Focus Calibration 'errors'

[BrianSmith]

Stany, this is a sort of open message to you asking for your opinion only.

I have waded through the anguish going on at DPR over the AF problems of the D800. Out of interest I have done a NON exhaustive test of my own machines and am beginning to wonder if this is a problem that has always existed, never recognised and never mattered.

Just doing a few quick checks I can say this. My D800 with the 28-70 performs consistently well using the centre, leftmost and rightmost focus points. My D3, using a 60mm micro nikkor, performs perfectly with the centre AF point and is terrible with the left and right outermost AF points. Similarly my D2X, using the 17-35 nikkor, works just fine using the centre point but is rubbish using the outermost points.

In my own photography, not taking portraits or moving objects much, I only ever use the centre AF point. As a result I guess I have been oblivious to any inadequacies and now wonder whether this has in fact been the case with most photographers and that it is just the publicity the net has given to a few, really bad units that has got people checking.

So Stany, what do you think, are people just observing AF limitations that have always been there and only now brought to notice?

Brian

[Stany Buyle]

...
So Stany, what do you think, are people just observing AF limitations that have always been there and only now brought to notice? Brian

• I've had AF back/front focusing issues in the past with one D200 and two D7000's. Those cams have been repaired perfectly.
  Based on what I found out with two D7000 which were back focusing really bad -even with their kit lenses-, I dare to say that QC is not the strongest point of Nikon.
• I have no AF problems with D800 and did not have problems with D800E.
  But...
  The lenses I tested seriously are 50mm F1.4 and F1.8, 105AF-S, 16-35 F4 and 70-200 VRII.
  The more I read the related topics, the more I get convinced the D800 AF issues are related only to wide angles and more specific to the 24 and 35 F1.4, but while I don't have these lenses I can't test it for myself.
  Also at least one of our forum members has serious problems with his D800E and his 24mm F1.4... The related user is a high skilled photographer, not a newbie...
• While this is a very technical issue, there are much more competent members on this forum to answer your question. Marianne Oelund is TMHO THE expert to do a good analysis on this matter. I will mention Marianne about this topic. When she has the time I'm sure she'll contribute to this topic.
• And last but not least and completely independent from cases with real issues, I find many users exhibiting too high expectations about gear.

[BrianSmith]

And last but not least and completely independent from cases with real issues, I find many users exhibiting too high expectations about gear.

I believe you are right here. A culture seems to have developed where analysis of gear's performance at an intellectual and specialist level has become the reality show of the masses and the subject of artificial competition. Gear that we were perfectly happy with in the past would be torn to shreds under this level of scrutiny.
If the photography of some contributors on DPR were subject to the same level of analysis they would not be so ready to criticise their gear.

Brian

[Stany Buyle]

Brian, further on this topic...

...
Just doing a few quick checks I can say this. My D800 with the 28-70 performs consistently well using the centre, leftmost and rightmost focus points. My D3, using a 60mm micro nikkor, performs perfectly with the centre AF point and is terrible with the left and right outermost AF points. Similarly my D2X, using the 17-35 nikkor, works just fine using the centre point but is rubbish using the outermost points.
...
Brian

I am convinced that there is no general D800 AF issue but some people have a lens/body calibration issue or a failing lens-body AF match just like it has always been with former bodies of any brand since AF DSLR's exist... You confirm the same opinion in your message.

Some experiences in the history of my own DSLR use:

• I had an AF issue with one of my D200's but it was repaired/recalibrated perfectly.
• I had a 18-200 that had a total fuzzy left side (Nikon exchanged that lens)
• Both my D700 and 2 x D3's had no issues
• I had a 17-35 F2.8 with decentered elements like Bjorn Rorslett describes in his article about lens sample variation...http://www.naturfotograf.com/17_35_review.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
• I had two D7000's that back focused severely and it was repaired perfectly.
• 1 out of 3 of my D800's need focus calibration. It will be repaired next week. My first D800 and my D800E focus absolutely perfect.
• ...

Further more two members which I know personally with a D800 AF issue confirm that -after technical checkup-, their D800 AF problem is lens related, not body related. One other member had a D800 that needed normal AF calibration and which is fixed perfect under while...

TMHO Nikon makes fantastic photographip equipment but they often fail in QC at the end of their production chain. Nikon service centers in both The Netherlands as Belgium-Brussels do a fantastic service after sales job though...

Last but not least I learned from a technician that one particular lens might focus perfect on one body and fail on another body because of focus match between body and lens.

On the other hand I had extremely poor/permanent miss AF with the outer focus points of my Canon 5D and they could not repair...
Just my thoughts...
Kindest regards,
Stany. http://www.nikonuser.info" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[pam.meier]

The D800 is the first Nikon body that I feel the need to finetune AF.
I will have to have Nikon calibrate my 24-120 VR, though, it´s so off at the long end (backfocus), I can´t adjust it myself.

[DiederikVP]

The AF issue some D800 cams were affected with and which had created real hysteria on Dpreview can be fixed.
Ming Thein, the same photographer who reported first about his problems with some of the AF points now confirmed on his blog that his problem is solved completely.
http://blog.mingthein.com/2012/07/04/ni ... em-solved/
That's good news for those who have a similar problem.

[Stany Buyle]

Series of articles on autofocus on the website of lensrentals.com.

[Stany Buyle]

The D800 is the first Nikon body that I feel the need to finetune AF.
I will have to have Nikon calibrate my 24-120 VR, though, it´s so off at the long end (backfocus), I can´t adjust it myself.

Hi Pam,
Did the AF calibration of your 24-120 F4 happen already?
Kindest regards,
Stabny