-
Welcome to the new forums! Please read this first. For known issues we are working to resolve, click here.
D500+new Sigma 150-600.. Focus issues?
- Thread starter fuego6
- Start date
-
- Tags
- nikon d500
Antonioli1
Well-known member
I had the same problem (I have D500 and Sigma 150-600S). That is to say: this combination of a perfect camera and an excellent lens have to be calibrated, that is very important to get clear pictures!
But that is not a easy task (even with the firmware-dock). So I took the camera and the lens and I went to Sigma (Netherlands). And the did this for me, for free!! Inside the lens. Result: perfect sharp pictures. I have the combi now for about two years, I use it a lot and I'm happy with it every day (see an example).
But that is not a easy task (even with the firmware-dock). So I took the camera and the lens and I went to Sigma (Netherlands). And the did this for me, for free!! Inside the lens. Result: perfect sharp pictures. I have the combi now for about two years, I use it a lot and I'm happy with it every day (see an example).
Thx Doonie.. I agree that my technique (or lack thereof) must be in play here and I intend to "recreate the scene" next week but this time with a tripod and a closer subject. Appreciate your thoughts!
Fun when you still NAIL FOCUS like yod did!but slow shutter speeds can also be fun...
no?
Nice Photo... would love a trip to the Netherlands... is Sigma paying for my airfare and stay over? ;-) I mean.. I did buy their lens after all....I had the same problem (I have D500 and Sigma 150-600S). That is to say: this combination of a perfect camera and an excellent lens have to be calibrated, that is very important to get clear pictures!
But that is not a easy task (even with the firmware-dock). So I took the camera and the lens and I went to Sigma (Netherlands). And the did this for me, for free!! Inside the lens. Result: perfect sharp pictures. I have the combi now for about two years, I use it a lot and I'm happy with it every day (see an example).
No problem. Glad to hear you can appreciate the benefits of a tripod. I understand that people can get great results handheld but personally I feel a tripod is much more consistent. I use one 99% of the time with my Sigma S. It's a great lens.
Attachments
Last edited:
..if you have the usb dock.. not sure if you tried this yet.. set the OS to Dynamic View mode, and set the Auto Focus to Motor Drive Speed priority..
..the sweet spot for the Sigma C is f/8, but can shoot it at f/7.1 also..
..on the D500, can try using Group Focus or Single Point, use AF-C, and turn 'On' Face Detection..
..shutter speed recommendations are 1/1250, 1/1600, 1/2000 or 'higher'.. for me, the 1/2000 is a sweet spot for my D500..
..try filling the subject into the frame as much as possible, and not relying on cropping..
..practice, practice, practice.. is the key to success..
..if can, try the suggestions offered here in this thread, and post back with picture samples..
..Cheers..
--
Regards, John..
..down with naysayers!
[ YI M1 camera, Olympus 17mm f/1.8 lens, firmware 3.0 ]
..the sweet spot for the Sigma C is f/8, but can shoot it at f/7.1 also..
..on the D500, can try using Group Focus or Single Point, use AF-C, and turn 'On' Face Detection..
..shutter speed recommendations are 1/1250, 1/1600, 1/2000 or 'higher'.. for me, the 1/2000 is a sweet spot for my D500..
..try filling the subject into the frame as much as possible, and not relying on cropping..
..practice, practice, practice.. is the key to success..
..if can, try the suggestions offered here in this thread, and post back with picture samples..
..Cheers..
--
Regards, John..
..down with naysayers!
[ YI M1 camera, Olympus 17mm f/1.8 lens, firmware 3.0 ]
Last edited:
cosmicnode
Veteran Member
AF-S if you read the Nikon manual is for static subjects only, and then probably on a tripod, when tracking a moving subject with afs the camera achives focus then it lockes the AF at that distance , but the subject has moved on resulting in out of focus shots,
Imagine you are at a athletics meeting shooting a sprinter running towards you at 10m/sec (100 metres in 10 seconds) you press the shutter to the first pressure setting to activate the AF, the camera achives focus and locks at that distance, a split second later, say 1/10-1/5 sec you release the shutter, the athlete has now moved forward in that time by 1-2 meters resulting in out of focus shots. If you are shooting at a high frame rate the following shots are still taken at the origonal focus setting resulting in even more out of focus shots until the shutter button is released and the scene refocused by pressing the release again. Use continuous AF for action, it predicts where the subject is going to be when the shutter is released. and continues to focus through a burst of shots.
For the most static of subject such as the gull wading in the sea try using a monopod, It's also possible that the VR in the lens is not being activated by the camera body due to a bad connection between body and lens, check that the contacts on the lens are clean and move freely in and out of their setting.
--
Mike.
"I say we take off and nuke the entire site from orbit, it's the only way to be sure."
Last edited:
xPhoenix
Senior Member
- Messages
- 1,748
- Reaction score
- 1,003
Hmmm.... I was going to say it looks like front or back focusing, but I don't see anything in focus in those images. I don't think the shutter speeds are to blame. Maybe for the bird shot, but you should be able to get away with 1/800 for a surfer.
You said indoor shots look sharp? Try using AF-C on some moving objects, and see how things look. Any time the subject is moving, I always use AF-C. Also, before you go through the time consuming process of tuning with the Sigma dock, maybe try the auto AF fine tune in the camera. Here's a good vid:
One key thing—if you repeat the procedure, don't refocus every time. Only focus once in the beginning. At least, that's my understanding. I did this on my Sigma 24-105, and it's right on.
OTOH, if you just got the lens and still can't get it to work right, I would return it and just get a Nikon 200-500.
You said indoor shots look sharp? Try using AF-C on some moving objects, and see how things look. Any time the subject is moving, I always use AF-C. Also, before you go through the time consuming process of tuning with the Sigma dock, maybe try the auto AF fine tune in the camera. Here's a good vid:
Loading…
petapixel.com
One key thing—if you repeat the procedure, don't refocus every time. Only focus once in the beginning. At least, that's my understanding. I did this on my Sigma 24-105, and it's right on.
OTOH, if you just got the lens and still can't get it to work right, I would return it and just get a Nikon 200-500.
Mark K
Veteran Member
My combo is perfect.
--
Mark K
--
Mark K
Keyboard shortcuts
- f
- Forum