballhead is a Vanguard SBH-250. I use this same tripod with the same camera body with a Nikon 70-200 VRII, which is a much heavier lens and have no issues with it. As for triggering it, when I was still using the D300, I had an electronic cable release, with the D7100, I've tried using an optical remote. I realize that it looks like motion blur, but I swear to you, the camera is as solidly mounted as I can make it, and the problem occurs regularly whether I push the shutter by hand or use a remote. <br>

A few things I have not tried, but will try in the future are using the live view focus,and using the lens without the flash. Is it at all possible that the flash could be somehow at fault? I know it seems unlikely, but is there some chance the flash is being triggered twice in very close succession? I can't see how that's possible, but at this point I'm running out of options. If I do send the lens back to Nikon again, how do I get them to fix or replace the damn thing? I sent test photos with it the last time along with a detailed description of the problem, but I can't really tell if they did anything.</p>

<p>Looks to me like you are too close to your subject</p>

<p>Interesting problem...I'm curious to see if you can repeat it outdoors at higher shutter speeds.<br>

I'm seeing directional displacement of pixels vs 'circles of confusion' ie blurriness. I see this when I try to a hand-held macro shot at too slow a shutter speed--camera motion during the release.</p>

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<p>If I do send the lens back to Nikon again, how do I get them to fix or replace the damn thing? I sent test photos with it the last time along with a detailed description of the problem, but I can't really tell if they did anything.</p>

 

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<p>Before sending it back to Nikon, please do a few more tests. For example, try a still subject @1/125s or higher; try shooting in daylight without flash; try both auto-focus and manual focus, etc. - Just to be sure that it is totally the lens' fault and not a user error or other-equipment error. </p>

<p>Please let us know how you make out.</p>