need help on 105/2 DC

[surge]

hi,

i have just got a 105/2DC. after playing w it for awhile, i was very disappointed w the wide open sharpness...very very soft even though the resolution is there. the lens is very sharp from f2.5 onwards..

all the time i left the DC ring on neutral.

then i switch the DC ring to f2Rear and realised that the pictures at f2 were MUCH sharper! though not as sharp as F4.

but at F2Front, pictures were even more blur.

common sense would say then leave the setting at f2R then ( which is what i did, and already tested at all other aperture w this setting..pictures all very sharp)

however, i would like hear from anyone who has experience w this lens.

do you leave your DC at neutral?

does my lens need to be recalibrated?

or any other settings that you have found work best. thanks!

[Cheesecake]

ur lens need a thorough re-calibration by NSC or any expert.

[novello76]

no such problems for me..its perfect at neutral..as mentioned by cheesecake..better bring it to the service centre..

[surge]

hey do you guys mind taking a picture at f2 and post in on this thread.

actually my copy the lens is sharp. details all there, just that the entire seems soft...like a thin fog.

[surge]

here's a pic at f2 neutral full size



heres the 50% crop



do you consider them sharp?

no processing was done at all. D200 w colorIII, no shapening etc

this a the cover of a book. irony that i love insects but don do macro...prefer portraits. hee

[jnet6]

can msg agape01 for help, as he have this lens.

[lsisaxon]

Originally Posted by surge hi, i have just got a 105/2DC. after playing w it for awhile, i was very disappointed w the wide open sharpness...very very soft even though the resolution is there. the lens is very sharp from f2.5 onwards.. all the time i left the DC ring on neutral. then i switch the DC ring to f2Rear and realised that the pictures at f2 were MUCH sharper! though not as sharp as F4. but at F2Front, pictures were even more blur. common sense would say then leave the setting at f2R then ( which is what i did, and already tested at all other aperture w this setting..pictures all very sharp) however, i would like hear from anyone who has experience w this lens. do you leave your DC at neutral? does my lens need to be recalibrated? or any other settings that you have found work best. thanks!

Left mine at neutral.. it's sharper than Micro 105/2.8, Micro 105/2.8VR and 85/1.4.

[Cheesecake]

can't really see from that foto u posted.

anyway, if the subject tat has been focused on in R mode or normal mode, they shudn't b soft.

if its focused with the Defocus ring in F mode, then expect some softness to the whole foto.





otherwise, ur lens need calibration.

[surge]

Originally Posted by Cheesecake can't really see from that foto u posted. anyway, if the subject tat has been focused on in R mode or normal mode, they shudn't b soft. if its focused with the Defocus ring in F mode, then expect some softness to the whole foto. otherwise, ur lens need calibration.

thanks! thats what i realised. at F mode, photo seems softer. i also did some tests w rule to ensure focusing is spot on.

findings:

at neutral: focus is spot on for all aperture...( at f2 though focus is there, there is a little softness over entire foto)

at R mode: the focus seems to be shifted to the front. ( focused at say 30cm mark but the sharpest focal point is about 29cm mark except for 4R and 5.6R where 30cm is very sharp, which i believe is due to a longer DOF.)

at F mode: the focus is shift back a little (focused at 30cm mark and sharpest is about 31cm. again 30cm is sharp, but not the sharpest.)

i am just a bit puzzle, shouldnt the sharpest pt be the focused point? even if DC is in used? the lens is very very sharp from f2.5 at neutral.

at f2, the picture is sharpest at f2R, in fact, i would say more contrasty than sharp as details are the same, just looks sharper.

please advice thanks!

[jeanie]

Originally Posted by surge hey do you guys mind taking a picture at f2 and post in on this thread. actually my copy the lens is sharp. details all there, just that the entire seems soft...like a thin fog.

if you can wait, i'll try to capture some images over the weekends.
but what do you want me to shoot?

also, you should take some shots other than the fly magazine/book.
it's not a good judge of sharpness if you ask me.

[gooseberry]

Photo looks alright. Shooting wide open at f/2 with this lens, there is some "veiling flare" over the entire image - it is still sharp and there are a lot of details, but there is a nice slight softness over the whole image like a soft filter is placed in front of the lens (only very slightly though) and this is gone by f/2.5.

Possible reason why you may be seeing f/2 R/2 as being sharper than f/2 N, is that with f/2 R/2 the background is rendered "softer" and the subject might appear to stand out more against this softer background.

You can check the sample images on the site below - under the Defocus Control Effect section, it's got sample images showing you the effect of the DC at a few different settings

http://www.photozone.de/8Reviews/len..._2dc/index.htm

[jeanie]

goose,isnt a portrait lens suppose to be 'softer' than other lenses?
correct me if i'm wrong please.

[calebk]

Originally Posted by jeanie goose,isnt a portrait lens suppose to be 'softer' than other lenses? correct me if i'm wrong please.

Hm then the 85mm f/1.4 seems to break this rule...

[surge]

Originally Posted by jeanie if you can wait, i'll try to capture some images over the weekends. but what do you want me to shoot? also, you should take some shots other than the fly magazine/book. it's not a good judge of sharpness if you ask me.

thanks...weekend will be great! agree that the fly thing not a good idea too. where you going to shoot? maybe if i can join you you can teach me how to use this lens. i buy coffee...but must teach than got coffee

[surge]

Originally Posted by gooseberry Photo looks alright. Shooting wide open at f/2 with this lens, there is some "veiling flare" over the entire image - it is still sharp and there are a lot of details, but there is a nice slight softness over the whole image like a soft filter is placed in front of the lens (only very slightly though) and this is gone by f/2.5. Possible reason why you may be seeing f/2 R/2 as being sharper than f/2 N, is that with f/2 R/2 the background is rendered "softer" and the subject might appear to stand out more against this softer background. You can check the sample images on the site below - under the Defocus Control Effect section, it's got sample images showing you the effect of the DC at a few different settings http://www.photozone.de/8Reviews/len..._2dc/index.htm

i am glad to hear this, at least it confirms that my copy is ok too ( sorry, but i have a history of bad luck cases w new lens...ever bought a 17-35 that cant focus at 28mm, the rest all ok. then d200 shutter that sounds like a shutter w sore throat. though got then exchange but become weary each time)

my too at f2 good resolution but lacks contrast.

[jeanie]

Originally Posted by surge thanks...weekend will be great! agree that the fly thing not a good idea too. where you going to shoot? maybe if i can join you you can teach me how to use this lens. i buy coffee...but must teach than got coffee

how i teach you when i dunno the technicalities of my equipment?

i'll prob just do a few shots in my garden.but i wan to know is what do you want me to shoot in order for you to judge if it's sharp or not.

btw, before i bought this lens, someone did a very good review on it.showing the different combinations pics taken with it.you might wanna do a search.
i also shot at fort canning with it.it's in my cs gallery.might wanna go through that too.

if all else fails, then let me know what to shoot so you can go shoot yours and at least there's almost a room for fair comparison.

[lsisaxon]

Originally Posted by calebk Hm then the 85mm f/1.4 seems to break this rule...

Nikon lenses usually break this rule.. The DC lenses allows variable softness by modifying the spherical aberration from the DC ring which moves the group which does the correction.

[gooseberry]

Originally Posted by jeanie goose,isnt a portrait lens suppose to be 'softer' than other lenses? correct me if i'm wrong please.

No, in general, portrait lenses aren't "supposed to be softer" (the Nikon traditional portrait lenses (85/1.8, 105 f/2DC, 135 f/2DC) are very sharp in fact). That's why people use the soft focus filters like the Zeiss Softars and the Nikon Soft-1 filters.

[surge]

Originally Posted by jeanie how i teach you when i dunno the technicalities of my equipment? i'll prob just do a few shots in my garden.but i wan to know is what do you want me to shoot in order for you to judge if it's sharp or not. btw, before i bought this lens, someone did a very good review on it.showing the different combinations pics taken with it.you might wanna do a search. i also shot at fort canning with it.it's in my cs gallery.might wanna go through that too. if all else fails, then let me know what to shoot so you can go shoot yours and at least there's almost a room for fair comparison.

i know this sounds very technical, is it possible for you to test shooting at a ruler at F2.8 to verify if the focal point shifts when DC turn to F or R mode. i tested mind..realise it seems to shift ( read my earlier post). if not or too boring for you any shots at f2 w different DC setting will be great. thanks

[jeanie]

Originally Posted by surge i know this sounds very technical, is it possible for you to test shooting at a ruler at F2.8 to verify if the focal point shifts when DC turn to F or R mode. i tested mind..realise it seems to shift ( read my earlier post). if not or too boring for you any shots at f2 w different DC setting will be great. thanks

ok.weekend k?i try my best.