| Moderated by: chrisbet, | Page:   1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ...   |
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| Tuscany - Page 5 | |
| Visits to Il Paretaio and around Tuscany | Rate Topic |
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| Posted: Sun Mar 31st, 2019 18:00 |
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41st Post |
chrisbet
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Calculating the dof at the settings for that first pic gives something like 10 feet in front of the horse to 15 feet behind - maybe there is an issue with the body. I don't know its history - how much is it likely to cost to get it serviced?
____________________ If it is broken it was probably me .... |
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| Posted: Sun Mar 31st, 2019 18:04 |
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42nd Post |
Eric
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chrisbet wrote:Hmm - yes, something isn't right and since I had the issue with the 55-200 as well, I wonder if it is the camera. If it were me, I would go out and place a small object (piece of paper) at the nearest distance I anticipate the horse will come. Focus on THAT object and see if IT or the background or both are sharp at f5.6 (a good safe starting point for most lenses). I would then set the focus to Manual, confirm the focus spot and shoot the passing horse without adjusting focus....several times. (That way you decouple the AF from the process.) I do wonder if the camera is changing focus point at the time of hitting the shutter? You could decouple focus from the shutter button by assigning the rear AE-L button to focus ( p200 in manual, custom function f4 to AF-ON) I use this method all the time but especially for moving subjects. It can take some time getting use to focusing with your thumb, separate from operating the shutter in the usual manner. But you might find it helps as an alternative to manual focus while you re testing things.
____________________ Eric |
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| Posted: Sun Mar 31st, 2019 18:11 |
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43rd Post |
chrisbet
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Thanks Eric - I will try your suggestions and see what the result is.
____________________ If it is broken it was probably me .... |
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| Posted: Tue Apr 2nd, 2019 17:52 |
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44th Post |
chrisbet
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Reviewing the photos I took last in tuscany using the 70-300 lens, all the f5.6 / f4.5 ones are focusing behind the subject so I don't think it is technique - those taken at f8 were sharp like this one - if you look at the sand you can see the horse is pretty well in the centre of the dof.
____________________ If it is broken it was probably me .... |
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| Posted: Wed Apr 3rd, 2019 03:48 |
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45th Post |
Eric
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Nothing wrong with the focus on that image. The horse is overexposed (whiter than the background) and this leads to loss of detail in the body. I've selectively darkened the horse a tad, on the image below ....but it only adds a smidging extra detail. The problem is that the horse body is primarily low contrast but also overexposed ...so can't be back adjusted. The other thing I notice is iso noise and some jpegging artefacts.....these can also add to the appearance of soft focus in areas of low contrast. It's less obvious in the contrasty sand for example. Clearly using 6400 iso is too far on the D90. I seem to recall never going beyond 1600 back in the day when my wife used the D90. I understand it was necessary for the shutter speed you chose but you should have still frozen the action at 2000th. I assume you are using camera settings to maximum quality and minimise compression of your JPEGs. So that really only leaves a couple more suggestions.... try setting exp comp to -1/3 or even -2/3 for the light horse and drop ISO to 3200 better still 1600. Can't explain why the lens back focuses at wider apertures....maybe being narrower dof field it's just more obvious? Normally mis focusing is more likely to be a function of the focal length on zoom lenses. That's why it's harder to optimise the AF on a zoom .....often one end is sharper than the other due to the factory's compromise setting. I've shied away from saying change the camera. But it's true that advances in processors and sensors will improve performance under these sort of exacting conditions.
____________________ Eric |
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| Posted: Wed Apr 3rd, 2019 04:32 |
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46th Post |
jk
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Agree with Eric. ISO at 6400 is very high. That is the max limit that I use for my D3S, Z7, D500 and D850. These are newer cameras with better EXPEED electronics. Regarding the AF I can suggest a test that may lock this down to either lens or camera. Take a look at this url and test as described. https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2010/11/how-to-test-a-lens/ Look at step2. You can substitute a newspaper or a magazine page for the testing. I use this method. http://www.zen20934.zen.co.uk/photography/LensTests/simplemethod.htm This is an alternative method. https://backcountrygallery.com/lens-sharpness-testing/
____________________ Still learning after all these years! https://nikondslr.uk/gallery_view.php?user=2&folderid=none |
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| Posted: Wed Apr 3rd, 2019 08:51 |
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47th Post |
Eric
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The sad fact is that there are only 3 reasons for an out of focus image... 1. The lens is faulty 2. The camera is faulty 3. The technique is faulty. I suppose a 4th reason might be a combination of 2 or more of these points. Isolating each one in turn with structured testing is the only way to sort the problem. But from that photo, at that f-stop, I can't believe the lens is faulty?
____________________ Eric |
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| Posted: Wed Apr 3rd, 2019 09:18 |
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48th Post |
Eric
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Just as an aside..... My wife upgraded her D90 to a D7000 and found it significantly better in terms of IQ (with same lens) and more 'responsive'. Further iterations of the D7xxx have no doubt further progressed the performance. But if I were in your situation, and didn't want to spend too much at this time, I might be inclined to order in a used D7000 on a 14day unconditional return (like this one ... https://www.wexphotovideo.com/nikon-d7000-digital-slr-camera-body-used-1696828/). Sometimes having a comparison to hand will clarify the thinking. Alternatively you can pay WEX a visit ...they are happy to let you shoot off some files with your lens and SD card on their bodies before purchasing. .....and it that doesn't suit, you are more than welcome to pop up to Kings Lynn and have a play with my cameras and lenses. ( admittedly far more limited than JKs collection....but he is in the deep SWest) 
____________________ Eric |
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| Posted: Wed Apr 3rd, 2019 09:48 |
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49th Post |
jk
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Yes if you want to test AF then I have a good collection of cameras here but the best test would be with my D90 which is in Spain. Flights from Heathrow to Newquay go twice daily! 
____________________ Still learning after all these years! https://nikondslr.uk/gallery_view.php?user=2&folderid=none |
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| Posted: Wed Apr 3rd, 2019 13:07 |
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50th Post |
chrisbet
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Lol - I have a better idea - all fly out to Tuscany and enjoy some chianti, food and clear night skies  Actually I was looking at a 610 that oddly seems cheaper to buy than the 7200
____________________ If it is broken it was probably me .... |
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