# AlienBees + Nikon d600 focus problems! Please help!



## Reyna (Jan 3, 2017)

Hey everyone,

I've been having this issue for about a year now. When I'm doing a studio session (which is only a few time a year, but still need this fixed) I have major trouble getting the focus. Below are a few examples.

My camera doesn't focus exactly where my focus points are. I will look at the picture straight from my camera, and the focus was RIGHT on the face/eyes. But when I upload it to Lightroom, the focus of off. If you look at the pictures below, the first one is the entire picture straight from the camera, and the second is zoomed into the eyes. See what I mean? The focus isn't tack sharp. Sometimes it will be, but I promise it's not b/c I can't catch the focus, I shoot ALL the time outside and never have this trouble. Plus, when I use my d7000, I never have this problem so it's something in the camera. Hopefully just a setting.

Straight from camera, no editing so no judgement on that please. 

AlienBees 800 with Nikon D600 + 24-70 2.8. Each setting is a little different but I'm always on AF-C priority, raw,  single focus point (I choose). First picture: 1/200 sec; f/4.0; ISO 400 Manual; Spot metering. Second picture: 1/200 sec; f2.8 (I usually always shoot at f/4 indoor b/c of this trouble) ISO 160.

ANY help will be appreciated. I honestly have no clue how to fix this and need to nail the focus at least 95% of the time like I do outdoor. Thank you! I've got a few errands to run so I won't be on the computer but I will check as soon as I can. Let me know if you can think of something!


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## robbins.photo (Jan 3, 2017)

My first question is, how many focus points are you giving the camera to choose from?


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## Designer (Jan 3, 2017)

robbins.photo said:


> My first question is, how many focus points are you giving the camera to choose from?


She wrote "one".  "single focus point (I choose)"


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## tirediron (Jan 3, 2017)

Your lights will have no impact on this.  Have you done a focus calibration check?  Take a sheet of newspaper, page out of a book, whatever, and place it at about the same distance as your camera-to-subject distance, with the camera on a tripod & using mirror lock-up & remote release/timed release and ensuring that the sensor & newspaper are exactly parallel, shoot a few shots at different apertures.


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## robbins.photo (Jan 3, 2017)

Designer said:


> robbins.photo said:
> 
> 
> > My first question is, how many focus points are you giving the camera to choose from?
> ...



Well given the results I doubt that's the case.  The terminology involved can be a bit confusing, since there is a AF-S mode but that is not necessarily the same as reducing the number of autofocus points to one.  Also she might be thinking that the AF point in the center is the one she's "choosing" but if she has more than one enabled the camera might be choosing any one from those that are enabled. 

So before I went any further I just wanted to clarify that she is indeed limiting the number of AF points to one - because if she's putting an AF point on the eye here it doesn't look like that's the one the camera is using.


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## astroNikon (Jan 3, 2017)

I'd 2nd the question about AF-S- Single Focus point as the viewfinder will show one point when you are in d9, d39, etc

As Tirediron mentions a focus check is required here.  The above picture has so many things that an AF system would want to focus on (too busy).  Making a very simple one object shot will help isolate any problems.

The baby's tshirt script "ONE" is very sharp in the photo, thus thinking the focus point actually was on the shirt.

The camera will put the lens at it's largest opening aperture for focusing and metering duties.  Thus your lens will revert to f/2.8 for AF/metering.  Then when the shot is ready to be made the camera will move to the selected Aperture.  So selecting f/4 because it works better doesn't make sense, so something else is going on here.


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## Reyna (Jan 3, 2017)

robbins.photo said:


> My first question is, how many focus points are you giving the camera to choose from?



I am just using single-point AF. So I choose, should I try and change is to 39-point dynamic area AF?


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## Reyna (Jan 3, 2017)

tirediron said:


> Your lights will have no impact on this.  Have you done a focus calibration check?  Take a sheet of newspaper, page out of a book, whatever, and place it at about the same distance as your camera-to-subject distance, with the camera on a tripod & using mirror lock-up & remote release/timed release and ensuring that the sensor & newspaper are exactly parallel, shoot a few shots at different apertures.



I will try this! Thank you! I've never done this before. Mirror lock-up.... I'm not sure how to do this part??


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## Reyna (Jan 3, 2017)

robbins.photo said:


> Designer said:
> 
> 
> > robbins.photo said:
> ...



Hmm... I am using the single-point AF. So every time I choose the focus point, so the camera isn't focusing based on any information from surrounding focus points. 

Yes, that's the problem... Why isn't my camera using the AF point I choose which is right on the eye? I can't figure it out.


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## Reyna (Jan 3, 2017)

astroNikon said:


> I'd 2nd the question about AF-S- Single Focus point as the viewfinder will show one point when you are in d9, d39, etc
> 
> As Tirediron mentions a focus check is required here.  The above picture has so many things that an AF system would want to focus on (too busy).  Making a very simple one object shot will help isolate any problems.
> 
> ...



Yes, I'm using single-point AF. I'm able to choose from all 39 though and move it around.

I will try the focus check. I have no clue on how to begin that so if you do, let me know! 

Also, I actually thought the exact same thing awhile back. That maybe my backgrounds are too busy. It's not the case here. I've used very simple cream backdrops and still the same problem. I'll post an example.

Here's an example. No busy backdrop, still same issue. 1/200; f/4.0; ISO 400; Single point AF selected right between daughter and moms face.


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## tirediron (Jan 3, 2017)

Reyna said:


> tirediron said:
> 
> 
> > Your lights will have no impact on this.  Have you done a focus calibration check?  Take a sheet of newspaper, page out of a book, whatever, and place it at about the same distance as your camera-to-subject distance, with the camera on a tripod & using mirror lock-up & remote release/timed release and ensuring that the sensor & newspaper are exactly parallel, shoot a few shots at different apertures.
> ...


Pg 88 of your manual.


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## tirediron (Jan 3, 2017)

Reyna said:


> ...Yes, I'm using single-point AF...


Yes, but you're using AF-C vice AF-S, so it is possible that as you move your camera around slightly you're changing your point of focus.


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## Reyna (Jan 3, 2017)

tirediron said:


> Reyna said:
> 
> 
> > ...Yes, I'm using single-point AF...
> ...



I've tried both! I've changed it to AF-S and it seemed worse so I changed it back.


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## robbins.photo (Jan 3, 2017)

Reyna said:


> Yes, that's the problem... Why isn't my camera using the AF point I choose which is right on the eye? I can't figure it out.



My recommendation would be to change to AF-C, then reduce the number of autofocus points to just one.  Try a few shots, see if that fixes your issue.


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## tirediron (Jan 3, 2017)

Try the test I've mentioned above; try in AF-S, AF-C and manual.  Try it wide open at f8 and f22.


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## astroNikon (Jan 3, 2017)

^^follow the focusing test from post # 4

Are you hand holding the camera? or tripod, remote release?
if you have VR, is VR turned on or off ?

==> Do you have a filter of some type on the lens?

for reference,
AF-S is the standard for Studio type shots.
AF-C for sports/moving objects


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## robbins.photo (Jan 3, 2017)

Just to make sure we are on the same page, press the AF button on the bottom left of the camera near the lens mount.  Rotate the rear dial until you change the AF system to AF-C.  (Continuous Servo AF).

Then press the AF button again, this time rotate the front command dial and set this for S, single focus point.  You'll see the focus points that the camera is allowed to choose from highlighted in red as you scroll through using the dial.  Select the one that only has a single focus point highlighted.


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## Designer (Jan 3, 2017)

You might be surprised to know that this problem is common, and complicated.  Complicated in that there are many possible factors that influence whether your photos appear sharply focused.

We usually have to keep guessing until the OP tells us more information.  In your camera display, where does the focus point appear?  (on completed photos)  You can examine each photo with that function turned on and you will see exactly which point and where it was.

Next; camera shake, thin DOF, sub-quality filter on the front, a back-focusing issue with that particular lens, and possibly some other item unknown to us at this time. 

Eliminate one function at a time until you have successfully eliminated all of the potential problems. 

For portraiture, I usually keep it in AF-S.  Focus priority with beep turned on will tell you right away if the camera has achieved focus (while you're composing) so you know where the focus point is when you release the shutter.

We'll keep working on it as long as you are making progress.


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## KmH (Jan 3, 2017)

Even if you choose a focus area mode that uses multiple focus points the camera can only use ONE of those points to set focus - it can't use all of them, because focus can only be in a single plane that is essentially always parallel to the plane of the image sensor in the camera.

Page 98 of the D600 User Manual shows that the photo in post #1 (the scene contains many fine details, or other subjects that are small or lack variation in brightness) is a situation when AF will not work very well. In which case you should manual focus the lens.

The photo in post #10 is the situation noted on page 98 where there is little or no contrast between the subject and the background.

I highly recommend a careful re-read of the entire D600 User Manual, because the manual also describes how to turn on Mirror Up.
D600 User Manual Index page 340 - Mirror up ................................ pages 6, 83, 88.

You might also want to note in the Specifications section page 328: Focus - Auto focus that of the 39 focus points 9 are cross-type sensors; the center 33 focus points are available at apertures slower than f/5.6 and faster than f/8, while the center 7 focus points are available at f/8.
Note too that it doesn't tell you nor show you which 9 focus points are the 9 cross type focus points. However O think it is safe to assume the center focus point is one of the nine and that one is surrounded by the other 8 cross-type focus points.

The little square you see in the viewfinder isn't the AF point. The actual focus points are small slits. The square just indicates that the focus point is somewhere in that square.

The 9 cross-type focus pints have a vertical *and* a horizontal slit +. the remaining 30 focus points are single slits. Some of the single slits will be horizontal --- so they can detect vertical contrast and some are vertical slits | so they can detect horizontal contrast.

It's hard to be a craftsman doing any type of craft that uses somewhat complex tools if you don't understand how your tools work.


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## Reyna (Jan 3, 2017)

Thank you all for your help. I will go through and try everything again tomorrow and I'll update. I really do appreciate those trying to help and not criticize.


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## Reyna (Jan 3, 2017)

KmH said:


> Even if you choose a focus area mode that uses multiple focus points the camera can only use ONE of those points to set focus - it can't use all of them, because focus can only be in a single plane that is essentially always parallel to the plane of the image sensor in the camera.
> 
> Page 98 of the D600 User Manual shows that the photo in post #1 (the scene contains many fine details, or other subjects that are small or lack variation in brightness) is a situation when AF will not work very well. In which case you should manual focus the lens.
> 
> ...



I do understand my camera and & I don't appreciate being criticized about not being a "craftsman" b/c you think I don't understand how it works. I actually do. Can you imagine trying to manual focus the lens with a 1 year old? Them moving around and getting a fraction of a second with them being somewhat still.... seriously? It's replies like yours that scare people away from posting on here. 

Yes, I do need to read about how to turn on mirror up. Just because I've never done a focus calibration check doesn't mean I don't understand how to use my camera.

Also, I stated that when I use my d7000, I never have this trouble. Even using the same backdrop as #10. So that's not the problem. Yes, and I know about page 98 of the manual. lol


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## tirediron (Jan 3, 2017)

Reyna said:


> ....don't appreciate being criticized about not being a "craftsman" b/c you think I don't understand how it works. I actually do. Can you imagine trying to manual focus the lens with a 1 year old? Them moving around and getting a fraction of a second with them being somewhat still.... seriously? It's replies like yours that scare people away from posting on here...


In fairness to Keith, mirror lock-up is considered a pretty basic function and yes, I can easily imagine manually focusing on a one year old subject.  It wasn't all that long ago that we were manually focusing everything from studio portraits to F1 motor races.  A one year old would be [pun fully intended] child's play!


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## astroNikon (Jan 3, 2017)

In working with other photographers I find few know what mirror up is.   The d5x00 and d3x00 don't have it.  Doing astrophotography stuff it's a feature I looked for when I first bought my d7000.

The transition from d7000 to d600 is very easy as the two are very similar. So if one works and the other doesn't then something is amiss, we just have to figure out what.

I assume you bought the d600 used.
Does the lens attach easily to both cameras?
If you closely look at the d600 mount and compare it to the d7000 make sure it's not slightly askew/ damaged.

I know of that as my d600 slipped from a chair with a long lens on it and tilted /broke the mount.  Still worked but images were odd.


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## Derrel (Jan 3, 2017)

As one of the top CreativeLive.com speakers said to her class of students,
"Never, ever shoot photos that close at f/4 or at f/2.8. It's quite simple: our job  as a professional is not to get the shallowest depth of field possible, but to get the best photos, and that means stopping your lens down to at least f/5.6, or smaller."

You have FANTASTIC FOCUS, at some point, in these pictures. But, your images *lack sufficient depth of field*. You are making a fundamentals mistake and three things, and those mistakes are really hurting these shots.  There is simply no other way to put it: you are expecting something almost impossible to happen: you are expecting adequate depth of field at f/4 or f/2.8, at close range.

With a powerful electronic flash unit like your Alien Bee, you should be able to NAIL focus, perfectly, at f/8. With the flash firing, I might add.


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## Derrel (Jan 3, 2017)

I sent you a PM, Reyna.

Bottom line: camera needs to be more squared up (look at the seamless roll), lens length needs to be longer, and camera-to-subject distance is in that dangerous,_very close-range, shallow depth of field_, 38- to 42mm lens length zone. There **is** sharp focus, but inadequate DOF. This can be corrected by stopping the lens down, and shooting at 2.6 times the distance, with a longer lens. When the back of the camera is tilted, the DOF band is mis-applied to the people, at a slight angle, which only compounds the *38mm and 42mm at /4* depth of field issue.


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## astroNikon (Jan 4, 2017)

Reyna said:


> .... *Single point AF selected right between daughter and moms face*...



Was this resolved ?

I just noticed the above verbage from an earlier post.
You want to focus on one of the subjects eyes not between because then your focusing on the backdrop??  Proper aperture to capture the depth of all 3 subjects, etc as Derrel mentions.

Learning Depth of Field is helpful.  Test the concept with a fixed object and a tape measure for distance to subject, depth of subject from focus point, etc. DOF info ==> Understanding Depth of Field in Photography
and use their calculator to calculate the measurements ==> A Flexible Depth of Field Calculator


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