Soft Landscape Images: On my Nikon D7000 many of my images on my landscape shots are somewhat soft. I recently sent my camera to the Nikon repair shop in Illinois for calibration as...

theehmann

On my Nikon D7000 many of my images on my landscape shots are somewhat soft. I recently sent my camera to the Nikon repair shop in Illinois for calibration as well as having sent my Tamron 18-270 to the manufacturer for adjustments and still have the same issues. I have the camera set to 39 focus points and centered weighted at 8mm. I've tried everything- focusing 1/3 of the way, using a variety of different f stops, etc. Any suggestions you have have would be truly appreciated.

oldtigger Loc: Roanoke Virginia-USA

set it to 1 focus point, back button focus only, use tripod, remote release and close down the iris to f8 or or less.

TheDman Loc: USA

Set to manual focus and use live view zoom in to focus.

twowindsbear

Post some examples of your 'soft' images, click the STORE ORIGINAL button, and don't delete the EXIF data - then someone can maybe tell you what's really going on rather than just WAG about your issues.

Old Timer Loc: Greenfield, In.

Good advice. Any time the focal distance is over 100 I use a tripod if possible.

oldtigger wrote:

set it to 1 focus point, back button focus only, use tripod, remote release and close down the iris to f8 or or less.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

theehmann wrote:

On my Nikon D7000 many of my images on my landscape shots are somewhat soft. I recently sent my camera to the Nikon repair shop in Illinois for calibration as well as having sent my Tamron 18-270 to the manufacturer for adjustments and still have the same issues. I have the camera set to 39 focus points and centered weighted at 8mm. I've tried everything- focusing 1/3 of the way, using a variety of different f stops, etc. Any suggestions you have have would be truly appreciated.

Yes, post an example or two.

Have you tried a Nikon branded Prime lens of say between 12mm to 35mm focal length for a landscape. That might tell you if it is the camera or your rather extreme Zoom lens. An 18-55-ish or 18-135-ish or 80-300-ish should be OK. That should be a good body. You probably don't need to AF landscapes; that could take one variable out of the equation. Good luck.

dandi Loc: near Seattle, WA

theehmann wrote:

On my Nikon D7000 many of my images on my landscape shots are somewhat soft. I recently sent my camera to the Nikon repair shop in Illinois for calibration as well as having sent my Tamron 18-270 to the manufacturer for adjustments and still have the same issues. I have the camera set to 39 focus points and centered weighted at 8mm. I've tried everything- focusing 1/3 of the way, using a variety of different f stops, etc. Any suggestions you have have would be truly appreciated.

I don't have an experience with Tamron 18-270. What aperture are you using for your landscape shots?
Read review on Tamron by Photozone.
http://www.photozone.de/nikon--nikkor-aps-c-lens-tests/716-tamron182703563pzd?start=2
They say " optically the lens isn't all that great ".
Not great for landscape. Did you try 35mm 1.8G on your d7000? I think you will see the difference.

theehmann

These are two examples which are not a crisp as I had hoped for. Thanks so much.

Cdouthitt Loc: Traverse City, MI

Need to see the full size image.
It also might help to photograph something in a controlled environment. I use something like this:

https://smile.amazon.com/DSLRKIT-Focus-Calibration-Alignment-Folding/dp/B012F8G1DO/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1470321635&sr=8-4&keywords=lens+card

wolfman

oldtigger wrote:

set it to 1 focus point, back button focus only, use tripod, remote release and close down the iris to f8 or or less.

wolfman

theehmann wrote:

On my Nikon D7000 many of my images on my landscape shots are somewhat soft. I recently sent my camera to the Nikon repair shop in Illinois for calibration as well as having sent my Tamron 18-270 to the manufacturer for adjustments and still have the same issues. I have the camera set to 39 focus points and centered weighted at 8mm. I've tried everything- focusing 1/3 of the way, using a variety of different f stops, etc. Any suggestions you have have would be truly appreciated.

Use oldtiggers advice, and set your lens to 18mm, f/11 and focus on an object at 5', then recompose your image. That way everything from 2.44' to infinity will be sharp.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

oldtigger wrote:

set it to 1 focus point, back button focus only, use tripod, remote release and close down the iris to f8 or or less.

If you have to do this just to get sharp pics, I'd get rid of that camera and get something else!!!
Micro adjust your lens/body together. They were calibrated separately at the service centers, but they need to be micro-adjusted together.
SS

oldtigger Loc: Roanoke Virginia-USA

the single point- back button-1/3rd into scene- locked focus is just to assure the op he is focused where he thinks it is,
the rest is vibration control.

brucewells Loc: Central Kentucky

wolfman wrote:

Use oldtiggers advice, and set your lens to 18mm, f/11 and focus on an object at 5', then recompose your image. That way everything from 2.44' to infinity will be sharp.

ceh1024 Loc: Lutz, FL

theehmann wrote:

On my Nikon D7000 many of my images on my landscape shots are somewhat soft. I recently sent my camera to the Nikon repair shop in Illinois for calibration as well as having sent my Tamron 18-270 to the manufacturer for adjustments and still have the same issues. I have the camera set to 39 focus points and centered weighted at 8mm. I've tried everything- focusing 1/3 of the way, using a variety of different f stops, etc. Any suggestions you have have would be truly appreciated.

If the suggestions so far fail to solve your issue consider this:

I had the same problem with my 18-270. It worked flawlessly on my t3i but when I upgraded to a 70D I started noticing the same thing. I am going to leave out a bit but here are the highlights.

Sent in the Camera returned saying camera not factory adjusted properly. Same problem.
Sent in the lens returned saying adjusted and cleaned. Same problem.
Sent in the lens again returned saying adjusted and cleaned. Same problem.
Called Tamron discussed with a technician they paid shipping back. Problem resolved. They had to completely disassemble the entire lens and then test it on a 70D in house.