Dbrogers Loc: Shenandoah, Iowa

A little bit discouraged with the Tamron 150-600 G2 lens. Just recently sold my Sigma 150-600 contemporary lens for the new Tamron. Wondering if anyone else with this combination of lens and camera is having problems with focusing? I'm trying to shoot wildlife, ducks and geese in there migration using continues focusing as I always have, auto ISO, shutter priority with anywhere from 1250-4000 shutter speed, I've tried VC on, off I've tried about everything I can think of. In continues focusing it seems it never focuses and locks on. Everything seems very soft or just not focused. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance

Shellback Loc: North of Cheyenne Bottoms Wetlands - Kansas

Run a quick autofocus test to try to isolate the issue -
How to Quickly Test Your DSLR for Autofocus Issues

Possible that you will need to calibrate the lens -
Lens Calibration Explained

Hope this helps...

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

I've heard nothing but praise on this forum regarding the Tamron 150-600mm G2 lens. One uhh member posted great wildlife photos from it. It has been compared in quality to the renowned Nikon 200-500mm. I think the two lenses are priced about the same. Await other opinions though. Good luck.

Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

VC does nothing for the image at shutter speeds that fast, but might help you frame the image a little easier.

If you are using AF-C it is not supposed to lock focus, ever. That is what you want for birds that are or may start to fly. You want "Focus priority" as opposed to "Release priority". Also the fewer focus points the quicker and more definitive the tracking will be, but also the more likely it will be lost. Often it is a trade off, sometimes it works well and then misses the next shot...

Test sharpness on a non-moving object to see if it can focus sharply. If it does that well enough the question is if it is focused when you shoot (Focus priority should ensure that) or if you just have too much camera motion.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

I follow the site of a pro in the Tetons who documented his recent G2 experiences,for what it's worth: http://www.bestofthetetons.com/2017/02/26/tamron-150-600mm-g2-lens-my-experiences/

Dbrogers Loc: Shenandoah, Iowa

Thanks DaveO I think. This may explain a few things.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

It's just another opinion to add to your search,good luck!

Dbrogers Loc: Shenandoah, Iowa

I'm not familiar with foucus priority and release priority. Looked in my users manual didn't see anything about it for the D7100. Can you give me some information on it.
Thanks

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

Go to CUSTOM SETTINGS MENU
Go to Autofocus

If you set up for Release priority,the shutter will release when you take a shot,whether or not focus has been attained.
If you set up for Focus priority,the shutter will not release until focus occurs. (Stay with this for a while.)

You can often find videos on Youtube or just google for choices. EX: focus vs release priority for nikon d7100. Your manual has the info and you can also pick up a book like "David Busch's Nikon D7100." There are a couple decent references available and I have them for all of my cameras plus I use google. There is a ton of info online and of course feel free to use this site. Check out Steve Perry on YouTube,in particular his video on Nikon Autofocus. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_N_bzhJAKms&t=2s

Steve is a member and has some really good videos on YouTube,and one of these days a new book on Nikon Autofocus systems.

Here's another choice: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeoeXMjZpjA

Jim Bob

Dave, this was a very revealing and instructive article. Thanks.

Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

I did not think much of the article for one specific reason. It makes a number of allegations that reflect poorly on the lens in the first half of the article, and then slowly unwinds the causes as operator error in every case. But at the end it still leaves the impression that his errors are the fault of the lens.

The facts were, right from the start, that the fellow writing did not understand how to use the features of the lens. He should have written about how great the significance is when proper techniques are use (and praised the lens right from the first line).

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Maybe you should write the article correctly and publish it on your blog. Be sure to send him the link.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

If you are shooting at a shutter speed faster than 1/500 (I think this is still true for Nikon at least), you are likely to end up exposing the sensor in the middle of a VR correction movement, and you could be adding blur. Are you sure you have a focusing issue and not something else?

If you think about it - you are holding the equivalent of a 900mm lens and trying to keep it stable. That is really not easy to do.

But you could also be experiencing a case of back or front focus.

You can tell if this is happening by setting up your camera on a very stable tripod, using a wide aperture and low ISO, then shooting a subject like a fence, from an angle, focusing on a post or something else prominent, first using the viewfinder focus, then using live view focus. on the exact same point. If both images are the same, then you have no focus issue and the problem may be movement, either from the stabilization system or you. If the live view version is sharp and the viewfinder version isn't, then you may have a focus calibration issue. To fully address a calibration issue you have a great tool which lets you adjust the focus at multiple distances for multiple focal lengths.

If you are using VR at that shutter speed, or if you are the least bit unsteady, then you need to get a tripod and gimbal head, and/or practice hand-holding - in time you will arrive at a good panning technique that will give you good results. Best to start at a shorter zoom and with stationary subjects, then move on to moving ones, eventually increasing the focal length once you got your moves down.

Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

Odd that first you make snarky remarks about a technically correct response, and then demonstrate that you don't even understand what happens.

It is not a case of an error exposing "in the middle of a VR correction movement". That is exactly what is supposed to happen!

The problem is a shutter speed faster than the Nyquist rate provides invalid data to generate the right amount of correction movement. The movement, while the shutter is open, will not be in sync and 180 degrees out of phase with the camera shake.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

My interpretation was that he admitted having problems due to his failure to read the lens "manual",which I have been guilty of as well. After all was said and done he still had mixed feelings when comparing it to his original Tamron or the 200-500. Seemed fair to me and more than that,another objective opinion.