Fujifilm X-T20 - High rate of blurry and out-of-focus shots

[Twaize]

Hello,

I bought an X-T20 right before Easter and went on vacation with it, taking a lot of photos. I'm now home looking through the photos, and to put it mildly, I'm surprised at the poor quality of the autofocus. Or at least I think it's the autofocus.

About 20% of my photos are slightly blurry, as if the autofocus missed by just a tiny bit. About 5% of my photos are entirely out of focus, but never so much as to be entirely obvious on the camera's display (hence why I'm only now noticing). It also occurs when shooting photos in bursts or of the same motif with little time in-between shots (non-moving subjects). And every time, the camera has claimed that it has locked focus.

I've searched online, but I can't find anything about the X-T20 in particular, and only very little about the X-T2, experiencing the same symptoms. And nothing about what might be causing it, or suggestions for solutions.

My autofocus settings are (the ones I think might be relevant):
AF-S
AF Mode: Wide/Tracking
Pre-AF: No
AF+MF: Off
Focus check: On
Interlock spot AE & focus area: ON
Release/Focus priority: Release (AF-S and AF-C)

Thank you so much for your time, I hope you can help .

 

[telefunk]

Sorry to hear that. What lens were you using?

 

[Twaize]

Sorry to hear that. What lens were you using?

Oops, forgot to mention. Fujifilm 18-55 F2.8-4.0.

 

[telefunk]

That's a pretty fast zoom and shouldn't have caused any focussing issues. Does it have stabilization?

Maybe you shuold try the "focus priority" setting. All the rest seems OK to me.

If no improvement, then either the lens IS is faulty, or Fuji AF is not really reliable, even in the latest models?

 

[Twaize]

That's a pretty fast zoom and shouldn't have caused any focussing issues. Does it have stabilization?

Maybe you shuold try the "focus priority" setting. All the rest seems OK to me.

If no improvement, then either the lens IS is faulty, or Fuji AF is not really reliable, even in the latest models?

It has image stabilisation, and I'm beginning to suspect it. Going through the photos again, some are just plain out of focus, but some have ghosting, like the lens was moved during exposure (which in this one photo I'm looking at was at 1/975).

Going into the shop on Saturday, but they already claim that they have not heard of my issue.

 

[telefunk]

I had an issue with the Sony 1650 kitlens which seemed to create more blurring than it corrected. Sometimes half of the image was blurred, half was pin sharp, weird. I had about 6 of these lenses and most had this unpredictable behaviour.

Try some random pictures with IS turned off, I would suggest.

 

[Twaize]

I've uploaded a photo that shows the kind of photos I'm getting: https://www.dropbox.com/s/q9b2rlcvefg9tqt/DSCF0535.JPG?dl=0

 

[Cimarron]

This is an obvious question, and I'm not trying to be insulting, but because the simplest answer is typically the best: Are you sure you have the IS turned on?

I have the X-T20 and 18-55 and have not experienced this issue.

 

[Twaize]

This is an obvious question, and I'm not trying to be insulting, but because the simplest answer is typically the best: Are you sure you have the IS turned on?

I have the X-T20 and 18-55 and have not experienced this issue.

I have IS turned on, and if anything, that might be what's causing the problem. The shutterspeed is 1/975, and at that speed, I should be able to handhold a camera from a speeding car, and still get a sharp phot.

 

[drewmey123]

Not trying to be rude, and simply due to the fact that we don't know you or your knowledge in photography, how do we not know that you are simply taking photos at 1/2s exposure and introducing camera shake? Several photos, all with EXIF data, all of different scenes, would be very useful in determining what the actual issue is. Could be anything from the lens to the camera to user error to heat haze to honestly anything.

EDIT: I see you mentioned a higher shutter speed as I was typing this. I still think seeing several example with EXIF would be useful.

 

[P Harg]

I had an X-T20 for a couple of weeks. It was fantastic apart from some blurred shots - I would say 2 out of every 20.

I too had the 18-55 lens.

The shop I returned it to thought it was the camera body rather than lens.

As this combination of lens and body seems to be in short supply in the UK I changed to my other option, a Panasonic G80. I'm having no such issues with that camera. If hadn't needed the camera immediately I would have chosen another X-T20.

I would return your camera and get one that doesn't have this problem.

 

[dark13star]

As others have said, it would be helpful to see more photos with full exif available. A few thoughts though:

-You said you are shooting bursts, but you have the AF switch on S, so if there is any change in the scene, shots after the first are likely to go out of focus. I would change to C for most times I need a burst.

-Also related, shooting bursts with priority set to release means the camera will take the shot at the prescribed interval, whether it is in focus or not, so you will get a high percentage of out-of-focus shots in bursts with this setting. Switching to focus will slow you down a bit, but yield better results.

-Wide tracking is a rather specialized focus mode. Are you leaving it on that setting all the time? Wide tracking with AF-S is generally for use with a wide lens and capturing an erratically moving subject within the field of view, as described here .

Hope that offers some insight.

Rich

 

[Twaize]

Dropbox - Error - Simplify your life

www.dropbox.com

Here you go

 

[Clive99]

This is an obvious question, and I'm not trying to be insulting, but because the simplest answer is typically the best: Are you sure you have the IS turned on?

I have the X-T20 and 18-55 and have not experienced this issue.

I have IS turned on, and if anything, that might be what's causing the problem. The shutterspeed is 1/975, and at that speed, I should be able to handhold a camera from a speeding car, and still get a sharp phot.

That is likely exactly what's going on. I had this issue with my 18-55. I have to make sure OIS is turned off above 1/125s or a high percentage turn out soft across the frame. There's a few posts on this issue. BTW not all that thrilled with my 18-55. It's better than some other kit lenses i've had but it's not that good - certainly not in the same league as my old Nikon 17-55 (which I sold to fund some Fuji primes . I'm also finding the OIS on the 18-55 is only good for about 2 stops in low light . I'll take a fast prime over OIS any day. My primes Fuji are phenomenal!!

Clive

 

[maltmoose]

This is an obvious question, and I'm not trying to be insulting, but because the simplest answer is typically the best: Are you sure you have the IS turned on?

I have the X-T20 and 18-55 and have not experienced this issue.

I have IS turned on, and if anything, that might be what's causing the problem. The shutterspeed is 1/975, and at that speed, I should be able to handhold a camera from a speeding car, and still get a sharp phot.

That is likely exactly what's going on. I had this issue with my 18-55. I have to make sure OIS is turned off above 1/125s or a high percentage turn out soft across the frame. There's a few posts on this issue. BTW not all that thrilled with my 18-55. It's better than some other kit lenses i've had but it's not that good - certainly not in the same league as my old Nikon 17-55 (which I sold to fund some Fuji primes . I'm also finding the OIS on the 18-55 is only good for about 2 stops in low light . I'll take a fast prime over OIS any day. My primes Fuji are phenomenal!!

Clive

I disagree with all that, i think its more what dark13star has said and yes i have this camera lens combo and have no focus issue so suggest the following.

try this

change to single point focus

change to single shot

leave IS on

change shutter priority to focus priority.

If you still cant get reliable landscapes (nice views btw) then its either user error somehow or faulty camera/lens..

also while your at it disable the touch screen to eliminate that issue, might be touching it and confusing the focus and as its set to release it will take an out of focus shot.

lots of possible scenarios causing this, likely a settings user error thing imo.

 

[Twaize]

This is an obvious question, and I'm not trying to be insulting, but because the simplest answer is typically the best: Are you sure you have the IS turned on?

I have the X-T20 and 18-55 and have not experienced this issue.

I have IS turned on, and if anything, that might be what's causing the problem. The shutterspeed is 1/975, and at that speed, I should be able to handhold a camera from a speeding car, and still get a sharp phot.

That is likely exactly what's going on. I had this issue with my 18-55. I have to make sure OIS is turned off above 1/125s or a high percentage turn out soft across the frame. There's a few posts on this issue. BTW not all that thrilled with my 18-55. It's better than some other kit lenses i've had but it's not that good - certainly not in the same league as my old Nikon 17-55 (which I sold to fund some Fuji primes . I'm also finding the OIS on the 18-55 is only good for about 2 stops in low light . I'll take a fast prime over OIS any day. My primes Fuji are phenomenal!!

Clive

I'll keep it in mind, just keep it off unless I need it. Quite poor though, I'm fairly disappointed now .

 

[jorgepr]

I have
Fujifilm X-T20 + Fuji 18-55 with IS and I have High rate in-focus shots.
Maybe 98% in focus
It's a fantastic Kit.



































- O
meu projecto "Portugal Rural"

Desculpe, o Inglês não é o meu idioma nativo.

 

[Bill Ferris]

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ipow20khxkcn4fx/DPR.zip?dl=0

Here you go

Please, post sample images directly to the thread as attachments to a post. A lot of folks - myself included - are reluctant to download files from a public forum to personal devices.

Thanks.

 

[P Harg]

This is an obvious question, and I'm not trying to be insulting, but because the simplest answer is typically the best: Are you sure you have the IS turned on?

I have the X-T20 and 18-55 and have not experienced this issue.

I have IS turned on, and if anything, that might be what's causing the problem. The shutterspeed is 1/975, and at that speed, I should be able to handhold a camera from a speeding car, and still get a sharp phot.

That is likely exactly what's going on. I had this issue with my 18-55. I have to make sure OIS is turned off above 1/125s or a high percentage turn out soft across the frame. There's a few posts on this issue. BTW not all that thrilled with my 18-55. It's better than some other kit lenses i've had but it's not that good - certainly not in the same league as my old Nikon 17-55 (which I sold to fund some Fuji primes . I'm also finding the OIS on the 18-55 is only good for about 2 stops in low light . I'll take a fast prime over OIS any day. My primes Fuji are phenomenal!!

Clive

I disagree with all that, i think its more what dark13star has said and yes i have this camera lens combo and have no focus issue so suggest the following.

try this

change to single point focus

change to single shot

leave IS on

change shutter priority to focus priority.

If you still cant get reliable landscapes (nice views btw) then its either user error somehow or faulty camera/lens..

also while your at it disable the touch screen to eliminate that issue, might be touching it and confusing the focus and as its set to release it will take an out of focus shot.

lots of possible scenarios causing this, likely a settings user error thing imo.

In my case I did everything suggested here before I returned my camera. It made no difference, I still got blurred photos every now and again. I even turned OIS off and it made no difference.

At first I thought it was something I was doing wrong but about a thousand shots later I decided it was not me! And this was confirmed when I returned the camera.

I am not finding any problem with my replacement (a G80) and I have never had any blurry shot issues with my Nikon D90 which I have had since 2011.

Sometimes there are faulty cameras and if you get one you just need to get it sorted - they are all under guarantee

 

[drewmey123]

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ipow20khxkcn4fx/DPR.zip?dl=0

Here you go

Thanks, that is really helpful.

Not sure why people are debating the quality of their particular copy of this lens...kinda of meaningless data set.

My opinion after looking at all of those photos is that there is something broken with the lenses IS system. Notice how several of these shots have items in the foreground and background....all of which are equally unsharp. It does not appear to be a focusing issue in my opinion. If it were focusing, I would expect varrying degrees of "unshaprness" (from foreground to background).

If you can test other lenses, that would be my suggestion. Another thing to do would be to upload all these photos into some sort of software where you can see EXIF data. I suspect that you will notice many of the blurry ones fall within the same shutter speed. Likely one in which the IS is not functioning properly.

Just my guesses.