finicky lens?

[r._bond]

<p>

<p>I am having some focus issues, and I don't know if it is my lens or my camera. I have a D90 and the two main lenses I use are my Tamron 17-50 2.8 and my Nikon 50 1.4. I have tried using all of the different autofocus methods, and I still have the same results. I choose my focus point and focus on my subject, and it seems I never get consistent results. The focus is always off! I went to a photography workshop a few weeks ago, and gave my camera to the instructor to see what she thought, and she said it was "finicky" and I should send in the lens to Nikon to look at. But it seems this happens with the Tamron lens too, so is it possible for something to be wrong with the camera to throw off the autofocus? Obviously, I am no expert since I don't know the answer to that question, so any thoughts/suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you.</p>

</p>

[Matt Laur]

<p>I will help if you mention the sort of subject matter, working distances, and lens apertures involved. Also, of course, the actual AF mode you're using. AF-C? AF-S? Are you doing focus, lock, re-compose, or are you trying continual tracking? There can be a lot of factors involved here, sometimes having nothing to do with misbehaving equipment. <br /><br />Have you tried basic focus tests, from a tripod, on static subjects, to establish a simple baseline?</p>

[Peter_in_PA]

<p>have you tried an all-reset?</p>

[wade_thompson]

<p>Peter is right, when all else fails look in the manual and do a reset back to factory settings... then, if it doesn't autofocus we can maybe help.</p>

[r._bond]

<p>Matt- It is with any subject matter. Last night, when I really started to get frustrated, it was when I was photographing my dogs (I realized though it could be their movement, so I started photographing stationary subjects as well). At that time I had on my 17-50 and was doing some up close shooting and then decided to get further to test the camera as well. Again, I had opened up the aperture to 2.8 and then expiremented with other (3.5, 4.5, 5.6, etc). I usually keep the AF Mode on AF-A. I was just choosing a focus point out of the 11 - I wasn't recomposing. I have not done basic focus tests - but from what I could tell yesterday, It seemed like the focus was towards the bottom left of the focus point I chose. <br>

Peter/Wade - I have not done an all-reset lately. I am able to focus, it just seems like the most sharp part of the photo is not where I focused the lens.</p>

[andrew_fedon]

<p>AF-S (single) or AF-C (continous), what is AF-A ???. Are you sure your central focusing point is actually set in the center or is it maybe set to elsewhere and you don't realise it ?</p>

[nigel_farmer]

<p>AF-A lets the camera chose between AF-S and AF-C as it sees fit. From my experience with my D90 it bets to set it to AF-S or AF-C as you see fit - the camera wont always get it right and will use AF-C sometimes, making it difficult to lock the focus where you want it.</p>