D7000 issue, urgent advice needed please

hewhoknows

hewhoknows

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Matt
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Hi all,

I bought a 2nd had D7000 about 6 months ago and all was working fine until around 6 weeks ago. I posted a message up here about a slight autofocus issue I had, my sigma 24-70 f2.8 lens had slipped its focus ring into the MF position without me knowing and when I tried to autofocus the lens it sent out a strange noise sounding like a motor under stress. Not knowing what it was i attempted to AF several times before realsing the focus ring has slipped into MF so I quickly popped it back to the AF position and the lens autofocussed fine.

This has happened a further 2 times to me of late.

Ok so onto my problem, im seeming to get some focusing issues, I do alot of sports and have noticed im getting much more OOF images when shooting in AF-C. I recently did a portrait shoot for a client and noticed that the faces on alot of them images were OOF where the background, whether it was trees or a bench, seemed in focus.

This is constant whith whatever lens im using (mainly Siggg 24-70 and Nikkor 70-200 f2.8)

Yesterday I shot a ice hockey match and the problem was more evident that ever. Below is an image taken of 2 players, one is about 1-1.5m infront of the other and ive used ViewNX to highlight my focus point location.

Untitled.jpg


Image is straight from camera, no editing. As you can see the player ive focusing on is blurry but the player behind in more in focus.

Ive got tonnes of work booked in for the next few days and my D7000 is my main body so any help people could offer would be greatly appreciated.

Matt :(

P.S: Ive popped this message in the D7000 owners thread also.
 
I initially thought that this point indicated where i focussed. However, going through all my images i realized my focus application was perfect on every one!! Sadly not.

The highlighted point is showing you that you used the central focal point, not where you actually focussed.

Whilst you wanted to focus on this player, whilst the players are moving the camera appears to have locked focus on the player behind your intended one
 
What focus mode were you using? Single point, area, 3D etc? Assume this hasn't been changed without you noticing? Does this happen on static subjects too?
 
ams99 said:
I initially thought that this point indicated where i focussed. However, going through all my images i realized my focus application was perfect on every one!! Sadly not.

The highlighted point is showing you that you used the central focal point, not where you actually focussed.

Whilst you wanted to focus on this player, whilst the players are moving the camera appears to have locked focus on the player behind your intended one
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I shoot hockey regularly every weekend, have done for quite some time now. I always shoot continuous focusing (AF-C), single point AF and switch my focus points often based on stage of play and camera orientation. I ensure that the focus point chosen is over my intended target.

I use back button focusing and set the chosen focus point over my subject and follow them shooting at 6fps. The focus point chosen is always over my player, granted i dont get a 100% hit rate but im careful enough to ensure that majority of time my chosen focus point IS where i need it to be.

So just to confirm ams99's point, which I understand, the focus point I have chosen which in this case was the centre focus point, was over the player I intended it to be hence me knowing where the camera was focussing. Unless the camera had a mind of its own and decided not to focus on my chosen focus point and using a random point instead lol!!

Ive tested this with a static portrait shot also shoting single point AF on single shot focusing, popped the camera on a tripod and used the centre focus point aimed at the head. The person was OOF but some writing on a monument about 75cm behind was in perfect focus.
 
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That does sound odd. What are things like with other lenses for single shot?
 
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ausemmao said:
That does sound odd. What are things like with other lenses for single shot?
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Not had a problem in a studio environment, I also do alot of property photography and not had a problem there either.

Initially I thought it was user error, but the issue has been getting increasingly worse and when I look back at some of my other shots from earlier in the season they are much better and sharper.

I took my 2 daughters for a walk in the woods a week ago and took the D7000 with a Nikon 18-200 on to get some winter type shots. I had it set to single point AF and continuous (AF-C). I set a mid range aperture of f8 and shot aperture priority gicing me a shutter for 1/320th. My girls were walking one slightly infront of the other, and I mean slightly maybe a foot, and focused on my eldest who was in front. Both of my girls came out poorly focused but the leaves in the background were tac sharp!! :bonk:

I thought i had a back focusing lens, but its constant with a few lenses I have which now leads me to believe its the AF system on the body??
 
OK. We now agree that the indicated focus point isn't necessarily where the camera focussed but instead that you were using single point AF.

Now, the OOF problems as it occurs on several lenses is either user error as you have pointed out or there would appear to be a problem with the body. In this case i would assume it means a trip to the repair centre
 
ams99 said:
OK. We now agree that the indicated focus point isn't necessarily where the camera focussed but instead that you were using single point AF.

Now, the OOF problems as it occurs on several lenses is either user error as you have pointed out or there would appear to be a problem with the body. In this case i would assume it means a trip to the repair centre
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I agree :'(
 
hewhoknows said:
Not had a problem in a studio environment, I also do alot of property photography and not had a problem there either.

Initially I thought it was user error, but the issue has been getting increasingly worse and when I look back at some of my other shots from earlier in the season they are much better and sharper.

I took my 2 daughters for a walk in the woods a week ago and took the D7000 with a Nikon 18-200 on to get some winter type shots. I had it set to single point AF and continuous (AF-C). I set a mid range aperture of f8 and shot aperture priority gicing me a shutter for 1/320th. My girls were walking one slightly infront of the other, and I mean slightly maybe a foot, and focused on my eldest who was in front. Both of my girls came out poorly focused but the leaves in the background were tac sharp!! :bonk:

I thought i had a back focusing lens, but its constant with a few lenses I have which now leads me to believe its the AF system on the body??
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I would guess AF misalignment of some kind (I wonder what happens when you select alternate points). Something has changed internally, whether electronic or mechanical. It's not from the focus motor, given you said it happens with AF-S lenses. What happens with the off centre points or 9/21 point dynamic?

ams99 said:
Another point as someone mentioned above. Is there a way to fine tune AF on the D7000? If so, it may be worthwhile giving it a go before assuming the body is up the creek
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Fine tune works for slight misfocus. It fixes things when a lens isn't quite as sharp as you've seen it can be, or is slightly off. If it's focusing on distant background instead of the subject, it's either user error or the camera's properly broken.

(This is why people usually point to user error first when it comes to AF - if your lens was backfocusing by 50 feet and fine tune 'fixed' it, it wasn't an equipment problem :lol:)
 
Camera hos now been sent to Lehmanns for repair and service. Thanks for all your feedback guys and ill update you on the issues/resolutions
 
hewhoknows said:
I know mate, gutted. But, ive got a back up to get me through and id rather it just be fixed if that's what needs doing. Im sure 7-10 days will fly by and ill be glad I had it sorted once its back with me :)
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I hope Lehmann's 7-10 days is more accurate than Nikon's. That's what they told me on Jan 5th and the camera only got dispatched today - 20 days later :thumbsdown: Hopefully it'll be here tomorrow so I can check it out before the weekend.

I feel a snotty letter coming on ... once the camera is back with me, that is :)
 
Bristolian said:
I hope Lehmann's 7-10 days is more accurate than Nikon's. That's what they told me on Jan 5th and the camera only got dispatched today - 20 days later :thumbsdown: Hopefully it'll be here tomorrow so I can check it out before the weekend.

I feel a snotty letter coming on ... once the camera is back with me, that is :)
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Nooooooooo!!! :bang: :'(

My D7000 is my main body, I cant be without it any more than 10 days. Im struggling along with 1 body now, a D90, but have some indoor sports event to do a week on Saturday so need the D7k back with me. :bonk:
 
As you've already sent the camera away this is a little like closing the barn door after the horse has bolted but anyway...

Did you try setting your AF-C priority selection to focus instead of release (menu a1 according to the manual). The default out of the box for this is release which will fire regardless of focus lock. The problem with this mode is that if you're blatting away at 6FPS the focus will often not reacquire lock before the next shot is taken.

I had similar issues to you when I was doing 6FPS with BIF - most would be out of focus. Changing this setting to focus priority improved my hit rate no end. However there is a caveat with this in that unless your target is standing still or moving very slowly it will knock your frame rate down, and with very fast moving targets, such as close BIF it may never acquire focus and therefore never fire.

Another menu that you may find useful given your type of photography is menu a3. This allows you to control how long the camera will wait before making a sudden change in focus - useful if another player moves between you and your intended target.

You may well have already tried these suggestions, but as I saw no reference to them in the thread I thought I'd just mention them anyway.
 
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Slaphead said:
As you've already sent the camera away this is a little like closing the barn door after the horse has bolted but anyway...

Did you try setting your AF-C priority selection to focus instead of release (menu a1 according to the manual). The default out of the box for this is release which will fire regardless of focus lock. The problem with this mode is that if you're blatting away at 6FPS the focus will often not reacquire lock before the next shot is taken.
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Yes this was one of the first things I changed when i first bought the camera, its always set to 'focus' and not release for both focus modes.

I had similar issues to you when I was doing 6FPS with BIF - most would be out of focus. Changing this setting to focus priority improved my hit rate no end. However there is a caveat with this in that unless your target is standing still or moving very slowly it will knock your frame rate down, and with very fast moving targets, such as close BIF it may never acquire focus and therefore never fire.

Another menu that you may find useful given your type of photography is menu a3. This allows you to control how long the camera will wait before making a sudden change in focus - useful if another player moves between you and your intended target.

You may well have already tried these suggestions, but as I saw no reference to them in the thread I thought I'd just mention them anyway.
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Done this too, ive tried all the options in the a3 menu and often changes them based on what im shooting.

Thanks for the suggestions though mate, appreciated ;)
 
You know, I kind of figured that you'd probably tried all of those things, but at least somebody else reading thread might benefit.

Hope you get your camera back in good working order soon.
 
Repair notice back, seems there is a shutter problem which needs repair and also the focus was out. New shutter being fitted, focus calibrated and a few other minor things to be sorted. Should have the camera back by the end of the week.

Obviously havent had it back yet to test it, but as far as the service goes so far im suitably impressed.
 
hewhoknows said:
Repair notice back, seems there is a shutter problem which needs repair and also the focus was out. New shutter being fitted, focus calibrated and a few other minor things to be sorted. Should have the camera back by the end of the week.

Obviously havent had it back yet to test it, but as far as the service goes so far im suitably impressed.
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Did you find that your camera had a shutter problem?
 
mark richards said:
is this going to be at your cost? (shutter replacement ) not very fair if the do charge you...
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UInfortunately it is at my cost, I purchased the camera second hand from a guy who had no warranty. I called Nikon which I first suspected there was a problem and said it was under 12 months old but the original owner had not taken up any warranty on it, they wouldnt do anything for me.

All the work is going to cost me £162!!
 
hewhoknows said:
UInfortunately it is at my cost, I purchased the camera second hand from a guy who had no warranty. I called Nikon which I first suspected there was a problem and said it was under 12 months old but the original owner had not taken up any warranty on it, they wouldnt do anything for me.

All the work is going to cost me £162!!
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that sucks....not like you wore it out...mark.
 
Bad luck with the cost, Matt.

Does Nikon's reply to your enquiry mean that unless an owner takes up the warranty they offer no guarantee at all on their equipment?

Dave
 
That seems very odd, I would imagine the warranty is in place whether you sign up with Nikon or not. Surely they have to lawfully offer this?

I know it's not a transferable warranty, so maybe there is confusion there.
 
Unfortunately Nikon only have to sell it as fit for purpose to the orginal buyer, if you buy second hand, the person you bought it off is technically responsible, as your sale contract is with them, not Nikon.

'scuse my english spelling /grammer , Lancashire is my native tongue:lol:
 
Had a call from Lehmanns today to say my camera is ready for collection, 3 days ahead of schedule. They also told me that they had to repair the focusing mechanism instead of calibrate it, should get the full story when I collect.

I know some where of the opinion that Lehmanns were rubbish (ne reasons given though) but so far my experiences of them have been extremely good. They have had my camera about 2 weeks and the contact has been pretty decent. Obviously havent got the camera in my hand to check it out but happy so far

Plus they have given me 6 months warrenty on the camera which is excellent!!
 
I hope all is OK but ive had a £6500 lens retuned in a worse state than before it went in, when it arrives take a deep breath and hope for the best.
 
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