HELP!! Lens focusing problem+problem not fixed.

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lukewoodford

FYI, I am Luke Woodford.....by Luke Woodford
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Luke Woodford
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Oh my goodness what is going on! I put my wonderful Sigma 50mm f-1.4 on today for a bit of street photography and I realised I wasnt getting the shots in focus I usually do so I do a few tests and im 90% sure its back and front focusing. I donät know what to do, I get back at midknight tonight and have a wedding in London 9am Saturday morning! Im praying someone is going to give me a quick fix. The lens does focus so its not all the time its hit and miss bit of course I canät have that. Thank you in advance for any help. I will sit in this internet cafe and wait for replies.
 
I don't think it's possible for a lens to both front and back focus, if it's out then it'll either do one of the other. Are you shooting at 1.4?
 
Flash In The Pan said:
I don't think it's possible for a lens to both front and back focus, if it's out then it'll either do one of the other. Are you shooting at 1.4?
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Yes but its doing it through the range. If its one or the other I think its back focusing. Also the only other lens I have is manual so I canät see if its the camera or not.
 
Flash In The Pan said:
I don't think it's possible for a lens to both front and back focus, if it's out then it'll either do one of the other. Are you shooting at 1.4?
Click to expand...

:agree: never heard of a lens doing both, you could consider hiring a lens for the wedding till you get yours sorted.
 
If its just started doing it, and you've just traveled, I'm inclined to think the lens got a knock going down an airline conveyor belt?

Its not possible for a lens to have back focus and front focus btw - so I would not eliminate user error here either.

Its also possible your body has taken a knock too.
 
Do the memory card test on it.

Line three cards up next to each other and stagger them so that the back of the first card is in line with the front of the second card.

Centre point focus, try to focus on the middle card (ideally 3 or 5 should be used if you have that many), see what's in focus. You can find out it front or back by a few mm, or if its not focusing at all
 
puddleduck said:
If its just started doing it, and you've just traveled, I'm inclined to think the lens got a knock going down an airline conveyor belt?

Its not possible for a lens to have back focus and front focus btw - so I would not eliminate user error here either.

Its also possible your body has taken a knock too.
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I carried it in hand luggage, I cant remember knocking it but its not out of the question. Damn this isnt good. I really donät think its user error, I use this lens for everything. Will Sigma fix it

Also sorry i cant do stuff like question marks and apostophies because this keyboards messed up.
 
is it possible something is grubby - a element, a sensor? - Does your flash gun focus assist?
 
Richard King said:
is it possible something is grubby - a element, a sensor? - Does your flash gun focus assist?
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I have never cleaned the camera and had in 3 and a half months, I have never changed any lenses though until I got my new one last week. I just took the lens off and it looks clean enough.

Im not sure if this is worth mentioning but when I look through the viewfinder I seem to have got a small black thing permanently there, it doesnät show on pictures though.
 
you have your other lens with you??

see if that one works fine, if it doesnt, then camera screwed
 
lukewoodford said:
I have never cleaned the camera and had in 3 and a half months, I have never changed any lenses though until I got my new one last week. I just took the lens off and it looks clean enough.

Im not sure if this is worth mentioning but when I look through the viewfinder I seem to have got a small black thing permanently there, it doesnät show on pictures though.
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Have you moved / caught the continuous/ single / manual focus lever on the camera body?
 
IanC_UK said:
its possible the contacts between the lens and camera are dirty also ? if the communication isnt right it just wont work the way you expect it to.
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Do you mean those nobbly bits on the lens, Whats the best way to clean stuff when you donät have a cleaning kit. I know I should have one but was meant to get one for christmas then never get round to getting on myself.

It seems to be working ok when im focusing on different things around the room, not sure why though and im not convinced its fixed :thinking:


Thank you all for the quick replies by the way
 
are you in prague luke? perhaps try to find a sigma/nikon repair centre locally and ask them to test it properly. make sure you mention your a professional and i would think it owuld be sorted pretty quickly
 
also, does it come with micro adjustment settings that might have got altered?
 
The small black thing could be dirt on the mirror. If this coincides with the focus point you are using them it will have a big impact. Try an FP well away from it.
 
and what of the myriad of focussing modes is the camera on? Doesnt the D700 give you a display of all the areas in focus?
 
lukewoodford said:
Guys whats that CL mode on the dial
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CL mode is to do with fps speed, nothing to do with focus. Make sure you haven't simply knocked the focus switch on the body onto C for continuous, that might give the results your experiencing. It's easily done :nuts:
 
Flash In The Pan said:
CL mode is to do with fps speed, nothing to do with focus. Make sure you haven't simply knocked the focus switch on the body onto C for continuous, that might give the results your experiencing. It's easily done :nuts:
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I said that, not sure if Luke is keeping up :)

Luke less panic, more methodical check all your focus related switches.
 
Dang too slow :LOL:
 
Luke, many sure your D700 focus lever is ponted down towards the "Info" button.
Set AF-C priority selection to Focus
Set AF-S priority selection to Focus
Set focus tracking to lock-on to Normal

Don't use anything with "dynamic" or "3d" in the title where autofocus is concerned.

This should put you in a plain vanilla focusing mode and will stop the camera doing anything "clever"

Defocus the lens to infinity - shoot a car number plate 10 feet away, wide open - it should be sharp
Focus the lens to minimal focus distane - shoot a chimney pot at infinity, wide open - it should be sharp
 
puddleduck said:
Luke, many sure your D700 focus lever is ponted down towards the "Info" button.
Set AF-C priority selection to Focus
Set AF-S priority selection to Focus
Set focus tracking to lock-on to Normal

Don't use anything with "dynamic" or "3d" in the title where autofocus is concerned.

This should put you in a plain vanilla focusing mode and will stop the camera doing anything "clever"

Defocus the lens to infinity - shoot a car number plate 10 feet away, wide open - it should be sharp
Focus the lens to minimal focus distane - shoot a chimney pot at infinity, wide open - it should be sharp
Click to expand...


My AF-C is set to release, should I change it then

Dynamic AF area is 9. I donät even know what that is really, I have never touched it.
 
lukewoodford said:
My AF-C is set to release, should I change it then

Dynamic AF area is 9. I donät even know what that is really, I have never touched it.
Click to expand...

AF area 9, 21 and 51 is the number of sensors active, around your chosen point in the viewfinder.

Stick with single on the switch on the back (to the right of the LCD) and centre it as instructions above using the D pad.
 
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