dannyp59 Loc: Granite Falls, WA.

I am not totally blind in my left eye, I can see some things. Could this be why I have so many blurry shots? Seems I have to take 200-300 or more shots just to get a few good ones. Or could it just be the 55-300 kit lens I use? Do you think buying the 300mm f/4 Nikon would give me better results. I have used single point and multi point focus same results even use manual focus and still blurry a lot. I use auto setting, sport setting, program setting quite a lot. My camera is a Nikon D3200. If the subject is really close I can usually get some great shots, the stuff farther away is blurry a lot, I am not talking way off just couple hundred feet.

JR1 Loc: Tavistock, Devon, UK

Do not blame your disability for the problems, that is possibly what is knocking your confidence.

A tip.

Sounds silly but Patrick Moore once told me that he advised any astronomer to buy an eye patch, even if they had lost sight in one eye, cover the eye you are not using.

Why, because it psychologically allows you to "relax" the covered eye, thus helping to relax the other eye and not strain to focus the eye.

Buying another lens will not help you may simply end up having wasted money

Have you adjusted correctly the eyepiece dioptre adjustment on the camera next to the eyepiece, IF this is not good enough go to the opticians, they can test your eye and you can buy further small lenses that clip into eyepiece holders.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/insights/blogs/photography/calibrating-diopter-your-camera.html

Here is what a supplementary eyepiece lens looks like available for all makes

http://www.nikonusa.com/en/Nikon-Products/Product/Eyepieces/4760/DK-17C--3.0-Correction-Eyepiece.html

Danilo Loc: Las Vegas

Unless your D3200 has a MAJOR defect (I doubt it) it's just too hard to believe you're only getting a couple good shots out of 200. I would go back and look at your EXIF data to notice 2 things.
If your lens focal length is set to 200mm, for example, your shutter duration setting needs to be AT LEAST 1/200th sec. (IF your a normal, steady shooter.) If your focal length setting is 300mm, your shutter duration setting needs to be AT LEAST 1/300th sec. If your focal length setting is 300mm and your shutter duration setting is 1/60th sec. you will surely have a blurred photo.
Now, some of us, as we get a few years older, are not the steady shooters we once were, so we need to use even higher shutter settings. The camera does not know how steady you can hold it, so it will just choose what it thinks is the right shutter setting.
Raise your ISO up to 800 or 1000 if need be, to achieve shorter shutter durations.
You might post a couple representative photos for evaluation, if possible, but I THINK I'm on the right track. (THINK) The condition of your eye(s) should have no bearing on your results. The camera's Auto-Focus system should work fine.

Country's Mama Loc: Michigan

If you are taking the shots fully extended 200mm to 300mm you will need to shoot with a high shutter speed, and/or use a tripod.

Here is a pretty detailed article about your question.

http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2009/08/how-to-get-sharp-telephoto-images

I use my right eye to look through the view finder, so I would think that if your right eye has normal vision that your left eye should have nothing to do with it.

Andy-j Loc: Stoke-on-Trent UK

Using Auto-focus your eye wont make any difference. Go to a camera shop and ask to try a 55-300 on your body, if it works fine then you've got a problem with your lens.

charles brown Loc: Tennesse

Are you letting the camera determine focusing point? If so, turn this feature off and set camera to use center focusing point only.

dannyp59 Loc: Granite Falls, WA.

Thanks for the advice I have done this already.

dannyp59 Loc: Granite Falls, WA.

I tried MF on this eagle and still got the branch instead, tried center focus same thing.

f/5.6, 1/320sec. iso-400, 300mm


f/5.6, 1/1000sec., iso-400, 300mm, tri-pod, remote control


and then I get this f/5.6,1/500, iso200, 300mm, Buffalo snezzed on my lens at a game farm

travlnman46 Loc: Yakima WA

Hi dannyp59: I have a few thoughts on the subject Nikonian72 recently pointed out to me that Nikon's kit lenses a excellent lenses so I doubt it's the lens, the man knows Nikon. That leaves me two other thoughts the first is camera shake the second might lay in the DOF (depth of field) settings. Plus some of the other recommendations others have already made.

Danilo Loc: Las Vegas

I don't see much sharpness in the first two photos due to camera movement. The third photo looks the best in terms of sharpness.
I think it would be worthwhile to take your tripod out with you, and shoot some similar photos when it's convenient, for comparison.

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

Firearms shooters are taught to use the master eye to aim, but the master eye can change with age, health issues, eye injury or disease. The following link refers to firearms shooting, but can just as easily be applied to photography:
http://www.easyhit.com/misc/MasterEyeDominanceArticle.pdf

BA Loc: Arkansas

Danny, does this lens have the VR switch to turn off/on?? Turn off while on tripod.

dannyp59 Loc: Granite Falls, WA.

Yes it is a VR lens

jimberton Loc: Michigan's Upper Peninsula

one of the guys here at work has that lens and shoots birds at f8. says he found f8 to be his sweet spot for shooting birds. just his opinion, of course. he has the D3200 also.

dannyp59 Loc: Granite Falls, WA.

Thank you I will try that next