BF on the "Steve-Digicams" Samples

[Freddy Rozentzvaig100749]

I didn't deny anything. Please read my post again more carefully.

I just said that a picture alone doesn't prove anything. That's all I said. You typed way too much in response to the wrong comment.

Freddy

 

[jfrush]

P.s. Try to contact Steve yourself. You wouldn't believe how very
responsive this guy is!

I don't need to contact him. I was simply pointing out the fact that YOU say he is an expert photographer and a fine reviewer (which I happen to agree with) But your post contradicts this:

According to your original post only three possibilities exist:

1. You are wrong and there is another cause for the poor focus. Steve recognizes this therefore does not see it as an issue.

2. Steve recognized this as a problem but for some reason decided to brush it off. Which would make him a bad reviewer

3. Steve is incompatent and completely missed a major issue in his own samples.

I think it's the first but you choose to believe whichever you want.

3. Guys like you, who somehow don't know what do do with this cam,
don't know how it work etc. But by simple possesion of it, they
find themselves obliged to take some snappshots or take a part in
some camera fora...

This is to moronic and childish to even respond to.

 

[George Vasiliu]

Chum,

your deduction is so sophisticated - and though so simple.

And in my simple mind I just thought Steve might have used a cam with d70 BF-issue, focused on the womens' eyes instead on their necks - like every usual non-idiot would do by making portrait the sample photos for a million-audience - and overlooked the BF-problem!

Regards,

Dubya

 

[George Vasiliu]

Steve's website is one of the best visited websites and the man himself aint a rookie.

He certainly knows where to focus by doing portrait, specially if he makes a sample shot for a millions of hits. You'll get the best results by shooting the portraits by focusing on the eyes of the subject.

Both of his portrait samples - made with flashlight -! are blurry in a very ugly way.

I would say that he simply overlooked the BF. He really may not be corrupted or dumb.

QC is the first serious issue of the d70. The second one is the bad RAW-to-JPEG camera-conversion, causing pretty oft some unpleasent moiré.

I am sure that Nikon will soon fix this issues.

Regards,

George

 

[PEHowland]

I wonder what focus mode he used? The manual explicitly says "Single area is also recommended with telephoto lenses or when the subject is poorly lit". Given that Dynamic Area is the default, and sounds better, there's a good chance he may have used the wrong focus mode.

There are other explanations but backfocus would be one of them.

 

[George Vasiliu]

Amice,

The only one factual questions on this place should be:

1. Was the lens mount bad adjusted?
2. Was the sensor badly positioned?
3. How old am I actually?

Sanatate si virtute,
Sa ai ce bea si ...

Dubya

 

[Erez Solimani]

Hi,

I own a D70, but can not deny - my set back focuses. It's a shame, but I guess can be fixed. Otherwise, it's a great camera.

For the following example, the Autofocus is on the middle black dot. Actual focus, for you all unsharped eyes, is about one or 2 lines in the back.

 

[jfrush]

And in my simple mind I just thought Steve might have used a cam
with d70 BF-issue, focused on the womens' eyes instead on their
necks - like every usual non-idiot would do by making portrait the
sample photos for a million-audience - and overlooked the
BF-problem!

OK, if you want to believe Steve is a bad reviewer and overlooked a major issue in is review I respect your right to your beliefs. but I disagree with you. I think that there is another explanation for the poor photo's because I don't believe a professional like Steve would "Overlook" a major issue in a camera he is reviewing.

See how I did that, I managed to disagree with you without personal attacks or name calling. This is a very useful skill for a forum posters. Please try to develop this skill yourself as people will take your posts more seriously if you do.

I also want to say that I ABSOLUTELY DO believe that SOME D70's suffer from a focus problem. But I also believe that it has caused a hysteria resulting in a lot of false diagnosing.

 

[jfrush]

You should try the parallel test that phil uses in his review.

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond70/page19.asp

I might be wrong but I think that dot might be too small to get an accurate result.

Hi,

I own a D70, but can not deny - my set back focuses. It's a shame,
but I guess can be fixed. Otherwise, it's a great camera.

For the following example, the Autofocus is on the middle black
dot. Actual focus, for you all unsharped eyes, is about one or 2
lines in the back.

 

[Iliah Borg]

This is exactly the set-up in which the AF behaves in nearly worst possible manner. AF is not a point, it can not focus on a point among other objects. The target is angled, meaning that some lines are at more distance than others. Overall maximum signal is gained slightly to the back of the center. Geometric pattern can produce false signal, too. Sliha.

--
no text

 

[River Side]

the photo u quoted may not be the best example.. although it IS horrible..

Here's another sample from steves site



notice the clock at the right is more in focus and the can is softer.. clear case of backfocus?

and before someone comes in with how AF gets fooled and some other voodoo science about AF as if we all are idiots, the 300D shot in the same setting nails the focus on the can

Look on the lady's neck!

Are the Nikon guys really that dumb for not being able to fix QC?!?

 

[George Vasiliu]

JFRush,

Don't take some fora blabber too serious - just kidding) - consider only the factual arguments I exposed, they really are not ment als jokes.

I do like the d70 and I am happy to say that my thing works just like Askey described it. But all d70 cams should work like mine and I truly hope that very soon nobody should have the reasons to complain about such a substantial thing like bad focusing due to wrongly calibrated sensors or lens mounts.

If you didn't buy it yet but intend to buy it soon, take your laptop and the printed focus test chart with to the shop and prove it immediatelly - with all the lenses. You'll be rewarded with the best 6mp cam on the market.

Take care,

George

 

[George Vasiliu]

Here's another sample from steves site



notice the clock at the right is more in focus and the can is
softer.. clear case of backfocus?

and before someone comes in with how AF gets fooled and some other
voodoo science about AF as if we all are idiots, the 300D shot in
the same setting nails the focus on the can

Look on the lady's neck!

Are the Nikon guys really that dumb for not being able to fix QC?!?

 

[Iliah Borg]

The Nikon sample is at F16, 15 sec, ISO 200, tungsten light. Canon was at ISO 100, F8, 6 sec. Does it say something to you? And, btw, is there any indication where the camera was focused?

--
no text

 

[jfrush]

I truly hope that very soon nobody should have the reasons to
complain about such a substantial thing like bad focusing due to
wrongly calibrated sensors or lens mounts.

I agree and I'm sure Nikon is working on all the complaints we hear about the D70. They may not admit it, but I'm sure they are not ignoring it. We'll see when the first firmware upgrade is released.

If you didn't buy it yet but intend to buy it soon, take your
laptop and the printed focus test chart with to the shop and prove
it immediatelly - with all the lenses. You'll be rewarded with the
best 6mp cam on the market.

I've had my D70 since late March. Ive taken about 1300 pics and have not been affected by any of these problems in "real world" situations. I am easily able to produce tack sharp pictures. I have tried a few different focus tests posted here and as near as I can tell my camera is fine.

 

[snriley]

Her neck is focused - her eyes are not!

Can you not see that?

Maybe my old eyes are seeing something different...

Cheers,
Steve

I agree with you...I see no problem either.

I think this entire "back focusing" issue probably lies with folks
not understanding depth of field and how far a particular f-stop
reaches backward and forward.

jb

Look on the lady's neck!

Are the Nikon guys really that dumb for not being able to fix QC?!?

--
Johnny
Austin, Republic of Texas

Who is Johnny?
http://geocities.com/johnnycb

 

[mocca]

The eye/face is not sharp while the neck is sharp. Unless Steve goof up somehow which I don't think so, this is definitely backfocus problem on the D70. Steve is a very capable protographer and provide very good reviews of digital camera. I have no doubt on his techniques and experiences for portrait photography. He might not see this the first time since he took a lot of pictures and have a gazillion things to do for all of his reviews and works.

Anyway, for those of you still don't believe that many D70 have backfocus, I think you won't believe it until you get one of the D70 that have backfocus problem yourself. Just don't cast everyone that have backfocus or suspect that have backfocus problem as niewbie or bonehead. The backfocus problem on D70 is real and no one know how many D70 affect by this problem. You can speculate all you want but it is a real problem and it happen with many D70. More likely or not, ppl with the backfocus problem don't see realize it because of many reasons. Just be happy if you get a good D70.

Mocca

Look on the lady's neck!

Are the Nikon guys really that dumb for not being able to fix QC?!?

 

[thomas1973]

What average shutter speed has a typical flash shot:

a. 1/5000 s
b. 1/1000s
c. 1/15000s

None of the above, Gorgieboy! Don't play a smart @ss if you don't know ;-)

The average shutter speed of a typical flash shot is 1/60s-1/125s. If you had bothered to check the EXIF details, you'd find it is 1/60s in this pic.

If you were trying to talk about the duration of the flash, that's something completely different. But even then, in a pic with 1/60 shutter speed, you can pick up some ambient light which can affect the sharpness, after the flash, before the shutter closes.

As opposed to you, I won't comment on this particular shot, as I don't know anything about the circumstances. As it is appearant you haven't bothered to dig any deeper into this. You just wanted to find a picture to start another BF thread. You don't even have a BF issue with your D70 (if you own one... we don't get to see any pics), and I do not believe the great Dubya is all of a sudden chivalrously fighting the fight of the unlucky few with a BF problem (especially not as you took the totally opposite stance, just to get to rant and scream a bit, in this thread: http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1034&message=8558131 ).

All I can say is: TROLL.

Thomas.

Pal, this IS a flash shot. And an pattern of bad focusing as well.
Send Steve an email and clear this up whith him if you don't
believe your eyes & mind.

 

[George Vasiliu]

I was just about to be very angry on myself for launching such a creepy thread... But suddenly I realised that the squirrels like you just make a big fun out of it!

BTW I agree with all your points - they are brilliant.

Kindest regards,

Dubya

P.s. Don't forget to whisper yer boyfriend some mean things and proof how the iso1600 setting works by candlelight )

 

[Mark]

Didn't you no that for portaits you:

1. focus on the eyes

2. voluntarily shift the focus manually just a little bit in order to make the face looking softer (less harsh, nicer...)
3. sharpen the area around eyes approx 25 pixels with USM

Of course you can also focus right on the face and spend hours in photoshop to achive this kind of effect...