D3200 and prime lenses and focusing

I recently purchased a D3200 with its 18-55mm kit lens. My main reason was to see whether the 24Mp sensor would perform better (resolution) than the D7000 16Mp at low ISO using prime lenses. (I already have a D7000 with 18-105,70-300VR, 35 1.8G,50 1.8G, 85 1.8G)

My experience to date is as follows

The 3200 does perform better (resolution) than the D7000 at low ISO using primes BUT you have to use Liveview for all focusing. ( The liveview focusing is excellent)

If you use PDAF (viewfinder) the focusing system is not accurate enough to get the full benefit of the 24 Mp sensor with prime lenses. It is consistently off the mark.

It needs ( I think) the fine focus adjacement for each prime lens.

The 18-55mm lens focuses well with PDAF (viewfinder) but it is not sharp enough to get the best out of this 24Mp sensor (only any use for video)

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Graeme NZ

That's too bad. You are, I believe, the first D3200 owner that I have heard say that. In decent light, my D3200 seem to be spot on for the Nikon lenses I've tried (200-400vr, 70-300vr, 70-200vr, 16-85vr, and the 12-24). In worse light, Live View works a little better, I think. I haven't tried my 24mm 2.8, 50mm 1.4 or 60mm 2.8, but I will. I don't see how the primes could be off, while the zooms are right on, but anything's possible, I guess. As I said, I've heard many other D3200 owners say that lenses that required fine tuning on their D300, were right on with the D3200.
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Photograph—a 1/125 second slice of time that is able to store decades of memories.

It's because Nikon doesn't calibrate their viewfinders for manual focus. I calibrated mine. It's awesome.

I have a 35/1.8G on my D3200, and all 11 points get me tack sharp images (if I use it correctly).

Graeme NZ said:

I recently purchased a D3200 with its 18-55mm kit lens. My main reason was to see whether the 24Mp sensor would perform better (resolution) than the D7000 16Mp at low ISO using prime lenses. (I already have a D7000 with 18-105,70-300VR, 35 1.8G,50 1.8G, 85 1.8G)

My experience to date is as follows

The 3200 does perform better (resolution) than the D7000 at low ISO using primes BUT you have to use Liveview for all focusing. ( The liveview focusing is excellent)

If you use PDAF (viewfinder) the focusing system is not accurate enough to get the full benefit of the 24 Mp sensor with prime lenses. It is consistently off the mark.

It needs ( I think) the fine focus adjacement for each prime lens.

Click to expand...

I am not surprised at all. You are bumping up against the limitations of a low spec AF camera with a high spec sensor. There is a reason why higher end DSLRs include the AF fine tuning feature even though they have superior AF modules. Front focus and back focus is quite common with DSLRs, but unless the photographer shoots with large apertures it may be difficult to notice. Most entry level DSLR owners stick with the less expensive smaller aperture lenses so they never notice the front or back focus issues, but higher end users often own large aperture lenses and will notice. There is some hope though. Sigma is developing some new lens technologies that may help with some of these focus issues.
http://www.photoclubalpha.com/2012/09/24/sigmas-system-revolution/

• Jon

bugglz said:

It's because Nikon doesn't calibrate their viewfinders for manual focus. I calibrated mine. It's awesome.

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The OP made no reference to manual focus. From his post, it's pretty clear he is using AF.

How did you "calibrate" your viewfinder? Or did you simply adjust the diopter?

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Patco
A photograph is more than a bunch of pixels

D3200 and 35mm 1.8 here.
Tack sharp.

Not my experience at all. AF is fast and accurate with all my lenses - primes and zooms.

Conversely, it's the Live View I find to be unresponsive and sluggish.

Patco said:

bugglz said:

It's because Nikon doesn't calibrate their viewfinders for manual focus. I calibrated mine. It's awesome.

Click to expand...

The OP made no reference to manual focus. From his post, it's pretty clear he is using AF.

How did you "calibrate" your viewfinder? Or did you simply adjust the diopter?

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Patco
A photograph is more than a bunch of pixels

Click to expand...

Oh. That makes sense.

And no, inside the mirror chamber is a calibration screw, and under the viewfinder is a set of shims. So I installed another shim and adjusted the screw.

Bought a camera to try to find flaws in it rather than actually go shoot some photos. Who does that? A loser does that, that's who.

My D3200 with 50mm 1.8G focuses quick and accurate. Photos are sharp.

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Antonio
http://www.intensitystudios.com

Graeme NZ said:

I recently purchased a D3200 with its 18-55mm kit lens. My main reason was to see whether the 24Mp sensor would perform better (resolution) than the D7000 16Mp at low ISO using prime lenses. (I already have a D7000 with 18-105,70-300VR, 35 1.8G,50 1.8G, 85 1.8G)

Click to expand...

Seriously? you bought a camera just to compare sensors? here look when you are done testing, mail it to me because clearly you don't need it for its primary function.

No OP is just sharing HIS experience with several primes, you are sharing YOUR experience with YOUR own camera (which could be better calibrated too)

I have the same experience as the OP with the D3200 and my 24mm 1.4G (strong back focus) , other lenses work fine, especially the 50mm 1.8G and 28mm 1.8G

intensity studios said:

Bought a camera to try to find flaws in it rather than actually go shoot some photos. Who does that? A loser does that, that's who.

My D3200 with 50mm 1.8G focuses quick and accurate. Photos are sharp.

--
Antonio
http://www.intensitystudios.com

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