Focus frustration. Nikon D600 50 1.8G

[Brazo]

So this morning I calibrated my 50 1.8G lens to my Nikon D600. Using -6 on the af fine tune I was able to match my manual focus results wide open on a tripod using a moire pattern at 50 x 50mm (2.5m)

Subsequent testing inside revealed this setting to offer great results.

I took the lens for a real world test this afternoon and 90+% of my shots were slightly but annoyingly out of focus. The shots that were in focus were taken wide open and within say three metres.

The shots that were out of focus were 5-30metres away. The subject (child) was not moving and the shutter speed was high enough (1/250) for a static subject. When I check the af point placement in the camera review it's well placed.

Could it be that this lens requires a different af fine tune for close to long distance?
The combo seems to be more accurate on the central af point?
Also once I stop down which in theory should give me more dof I get worse results - focus shift?

Part of me is really peeved but I am happy and certainly confident with the close focusing central af point results and I took one of the sharpest and best photos of my son today at 2.5m (funnily enough!).

I love the 50mm focal length but would like the af to play ball. What can I do?

Upgrade lens?
Ps my d600 works fine with other lenses inc 85 1.8G. This is the second 50 1.8G I have tried.

 

[Brazo]

Some more testing today and focus shift is definitely there from 1.8-2.8.

Also it needs a different af fine tune setting for longer distances.

What are my options?

Put up and shut up?
Send to Nikon for af calibration
Sell and get a different 50?

 

[snerkler]

AF fine tune only works for one aperture at one subject distance therefore it's a balancing act. It gets even more frustrating with zoom lenses which also often need different af tuning at each end of the zoom.

I used to get really hung up on fine tuning but have since been more relaxed and just left my lenses as is unless something looks really off for the simple reason that there's too many vailriables and quite often leaving alone gives the best overall result. That being said on my old D750 everything needed fine tuning, but on my recent D750 nothing needs fine tuning other than my Sigma 85mm f1.4g but luckily I've not seen any obvious differences between different subject distances and apertures.

 

[PaulButler]

I've not had any luck recently with the 50mm f1.8G's - I tried 5 different ones and none of them were any good. 3 were brand new, 2 used. I could see issues in use and when tested using focal, 3 of them were outside of micro fine tune range. Same issues as the OP describes in many ways. I ended up getting the 50mm f1.4G - first copy nigh on perfect! Odd as well as a few years back I had a 50mm f1.8G and it was spot on.

 

[snerkler]

I've not had any luck recently with the 50mm f1.8G's - I tried 5 different ones and none of them were any good. 3 were brand new, 2 used. I could see issues in use and when tested using focal, 3 of them were outside of micro fine tune range. Same issues as the OP describes in many ways. I ended up getting the 50mm f1.4G - first copy nigh on perfect! Odd as well as a few years back I had a 50mm f1.8G and it was spot on.

On my old D750 my 50mm f1.8g was +18, o my current D750 it doesn't need adjusting.

 

[Brazo]

Thanks both

I'm currently debating whether to swap for a 35 1.8G but I love 50mm on ff!

 

[jpw]

I had issues with the 1.8g primes focus accuracy on a D600 under artificial light, seems it is a known ‘feature’ with that AF module, artificial light seems to cause back focus which is more noticeable with fast primes. Had you fine tuned and later shot under different light sources maybe?

 

[Nawty]

My D610 front focussed terribly on all lenses (some beyond the -20 setting), I sent it off to be repaired and on return it was good enough I didn't bother to fine tune any lenses.

 

[Brazo]

I had issues with the 1.8g primes focus accuracy on a D600 under artificial light, seems it is a known ‘feature’ with that AF module, artificial light seems to cause back focus which is more noticeable with fast primes. Had you fine tuned and later shot under different light sources maybe?

I fine tuned under daylight albeit outdoors and later had problems outdoors. I think it's focus shift and a different setting needed for close/distance focusing.

Makes me want to punt it on tbh!

 

[Brazo]

My D610 front focussed terribly on all lenses (some beyond the -20 setting), I sent it off to be repaired and on return it was good enough I didn't bother to fine tune any lenses.

Yes I might ring Nikon Uk tomorrow but I think my issue is the 50 1.8 as other lenses seem better.

 

[snerkler]

Yes I might ring Nikon Uk tomorrow but I think my issue is the 50 1.8 as other lenses seem better.

They might ask you to send lens and camera in to calibrate both together.

 

[Nawty]

They might ask you to send lens and camera in to calibrate both together.

At which point it throws out all of your other lenses...

IME, unless there is a highly repeatable and totally obvious in everyday use problem, lens adjustments are more trouble than they're worth.

 

[snerkler]

At which point it throws out all of your other lenses...

IME, unless there is a highly repeatable and totally obvious in everyday use problem, lens adjustments are more trouble than they're worth.

I don't believe the change anything on the camera but they calibrate the lens to the camera. That's what they did with mine anyway (first one), it didn't affect any of the other lenses.

 

[Nawty]

I don't believe the change anything on the camera but they calibrate the lens to the camera. That's what they did with mine anyway (first one), it didn't affect any of the other lenses.

On mine they changed the camera, but then I didn't send the lens and pretty much all lenses were beyond in camera correction - t'was a John Lewis warranty repair.

 

[snerkler]

On mine they changed the camera, but then I didn't send the lens and pretty much all lenses were beyond in camera correction - t'was a John Lewis warranty repair.

But yours was a camera issue rather than a lens

 

[Brazo]

Spoke to Nikon UK who were extremely helpful. Going to email them with pics etc as it's a complex issue and we will see what we can do.

 

[Brazo]

Did some more af fine tuning at a medium (compromise) distance this afternoon and the lens needed -10.

Seems the further away the subject the lower the af fine tune setting is required for accurate focus.

I will now test each focus point as I can't trust the outer ones (cross hair) as much as the central one.

 

[HoppyUK]

Spoke to Nikon UK who were extremely helpful. Going to email them with pics etc as it's a complex issue and we will see what we can do.

That's good to hear

All the potential issues mentioned in the OP are real and possible, but I suspect something's amiss with your copy. 50/1.8 G is an excellent lens, rightly popular, and while there probably is a bit of focus shift etc (almost all fast primes suffer at least a tiny bit) you should be hard pressed to even detect it, let alone be concerned about it. The fact that it seems fairly obvious, along with other issues, doesn't sound right.

Send them both the camera and lens if you can. Be interested to hear the result

 

[Kodiak Qc]

AF fine tune only works for one aperture at one subject distance

I would take some distance to this statement as I
have experienced very different results with my gear

I've not had any luck recently with the 50mm f1.8G's

I don't own that lens but heard of issues!

 

[Brazo]

That's good to hear

All the potential issues mentioned in the OP are real and possible, but I suspect something's amiss with your copy. 50/1.8 G is an excellent lens, rightly popular, and while there probably is a bit of focus shift etc (almost all fast primes suffer at least a tiny bit) you should be hard pressed to even detect it, let alone be concerned about it. The fact that it seems fairly obvious, along with other issues, doesn't sound right.

Send them both the camera and lens if you can. Be interested to hear the result

I shall post some pics up so people can see the issue. Make sure I'm not making a mountain out of a molehill.

 

[Brazo]

So a small update.

I reset the camera settings and updated firmware as advised by the Nikon tech. Unsure if this has helped but you do it anyways.

Having set -10 as a focus adjustment I'm now very satisfied with the af performance on static subjects. Very sharp wide open. Boom.

What the camera really can't do though is continuous focusing. When my child runs towards me none of the images are acceptably in focus. Is this a limitation of the D600/610 focusing unit?

I also need to raise shutter speed as I'm getting older and can't keep the camera still like I used to.

 

[JJ!]

So a small update.

I reset the camera settings and updated firmware as advised by the Nikon tech. Unsure if this has helped but you do it anyways.

Having set -10 as a focus adjustment I'm now very satisfied with the af performance on static subjects. Very sharp wide open. Boom.

What the camera really can't do though is continuous focusing. When my child runs towards me none of the images are acceptably in focus. Is this a limitation of the D600/610 focusing unit?

I also need to raise shutter speed as I'm getting older and can't keep the camera still like I used to.

The 50mm is not really for fast action and anything running towards you will require super fast shutter speed. My D750 is hoit and miss when trying to get dogs/horses running towards the camera.

 

[Brazo]

The 50mm is not really for fast action and anything running towards you will require super fast shutter speed. My D750 is hoit and miss when trying to get dogs/horses running towards the camera.

For somebody who has shot imobile objects for the last 25 years this new tangled moving stuff is proving a delightful challenge!

Got an even higher in focus rate yesterday but do need tocheck some outer focus points!

 

[JJ!]

For anything running at you I would be looking at 1/1000 minimum in AFC mode, you can get away with slower panning shots, but things running at you is a different animal!

 

[PaulButler]

So a small update.

I reset the camera settings and updated firmware as advised by the Nikon tech. Unsure if this has helped but you do it anyways.

Having set -10 as a focus adjustment I'm now very satisfied with the af performance on static subjects. Very sharp wide open. Boom.

What the camera really can't do though is continuous focusing. When my child runs towards me none of the images are acceptably in focus. Is this a limitation of the D600/610 focusing unit?

I also need to raise shutter speed as I'm getting older and can't keep the camera still like I used to.

As JJ alludes the 50 mm isn't really a speed demon, I doubt you get any more keepers on any other body ... if it were a 24-70 or 70-200 you would notice the difference immediately for a start they are much heavier but the AF speed is fast and usually very accurate.

 

[Brazo]

As JJ alludes the 50 mm isn't really a speed demon, I doubt you get any more keepers on any other body ... if it were a 2-70 or 70-200 you would notice the difference immediately for a start they are much heavier but the AF speed is fast and usually very accurate.

Thanks that's good to know.

 

[SsSsSsSsSnake]

The 50mm is not really for fast action and anything running towards you will require super fast shutter speed. My D750 is hoit and miss when trying to get dogs/horses running towards the camera.

Hi JJ
When you say this,do you mean the 50mm af is fairly slow,and how do you get to know what lenses are faster to focus,reviews?

 

[JJ!]

Hi JJ
When you say this,do you mean the 50mm af is fairly slow,and how do you get to know what lenses are faster to focus,reviews?

The AF is slow, but once locked on and tracking it works ok, but switching focus quickly it just not its strong point! Mainly read reviews and have had a fair few lenses lol!

 

[Orangecroc]

I find it slow even compared to the 18-55 af-s kit lens, but it is far more accurate at the edges of the frame.

 

[snerkler]

TBH I've shot boxing in very low light (12800 iso) with the 50mm f1.8 and didn't find AF noticeably slow as far as I can remember.

 

[Brazo]

Apparently it's twice as fast as the 50 1.4G!

But yep for £100 you can't expect pro level af. I think To add to my woes I have been using too low a shutter speed and thinking too much of a £100 lens!