MartyfromWNY Loc: Rochester, NY

My new purchase is an unmitigated disaster. After 9 years with a bridge camera, I decided it was time for an SLR to get the better quality images that can be gotten with an SLR. I bought a Nikon D3400 and a Tamron 16-300mm lens.

The camera has 11 focus points which are 10 too many. I'm an old man and my eyesight isn't getting any better. The focus points in the viewfinder are dim, as are the sides of the rectangles that surround some of the points. I've selected single point focusing and I have trouble finding that point. It seems like I press the shutter button halfway a half-dozen times before every shot. It's much worse when there's a busy background against those dim points.

Do you have any suggestions for how I can deal with this focusing system?

Next problem. Back to age, my hands aren't getting any steadier, just like my eyesight isn't improving. I am unable to get sharp pictures when shooting at my lens' longer focal lengths. By the way, I shoot small critters such as butterflies and dragonflies, other insects, spiders, frogs and anything else that moves except people.

I did some reading about getting sharp pictures and tried doing some new things. 1) supporting the lens with my left hand and 2) pressing the shutter button with the flat fleshy part of my fingertip rather than pressing down with my fingernail. I also try to keep my elbows against my body when shooting position permits. I'v also tried pressing the shutter while holding my breath and exhaling.These changes made -0- improvement. Of course, being human, my degree of steadiness or lack of same isn't consistent and varies from shot to shot. What doesn't vary is that on every shot the mirror flies up. Might that be my problem?

I am pessimistic and don't see a way out. I don't know what to do differently. My lens' maximum focal length is 450mm equivalent. For what it's worth, I get a reasonable number of acceptably sharp pictures with my bridge camera at its maximum of 486mm equivalent. I know that sharpness can be had based on the many pictures I see on my photo group, with successful handholding at 600 on a Sigma 150-600 and >1000 with the Canon SX.

I know this is a long post with more than one subject and I thank you for and appreciate your patience.

Marty

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

Marty,

Are you using the "Vibration Compensation" feature of that lens?

rjaywallace Loc: Wisconsin

Take a long look at mirrorless cameras of Olympus, Panasonic, Fuji and Canon. You may want to sell the new gear that has not worked out well for your particular situation and preferred shooting style. Read reviews from sources like DPReview, YouTube and elsewhere. Before jumping into something new, you might be wise to rent camera/lens combos from reliable sources such as LensRentals.com. Remember that any ultra long zoom is likely to be heavy - weigh the importance of that tradeoff carefully. Good luck.

TBerwick Loc: Houston, Texas

You "may" have shifted the single focus point from the center of the view finder to some other location. That could explain why a straight-away centered shot will not focus.

ProfessorRagtop Loc: Navarre, FL

Marty,

First, think about bumping up the shutter speed. When zoomed to 300mm (450mm full frame equivalent) most folks would recommend shutter speed of 1/500 second. Maybe even faster, say, 1/1000, will do a better job of eliminating camera shake.

Secondly, echoing RJay, consider the Olympus OMD series. They are a bit lighter than the Nikon, and have image stabilization built into the camera. While sensor size is midway between your old bridge camera and your Nikon, you are likely to be delighted with image quality. Rochester probably has several good camera clubs. Maybe a member will allow you to hold his OMD and check out focusing and fit in hand. Maybe even take a snap or two set on shutter priority to see how it works for you.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

May benefit by going over the manual with someone.

IDguy Loc: Idaho

Set your camera on high speed multiple images and take five or more images with each exposure press. If you solve the focus problem at least one should be nearly vibration free.

After you have taken other advice above on ensuring VR is on and shutter speed high enough. Might try auto ISO to get a min shutter speed.

All the above requires that your focus is spot on first. Try adjusting your viewfinder diopter to see your focus point indicator better. Be sure you see the green focus light before releasing shutter. Assure your camera release priority is set on focus so it won’t fire if out of focus.

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

Do you wear glasses when you shoot? Have you adjusted the diopter? Have you tried moving the focus points from the menu using the screen?

AndyH Loc: Massachusetts and New Hampshire

Marty,

I'm also a senior citizen and have a Nikon D3200, which is more than adequate for your needs. Although I shot 35mm and other film formats many years ago, I also made the transition from a good quality bridge camera to a DSLR. Let me offer some advice.

1) On the D3200 you have a number of autofocus choices, depending on what you're shooting. You don't have to manually align the selected focus point on the subject - if you find it hard to see, you can select dynamic autofocus and see if you get better results or try 3D tracking mode for a moving subject, especially if it may be coming toward you or going away from you. Find any one of the many threads on "back button focus" and see whether you find it easier to use the back button or the shutter button to lock onto a subject. You can also select the single point focus, center the red dot, and use that one point to establish your focusing target. There is also a setting for automatic dynamic focus, which theoretically switches back and forth between these options automatically. I rareley use it, but you should try it out. These are all in the shooting menu, under AF Area mode.

2) This camera is plenty fast enough to avoid any shutter blurriness, more so than your old camera in fact. First, set your camera to either manual or shutter priority (S) mode, then set the shutter speed, to faster than 1/250 second if you have the telephoto extended. Next, set the camera's ISO setting to automatic, and adjust the maximum ISO to 6400 and ISO adjustment to "On". These are in the initial shooting menu under ISO settings, and affect things under either Manual or Shutter priority modes.


3) Finally, I think your lens has vibration reduction built in. Make sure the switch on the lens is turned to "on" and that the switch for focus is also set to either Automatic or M/A, depending on the particular lens (I have a similar Sigma model).


Steadying your grip and shooting in burst mode are fine techniques as well, but unless you're shooting black ants in a cave, you should have all the light and sensistivity you need to correct these problems. Take it out and try practicing some more. I'm sure you can come up with some sharp images!

Andy

MartyfromWNY Loc: Rochester, NY

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Thank you for the replies.I will try and answer some of the questions

I do not wear glasses

The VC switch is always on.
I alternate between shutter and aperture priority. Shutter priority when sunny, set at 1/1000, and aperture otherwise, set at the maximum.

I think I'm getting the focus right most of the time. It drives me crazy to have to screw around and waste time finding the active focus point, but I don't shoot unless I've found it. Most of my subjects are large enough to hit with the focus point, but I may miss with smaller subjects. I don't understand this: " Assure your camera release priority is set on focus so it won’t fire if out of focus. "

The picture I've posted is very typical of my results. The spider is more than clear enough for I.D. purposes but lacking the sharpness that I want.

AndyH Loc: Massachusetts and New Hampshire

Marty,

It seems the image has shallow depth of field, but is partly in focus. You need a smaller f stop to capture more depth. It also appears that the focus point is not the closest point in the image (The web at the right seems closest). Try a different focus method than single point, stop down a little, and see if you get more depth of field.

Andy

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Please repost this image and check the box "store original" so the image (the spider, above) can be downloaded and the EXIF data examined. When I first read your post, I assumed from your words you're much further away from perfection than this image demonstrates. You're really quite close and maybe some tips based in the data from this image will get you to the extremely sharp focus you should be able to achieve.

CO

That's menu items: a1:AF-C Priority Selection and a2:AF-S Priority Selection. I have those set to Focus in my cameras. I'm not sure if the D3400 has that option in the menus.

Your camera and lens combination could be back or front focusing. I use the DataColor SpyderLensCal to check mine. I'm not sure if the D3400 has AF fine tuning.

Please load the photo again but make sure the "store original" box is checked. We can see the metadata then.

Nikon View NX-i and Capture NXD can show where your focus point(s) landed. Here's a screen shot I did of mine. The camera used fourteen out of the thirty nine focus points for this shot.

(Download)

GED Loc: North central Pa

Marty if your shooting small subjects at a high magnification like the spider you posted you will have an extremely shallow depth of field in sharp focus and any shake or vibration is magnified along with the subject. If you enjoy shooting closeups of small subjects with available light I would suggest using a tripod and remote shutter release. That will eliminate your camera movement and allow the aperture to be closed down for the depth of field you will need, you will be able to shoot at lower ISO settings and shutter speeds. Also by putting the camera lens combination on a tripod and using the timer function or remote you can check your camera and lens to be sure there is not an issue with either one. Many others have given good advice here, I would repeat that if your focus points in view finder are not clear and sharp adjust the diopter on viewfinder. With all the info given you should be able to get sharp pictures.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Very good book -

https://backcountrygallery.com/secrets-nikon-autofocus-system/