My Nikon D3300 Has Issues with Blurry Photos (Lens Problem?)

[Mark S Abeln]

Ah ok.

 

[whackedout101]

Unlike Its more advanced brethren, the D3x00 series of cameras provides no menu setting that prevents the camera from releasing the shutter if focus has not been achieved. Therefore it is up to the user to make sure that the camera has indicated it has achieved focus before fully depressing the shutter release. The camera makes this indication by lighting an in-focus indicator dot in the lower-left part of the viewfinder, and, In AF-S mode, by emitting a beep.

I'm at a loss with what you're saying. I did research on the camera when I bought it because I was trying to decide between Canon and Nikon. Anyway, I found that the camera does NOT take photos if focus has not been achieved.

As I said before, I have personally experienced this when I set the camera to AF-S mode and half-pressing the shutter button and trying to get the camera to autofocus and nothing occurs. So, if I press the shutter button completely, the photo will NOT take under any circumstance.

I do see a green light (the dot) that blinks in the lowerleft if I half-press but nothing occurs--the focus never occurs.

 

[whackedout101]

Alright, the camera (the body) itself was set to MF because if I set it so any of the others AF-S, AF-C, or AF-A then the camera will not take the photo at all because it believes that the image is not in focus (which indeed is true).

On the other hand, if I put the camera on AF-S and halfpress the shutterbutton the camera should tell me that the autofocus has worked by giving me a beep (as somebody already said), but I found out last night as I was playing around with the camera, there is NO beep that occurs when I halfpress the shutter button which I think means that the autofocusing never occurred. I do NOT try and change the focal length (the zoom) when I'm trying to take a photo unless the photo isn't clear to begin with. I really don't think the autofocusing is working but I wanted other opinions because I'm really a beginner who knows nothing about cameras.

I did NOT buy the camera used, I bought it new from a website (which I don't remember now). The lens was the one that came with it and I'm pretty annoyed with it at this point.

I have reset my camera to default settings after I, myself, have messed around with it and still haven't gotten any changes in results, even though this was the way it was when I bought it back in July.

Also, again: If I do ANYTHING with the focus ring, NOTHING happens. I can turn it as much as I want and the viewfinder shows that the image is still out of focus.

New photo from today:







shutter speed: 1/400
f-stop: 3.5
iso: 1600

Also, the camera was set to AF-S and it was taken on manual mode. The ONLY way I got this to take was if I was moving the focus ring when I pressed the shutter button down. The photo would NOT take otherwise (meaning, if I halfpressed the button to get it to autofocus nothing would occur, so I tried to FULLY press the down the shutter button and the picture would NOT take).

 

[whackedout101]

what are the focus settings that you are using?

AFA, AFC, AFS or manual focus (selectable in menu) single focus point or multi?

 

[whackedout101]

Is it possible you are zooming in or out after the camera has already acquired focus? Make sure the shutter button is fully released while zooming, and than a half press to acquire focus again. The only time you can half press the shutter button and zoom is when continuous AF is enabled!

If a half press of the shutter button don't focus the camera, and you bought this camera used, it's possible that the previous owner was using back button focus. In that case, you should reset the camera to its factory default setting, so everything else they may have changed is reset too!

 

[Labe]

sounds like a faulty lens . Have you removed the lens and wiped the contacts on both the body and the lens to make sure they are connecting correctly . If that doent work then you need to return it for warranty repair

 

[GodSpeaks]

The D3300 needs a firmware upgrade before it will work with that lens.

He says it was the kit lens the camera was supplied with. If they are sending out kits for which the camera needs a firmware upgrade, they need to buck up their ideas.

 

[GodSpeaks]

Something is wrong somewhere. Is it possible that you changed some item(s) in the menus without realizing it?

What I would suggest is to do a factory reset. That at least will get us back to a known starting point. Once you complete the factory reset, then try your lens and see if it is autofocusing properly. If it is, you are done.

But if it is not, then I would suggest removing the lens from the body and remounting it (make sure the camera id OFF when you do this). Turn the camera on and try autofocusing. Working, or not?

If not, then I would take the camera kit back to the store where you bought it. Have someone at the store check the camera. Maybe they can get it working, in which case ask them what was wrong. But if they cannot, then it would be time for an exchange/repair/replacement, depending on how long since you bought the camera.

Good luck.

 

[thebustos]

Back button focus is a method by which you essentially split up the normal function of the shutter button. Generally, one of the buttons on the back side of the camera is reassigned to initiate AF while the shutter button will only open/close the shutter.

There are various reasons why people use this method. Just look up "back button focus" for examples. If this is setup, then the shutter button will no longer initiate AF, but rather you'll have to use whatever button has been reassigned to initiate AF.

Restoring the camera to factory settings should cancel this out if this is what's going on.

 

[beatboxa]

Alright, the camera (the body) itself was set to MF because if I set it so any of the others AF-S, AF-C, or AF-A then the camera will not take the photo at all because it believes that the image is not in focus (which indeed is true).

On the other hand, if I put the camera on AF-S and halfpress the shutterbutton the camera should tell me that the autofocus has worked by giving me a beep (as somebody already said), but I found out last night as I was playing around with the camera, there is NO beep that occurs when I halfpress the shutter button which I think means that the autofocusing never occurred. I do NOT try and change the focal length (the zoom) when I'm trying to take a photo unless the photo isn't clear to begin with. I really don't think the autofocusing is working but I wanted other opinions because I'm really a beginner who knows nothing about cameras.

I did NOT buy the camera used, I bought it new from a website (which I don't remember now). The lens was the one that came with it and I'm pretty annoyed with it at this point.

I have reset my camera to default settings after I, myself, have messed around with it and still haven't gotten any changes in results, even though this was the way it was when I bought it back in July.

Also, again: If I do ANYTHING with the focus ring, NOTHING happens. I can turn it as much as I want and the viewfinder shows that the image is still out of focus.

New photo from today:



shutter speed: 1/400
f-stop: 3.5
iso: 1600

Also, the camera was set to AF-S and it was taken on manual mode. The ONLY way I got this to take was if I was moving the focus ring when I pressed the shutter button down. The photo would NOT take otherwise (meaning, if I halfpressed the button to get it to autofocus nothing would occur, so I tried to FULLY press the down the shutter button and the picture would NOT take).

There are a lot of reasons that this could happen...

Just to clarify, does the lens do ANYTHING at all when you half press it (ie. does it hunt / search for focus while you are half pressing it), or does nothing at all happen?

I don't think I saw an answer to this yet, but can you confirm that the switch on the LENS is set to "A"? If it's set to "M", the camera's autofocus will not work at all, no matter what mode the camera is in. This sounds like the most likely culprit. Make sure the switch on the lens is set to "A".

Here's a picture:



Make sure that the LENS is set to "Auto" mode ("A"). The camera's "M" mode means you will select the aperture, shutter speed, and ISO yourself. The lens's "M" mode means you will manual focus.

BOTH the camera and the lens must be set to "Autofocus" for autofocus to work.

If that doesn't work, here's some more stuff to check. Are you trying to focus in "live view" (using the screen on the back of the camera), or through the viewfinder (the little eyepiece)? If you're using the viewfinder, are there any blinking messages you can see while you are trying to autofocus? The camera uses completely different focusing systems if you're using "Live View" or not--and this could be a key to the issue. Also, are you using the 'self-timer' at all?

Which camera mode are you in? ("M"? "A"? "P"? "S"? "Auto"?) Looks like you took those sample pictures in "M" (or 'manual' mode).

Double check these settings:

Focus Mode. Sounds like you've checked this.
AF-area mode: This one is important. It will tell the camera if you are trying to focus on a specific point or not.
Lens Setting: Make sure it's set to "A"

If the above doesn't work, try doing this:

1. Set the camera to "Auto" shooting mode (move the dial at the top to the green 'auto' mode)
2. Make sure the lens switch is set to "A"
3. Make sure the lens is attached firmly (try twisting it gently both ways...it shouldnt budge).
4. Make sure the Focus mode is set to "AF-A"
5. Make sure the AF-area mode is set to the default wide area. The icon should just look like a giant box inside brackets.
6. Make sure you do not have the self timer set.
7. Make sure you are NOT in live view. Try focusing through the viewfinder (eyepiece). Make sure the back screen is not showing a preview of the picture.
8. Try holding the shutter button halfway down in a dark room. Does the camera/lens try to focus on the object? (ie. is the camera trying to autofocus)? Does the light (looks like a flashlight) on the front of the camera come on?
9. Try to focus on something in bright light, or try focusing on a TV or phone screen that's on. Does the camera successfully achieve focus and beep?
10. If #8 and #9 don't work, do you see any blinking lights in the viewfinder or on the back screen?

If this works, then it's probably not your lens & it's not your camera. It's some setting or circumstance. And we can help you troubleshoot that next. If the above does not do anything, it may be faulty equipment.

 

[beatboxa]

Is it possible you are zooming in or out after the camera has already acquired focus? Make sure the shutter button is fully released while zooming, and than a half press to acquire focus again. The only time you can half press the shutter button and zoom is when continuous AF is enabled!

If a half press of the shutter button don't focus the camera, and you bought this camera used, it's possible that the previous owner was using back button focus. In that case, you should reset the camera to its factory default setting, so everything else they may have changed is reset too!

 

[bobn2]

The EXIF on the blurry shot of the rocks says autofocus was turned off. With the D3300, the AF control is on the lens. Make sure it's set to 'M/A' not 'M'.

Bob, which EXIF tag were you relying on to make that determination?

Quite a few point to it

Focus Mode : Manual

Focus Distance : 8.41 m

Contrast Detect AF : Off

Phase Detect AF : Off

AF Points Used: (none)

Auto Focus: Off

Got them with Exiftool

That seems pretty definitive. I gotta figure out why I didn't get Exiftool when I was looking for an EXIF reader, and probably get it now.

Exiftool has all sorts of useful capabilities.







--
Bob.
DARK IN HERE, ISN'T IT?

 

[beatboxa]

The EXIF on the blurry shot of the rocks says autofocus was turned off. With the D3300, the AF control is on the lens. Make sure it's set to 'M/A' not 'M'.

Bob, which EXIF tag were you relying on to make that determination?

Quite a few point to it

Focus Mode : Manual

Focus Distance : 8.41 m

Contrast Detect AF : Off

Phase Detect AF : Off

AF Points Used: (none)

Auto Focus: Off

Got them with Exiftool

That seems pretty definitive. I gotta figure out why I didn't get Exiftool when I was looking for an EXIF reader, and probably get it now.

Exiftool has all sorts of useful capabilities.



--
Bob.
DARK IN HERE, ISN'T IT?

I noticed that in the EXIF as well. Just to throw this out there, he did say that he switched the camera to Manual focus for all of the shots because it wouldn't release otherwise. That's consistent with the EXIF data, and unfortunately, the EXIF data doesn't distinguish between the camera's manual focus mode and the lens's manual focus mode.

But my money is still on the Lens switch. As a note, I believe the D3300 kit lens doesn't do the standard Nikon "M/A", and just says "A" or "M" on it. This also implies that this lens doesn't have the instantaneous "manual override" we're used to--and since he could freely move the focusing ring in order to manually focus, this switch is almost definitely set to "M".

I've included a screenshot in another post on here. Hopefully, this is the issue!

 

[Labe]

Alright, the camera (the body) itself was set to MF because if I set it so any of the others AF-S, AF-C, or AF-A then the camera will not take the photo at all because it believes that the image is not in focus (which indeed is true).

On the other hand, if I put the camera on AF-S and halfpress the shutterbutton the camera should tell me that the autofocus has worked by giving me a beep (as somebody already said), but I found out last night as I was playing around with the camera, there is NO beep that occurs when I halfpress the shutter button which I think means that the autofocusing never occurred. I do NOT try and change the focal length (the zoom) when I'm trying to take a photo unless the photo isn't clear to begin with. I really don't think the autofocusing is working but I wanted other opinions because I'm really a beginner who knows nothing about cameras.

I did NOT buy the camera used, I bought it new from a website (which I don't remember now). The lens was the one that came with it and I'm pretty annoyed with it at this point.

I have reset my camera to default settings after I, myself, have messed around with it and still haven't gotten any changes in results, even though this was the way it was when I bought it back in July.

Also, again: If I do ANYTHING with the focus ring, NOTHING happens. I can turn it as much as I want and the viewfinder shows that the image is still out of focus.

New photo from today:



shutter speed: 1/400
f-stop: 3.5
iso: 1600

Also, the camera was set to AF-S and it was taken on manual mode. The ONLY way I got this to take was if I was moving the focus ring when I pressed the shutter button down. The photo would NOT take otherwise (meaning, if I halfpressed the button to get it to autofocus nothing would occur, so I tried to FULLY press the down the shutter button and the picture would NOT take).

There are a lot of reasons that this could happen...

Just to clarify, does the lens do ANYTHING at all when you half press it (ie. does it hunt / search for focus while you are half pressing it), or does nothing at all happen?

I don't think I saw an answer to this yet, but can you confirm that the switch on the LENS is set to "A"? If it's set to "M", the camera's autofocus will not work at all, no matter what mode the camera is in. This sounds like the most likely culprit. Make sure the switch on the lens is set to "A".

Here's a picture:



Make sure that the LENS is set to "Auto" mode ("A"). The camera's "M" mode means you will select the aperture, shutter speed, and ISO yourself. The lens's "M" mode means you will manual focus.

BOTH the camera and the lens must be set to "Autofocus" for autofocus to work.

If that doesn't work, here's some more stuff to check. Are you trying to focus in "live view" (using the screen on the back of the camera), or through the viewfinder (the little eyepiece)? If you're using the viewfinder, are there any blinking messages you can see while you are trying to autofocus? The camera uses completely different focusing systems if you're using "Live View" or not--and this could be a key to the issue. Also, are you using the 'self-timer' at all?

Which camera mode are you in? ("M"? "A"? "P"? "S"? "Auto"?) Looks like you took those sample pictures in "M" (or 'manual' mode).

Double check these settings:

Focus Mode. Sounds like you've checked this.
AF-area mode: This one is important. It will tell the camera if you are trying to focus on a specific point or not.
Lens Setting: Make sure it's set to "A"

If the above doesn't work, try doing this:

1. Set the camera to "Auto" shooting mode (move the dial at the top to the green 'auto' mode)
2. Make sure the lens switch is set to "A"
3. Make sure the lens is attached firmly (try twisting it gently both ways...it shouldnt budge).
4. Make sure the Focus mode is set to "AF-A"
5. Make sure the AF-area mode is set to the default wide area. The icon should just look like a giant box inside brackets.
6. Make sure you do not have the self timer set.
7. Make sure you are NOT in live view. Try focusing through the viewfinder (eyepiece). Make sure the back screen is not showing a preview of the picture.
8. Try holding the shutter button halfway down in a dark room. Does the camera/lens try to focus on the object? (ie. is the camera trying to autofocus)? Does the light (looks like a flashlight) on the front of the camera come on?
9. Try to focus on something in bright light, or try focusing on a TV or phone screen that's on. Does the camera successfully achieve focus and beep?
10. If #8 and #9 don't work, do you see any blinking lights in the viewfinder or on the back screen?

If this works, then it's probably not your lens & it's not your camera. It's some setting or circumstance. And we can help you troubleshoot that next. If the above does not do anything, it may be faulty equipment.

If you read this thread a little more fully you would have noticed the OP doesn't have the older kit lens with the switches on the side , he has the newer AF-P kit lens which is switch through the camera`s menu.

--
new to technology,always learning

https://www.flickr.com/photos/p-labe/albums/72157660665397295

Nikon P900

Explore this photo album by Paul Laybourne on Flickr!

www.flickr.com

 

[beatboxa]

Alright, the camera (the body) itself was set to MF because if I set it so any of the others AF-S, AF-C, or AF-A then the camera will not take the photo at all because it believes that the image is not in focus (which indeed is true).

On the other hand, if I put the camera on AF-S and halfpress the shutterbutton the camera should tell me that the autofocus has worked by giving me a beep (as somebody already said), but I found out last night as I was playing around with the camera, there is NO beep that occurs when I halfpress the shutter button which I think means that the autofocusing never occurred. I do NOT try and change the focal length (the zoom) when I'm trying to take a photo unless the photo isn't clear to begin with. I really don't think the autofocusing is working but I wanted other opinions because I'm really a beginner who knows nothing about cameras.

I did NOT buy the camera used, I bought it new from a website (which I don't remember now). The lens was the one that came with it and I'm pretty annoyed with it at this point.

I have reset my camera to default settings after I, myself, have messed around with it and still haven't gotten any changes in results, even though this was the way it was when I bought it back in July.

Also, again: If I do ANYTHING with the focus ring, NOTHING happens. I can turn it as much as I want and the viewfinder shows that the image is still out of focus.

New photo from today:



shutter speed: 1/400
f-stop: 3.5
iso: 1600

Also, the camera was set to AF-S and it was taken on manual mode. The ONLY way I got this to take was if I was moving the focus ring when I pressed the shutter button down. The photo would NOT take otherwise (meaning, if I halfpressed the button to get it to autofocus nothing would occur, so I tried to FULLY press the down the shutter button and the picture would NOT take).

There are a lot of reasons that this could happen...

Just to clarify, does the lens do ANYTHING at all when you half press it (ie. does it hunt / search for focus while you are half pressing it), or does nothing at all happen?

I don't think I saw an answer to this yet, but can you confirm that the switch on the LENS is set to "A"? If it's set to "M", the camera's autofocus will not work at all, no matter what mode the camera is in. This sounds like the most likely culprit. Make sure the switch on the lens is set to "A".

Here's a picture:



Make sure that the LENS is set to "Auto" mode ("A"). The camera's "M" mode means you will select the aperture, shutter speed, and ISO yourself. The lens's "M" mode means you will manual focus.

BOTH the camera and the lens must be set to "Autofocus" for autofocus to work.

If that doesn't work, here's some more stuff to check. Are you trying to focus in "live view" (using the screen on the back of the camera), or through the viewfinder (the little eyepiece)? If you're using the viewfinder, are there any blinking messages you can see while you are trying to autofocus? The camera uses completely different focusing systems if you're using "Live View" or not--and this could be a key to the issue. Also, are you using the 'self-timer' at all?

Which camera mode are you in? ("M"? "A"? "P"? "S"? "Auto"?) Looks like you took those sample pictures in "M" (or 'manual' mode).

Double check these settings:

Focus Mode. Sounds like you've checked this.
AF-area mode: This one is important. It will tell the camera if you are trying to focus on a specific point or not.
Lens Setting: Make sure it's set to "A"

If the above doesn't work, try doing this:

1. Set the camera to "Auto" shooting mode (move the dial at the top to the green 'auto' mode)
2. Make sure the lens switch is set to "A"
3. Make sure the lens is attached firmly (try twisting it gently both ways...it shouldnt budge).
4. Make sure the Focus mode is set to "AF-A"
5. Make sure the AF-area mode is set to the default wide area. The icon should just look like a giant box inside brackets.
6. Make sure you do not have the self timer set.
7. Make sure you are NOT in live view. Try focusing through the viewfinder (eyepiece). Make sure the back screen is not showing a preview of the picture.
8. Try holding the shutter button halfway down in a dark room. Does the camera/lens try to focus on the object? (ie. is the camera trying to autofocus)? Does the light (looks like a flashlight) on the front of the camera come on?
9. Try to focus on something in bright light, or try focusing on a TV or phone screen that's on. Does the camera successfully achieve focus and beep?
10. If #8 and #9 don't work, do you see any blinking lights in the viewfinder or on the back screen?

If this works, then it's probably not your lens & it's not your camera. It's some setting or circumstance. And we can help you troubleshoot that next. If the above does not do anything, it may be faulty equipment.

If you read this thread a little more fully you would have noticed the OP doesn't have the older kit lens with the switches on the side , he has the newer AF-P kit lens which is switch through the camera`s menu.

--
new to technology,always learning
https://www.flickr.com/photos/p-labe/albums/72157660665397295
https://www.flickr.com/photos/p-labe/albums/72157651586620765/with/17497590035/

Touche my friend. Completely missed that part. Also didn't know there were 2 different versions of the kit lens

So yeah OP forget that switch part...try this out, and if it doesn't work, it's probably a dead lens.

 

[bobn2]

The EXIF on the blurry shot of the rocks says autofocus was turned off. With the D3300, the AF control is on the lens. Make sure it's set to 'M/A' not 'M'.

Bob, which EXIF tag were you relying on to make that determination?

Quite a few point to it

Focus Mode : Manual

Focus Distance : 8.41 m

Contrast Detect AF : Off

Phase Detect AF : Off

AF Points Used: (none)

Auto Focus: Off

Got them with Exiftool

That seems pretty definitive. I gotta figure out why I didn't get Exiftool when I was looking for an EXIF reader, and probably get it now.

Exiftool has all sorts of useful capabilities.



--
Bob.
DARK IN HERE, ISN'T IT?

I noticed that in the EXIF as well. Just to throw this out there, he did say that he switched the camera to Manual focus for all of the shots because it wouldn't release otherwise. That's consistent with the EXIF data, and unfortunately, the EXIF data doesn't distinguish between the camera's manual focus mode and the lens's manual focus mode.

But my money is still on the Lens switch. As a note, I believe the D3300 kit lens doesn't do the standard Nikon "M/A", and just says "A" or "M" on it. This also implies that this lens doesn't have the instantaneous "manual override" we're used to--and since he could freely move the focusing ring in order to manually focus, this switch is almost definitely set to "M".

I've included a screenshot in another post on here. Hopefully, this is the issue!

I think we've worked out that his AF-P lens has no switch at all. In which case he either needs to find the right camera menu or get a firmware upgrade.

--
Bob.
DARK IN HERE, ISN'T IT?

 

[CQui]

I think the OP already set teh factory setting through menus and indicate it is bought through vebsite where returns are not as easy as in a shop.

 

[CQui]

I'm not surprised about the software upgrade, they might have found after packaging that there was a little issue and sold the kits through websites, try that first,

There are several thing that confuse me, do I understand that when in manual mode, you turn the focus ring, the image stays blury?

You have been able to focus by moving forward or backward until the focus is ok, I call that the foot focus as you use your feet to focus walking to and fro...

Please set up for manual focus again, try foot focus then try to move the focusing ring, picture should become blurry, if it doesn't change, then you have a major issue with your lens or you use a ring that is not the focus ring (read the manual again, you never know).

If you have the possibility, find someone in your area with a Nikon camera and ask to try one of their lens, if it work then you will know the issue is with the lens. you can even ask them to try your lens...

Then good luck with customer support...

 

[Doug Haag]

I was beginning to think this post was a hoax. The profile says that the OP joined the same day as the post. So if he hadn't posted photos and returned to make follow-up posts it would seem like one of those posts designed to be controversial and get people arguing.

But it seems real. So I am totally dumbfounded by some of the photos he posted, Let's talk about the one of the castle-like building he posted as a reference point.

The Exif says it was taken at 27mm, so that would provide a pretty wide DOF.

It was a stationary object shot at 1/320th of a second so camera movement should not introduce much blurriness -- unless he was actually trying to move the camera during exposure.

It was shot at f/9 which further expands DOF. Although a small amount of diffraction effect could come into play, this as far from being off the "sweet spot range". Quite close to "F/8 and be there" guidance.

The iso was 200 which should mean very little noise to distract from sharpness.

Yet, in spite of all this, I can't find a single area of the photo (either near or far) that is sharp. It would seem like with a slight misfocus, these settings and DOF range should result in sharpness somewhere in the image -- even if not where intended,

I'm not sure how I would even go about creating a photo with these characteristics if I wanted to perpetrate a hoax, Something seems terribly amiss, even apart from the question of auto vs manual focus setting.

 

[Terry Breedlove]

Have you ever dropped this camera or lens ? I have a lens for my D3300 the 35 mm 1.8 that does much the same but I banged it on the edge of a door once really hard and all the other lenses work great.