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Nikon D5500 and 35mm 1.8 a no go??
Apr 11, 2018 17:49:25   #
Deanie1113
 
I just received my SECOND Nikon 35mm 1.8 for my D5500 and both these lenses back focus. Is it true that my camera cannot calibrate lenses? What is wrong with this lens that I've had to send two back? Am I doing something wrong? What other options do I have if I really want the bokeh of a 35mm 1.8?

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Apr 11, 2018 18:31:09   #
cedymock Loc: Irmo, South Carolina
 
Alot more information would help someone help you; model number, new or used, checked auto focus on lens and camera, photo not focused or looking through eye piece not focused ?

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Apr 11, 2018 18:42:39   #
rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA
 
I think it is highly unlikely that 2 lenses had the same issue with back focus, so I think it might be in camera. This YouTube gets into how to determine if you actually have back focus:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3XK4hf-NF0

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Apr 12, 2018 08:04:04   #
rdubreuil Loc: Dummer, NH USA
 
Deanie1113 wrote:
I just received my SECOND Nikon 35mm 1.8 for my D5500 and both these lenses back focus. Is it true that my camera cannot calibrate lenses? What is wrong with this lens that I've had to send two back? Am I doing something wrong? What other options do I have if I really want the bokeh of a 35mm 1.8?


Unfortunately the D3xxx and D5xxx cameras don't support lens calibration.

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Apr 12, 2018 08:57:47   #
aflundi Loc: Albuquerque, NM
 
Deanie1113 wrote:
I just received my SECOND Nikon 35mm 1.8 for my D5500 and both these lenses back focus. Is it true that my camera cannot calibrate lenses? What is wrong with this lens that I've had to send two back? Am I doing something wrong? What other options do I have if I really want the bokeh of a 35mm 1.8?

With entry level DSLRs you are playing focus-roulette. You might get lucky, but you probably won't, as you are finding out.

Your choices are to 1) get a calibrate-able lens such as a Sigma Global-Vision, or a Tamron SP and calibrate them with their usb pucks, 2) replace the body with one intermediate-level or better for body-based calibration, 3) manually tweak the focus if you have really, really good eyes, or 4) use LiveView.

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Apr 12, 2018 09:48:13   #
rdubreuil Loc: Dummer, NH USA
 
aflundi wrote:
With entry level DSLRs you are playing focus-roulette. You might get lucky, but you probably won't, as you are finding out.

Your choices are to 1) get a calibrate-able lens such as a Sigma Global-Vision, or a Tamron SP and calibrate them with their usb pucks, 2) replace the body with one intermediate-level or better for body-based calibration, 3) manually tweak the focus if you have really, really good eyes, or 4) use LiveView.



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Apr 12, 2018 12:23:26   #
Fotoartist Loc: Detroit, Michigan
 
Good lens but That's a tough focal length for bokeh, no?

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Apr 12, 2018 13:07:49   #
mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey
 
Deanie1113 wrote:
I just received my SECOND Nikon 35mm 1.8 for my D5500 and both these lenses back focus. Is it true that my camera cannot calibrate lenses? What is wrong with this lens that I've had to send two back? Am I doing something wrong? What other options do I have if I really want the bokeh of a 35mm 1.8?

Just a couple of thoughts on this issue. First, keep in mind that the reason lenses need to be adjusted at all, unless there is a physical problem with them, are the result of normal manufacturing tolerances between the body and the lenses. As a result, it is entirely possible to get two lenses that both don't focus as well as you would like. It's not the lenses that are the problem, but the lens/camera combination for your copy of the body and your copy of the lens. A third copy might do the trick, or it might not. But, there is something else to consider. If this is your first experience using a fast lens understand that there is a learning curve to getting consistently successful images. F/1.8 is a very shallow depth of field, and the closer your subject is to the lens the shallower your depth of field is. What shooting mode are you using, how many focus points are you using?

Keep in mind that at f/1.8, subjects with poor contrast especially in low light, or very small subjects, can be very difficult to capture in sharp focus depending on the auto focus system of your camera and your skills. Try experimenting with higher contrast subjects and using a single focus point right on a sharp edge between a higher and lower contrast part of your subject and see if it improves things.

If you can, post a couple of hi rez copies of these images with the exif data attached. Use the store original checkbox so we can look at your images in full resolution.

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Apr 12, 2018 13:34:00   #
cedymock Loc: Irmo, South Carolina
 
With the information given it could be a diopter not dial in, photograph never mentioned.

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Apr 15, 2018 14:58:46   #
Deanie1113
 
Thank you, everyone. I did the experiment with the YouTube link posted above. I used a tripod and took images in both live view and me pressing the shutter with a 2-second delay. Live view was perfect and with me pressing the shutter showed that the lens is back-focusing. As a further experiment, I put on my 50 mm 1.8 and it was perfect both ways. The lens is brand new, the camera 3 yrs. old. I am just going to send the 35mm back and stick with my 50mm. It's just that it's a little tight for indoor shots.

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