gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

I also have a D7000. Try using single spot focus and focus on the eye.

Math78 Loc: Scottsdale, AZ

What aperture are you using? A photo taken at f/1.8 will have a very narrow depth of field. Try f/8 and see if more of your photo is in focus.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

This is incorrect.

A lot of focus tuning methods use a target flat on the wall.

Yes, an angled target or scale of some sort can be used, too... but if you adjust to have equal blur in front and behind your subject you are actually setting up backfocusing.

Look at any hyperfocal focusing distance chart. The depth of field measures roughly 40 or 45% in front of the subject, and approx. 55 or 60% behind. Therefore the exact point of focus is not precisely in the middle of the depth of field "plane" and adjusting so that blur is equal in front and behind a point would actually be biasing the precise point of focus to fall slightly behind the subject.

Distance to the target on the wall is a fairly critical consideration. Most focus tuning methods recommend that the "target" be situated at a distance 50X the lens focal length.... in the case of a 35mm lens that would be something like 6 feet away (1750mm divided by 25.4 divided by 12 = 5.75 feet). If you use too close or too far a target you may adjust the lens for atypical working distances.

I agree with other suggestions to use a single AF point, for highest degree of precision and most control over exactly where the camera and lens focus. It's more work for the photographer, to use a single AF point... But it puts them more in control.

With portraiture, it is often preferred to focus on the closest eye. If using multiple points, the focus might instead be on the tip of their nose.

If using a single point, you also have to be careful about using focus and recompose methods. Depending upon the camera, to focus and recompose accurately it might be necessary to use a particular focus mode (AF-S instead of AF-C, for example)... or use AF Lock, if the camera has it... or use a Back Button Focusing technique.

If you aren't already doing so, you might want to stop the lens down a little. This is for two reasons... one being that many lenses are sharper a stop or two down from wide open. They simply aren't at their best wide open. But, also, stopping down gives more "forgiveness" of minor focus error. Of course, you have to weigh stopping down against how much background blur you want. The background will blur less if the lens is stopped down.

Finally, be careful not to be overly critical of your images. If you're viewing your images at 100% or 200% on your computer screen, you're almost certain to be disappointed. With your 16MP camera, viewing at 100% is like making a 34" x 51" print and then viewing it from 18" or 20" away! This is probably far larger and closer than anyone else will ever see the image. When evaluating sharpness and focus accuracy, it's more realistic to back off closer to the size the image will actually be used. Even then, computer monitors are typically not as sharp as a print on smooth matte paper done with photo quality printer might be.

griffj98

I used to have a D7000 and it was sharp as a tack. Had to send it in to Nikon due to the oil spotting problem on the sensor. Nikon replaced the mirror box assembly and when I got the camera back it no was no longer sharp.
All of my images came out a bit soft. Sent the camera back to them and they adjusted it and it came back sharp as a tack again. It is possible your D7000 may be out of adjustment. If all else fails contact Nikon for possible B2 level repair.