robwes Loc: Mccreary Manitoba Canada

Hi all, I have just found this site and signed up as a new member, I live in Manitoba Canada, have been taking photos for approximately 40 years. My main interest is landscape, wildlife and birds. I started into digital photography in 2010 when I bought a used Nikon D300. I am a person who gets into the technical side of things, including cameras, I lernt the settings on the D300 quite quickly and started to experiment, I bought several lenses over the next year, including Nikon 300 ed af, and a Nikon 70 300 af vr.
I have had good results photographing birds and other subjects with the D300 and 70 300vr lens and shooting in raw, I use Adobe Photoshop for processing.
I am now 70 years of age and require a lens with vr as my hands are not as steady as they used to be.
I recently upgraded to a Nikon D7100 and a Nikon 200 500 vr lens, after testing this combination outside and then inside at test charts I was quite disappointed with the results. All of the photos I had taken were blurry and not at all sharp, all taken hand holding the lens, so I purchased a lens align tool and checked for front/back focus issues.
I ended up ajusting the camera to a minus 4 to 5 setting, after this adjustment I shot another bunch of photos, almost all were still out of focus and blurry.
I set the camera back on a tripod and started photographing a banbo dog basket about 25 feet away, this test was dun indoors with strong lighting, after taking several photos at minus 4 and then at zero I started to get good sharp images at the zero setting

I am still not getting sharp results with this combination of camera and lens, is it the camera, lens or myself.
The following day I shot several photos of small Christmas tree lights on a tree out side in our garden, I managed to get several quite sharp images of the individual lights.
After having the initially poor results with this combination and still not getting consistent results I am wondering if the lens, camera or myself are at fault.
I have seen a lot of photos taken with this combination and thay look very sharp, so I am feeling quite frustrated at my results at this time and wondering what to do.
If any forum members have this lens camera combination I would be very grateful for any feedback or pointers to help me corrct any thing I have missed.
Thank you ,
Regards Robert

CO

There's something that you might check. Look at menu options: a1:AF-C Priority Selection and a2: AF-S Priority Selection. Make sure both are set to Focus not Release. Make sure the camera is in AF-S mode and VR is turned on. Is your shutter speed fast enough? Camera shake is more evident with long focal lengths.

whitewolfowner

You will need to post some examples of what you are describing. Also, state the mm, shutter speed and f stop the photos were taken at and if they were hand held, supported or on a tripod. I suspect without seeing your shots that maybe your shots at the longer end of the lens are the ones that are not that sharp. Shooting with a much larger lens and higher magnification can take some getting used to. We all also have our limits of what we can do. Post your photos with the information and several here can assist you in finding the problem.

WayneT Loc: Paris, TN

I'd be interested to see some of these shots and welcome to the forum.

Nature_Shooter Loc: Chesterfield Missouri

Welcome! Looking forward to your posts and pictures. Happy shooting!

Canon man so probably can't help you with your specific question. Sorry.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

I was quite satisfied with this combo.

robwes Loc: Mccreary Manitoba Canada

Hello, thanks for your reply to my dilemma, as soon as I get a few minutes I will post a few shots, of better to bad, thanks, Bob

robwes Loc: Mccreary Manitoba Canada

Hello, thank you for your input and advice, I shoot in AF S, have both AF S AND AF C in focus, but I do not use a tripd or monopod, yet,,,, all my shooting is hand held.
I will post a few shots as soon as I can
Thanks Bob

robwes Loc: Mccreary Manitoba Canada

Hello Wayne, thanks for your reply, I will post a few photos as soon as I get a couple of minutes,
Thanks Bob

robwes Loc: Mccreary Manitoba Canada

Hello, and thank you, Bob

robwes Loc: Mccreary Manitoba Canada

Hello, Dave, thanks, I hope I will feel the same way soon
Thanks Bob

DavidPine Loc: Fredericksburg, TX

I use the 200-500 on my D500 and I am quite satisfied.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

That lens is their new one, make sure of two things, make sure your firmware is updated on the camera and the lens. Call Nikon and give them the serial number on your lens to check the firmware out. Your camera has to have the current firmware for the 200-500 on some cameras.

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Sorry to be answering your question with three of my own, but here they are.

Is the camera giving you the "in-focus" indication?

How does the camera focus with other lenses?

Can you try that lens on a different camera?