# Is it my D7000??  Or the Tamron 28-75??  AF issues



## Rebekah5280 (Jan 19, 2013)

OK, so I have a few quirks with my D7000.  I love the camera, but its quirky.  

The problem that I am most frustrated with is the focus.  Sometimes it works great, sometimes it just focuses the background and not my subject.  Very irritating in portrait work.   
 I usually zoom in and check on my OC screen, but usually it looks fine, until, of course, I get it on my computer.
I'd like to be able to shoot wide open, especially with my newborns/babies, but the focus is off more than its on so I typically shoot at 5.6 or high to ensure my subject is in focus.  I am missing out on some really cool stuff though.  I'd love to get the dreamy blurred out backgrounds with really shallow DOF that I can't get with 5.6.  :/

So, my question is, could this be my camera?  Or my lens?  

I currently focus AF - S on my camera.


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## KmH (Jan 19, 2013)

Take another look at page 93 of your D7000 user's manual, and make sure you're not encountering one or more of those situations when AF is going to have difficulty.

The AF in your D7000 will always have difficulty when you use lens apertures of 5.6 and smaller (f/8, f/11), unless you use the AF Assist light, or some other light source on your subject.


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## cgipson1 (Jan 19, 2013)

AF-S is good! BUT do you use single point (Spot) focus? If not, you should be. 

Shooting wide open is where most lenses are at their worst... and Tamrons usually have more issues than Nikon lenses do. If you really want to try and get that wide open, creamy bokeh.. pick up a 50mm 1.4 or even a 1.8. Normally I would suggest a 85mm, but on crop body, that will be too "long" for the kind of shooting I suspect you do.

As mentioned.. switch to spot focus... focus on the eyes. Do some tests on a teddy bear or something! Get the normal distance you are usually at... shoot just like you would a newborn or a portrait, except put the camera on a tripod to ensure no shake or movement (use a remote or self-timer). Start at F8... and work your way down to the largest aperture. Look at them closely.. 

spot focus should help immensely, as you can move the focus point to where you want it to be, instead of relying on the camera to decide what should be in focus.

Once you have done it on a tripod.. try to duplicate the results by hand. It may take some practice. 

Use this to ensure you have adequate DOF for whatever you are shooting....  Online Depth of Field Calculator

Please post some shots showing your issues.. with full exif data attached....


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## Rebekah5280 (Jan 19, 2013)

I use AF assist light.  I'm going to search for a picture to post...

Oh, and yes, I use single point.    Still searching..  hold on...


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## cgipson1 (Jan 19, 2013)

have you tried anything like this?  http://focustestchart.com/focus12.pdf


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## Rebekah5280 (Jan 19, 2013)

OK, I had to resize this image because it was saying here that the file was too big.  I have this in Raw.  
This is SOOC. 
 I used AF - S single point focus, with AF assist light.
Aperture:  F/3.2
SS: 1/125
Exposure Mode: Manual
Metering: Center-weighter
ISO: 100

I know, there is a serious white balance issue, but I use auto WB and color correct later.

So here, it is focusing a little in front of the face.


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## Benco (Jan 19, 2013)

How is the focusing with other lenses?


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## Vents (Jan 23, 2013)

its an issue caused by the lens.   I changed my lens some time ago, the image went a bit blurry,


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## kathyt (Jan 23, 2013)

Rebekah5280 said:


> View attachment 32953
> OK, I had to resize this image because it was saying here that the file was too big.  I have this in Raw.
> This is SOOC.
> I used AF - S single point focus, with AF assist light.
> ...



Where are you placing your focus?


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## Joves (Jan 23, 2013)

kathythorson said:


> Rebekah5280 said:
> 
> 
> > View attachment 32953
> ...



Yeah I have to wonder as well. It seems the towel is in focus just in front of the subject. In the plane with the tip of the nose. And at what focal length were you at?


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## shadowlands (Jan 23, 2013)

I bought a Tamron 28-75 F2.8 from KEH used. It was mint, but it back-focused really bad. I returned it!
May have just been my copy.


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