Issue on 24-70 f2.8 AFS

[kkvolution]

Hi all, I just bought my 24-70 AFS last week.

However, I found my lens having some problem:

1) Some focusing issue. AF unable to spot correctly at specific area.

2) Keep getting blur images after shooting in indoor even with 1600 iso and fully opned at f2.8, plus with a SB-600 flash.

I really not sure if i got a defective copy of the lens or my cam which is only a D3000. I got a feeling that is my cam is not good enough or like what outside forums written, there are defective 24-70 even for new lens.

Did anyone encounter anything like this for the lens or the issue lies with me.

Really appreciate some advice from CS members here.

Thank you.

 

[fergo]

i just got mine recently too. to my eyes, shots are sharp. maybe you would like to elaborate 1) more.

blur shots? handheld? maybe you can try taking with a tripod. if still blur den i think something is wrong. it could also be due to wrong focus? i'm not sure.. i'm just speculating. do try different methods to get a shot thats really sharp. ie. tripod.

i'm pretty happy with this lens. its expensive, heavy and sharp! haha... but my focus ring is a little loose though.. too lazy to have it changed. i'll just live with it. :bsmilie:

 

[aha8]

post samples of your "blur" pictures?

 

[kkvolution]

i just got mine recently too. to my eyes, shots are sharp. maybe you would like to elaborate 1) more.

blur shots? handheld? maybe you can try taking with a tripod. if still blur den i think something is wrong. it could also be due to wrong focus? i'm not sure.. i'm just speculating. do try different methods to get a shot thats really sharp. ie. tripod.

i'm pretty happy with this lens. its expensive, heavy and sharp! haha... but my focus ring is a little loose though.. too lazy to have it changed. i'll just live with it. :bsmilie:

Hi there

to clarify more ...

1) I placed my AF point on a specific area I want to shoot on the tripod actually, it came out sharp for other area except the designated AF point which I had placed the AF point on.

2) I did use handheld because I was shooting in events and move from place to place frequent. I unable to use tripod at this point. I found if the place is slightly darker (meaning the lighting is that of the lights inside a bus during night time", I get blur pics all the time but the contrast is good .. wasted the photos actually as I need it sharp as well.

I tested the lens before buying, smooth handling of the zoom ring and manual focus ring, fast AF, no weird/loud sound from AF when in operation. I did my homework before buying the lens actually but now I not sure is it cam or my problem ..

 

[kkvolution]

post samples of your "blur" pictures?

I working lol. ;p now break time, I will post the pics later when I reach back home.

 

[kkvolution]

Hi there, I posting 2 pics

ISO 200 handheld, 1/80 f2.8, shot near my house window at daytime. The AF point is in middle aiming at the bud but it not sharp in the middle

ISO 400, tripod, 1/6 f2.8, shot in my room during night time. The AF point is aiming at the head but the head "amazon" wording is not as sharp as the one written on the chest.

 

[noob777]

Looks like a front focus for the first pic and back focus on the second pic. Can your D3000 do AF Tune? Shoot in AF-S mode(Single-servo) and try.

 

[kkvolution]

Looks like a front focus for the first pic and back focus on the second pic. Can your D3000 do AF Tune? Shoot in AF-S mode(Single-servo) and try.

Thank you for the advice. However, D3000 do not have AF Tune ..... I did not on AF-S during this time but was using AF-A. I only use Center Weight and Single Point for the 2 pics...

In what ways can I resolve the focusing issue if I do not have AF Tune? I will try shoot with AF-S again.

 

[noob777]

Thank you for the advice. However, D3000 do not have AF Tune ..... I did not on AF-S during this time but was using AF-A. I only use Center Weight and Single Point for the 2 pics...

In what ways can I resolve the focusing issue if I do not have AF Tune? I will try shoot with AF-S again.

Do try shooting in AF-S. Make sure that you see the image is in focus on the point that you aimed in the viewfinder before releasing the shutter.

When you shoot in AF-A mode, the cam may re-focus if you half-press for too long to get focus.

 

[kkvolution]

Do try shooting in AF-S. Make sure that you see the image is in focus on the point that you aimed in the viewfinder before releasing the shutter.

When you shoot in AF-A mode, the cam may re-focus if you half-press for too long to get focus.

Regarding on shooting in AF-A mode, I only press to wait for the lens AF to stable and I just press the shutter. Less than 5 sec (not sure if it is consider long) if I am not wrong including of viewing the viewfinder and making sure the pic is of what I want as well.

However, I will definitely try use AF-S mode to shoot for stationary object. If there no news, means the problem is resolve. Thank you very much.

 

[larrytok]

u should ask ur frens who ever has a nikon system to try.. if its ok on his body.. its probably ur dslr /human issue..

on the 2nd pic it seems ur focusing at the middle of the pic. instead of the head (if u didnt.. i dunno whats wrong, maybe need some calibration.. on the dslr/lens?)

for the first pic, it looks like the upper left of the big branch..

or maybe u try f4 to see whether the problem is still there..?

 

[jeffchanjj]

regarding your second problem...by right if you are using a flash...there should not be any need to bumb up the iso all the way to 1600....
did you adjust the flash compensation or reduce the exposure of your cam?

 

[jnet6]

From what i personally think, if you are using with D3000, your body is too light or inbalance weight for lens and body to handheld.
It is best to place yr lens n body on a table or with firm support like sandbag and try taking pictures with self timer.
If still unable to get good/sharp picture, go to NSC(nikon service center) and show them yr problem as it is still under warranty right?(less then 1 yr)

 

[kkvolution]

u should ask ur frens who ever has a nikon system to try.. if its ok on his body.. its probably ur dslr /human issue..

on the 2nd pic it seems ur focusing at the middle of the pic. instead of the head (if u didnt.. i dunno whats wrong, maybe need some calibration.. on the dslr/lens?)

for the first pic, it looks like the upper left of the big branch..

or maybe u try f4 to see whether the problem is still there..?

Actually I trying to borrow a D300 next week and a D200 this weekend. Also I be asking my frd who is a much experience shooter than me to try this weekend. It may be due to human errors, I not really sure, but on the focusing point, I pretty sure I was aiming correctly at the time of shooting. F4 I have't try shooting but I will try. I will try all possibility as advices by all CS bro here and my frds before deciding if it need re-calibrate or it is my problem.

 

[sjackal]

Its rare for Nikkors to have problems out from the box, but not impossible.

You need to do a focusing test to check for front/back focusing errors.

Do the test in bright conditions, aperture set wide open to f2.8, shutter at least 1/125 if handheld. Use AFS, single point focus.

Line up 3 batteries (or any uniformly sized and shaped small items) diagonally from your plane of focus, spaced about 1 inches apart.

Focus on the center battery to see if the focus falls on the center batt, front batt, or rear. If the results are consistently out, its time to visit the NSC.

 

[kkvolution]

regarding your second problem...by right if you are using a flash...there should not be any need to bumb up the iso all the way to 1600....
did you adjust the flash compensation or reduce the exposure of your cam?

Yea you are right. pumping to 1600 will overexpose the pics, I did try for fun in a very dark room but I still get blurry pics. However, when I shoot, I get inconsistency with different results with same setting. I may not be able to duplicate the results out again... Yea, I tried TTL and manual on flash, results vary but it not as sharp as what I expected too. Maybe I still not an experience shooter and may need more practices. I let my friend try this weekend too, if he shot with very sharp photos, I know it my problem already haha.

 

[kkvolution]

Its rare for Nikkors to have problems out from the box, but not impossible.

You need to do a focusing test to check for front/back focusing errors.

Do the test in bright conditions, aperture set wide open to f2.8, shutter at least 1/125 if handheld. Use AFS, single point focus.

Line up 3 batteries (or any uniformly sized and shaped small items) diagonally from your plane of focus, spaced about 1 inches apart.

Focus on the center battery to see if the focus falls on the center batt, front batt, or rear. If the results are consistently out, its time to visit the NSC.

Regarding on the problems for new lens, I did alot of reseach before deciding to buy. There are a number of people complaining they having issues with new lens. I will try the focusing test too. I did shot a f2.8 and at near 1/125 shutter speed in a better lit condition example expo hall with all the lights lit up, the condition is marvelous. It is only when I try shooting indoors with poorer condition, I get issues with focusing. Thank you for the advice.

 

[kkvolution]

From what i personally think, if you are using with D3000, your body is too light or inbalance weight for lens and body to handheld.
It is best to place yr lens n body on a table or with firm support like sandbag and try taking pictures with self timer.
If still unable to get good/sharp picture, go to NSC(nikon service center) and show them yr problem as it is still under warranty right?(less then 1 yr)

Did try with tripod as seen for the second pic and maintaining a minimum focus distance of 0.38m. I just bought last week, so it under warranty.

 

[jeffchanjj]

Yea you are right. pumping to 1600 will overexpose the pics, I did try for fun in a very dark room but I still get blurry pics. However, when I shoot, I get inconsistency with different results with same setting. I may not be able to duplicate the results out again... Yea, I tried TTL and manual on flash, results vary but it not as sharp as what I expected too. Maybe I still not an experience shooter and may need more practices. I let my friend try this weekend too, if he shot with very sharp photos, I know it my problem already haha.

inconsisency with same settings??? (is the same place you are shooting at)
thats quite a big problem dude :sweat:

oh ya one more possibility i can think of is the flash mode...make sure the flash mode is normal and not slow or rear or anything else...
and make sure on your sb-600 the flash EV is 0
and if you use bounce flash make sure you have an appropriate surface to bounce it on (ceiling should be white or near white...and not too high too or your flash confirm cannot make it)

asking your friend to try is the best solution i guess...if he does get good and consistent results with the flash do ask him to teach you :bsmilie:
best if he also have a camera better than yours and let him try out the lens too...
hope this helps

 

[jnet6]

Did try with tripod as seen for the second pic and maintaining a minimum focus distance of 0.38m. I just bought last week, so it under warranty.

don't use min distance, just use normally within the lens focusing distance.