Af micro adjust and 100% crop ??

[*gold*]

After reading this thread (http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=379824) and not wanting to hijack it i have a couple of questions as i have a D3100 and have similar issues as in i have not been 100% happy with sharpness from day 1.


Can someone please explain Af micro adjust and if it is easy to perform by someone who is not the sharpest pencil in the box ?

What does it mean when people say 100% crop ?

I hope this is in the right section
Many thanks and best wishes
Cliff

 

[GHP]

Hi Cliff,
The post you mention was started by me.
AF micro adjust is a feature on some Nikon and other camera bodies where the user can fine tune the focus, if the focus point in an image is in front of, or behind the actual point on which you focussed.
It is easily done by the user by simply dialling in a value between -20 and + 20 to achieve good focus.
Unfortunately, the D3100 does not have this feature, so if you are having focussing problems it would need to be adjusted by a nikon repair centre.
Do you think you are having focus problems on your 3100?

As for 100% crop, it is where an "enlargement" of a part of the image to show a close up of detail etc.
In my post it was to show how unsharp the camera was at certain focus points.

 

[hyeongsoong]

Don't think your camera have micro adjust function. 100% crop means You crop the image down so you're left with just a part of it without it having been resized.

 

[badboy1984]

Hi Cliff, would be nice to post some pics to show us. Also what lens you using that you not happy about?

Sometimes when focusing and sharpness issues could be user error or technique.

 

[*gold*]

Hi Cliff,
The post you mention was started by me.
AF micro adjust is a feature on some Nikon and other camera bodies where the user can fine tune the focus, if the focus point in an image is in front of, or behind the actual point on which you focussed.
It is easily done by the user by simply dialling in a value between -20 and + 20 to achieve good focus.
Unfortunately, the D3100 does not have this feature, so if you are having focussing problems it would need to be adjusted by a nikon repair centre.
Do you think you are having focus problems on your 3100?



As for 100% crop, it is where an "enlargement" of a part of the image to show a close up of detail etc.
In my post it was to show how unsharp the camera was at certain focus points.

i have just realised that the D3100 doesn't have it :bang:
I don't know about focussing, maybe i am expecting to much or cropping to far, its mainly on my 55-200mm and 55-200mm VR lenses, the 18-55mm seems good enough to me.

Don't think your camera have micro adjust function. 100% crop means You crop the image down so you're left with just a part of it without it having been resized.

I just found out thank you, is there any degree to crop is what i mean when people say 100% crop. For example viewing at 100% and selecting part or zooming in further ?

Hi Cliff, would be nice to post some pics to show us. Also what lens you using that you not happy about?

Sometimes when focusing and sharpness issues could be user error or technique.

My 2 55-200mm Lenses, the non VR and the VR version which i bought as a replacement are the lenses, what settings do you recommend i use and what format to post ?

Many thanks for the comments
Best wishes
Cliff

 

[*gold*]

Here is one from yesterday, the exif data is intact, the picture was taken from a stationary car taking extra care to keep steady, the sensor has been cleaned very recently (how often should this be done ?)
I have the Raw image if anyone needs it too,


DSC_1653 by Cliff 'O', on Flickr

Best wishes
Cliff

 

[*gold*]

This one too, although under exposed, by changing the exposure in the raw file it introduces more noise, i know its ISO 580 but by all reviews the D3100 should easily be able to handle it ?? still not sharp by any stretch of the imagination:


DSC_1367 by Cliff 'O', on Flickr

Thanks again
Cliff

 

[dhracer]

I'm sure someone else will pipe up but I'd suggest if you are testing your camera lens combo for accurate af and sharpness the best place to start is on a good tripod shooting a solid non-moving object. That should rule out technique.

 

[badboy1984]

I'm sure someone else will pipe up but I'd suggest if you are testing your camera lens combo for accurate af and sharpness the best place to start is on a good tripod shooting a solid non-moving object. That should rule out technique.

+1 on that.

I used to own the two lens you mention when i was using a D5000. The lens is alright and does the dirty job but it is only a ok lens.

Specially when you zoom right in at 200mm then sharpness is a little soft but nothing major because i can sharpen it up in PS.

Light plays a big part, poor lightning can result the image being too noisy and un-sharp. even if you shoot in iso 500-800 ......

 

[*gold*]

Ok thanks guys, what subject and settings to you suggest as it sounds like a plan, one think i notice is the active D lighting is ON, i was going to try with it off would that possibly help ?
I am sure people get much sharper immages than these though even if it is just an ok lens :shrug:
The shutter speeds on these 2 should have been more than adequate i would of thought

Thanks again,
Cliff