D800 f/1.4 Focusing Issues Fully Resolved!

primeshooter wrote:

Might as well post this, as it may help others. I spent alot of time with this camera getting OOF results with fast prime lenses when shooting them (f/1.4's) wide open. It seems that with every lens I own I needs between +15 to +20 AF fine tune to counteract the front focus in the body... I can now focus, like the D700 in any light, in low contrast, at distance, and close up, medium distances, wide open. ...

To re-iterate. Getting excellent results at all distances using:

AF-S (yes, despite what people say on here you do not need AF-C on static subjects, sorry)

True single point AF - no area or dynamic mode, centre mainly (or one of the centre cluster with a cross type sensor).

AF-fine tune is evidently very important...

primeshooter wrote:

Might as well post this, as it may help others. I spent alot of time with this camera getting OOF results with fast prime lenses when shooting them (f/1.4's) wide open. It seems that with every lens I own I needs between +15 to +20 AF fine tune to counteract the front focus in the body. Yeh, it seems like the body is out, calibration wise but I have checked this out and talked to Marianne Oelund who advised me that if it works there is no need to send it in to Nikon. I can now focus, like the D700 in any light, in low contrast, at distance, and close up, medium distances, wide open. The AF fine tune has worked perfectly. What is surprising is that close up focusing with AF fine tune OFF the issue was hidden, subjects still looked sharp. The thing is, at distance it looked terrible, totally OOF like some of the example pics I have seen on this forum. Now after tuning I notice that up close subjects are just a touch sharper and at distance now they are actually in focus - best of both worlds. Don't get me wrong, I still get the odd one or two that back or front focus (just like the D700 did in challenging conditions).

To re-iterate. Getting excellent results at all distances using:

AF-S (yes, despite what people say on here you do not need AF-C on static subjects, sorry)

True single point AF - no area or dynamic mode, centre mainly (or one of the centre cluster with a cross type sensor).

AF-fine tune is evidently very important. And it works much better if the lenses are fine as in my case but the body is out. Also you do get between -20 to +20. The DEFAULT setting gives you even more leeway as well as I have found in testing and had confirmed by Marianne Oelund. If you have focus issues with the D800 and haven't fine tuned try it because it has worked wonders. People are "worried" about leaving a camera tuned to +10, or +20. It's just a number and makes no difference I've found other than making each lens a whole lot sharper.

--
google + https://plus.google.com/u/1/110463150518351139559
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primeshooter wrote:

Might as well post this, as it may help others. I spent alot of time with this camera getting OOF results with fast prime lenses when shooting them (f/1.4's) wide open. It seems that with every lens I own I needs between +15 to +20 AF fine tune to counteract the front focus in the body. Yeh, it seems like the body is out, calibration wise but I have checked this out and talked to Marianne Oelund who advised me that if it works there is no need to send it in to Nikon. I can now focus, like the D700 in any light, in low contrast, at distance, and close up, medium distances, wide open. The AF fine tune has worked perfectly. What is surprising is that close up focusing with AF fine tune OFF the issue was hidden, subjects still looked sharp. The thing is, at distance it looked terrible, totally OOF like some of the example pics I have seen on this forum. Now after tuning I notice that up close subjects are just a touch sharper and at distance now they are actually in focus - best of both worlds. Don't get me wrong, I still get the odd one or two that back or front focus (just like the D700 did in challenging conditions).

To re-iterate. Getting excellent results at all distances using:

AF-S (yes, despite what people say on here you do not need AF-C on static subjects, sorry)

True single point AF - no area or dynamic mode, centre mainly (or one of the centre cluster with a cross type sensor).

AF-fine tune is evidently very important. And it works much better if the lenses are fine as in my case but the body is out. Also you do get between -20 to +20. The DEFAULT setting gives you even more leeway as well as I have found in testing and had confirmed by Marianne Oelund. If you have focus issues with the D800 and haven't fine tuned try it because it has worked wonders. People are "worried" about leaving a camera tuned to +10, or +20. It's just a number and makes no difference I've found other than making each lens a whole lot sharper.

--
google + https://plus.google.com/u/1/110463150518351139559
flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/steverphotographer/

steras wrote:

Good to hear it works for you too. I had a bad D800 first. Then Nikon sent me a new one and after fine tuning it works fine. As you, I did test it with AF fine tune ON/OFF and ended up with better results using ON.

If you don't mind me asking; what distance, related to focal length, did you do your fine tuning at?

Mitrajoon wrote:

What was your process to fine tune your lenses?

--
Jim
http://jmlphotography.smugmug.com/

primeshooter wrote:

Just as advised on here, tripod, mirror up, cable release, ruler at 45 degrees etc etc. I even tested some hand held afterword just to check real life. Front focus is so bad that I notice when I turn af fine tune off and take a shot at distance it misses. When I turn it on, exact focus resumes. And people said it was my technique!

--
google + https://plus.google.com/u/1/110463150518351139559
flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/steverphotographer/

Tommot1965 wrote:

I must admit mate that I find it unbelievable that you have posted so many times that the D800 was crap with fast primes..in just about all the D800 poor AF thread you chimed in with your own adverse D800 focus condition ......and now you say you never did a AF fine tune first...thats why Nikon add it to the menu options..so you can FINE TUNE...

before trying to make people follow your own mindset..please read the FM

FX and DX wrote:

I hope the ruler at 45 degree was a joke. You cannot fine tune a lens like that.

ScottnLaguna wrote:

Sure you can. I did it as well. Lens Align is exactly that. Did my 70-200vr2 handheld and it has made all the difference. I tried tripod and wall charts with live View, etc. The ruler worked better for me.

michaeladawson wrote:

Actually, you need more than just a ruler at a 45 degree angle to do it right. You cannot guarantee where the actual AF sensor pixels are within the AF square. You do NOT want to put the AF square on a slanted ruler because you can't guarantee that you are actually focusing on your chosen "zero spot".

Done properly, you need to have a focus target that is parallel with your sensor plane. You put the slanted ruler next to that. You focus on the target and then examine where on the ruler you are getting sharp focus.

A minor distinction, but an extremely important one if you are going for correct fine tuning.

primeshooter wrote:

..... To be honest even without a tripod, turning tuning ON and OFF I instantly notice the focus is exact and not front anymore!

primeshooter wrote:

.....more people actually said it's my technique! So I guess they are wrong too. You live and learn.

J Mankila wrote:

To iterate, is the only difference to your earlier settings the fact that you turned on the focus fine tune and found the right corrections?

If so, I would be tempted to ask why it wasn't the first thing to do when experiencing AF difficulties?

--
regards
Janne Mankila, Finland

primeshooter wrote:

Might as well post this, as it may help others. I spent alot of time with this camera getting OOF results with fast prime lenses when shooting them (f/1.4's) wide open. It seems that with every lens I own I needs between +15 to +20 AF fine tune to counteract the front focus in the body. Yeh, it seems like the body is out, calibration wise but I have checked this out and talked to Marianne Oelund who advised me that if it works there is no need to send it in to Nikon. I can now focus, like the D700 in any light, in low contrast, at distance, and close up, medium distances, wide open. The AF fine tune has worked perfectly. What is surprising is that close up focusing with AF fine tune OFF the issue was hidden, subjects still looked sharp. The thing is, at distance it looked terrible, totally OOF like some of the example pics I have seen on this forum. Now after tuning I notice that up close subjects are just a touch sharper and at distance now they are actually in focus - best of both worlds. Don't get me wrong, I still get the odd one or two that back or front focus (just like the D700 did in challenging conditions).

To re-iterate. Getting excellent results at all distances using:

AF-S (yes, despite what people say on here you do not need AF-C on static subjects, sorry)

True single point AF - no area or dynamic mode, centre mainly (or one of the centre cluster with a cross type sensor).

AF-fine tune is evidently very important. And it works much better if the lenses are fine as in my case but the body is out. Also you do get between -20 to +20. The DEFAULT setting gives you even more leeway as well as I have found in testing and had confirmed by Marianne Oelund. If you have focus issues with the D800 and haven't fine tuned try it because it has worked wonders. People are "worried" about leaving a camera tuned to +10, or +20. It's just a number and makes no difference I've found other than making each lens a whole lot sharper.

--
google + https://plus.google.com/u/1/110463150518351139559
flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/steverphotographer/

primeshooter wrote:

AF-S (yes, despite what people say on here you do not need AF-C on static subjects, sorry)