Nikon D750 & D780

snerkler said:
If you've read my recent posts about the Signa 85mm you will see that my camera doesn't play nice with Sigma either. Tried an old 70-200mm f2.8, new Sigma 70-200mm f2.8 and 3 different sigma 85mm's and had the same issue that normal fine tune barely altered the AF, even +20 wasn't enough, but default fine tune 'fixed' it at around +8-12. What I'd did find though was that this massively through out the outer AF points so have you checked this?
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Thanks for that Snerkler and sorry for not referencing you directly as I had picked up on your issues with setting the "lens" AF fine tune vs "default" fine tune. I had exactly the same experience which I just put down to be doing it last night somewhat bleary-eyed and redid it this morning using the default method and it worked at -13.

I'll be honest and say for this lens I only ever use the central AF point :) Especially when I bolt my teleconverter onto it (arriving today!) my skills aren't good enough to use any of the weaker AF points, so I'd rather zoom out slightly and then have the option to compose in post. Bit of a cheat, but I'm not sure the combo of me plus the lens would be reliable enough on anything except central AF.

I will see how it goes though and thanks for passing on your experience with the Siggies. Bit of a b****r they and Nikon don't get on really isn't it?!
 
pjm1 said:
Thanks for that Snerkler and sorry for not referencing you directly as I had picked up on your issues with setting the "lens" AF fine tune vs "default" fine tune. I had exactly the same experience which I just put down to be doing it last night somewhat bleary-eyed and redid it this morning using the default method and it worked at -13.

I'll be honest and say for this lens I only ever use the central AF point :) Especially when I bolt my teleconverter onto it (arriving today!) my skills aren't good enough to use any of the weaker AF points, so I'd rather zoom out slightly and then have the option to compose in post. Bit of a cheat, but I'm not sure the combo of me plus the lens would be reliable enough on anything except central AF.

I will see how it goes though and thanks for passing on your experience with the Siggies. Bit of a b****r they and Nikon don't get on really isn't it?!
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TBH I was considering just using the centre point AF on the 85mm but I chose in the end to return it, would've bugged me otherwise knowing I was 'fudging' it ;)

TBH from reading around it only seems to affect the odd Nikon/Sigma/3rd party combo so I guess I've just been unlucky. I am having Nikon check my AF system though when I send it in for the shutter recall next week (hoping to get to Donnington this weekend if the weather stays dry) so will see if that improves its prejudice towards Sigma ;)
 
one thing about Focal pro as another reader said, you can test the lens across differing focal lengths if its a zoom, and then adjust them accordingly using the USB dock your target being that focal pro returns a 0 adjustment needed result, the USB dock also allows firmware updates, not bad for £39.00.
On the 600mm SIgma c i get 4 distances to fine tune 150/250/400 and 600, not sure about the other zooms but i guess maybe 2 or 3 and the primes obviously 1. Focal pro will also tell you which aperture gives you the best sharpness so you can also wind this into your photo taking. Wish id never found out about it LOL as it does become an obsession a bit like sensor cleaning i remember the first time sweating all hot and thought id broke it, but now I'm a pro and can wet clean a sensor in seconds....
 
minnnt said:
@littleted Can you adjust for different focus distances on the Siggy zooms aswell as focal lengths?
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Hiya normally you would do it at the long end and alter the setting within the Camera you with me ? but obviously altering it long end could have a negative effect at the lower ends, Adding +5 at 600mm may indeed counter effect any sharpness lets say at 200mm

But with the sigma Dock you negate this in a fashion and use the tool to dial the lens in via the dock, Heres a picture of what the Dock shows when you enter lens calibration, Focal just helps you tweak this, and in the end what your looking for is for when focal spits out the result that result is a 0. So in essence using the camera Finetune wont exist your using the lens calibration metrics in the dock...

Dock-Focus-Calibration.jpg
 
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Has anyone used FoCal and 'disagreed' with the suggested MA, or does it always get it right?
 
100% crop of the 120-300 with 1.4x TC looks acceptable:

ZuZZcvl.jpg

Slightly noisy because at ISO800 and obviously 1:1. Shot through a not-very-clean window too... so I think that counts as a pass (as was the lens calibration I did this morning). Good enough that I'll be the limiting factor in any such photos rather than my equipment, that's for sure...
 
minnnt said:
@littleted Can you adjust for different focus distances on the Siggy zooms aswell as focal lengths?
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From the dock manual.

Lens customization

Focus Setting

For fixed focal length lenses, the focus can be adjusted at 4 shooting distances. For zoom lenses, the focus can be adjusted in a total of 16 distances (4 focusing distances x 4 shooting distances).
 
littleted said:
Hiya normally you would do it at the long end and alter the setting within the Camera you with me ? but obviously altering it long end could have a negative effect at the lower ends, Adding +5 at 600mm may indeed counter effect any sharpness lets say at 200mm

But with the sigma Dock you negate this in a fashion and use the tool to dial the lens in via the dock, Heres a picture of what the Dock shows when you enter lens calibration, Focal just helps you tweak this, and in the end what your looking for is for when focal spits out the result that result is a 0. So in essence using the camera Finetune wont exist your using the lens calibration metrics in the dock...

Dock-Focus-Calibration.jpg
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I have the dock for my primes, just wondered if you could do the same thing for the focus distances with the zooms so thanks for the explanation. (y)

Swanseajack said:
From the dock manual.

Lens customization

Focus Setting

For fixed focal length lenses, the focus can be adjusted at 4 shooting distances. For zoom lenses, the focus can be adjusted in a total of 16 distances (4 focusing distances x 4 shooting distances).
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Cheers Si.
 
snerkler said:
Has anyone used FoCal and 'disagreed' with the suggested MA, or does it always get it right?
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Yes, me.
When I was trying to MA the 135 DC, it would often give a result, which I was not necessarily happy with, and when re-tested give a different result, even immediately afterwards.
I put this down to my testing setup, and once I had sorted this out it was consistent.
The biggest downside with Focal and Nikon, is that the operator has to change the MA setting between each shot. Focal tells you what to set it at, it takes a shot, then tells you next setting to set it to etc.
This can introduce a minute movement in the camera, which I guess was not helping with the inconsistencies.
With Canon, the software will change the focus MA setting between shots automatically.
But hey ho, that's Nikon for you.
 
GHP said:
Yes, me.
When I was trying to MA the 135 DC, it would often give a result, which I was not necessarily happy with, and when re-tested give a different result, even immediately afterwards.
I put this down to my testing setup, and once I had sorted this out it was consistent.
The biggest downside with Focal and Nikon, is that the operator has to change the MA setting between each shot. Focal tells you what to set it at, it takes a shot, then tells you next setting to set it to etc.
This can introduce a minute movement in the camera, which I guess was not helping with the inconsistencies.
With Canon, the software will change the focus MA setting between shots automatically.
But hey ho, that's Nikon for you.
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Thanks for this. That's interesting, I watched a youtube video that was fully automated (obviously a canon camera) and thought it looked quite good. Not so good if you have to do it manually, may as well just stick to the method I use already.
 
Took camera gear down to Dorset on a trip for a few days to get some landscape shots but it was thick fog for nearly two days, couldn't see further than about 20ft and the rest of the time it p***ed it down.
I did get some shots off but as expected they were really poor, the moody misty look just didn't work.
Came back and settled for a few pics of my favourite model, although I had to bribe him with ice-cream as he has just started to roll his eyes when the camera comes out.
Had the D750 freeze again today so now a little worried as second time in as many weeks. Its strange as you cannot turn the camera off but corrects it self once battery is removed for a second, might have to bite the bullet and send it in for the recalls
and see if that helps.

Before Ice-cream by Andy Foakes, on Flickr


During Ice-cream by Andy Foakes, on Flickr


After Ice-cream by Andy Foakes, on Flickr
 
AndyFo said:
Took camera gear down to Dorset on a trip for a few days to get some landscape shots but it was thick fog for nearly two days, couldn't see further than about 20ft and the rest of the time it p***ed it down.
I did get some shots off but as expected they were really poor, the moody misty look just didn't work.
Came back and settled for a few pics of my favourite model, although I had to bribe him with ice-cream as he has just started to roll his eyes when the camera comes out.
Had the D750 freeze again today so now a little worried as second time in as many weeks. Its strange as you cannot turn the camera off but corrects it self once battery is removed for a second, might have to bite the bullet and send it in for the recalls
and see if that helps.

Before Ice-cream by Andy Foakes, on Flickr


During Ice-cream by Andy Foakes, on Flickr


After Ice-cream by Andy Foakes, on Flickr
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Nikon don't appear to know what the issue is. When I queried it with them they asked what type of memory card I used and after I told them it was Sandisk Extreme Pro (which is on their recommended list) they failed to come up with further solutions :rolleyes:
 
snerkler said:
Nikon don't appear to know what the issue is. When I queried it with them they asked what type of memory card I used and after I told them it was Sandisk Extreme Pro (which is on their recommended list) they failed to come up with further solutions :rolleyes:
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That's the same card that I'm using, do you think that despite being on their recommended list that it may be incompatible in some way? I have been using the same card for about 18 months without issue, perhaps I'll try another card and see if it continues.
 
AndyFo said:
That's the same card that I'm using, do you think that despite being on their recommended list that it may be incompatible in some way? I have been using the same card for about 18 months without issue, perhaps I'll try another card and see if it continues.
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Mine did it a few times initially, but it's only done it once maybe twice in the past year and I use the same cards. All mine are formatted in camera, and I reformat rather than delete when the card's full. It's always worth checking the cards but I've personally seen no pattern.

The times in the last 12-18 months that it has locked up have been when using my Tamron 150-600mm or Sigma 70-200's. I don't recall it locking up when using any of my Nikon lenses but can't say with 100% certainty.
 
AndyFo said:
Took camera gear down to Dorset on a trip for a few days to get some landscape shots but it was thick fog for nearly two days, couldn't see further than about 20ft and the rest of the time it p***ed it down.
I did get some shots off but as expected they were really poor, the moody misty look just didn't work.
Came back and settled for a few pics of my favourite model, although I had to bribe him with ice-cream as he has just started to roll his eyes when the camera comes out.
Had the D750 freeze again today so now a little worried as second time in as many weeks. Its strange as you cannot turn the camera off but corrects it self once battery is removed for a second, might have to bite the bullet and send it in for the recalls
and see if that helps.

Before Ice-cream by Andy Foakes, on Flickr


During Ice-cream by Andy Foakes, on Flickr



After Ice-cream by Andy Foakes, on Flickr
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There's too many 70-200 pictures being posted today for someone who's trying to save a little before diving right in. How do you find your Tammy Andy? I have the money for one but keep thinking that I will crave the VR2, but.. the Tammy is a superb price.
 
snerkler said:
Mine did it a few times initially, but it's only done it once maybe twice in the past year and I use the same cards. All mine are formatted in camera, and I reformat rather than delete when the card's full. It's always worth checking the cards but I've personally seen no pattern..
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Same here. Had a few niggles early on like this but it's been behaving itself lately.
 
I absolutely love it Kris, seems to be on my camera an awful lot recently and is my favourite lens. It's difficult to see how much better the VR2 would be, certainly can't see it being any sharper but may render slightly better, for me the £700 I paid was well worth it, believe it's a little cheaper now. Still would love an opportunity to try the Nikon but don't think I'll be swapping the Tammy just yet.
 
AndyFo said:
I absolutely love it Kris, seems to be on my camera an awful lot recently and is my favourite lens. It's difficult to see how much better the VR2 would be, certainly can't see it being any sharper but may render slightly better, for me the £700 I paid was well worth it, believe it's a little cheaper now. Still would love an opportunity to try the Nikon but don't think I'll be swapping the Tammy just yet.
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Oh boy, I wish you hadn't said that lol. Andrew is selling one in the classifieds and looks to be a no brainer... Suppose if I do crave the VR2 later I can always do that, wouldn't lose out on it. I tend to favour my 85mm and so a 70-200 I may not use too much. I'll sleep on it...
 
AndyFo said:
I absolutely love it Kris, seems to be on my camera an awful lot recently and is my favourite lens. It's difficult to see how much better the VR2 would be, certainly can't see it being any sharper but may render slightly better, for me the £700 I paid was well worth it, believe it's a little cheaper now. Still would love an opportunity to try the Nikon but don't think I'll be swapping the Tammy just yet.
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My fav lens as well.
 
Livin The Dream said:
Oh boy, I wish you hadn't said that lol. Andrew is selling one in the classifieds and looks to be a no brainer... Suppose if I do crave the VR2 later I can always do that, wouldn't lose out on it. I tend to favour my 85mm and so a 70-200 I may not use too much. I'll sleep on it...
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I knew you wouldn't be able to resist, enjoy and let's see some more 70-200 pics taken with it.
 
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