Focus Problems on D-100

[GayleMorris]

Apologize if this has been posted before and I just didn't find it. I have a Nikon D-100 and cannot seem to get clear sharp images with any of my lenses when focus moves out toward infinity. I have tried to eliminate user errors by testing it on a mountain range with it set up on a firm tripod, using a cable release and using autofocus during bright midday. I have tried both my main lenses, a Nikon 24-120 VR and a Sigma 80-400 Ex OS and still feel the results are totally unsatisfactory. The camera was sent in just a few months ago to Nikon who cleaned and adjusted both the camera and the 24-120, but still feel the problem exists. Everything seems more than satisfactory at shorter ranges. Recommendations? Similar problems? Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks.

A couple of comments ..

1. You're not testing the camera with the sharpest of lenses. The 24-120mm zoom is soft at the longer focal lengths.

2. You are shooting landscapes at infinity ... which means you're dealing with haze. This will give you a softer scene already that has nothing to do with your camera or lens.

3. Also, what are your sharpening settings ??

4. And does your camera give sharper photos at shorter focused distances ??

[GayleMorris]

Your points -
1 - Yes on the 24-120 at infinity and the potential for haze, but these shots are out in the middle of the Arizona desert so this is limited, and I feel we are not talking about soft but out of focus. At 25-50% in PS the pictures look great, at 100% they are bad.
3 - Sharpening in camera is set at normal.
4 - Shorter focal lengths look quite good.

Problem seems consistent over both of my lenses.

Thanks for responding and I would appreciate any help or guidance.

[Wayne_Day]

Gayle,

I was getting what looked like soft focus problems with my D100 until I set the in-camera sharpening to NONE and started sharpening to NORMAL in VIEW when I download the images from the card to the laptop. I normally shoot RAW, so if you're shooting JPEG your mileage may vary.

Wayne

[Juan_Chapman]

The obvious test is to manually focus using the focusing screen, but noting whether the focus confirmation light is on when you shoot. Bump focusing nearer and farther to see if either is better than what you believe is the focus point. Then, determine whether MF or AF is sharper.

One possibility is that the heavy 80-400 had knocked the lens mount out of alignment. But I believe it this occurred, there would still be some sharp in-focus parts of the image.

The last consideration is that distance subjects depend more on very fine detail to appear sharp than larger closer subjects. The D100 is not capable of images even nearly as sharp as film. Are you looking for film sharp quality in your digital images?

[larry_angier]

Hi Gayle,

Check to make sure your eyepiece diopter correction is adjusted properly since others on the list have done this and solved their focusing problems with the D100 and other cameras.

Hope this helps,

[ QUOTE ]
Check to make sure your eyepiece diopter correction is adjusted properly since others on the list have done this and solved their focusing problems with the D100 and other cameras.

[/ QUOTE ]

As far as I know, the diopter setting has nothing to do with the Auto-focus system on ANY AF camera. it is just a way to help determine by eye if the focus point is correct. but this only works in certain conditions, i.e., where the photographer can see the viewfinder clearly.

--Alan