Fuzzy Pictures when enlarged: I have taken a number of pictures of birds with my D200 and D3 and AFS Nikkor 4.5/5.6 G ED VR 70-300mm at 300mm. The images are fairly small and seem to...

jbaird Loc: Coatesville, Pa

I have taken a number of pictures of birds with my D200 and D3 and AFS Nikkor 4.5/5.6 G ED VR 70-300mm at 300mm. The images are fairly small and seem to be in focus but when cropped larger (raw format), they become really fuzzy. All pictures are taken with autofocus.

I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong, any guidance?

Db7423 Loc: Pittsburgh, PA

What do they look like when you back of to around 250- 275mm? ;)

Desert Gecko Loc: desert southwest, USA

Have you applied any sharpening? Raw files are just that: raw, with no sharpening that your camera would do in-body with a jpeg. If you are uncertain, try shooting with raw + jpeg to compare.

And how are you cropping? If you're talking about enlarging with Window Picture Viewer, you'll get lots of pixelation that wouldn't be there in a true crop with, say, Photoshop or Lightroom.

Just a couple basic thoughts.

RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

jbaird wrote:

I have taken a number of pictures of birds with my D200 and D3 and AFS Nikkor 4.5/5.6 G ED VR 70-300mm at 300mm. The images are fairly small and seem to be in focus but when cropped larger (raw format), they become really fuzzy. All pictures are taken with autofocus.

I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong, any guidance?

The main thing you're doing wrong is that you're not using a 300 f/2.8 or f/4.0 Nikkor ED lens. A 500 or 600mm lens would be even better, you'll not need to crop as much. For what you're doing, there's no substitute for top-quality glass.

jbaird Loc: Coatesville, Pa

Desert Gecko wrote:

Have you applied any sharpening? Raw files are just that: raw, with no sharpening that your camera would do in-body with a jpeg. If you are uncertain, try shooting with raw + jpeg to compare.

And how are you cropping? If you're talking about enlarging with Window Picture Viewer, you'll get lots of pixelation that wouldn't be there in a true crop with, say, Photoshop or Lightroom.

Just a couple basic thoughts.

using cc lightroom

jimmya Loc: Phoenix

jbaird wrote:

I have taken a number of pictures of birds with my D200 and D3 and AFS Nikkor 4.5/5.6 G ED VR 70-300mm at 300mm. The images are fairly small and seem to be in focus but when cropped larger (raw format), they become really fuzzy. All pictures are taken with autofocus.

I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong, any guidance?

Could it be camera movement?

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

jbaird wrote:

I have taken a number of pictures of birds with my D200 and D3 and AFS Nikkor 4.5/5.6 G ED VR 70-300mm at 300mm. The images are fairly small and seem to be in focus but when cropped larger (raw format), they become really fuzzy. All pictures are taken with autofocus.

I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong, any guidance?

You are witnessing the phenomenon of viewing perspective. Even a billboard image looks good when driving by it on the street, but get right up in front of it and it looks like crap!
You may be asking too much of your camera and lens. Are you using a UV filter on it? (If so, take it off.) Zoom lenses are always worse at the extremes than at the middle focal lengths, just the nature of the beast as some compromises have to be made to get the zoom, especially the longer zooms. Lastly, newer camera offer AF Fine Tuning so you can adjust the sharpness of the cameras AF system to the lens, sadly your D200 is too old to offer this feature, but on cameras that have it available, it is VERY helpful in acquiring accurate autofocus.
Good luck.

jbaird Loc: Coatesville, Pa

Desert Gecko wrote:

Have you applied any sharpening? Raw files are just that: raw, with no sharpening that your camera would do in-body with a jpeg. If you are uncertain, try shooting with raw + jpeg to compare.

And how are you cropping? If you're talking about enlarging with Window Picture Viewer, you'll get lots of pixelation that wouldn't be there in a true crop with, say, Photoshop or Lightroom.

Just a couple basic thoughts.

No I wasn't, when I applied the sharpening in Lightroom, it looks much better. Thanks.

jbaird Loc: Coatesville, Pa

MT Shooter wrote:

You are witnessing the phenomenon of viewing persp... (show quote)

Thanks, I kind of thought it was a glass issue. I am saving my money for the 600 sigma. That's the one I really want. Just in my digital learning stages right now. Didn't know that the raw photo needed sharpening applied to it.

jbaird Loc: Coatesville, Pa

jimmya wrote:

Could it be camera movement?

Had VR on and shot at 1/2000 @ F4.5. Don't think it was camera shake because the original image appears sharp to me.

davidrb Loc: Half way there on the 45th Parallel

jbaird wrote:

I have taken a number of pictures of birds with my D200 and D3 and AFS Nikkor 4.5/5.6 G ED VR 70-300mm at 300mm. The images are fairly small and seem to be in focus but when cropped larger (raw format), they become really fuzzy. All pictures are taken with autofocus.

I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong, any guidance?

Your camera is autofocusing on something other than the bird you select as a subject. Figure out what it is actually focusing on and why it is focusing on that object. Your problem will be resolved. GL

Desert Gecko Loc: desert southwest, USA

Actually, if you were to upload a sample and click "store original," someone could probably tell you what's going on without having to guess.

Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

jbaird wrote:

Had VR on and shot at 1/2000 @ F4.5. Don't think it was camera shake because the original image appears sharp to me.

So you are shooting wide open at maximum zoom, and have VR turned on with a shutter speed of 1/2000.

Step back from maximum zoom by maybe 10% or a little more. Stop down at least 1 fstop. And for any shutter speed over perhaps 1/500 or 1/750 turn VR off.

And get closer! Don't try to crop other than perhaps from the 3:2 aspect ratio to a 5:4 aspect ratio.

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

High ISO settings, triggering more aggressive noise reduction, can also obliterate the fine details.

Smokey66 Loc: Hanover, ON, CA

MT Shooter wrote:

Lastly, newer camera offer AF Fine Tuning so you can adjust the sharpness of the cameras AF system to the lens, sadly your D200 is too old to offer this feature, but on cameras that have it available, it is VERY helpful in acquiring accurate autofocus.
Good luck.

Does the Nikon D610 offer AF Fine Tuning?