shutterstruckstudio

<p>Barry Fisher, I did go out today and try with a different lens. I used an 85mm and the outcome was much better. I would attribute the first upload as camera shake but the focus is really soft in the whole set from that day and today when using the 24-70. So today I went out and tried both again. The same issue with focus was there with the 24-70 but not with my 85mm lens it was not near as bad but still not as good as my images normally are. I have no idea what is going on. This leads me to believe there is some setting off in the camera settings but there is something going on with my lens. I will upload a screenshot from today and you can see the difference in the sharpness and focus of the image. Again there was no sharpening added to the image just artistic editing. </p>

<p>Andy L thank you so much!!! I don't use lightroom I use Photoshop CC and now that you mention it YES it did start around the time I update CC. How do I correct the issue?<br> I am so glad to know I am not going crazy! I was starting to think I was the only one that saw it! That makes perfect sense but it drives me insane. Is there a way to avoid this? Thank you so much for your reply. </p>

<p>Here is a screen shot of an image I took. This image was not sharpened ANY! All I did was artistic color edit. Does anyone else see a difference in focus?? This is what my images normally look like. </p>

<p>see attached</p>

<p>Yes I love CC. It is all I use for editing. And I have never had to use camera shake reduction since I purchased my D810.I never had any issues until this whole session turned out like that even at higher shutter speeds. It looks much better after applying the camera shake reduction for this image. I guess this will just be a session that I spend hours in photoshop fixing. I just wanted to find out what went wrong so it won't happen again! I am hoping to find some kind of setting that has been messed up. Thank you so much Les!<br> So am I just being picky about how this picture turned out? My husband saw it and said wow what happened to your pictures they looks nothing like the pictures you normal take. I will post one that I did before all these "issues" to show the difference of course this is not the RAW file and it is edited but I did NOT do any type of sharpening to the image at all just artistic editing! You can tell the sharpness of the image is nothing like the pictures in this session. The image is clean, crisp and smooth! <br> I answer some questions...I use matrix metering and AF-S. Yes I know AF-C is better for children. And no I do not use my internal light meter. When I do my images are always off!!! I snap one look at histograms and adjust. I always shoot in manual. Someone mentioned firmware messing up calibration. Is this a possibility? It only does this with my 24-70 2.8 and not my 85mm lens. </p>

<p>John Seaman the focal point was dead on the left eye. I have taken many many pictures with my D810 so I know what kind of image it is capable of producing. This image is FAR FAR from that! <br> I think I will have to try that. Kari I was wondering if it was some kind of internal setting issue but I knew it would have to be something more than just the exposure compensation. Where do you find the reading of -124 brightness and hue value. I am not familiar with that setting at all. Also what does power up time starting at the year 2000 mean? How would those things have been changed and how do I change them back to what they need to be? My husband did do a firmware update on the camera. I have been having issues since the update. I am wondering if it is possible for him to have messed something up by doing that. It was the first firmware update we have ever done. Barry and Kari you are both amazing for offering so much help!!! Thank you!!! </p>

<p>WOW Barry thank you so much!!! I did not know that exposure compensation had an effect on the image when in manual mode! My husband uses my A mode and I guess he forgot to 0 it out when he was done and I never check it because I thought it did not affect the image! That information is most helpful!!!! Thank you! I am going to crop the image in on the face and upload so the noise, color and focus can be seen. I love this image of my son and would really like to be able to save it somehow. I have not tried to fix it in photoshop yet but I was devastated when I uploaded all of my images from all my sessions yesterday and saw they were all like this! I appreciate each and every response to this post! I know something is wrong and I just don't know what could cause 300 pictures to all have this issue when the manual settings were changed throughout the day. Like I previously stated, I have never had pictures to turn out this bad and I photograph weekly multiple times a week. Even my studio pictures were turning out like this! </p>

Yes I calibrate my screen every two weeks. Is there a way I can upload or send the original file maybe via email to someone? The problem is not going to show up with this very small resized image. And as for exposure compensation, I shoot in manual. I was under the impression exposure compensation is only used for Apature mode which I never ever use.

<p>Thank you so much for your response. Yes my shutter speed could have been higher but this was taken with a tripod. There should not have been any camera shake and the subject was still. So the skin tone is off because of the grass? </p>

<p>I have been doing photography for a little over a year. No I am not perfect with my settings but I have never had issues like I am starting to have now. I use a Nikon D810 with an AF-S Nikkor 24-70mm 1:2.8G lens. First it started with bad noise at VERY low ISO (200), the pictures were still in perfect focus but the images were extremely noise. It was so bad my D90 took images with less noise. The automatic color temperature is shooting at crazy temperatures. My photos were lacking contrast. Then yesterday I did a session and the results were AWFUL! All of my images turned out like the one I am posting. I have never had an issue like this. Can anyone offer some kind of reasoning for this?<br> Photo taken around 6pm with D810 24-70 2.8 F2.8, 160s, ISO160 52mm<br> Nothing has been done to the picture it is straight from the camera besides resizing.<br> I shot in RAW uncompressed. Focal point was on the left eye. </p> <div></div>

<p>Hummm It shows on my end it is attached. Could you check and see if it on there now? </p>

<p>This image was taken with the 24-70mm lens on a D-90 body. I have been doing photography for about 6 months. I do not want my picture to be posted in the critic forum nor am I looking for ratings. I just want some opinions on my image please. </p><div></div>

<p>WOW!!! I have really soaked all of this in! I very much so appreciate all of this information you all have provided (especially you Eric for dragging out your D90 :) ! I feel like I have learned some amazing points to apply to my photography! I did shoot the group in AF-S. I also just got my replacement lens today. It has been confirmed there was a defect in the other lens! I really hope my replacement is better. I am scared to get it out of the box! Again thank you all so much! </p>

<p>Ilkka NICE work and extremely helpful!!!! Thank you so much! And Eric thank you so much for the input on AF-S and AF-C. I did my session today and was blown away by how much I love my SB-600! Yes there is a huge learning curve with the flash but I thought it was a good time to try it out with this big group being family. I must say I was impressed with the outcome! I can only imagine how much I will love it when I know how to use it better. Given my lighting in the woods, the fact that it started raining during the session and almost stormed I would NOT have made it through the session without it! The lighting conditions were terrible and it helped so much along with all the feedback I have gained through everyone's posts. I will come back and post an image or two once I get them downloaded if anyone is still following this post. I would love more feedback from a few pictures I did today from the group session. Thank you all so much! </p>

<p>Would anyone be willing to post an image of a person or more than one person taken with the Nikon 24-70MM zoomed into 100%...especially helpful a group of people taken at anything below 50mm? </p>

<p>Thank you Mike Halliwell! Yes the dog was at f/8 and the child at f/4. I fully understand that the child should have been shot at around f/8 so I changed it as instructed when I did the dog to test. The information you were reading John Wheeler was for the wrong picture. </p>

<p>Mike Halliwell...yes the focus was aimed on his eyes. The reason I posted the best picture I got while testing was because I wanted input like you just gave me. If the settings were set right, then why I am I not getting that beautiful tack sharp image that everyone raves about with this $1900 lens. I do admit that I am new to photography but I do know enough to produce a very sharp picture with my 85MM lens. And as someone stated, it should not be that much different with this lens correct? Thank you for the website plug! I did visit that site yesterday and studied by plugging my numbers before testing the lens. ;)</p> <p>The suggestion from everyone about using f/8 made sense and I know is more forgiving than the f/2.8 but YES this image was shot using f/8 and I just felt more of the face should have been in focus.</p> <p>I am on top of everyone's replies and appreciate the effort everyone has taken to help me on this issue! I will be consistantly checking this thread all day as tomorrow is the day of the shoot. Someone mentioned for me to try another lens but the only lens I have besides the stock lens (which is JUNK IMO) is the 85mm lens. Since I am going to do the session outside, I suppose I could use this lens but normally use it for no more than a small family. After spending this much money the lens, I am sick over this issue. I debated for a long time on getting the 24-70mm or the 70-200mm. I did talk to B&H and after sending them an image sample they agreed to grant me a refund but now I don't know if I should try another copy of this lens or get another lens altogether. They did tell me there have been issues with the lens focus. </p>

<p>So I have made some adjustments and was able to get this photo. Please let me know if this is better. The focal length is 70mm this is the only length I can get a good sharp image! I tried using a tripod and was still getting the same results at anything less than 50-70MM. This image was taken in aperture priority 1/60 sec, F/8 (as suggested) and ISO 200. Why can I not get a sharp image at anything less then 50MM?</p><div></div>

<p>Dan South thank you so much for your input. I will make sure and adjust my ISO for the session. Would you recommend starting around 400? And yes I got my flash today and I am scared to even open the box! </p>

<p>Dieter Schaefer that is wonderful insight. I was set to AF-A so I changed it to AF-C. I had been debating this change and was not sure which would work best but that makes perfect sense! My sensor is set to normal however should I change it to wide when doing a large family or should it be left at normal? And I have read a lot about AF mode (a1). Mine is set to auto. So you suggest changing this as well? Would this work best for groups, couples and children? Thank you so much for your input!</p>

<p>WOW Eric Arnold, many many thanks to you!!!! That information was right on! I would have never known to change my ISO from auto when engaging the flash!!! I would have been at a complete loss there! I am going to order a copy of that book immediately! I will this evening also go out with a tripod and set up and test my lens! I will report back with my findings. What subject should I use for the test? </p>

<p>I am completely overwhelmed by all the responses! First let me say, this post was supposed to go into beginners forum. They moved it due to the lens name being in the subject. I am not a seasoned photographer out here booking sessions and trying to make a living from photography (not yet anyway). The family session I have this weekend I have moved to Sunday. They are people that I know not just people paying me to do pictures. I am trying to learn everything and test every aspect of photography so that I will know what area or areas to focus on when and if I do become good enough to take a go at this professionally on a regular basis. I am a stay at home mom and have found a profound love for the art of photography. I am just learning about the technical side of this world. I have found myself completely overwhelmed. I have been told by many people that I have an eye for the subject. I look at the world and think my gosh that would make the perfect picture! I do believe that is a talent that not every photographer has. I have seen many photographers have the perfect set and take that set away and the subject would look awful! I have set out on this journey to learn the technical side of things. My first issue is not knowing enough about equipment (especially when it comes to the lens and knowing which I will need for what). <br> Many of you have said I need to try to test with a tripod. First let me say, my style of photography will not allow me to do this on a regular basis but I will for sure try this today to test my lens. Thank you for that advice. I have also been asked if the lens is new or used. It was bought brand new last week from B&H. I tested the lens in automatic mode to see if the sharpness was better and it was not. Is this normal? <br> I do know this lens does not have VR. I read that it would not make that big of a difference. Was I wrong by following that advice? Does it make that big of a difference? I ALWAYS do pictures of people! I NEVER take photos of anything other than people! I will not be doing landscapes, food or anything that is ever completely still. <br> If I am taking these pictures in the woods and I have to turn my aperture to create a deep depth of field to ensure everyone is in focus, then how do I get enough light into the pictures. I know this question is going to make some of you shake your head but again this was supposed to be in the beginners forum so please don't be to hard on me for asking this. And does turning up the shutter speed create more noise in the picture? I have read many of you think it would be best for me to turn up the shutter speed. I have also learned from your comments that auto ISO is not a good idea. Therefore, I will start reading more in depth about using this manually. Do most of you shoot in manual mode all the way? Does anyone shoot in aperture or shutter priority mode? What is the best way to learn these setting while shooting? <br> I will be reading these comments over and over until I can fully understand everything each one of you have contributed. Thank you all so much for taking the time to read and respond to this! I felt like I was at a loss and really needed some help with this! </p>

<p>For image attached, info is: Manual Mode 1/200, ISO 200, F4, 66MM. </p><div></div>

<p>I just bought a Nikon 24-70MM lens after reading all the wonderful reviews about the sharpness of the lens. I am using a D90 body and plan on buying a full frame at the end of the year. I bought this lens to shot weddings and large families. I am having an awful time getting a picture that is sharp! I will shoot around 30 photos and only a hand full will come out even remotely acceptable almost all are at 70MM or slightly less. I also own the Nikon 85MM lens to shoot newborns and I have never had this problem with that lens unless I am trying to shoot larger groups. I have 6 families to do this weekend and a group of 15! I really need some help to try to figure out what I am doing wrong. How crisp should an image be when zoomed into 100%? When I zoom in on my viewfinder, I even notice the pictures are not sharp. Should my 85MM be sharper than my 24-70MM by about 50%? This even occurs in auto mode which I do not use to shoot with but tried to see if it improved on the 24-70MM which it did not. It was even worse. What lens should I use to shoot a family of 15? I will be shooting around 3pm and it is in the woods. I have a SB-600 coming tomorrow. I am hoping this will help me be able to shoot at higher aperture than 2.8 because at this setting the images are just not sharp at all! I am thinking of shooting in aperture mode. Is this a good idea or should I go with shutter speed mode? I have my ISO set to automatic. Is that a bad idea? I appreciate anyone who takes the time to respond to my mess I have going on here!</p><div></div>