Is this a lens malfunction or wrong setting?

[ajohnw]

If the op followed the very simple wall test I outlined earlier this thread would be over by now.

John
-

[blacksheep]

Here they are. Please ignore the big shade as I really could not help getting equal light, my room is not very big...
I shot them again with a self-timer of 2 second, all ISO100 and at 18mm, and the camera perpendicular to the wall. The lens is 1.5 meter away from the wall. I also posted a full resolution at http://filebin.net/upload/dnjmtqlba6.

F3.5

[blacksheep]

Uploading multiple photos are not working here..

[tao2]

Hi Mariko,

It's been my experience that most often it's the simple things that cause obvious problems.

While de-centred lenses and back focus issues can't be discounted (certain Nikon camera/lens combinations are notorious for this problem), ah think it is settings - especially the first image. DoF is very limited in all three images (manual exposure) yer talking only tens of millimetres - according tae yer exif.

Taking the first image at an angle has only intensified this, which is why ah think there is so much blur on the left side. Much less obvious, if not gone, on the balcony shots. It looks like yer allowing the AF sensors tae dominate subject choice.

Try taking a few shots in full auto, then aperture priority (especially) then shutter priority. If the same, exact problems appear then ye can discount manual settings and start looking at lens/camera faults. Focus can be adjusted without recourse tae expensive repair jobs. There's plenty of vids on Youtube...and for god's sake don't just dump or sell the lens!

But then what do ah know - my favourite lenses are 50 years old...

[blacksheep]

F6.3

[blacksheep]

now I cannot even post a photo. I have one more with F19. It is at least on http://filebin.net/upload/dnjmtqlba6

[blacksheep]

If the op followed the very simple wall test I outlined earlier this thread would be over by now.

John
-

Oh I'm sorry. I hope the test that I did just now would be sufficient.

[blacksheep]

Hi Mariko,

It's been my experience that most often it's the simple things that cause obvious problems.

While de-centred lenses and back focus issues can't be discounted (certain Nikon camera/lens combinations are notorious for this problem), ah think it is settings - especially the first image. DoF is very limited in all three images (manual exposure) yer talking only tens of millimetres - according tae yer exif.

Taking the first image at an angle has only intensified this, which is why ah think there is so much blur on the left side. Much less obvious, if not gone, on the balcony shots. It looks like yer allowing the AF sensors tae dominate subject choice.

Try taking a few shots in full auto, then aperture priority (especially) then shutter priority. If the same, exact problems appear then ye can discount manual settings and start looking at lens/camera faults. Focus can be adjusted without recourse tae expensive repair jobs. There's plenty of vids on Youtube...and for god's sake don't just dump or sell the lens!

But then what do ah know - my favourite lenses are 50 years old...

Thanks a lot for your comment. I'm still 90% sure it is a camera/lens. I've had this lens for 3 years now, and don't think I ever achieved this bad result in a same setting..

[ajohnw]

Oh I'm sorry. I hope the test that I did just now would be sufficient.

It looks generally out of focus to me so you need to check that - live view at max magnification and carefully focus manually one the thingy in the middle. You'll find the focus is pretty critical done this way. To give the lens a chance I would suggest using F8. You would be better off using 2 of the spoke patterns for the outer targets.

As it stands there looks to be something wrong to the left side but the right side isn't clear enough which is why two of the spoke patterns would be best. The centre doesn't look in focus though. If you find that you can't get a clean focus using live view it indicates there is something wrong with the lens but it will need very delicate setting as there is next to no depth of field available on full res images.

Most nikon cameras have an anti shock setting. It would be best to use that. I believe it raises the mirror, waits and then takes the shot. My IR remote seems to set this automatically on a D7000.

John
-

[Vortex]

Apologies if this is too off topic.

Having had a similar mishap with a lens back in the early nineties I realised the need to:

a) Be more careful

b) Have some form of 'reference' image to compare against.

To satisfy 'b' I now make a habit of taking a couple of shots (that I know I can replicate in future) using any new body/lens combination. No fancy test targets, just a large framed picture and a section of Ordnance Survey map.

Since then, 'a' has (luckily) prevailed and I've not needed 'b'...

[Stagecoach]

Mariko,

I have had a look at the RAW images of this latest set and note the following;

Image 0021
FL - 18mm
Aperture - F/14
Speed - 1s
ISO - 1EV Under 200 (note 200 is base ISO for the D90)
Meter Mode - Dynamic
VR - ON

When undertaking any test especially if concerning sharpness/focusing it is always preferable to use settings that give the best chance of getting maximum image quality from the camera.

In this case you have used an ISO value which is below that stated to give best results for your camera and left the VR on when tripod mounted. The significance of these two on the results achieved is unknown but you should have eliminated any question about them

A shutter speed of 1s has been used and ideally you should have used mirror up or timed release, it may be that you did.

You have used the lenses minimum Focal Length of 18mm and it is known that at the extremities of most zooms (read kit) the performance is not as good as in between.

Here are two crops of the image showing centre and left, they were poorly exposed so I have improved and also undertaken what I consider basic sharpening to them (at a level I would use as a minimum on most of my images).







I would say that the left and right is not as sharp as the centre, but, at this lenses extremity of 18mm it may be that the difference is something which is perfectly normal. The right is also affected by the lower level of lighting.

If it were mine I would undertake a repeat of the test using a longer focal length (keeping the targets to the sides) use f/11, VR OFF, ISO200, timed release, and adjusting your exposure manually so that the histogram almost touches the right hand side.

Grahame

[ajohnw]

It seems to depend which file is looked at. This is from the F6.3. The only way to check really is a very critical focus using live view,



John
-

[blacksheep]

It looks generally out of focus to me so you need to check that - live view at max magnification and carefully focus manually one the thingy in the middle. You'll find the focus is pretty critical done this way. To give the lens a chance I would suggest using F8. You would be better off using 2 of the spoke patterns for the outer targets.

I totally agree it looks all out of focus. I was using a centre point auto focus, which should normally work as I have something to focus at the centre of the image. I also took the same photos with live view mode, but could not figure how to magnify the view...I will give it a try again. I will also print one more of the spoke pattern and take another shot.

but it will need very delicate setting as there is next to no depth of field available on full res images.

May I ask what you meant here above??

Most nikon cameras have an anti shock setting. It would be best to use that. I believe it raises the mirror, waits and then takes the shot. My IR remote seems to set this automatically on a D7000.

Yes, it has. The vibration reduction is all the time on, and I never turned it off.

Thanks for your help!

[blacksheep]

A shutter speed of 1s has been used and ideally you should have used mirror up or timed release, it may be that you did.

Yes, I have taken all the shot with a self-timer.

If it were mine I would undertake a repeat of the test using a longer focal length (keeping the targets to the sides) use f/11, VR OFF, ISO200, timed release, and adjusting your exposure manually so that the histogram almost touches the right hand side.

Mmm, ok, I will do the test again with at 35mm F11 VR OFF - but ISO200? I think I was completely wrong about my understanding of reading ISO on D90. I really thought the biggest was ISO100. It shows 1.0 on a camera setting screen. Silly me...

[blacksheep]

It seems to depend which file is looked at. This is from the F6.3. The only way to check really is a very critical focus using live view,
-

I'll find how to magnify the live view while taking a photo which I will take with the setting that Graham suggested, and re-post a photo again.

[Stagecoach]

It seems to depend which file is looked at. This is from the F6.3. The only way to check really is a very critical focus using live view,



John
-

John, I think you have to be very careful and systematic before making any assumptions with tests such as this. You have posted a version taken at f/6.3 whereas the image I posted in post No 51 was taken at f/14 but most significantly they have been PPd and sized differently so any comparison suggesting difference in IQ caused by f stop variations is worthless.

At this stage of Mariko testing his lens the priority is to be looking for 'differences' in sharpness between left, right and centre, NOT critical focus at this stage, reference original posting.

Once it is ascertained that there is no appreciable or unacceptable difference in apparent sharpness between left, right and centre of targets (and the tape is adequate for this) on the same plane as the camera sensor if felt worthwhile 'auto focus accuracy' and 'sharpness produced from a correctly focused target' can be assessed.

Out of curiosity I took the below at 18mm, 1/3s, f/11, ISO200, 1.5mtr away from the wall, PPd wrt sharpness identical to Marikos shot in post 51 and cropped roughly the same. This on a lens I have no concerns with and would suggest it's not significantly different to the result of Mariko's. The result is what you can expect to see when very accurately focussed.



Grahame

[Colin Southern]

I'd suggest just taking the camera and lens into a repair shop and get them to quickly test it. The way we're going here, we'll still be talking about it at Christmas time, when you could have got the problem sorted (one way or the other) and been out taking photos.

[Stagecoach]

I'd suggest just taking the camera and lens into a repair shop and get them to quickly test it. The way we're going here, we'll still be talking about it at Christmas time, when you could have got the problem sorted (one way or the other) and been out taking photos.

Colin, I can only assume from your comment that you have concerns about some members discussing an aspect of photography because you consider you have a better idea of solving the problem quicker.

As someone that lives in a country that does not have a single photographic shop I can fully appreciate that others may not have this option open to them or for other reasons have asked for assistance here at CiC.

Surely, we all have the choice to participate in a thread or not.

Grahame

[Colin Southern]

Colin, I can only assume from your comment that you have concerns about some members discussing an aspect of photography because you consider you have a better idea of solving the problem quicker.

As someone that lives in a country that does not have a single photographic shop I can fully appreciate that others may not have this option open to them or for other reasons have asked for assistance here at CiC.

Surely, we all have the choice to participate in a thread or not.

Grahame

Grahame,

Having been involved processing images from "that lens" in a previous thread, it's clear to me that there's a mechanical/optical problem somewhere (with it and/or with the camera).

Folks can talk about it here until the cows come home (figure of speech we use here in NZ) but in my opinion it's just wasting time because (a) we're not getting anywhere and (b) it's going to need to be looked at professionally regardless. Hence my suggestion to bypass this process and just move on to the bit that's going to have to be done anyway.

[george013]

Most nikon cameras have an anti shock setting. It would be best to use that. I believe it raises the mirror, waits and then takes the shot. My IR remote seems to set this automatically on a D7000.

Yes, it has. The vibration reduction is all the time on, and I never turned it off.

Thanks for your help!

Mariko,
I think you misunderstand it. John is referring to the function at which the mirror goes up, the camera waits for a while so the untit can stabilize again and then opens the shutter.
Nikon has a vibration reduction in the lens. You should disable that. If this malfunctions, you can get a photo like you have now, misty. And always disable the VR on a stative, it will work contra-productive.
Why didn't you try another lens yet?

George
George