What is going wrong?

Dem55

Dem55

Messages
1,158
Name
Lorraine
Edit My Images
Yes
Hi, first off, apologies if this is the wrong thread.

After having lots of shots spoiled by camera shake, I bit the bullet and bought a tripod - Manfrotto 190CXPRO3, and head Manfrotto 460MG 3D, so off out to try my new toys, but the images are blurred :(

Like this:

DSC_0883_028.JPG


and this:

DSC_1085_017.JPG


I know neither would win any prizes for composition etc, but as a comparison, here's a hand held shot

DSC_1090_016.JPG


According to the specs for the tripod and head, they should be more than capable of supporting my kit (Nikon D3100 with kit lens/Nikkor 55-300 1:4.5 - 5.6). Have I bought the wrong tripod :'(, or is there something I'm doing wrong?

Sorry - I should say I don't have a remote release, so I user the timer to release the shutter
 
Last edited:
Hi Gramps, yes, the lenses have VR, but it was switched off for both shots. The first shoto was taken with the 18-55 kit lens, so weight shouldn't have been a problem, the second with the 55-300
 
Last edited:
If the VR is off then try useing the 2 second timer mode, I do this alot when useing a trypod for scenery land scape shots and the camera can still shake as you push the button.

The 2 seconds is enough time to press the button stand back and let the camera take the shot.

spike
 
Thanks Spike, I have been using the timer delay.

The first shot was taken standing on a bridge, so I guess it was just possible there was some vibration from a car (stretching it a bit though). The second I was on firm ground.....can't understand the problem
 
I'm actually not sure that this is any type of motion blur, more like plain out of focus ... apart from the tripod did you change anything/move anything when focusing?
 
gramps said:
I'm actually not sure that this is any type of motion blur, more like plain out of focus ... apart from the tripod did you change anything/move anything when focusing?
Click to expand...

+1 The second shot was at 1/50 at f11 which may be a struggle for some hand-held but on a tripod is plenty quick enough. Looks like some sort of focus shift to me.
 
Dem55 said:
Thanks Spike, I have been using the timer delay.

The first shot was taken standing on a bridge, so I guess it was just possible there was some vibration from a car (stretching it a bit though). The second I was on firm ground.....can't understand the problem
Click to expand...

The tripod can be on the firmest ground possible but the camera can still shake from you touching it. you have to be light touched on the shutter release.

gramps said:
I'm actually not sure that this is any type of motion blur, more like plain out of focus ... apart from the tripod did you change anything/move anything when focusing?
Click to expand...

You could be right Gramps I cannot see what focus set up was used in the exif

How did you focus for these shots where they manual or auto focused and what did you focus on??

spike
 
If the handheld shot that is fine is with a different lens than all the blurry ones then I'd suspect the lens that was used for the blurry shots is out of whack. Nothing is in focus at all so unless it has sneaked over to manual focus while you weren't looking I'd be taking it back as faulty (assuming it is newly bought). I'd also see if you can try it on another nikon body to exclude a calibration issue.
 
I think you might have the answer - 1 and 2 were manual focus, #3 was auto. It seems to be down to my very bad eyesight.

Next time I'm out, I'll do some direct comparisons between manual and auto.

Thanks for all your help guys :-)
 
Should've gone to specsavers!

I had a focus problem (in the film era) and it wasn't until I went to the opticians that I realised that my eyesight was deteriorating but specs/contact lenses later all was fine.
 
ha ha ha .......funny you should mention that. I do wear glasses for driving etc, but I've really struggled to use them when I'm using the camera so I've relied on the diopter adjustment (which is now as far as it will go in the direction I need it), maybe a trip to the optician is about due
 
Sorry - I should say I don't have a remote release, so I user the timer to release the shutter

then get one - brilliant - can do long exposure night shots too without touching the camera...............£13 what's to loose..?
 
Doesn't look like shake to me. The images seem pretty steady.

They just look out of focus. Where did you focus?
 
Dem55 said:
ha ha ha .......funny you should mention that. I do wear glasses for driving etc, but I've really struggled to use them when I'm using the camera so I've relied on the diopter adjustment (which is now as far as it will go in the direction I need it), maybe a trip to the optician is about due
Click to expand...

What's your prescription? Try adjusting it so you can see clearly the exposure info along the bottom. Most people shoot wearing their glasses.
 
Thanks again guys. The cable release is on my list of things to buy, I know they're cheap as chips compared to other bits of kit, I just thought that I'd use the timer for just now.

I honestly don't remember where I was trying to focus, but you're right, it's definately down to my poor eyesight.

I don't know what my prescription is, but a trip to the optician is way overdue - as it stands, I can't get the diopter adjusted enough to make the display readable for me without the specs. I'll have to try to get used to keeping the glasses on.

:-)
 
they are plain out of focus. Set up your dioptre adjustment setting properly, you should be able to clearly read the data the camera produces inside the viewfinder. Then once you have done this, shoot something simple to check e.g. a pot of pens on the other side of the office. start off with auto focus. When it locks focus, it should look sharp to you through the viewfinder. if it does fire the shot off and check it is sharp on your screen

Next manual focus on a tripod. if it looks sharp, and it comes out sharp, you are sorted. If you consistently cant get it sharp, but you can AF and get it sharp, its you

Dont panic

You can buy one of these: http://www.katzeyeoptics.com/item--Nikon-D3100-Focusing-Screen--prod_D3100.html, they help MF a lot

Don't panic (pops on dispensing optician hat), take you, and your camera, and sit yourself in-front of a old school but camera aware dispensing optician (Not a optical assistant, but someone who knows how to manually calculate things). they can sort you out a prescription & solution that will work
 
Wow - thanks again, you're all giving me great advice.

Ricky - there is a mirror lock up on the D3100, but I think it has something to do with cleaning. I did find it in the menu and gave it a try, but it wouldn't let me release the shutter - not sure if I was doing something wrong.

Richard - this probably sounds dim, but it didn't even occur to me to take it along to my optician. He is old school, if by that you mean as opposed to the chain opticians? I'll take my camera with me when I go for my test (well overdue, so sometime soon).

Thanks for the link to the Kats eye too - it the optician can't help, that might be just the ticket.
 
the optician can do 3 things

1. Ensure your prescription as a whole is bang up to date
2. Come up with a prescription that will work with your camera, and even better, be able to show you and test the prescription with you and the camera, in the practice before they start making a pair of glasses
3. come up with a practicable solution in terms of a pair of spec's that lets you both use the camera, and see what is around you, and read the controls on the camera



Everyone is different, so the final solution will vary depending on you, the camera, and your other needs

Old school every time. Most of the chains have very poor quality dispensing staff, who understand the company (sales) policy, but pretty much nothing about lenses. You need ideally a switched on Ophthalmic and Dispensing Optician, or at least a real switched on Dispensing Optician
 
Last edited:
Thanks again Richard. I'll definitely give this a go . I've gone to the same practice for years (husband and wife team) and they're always very patient...fingers crossed
 
Sure you didn't flick the AF button as well as the VR button?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top