There are on or two keen photographers here and I wonder if anyone can help.
My 5 year old SLR has worked well until about a year ago when I found images were not properly focussed and I've pretty much stopped using it since then.
Symptoms are:
Used to work fine.
Now does not focus properly on manual or auto focus.
I have reset the dioptre thing on the eyepiece - correctly I think using a tripod etc. but still no joy.
If I focus using only using the 3 inch rear screen zoomed in to get the best possible sharpness then my photos are fine.
So it's not a lens or vibration problem.
Is the mirror maybe not seating properly ?
Anyway, it's big old thing to lug about so I can see a bridge camera purchase looming which will make the problem go away !
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Wonder what model you have? Is this anything you can look at...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5XKl2i_9Hk
I read about the issue when I was looking at buying one a few months back.
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Which model, and on which lens(s) does the problem show? Have you swapped lenses at all?
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Nikon D5000 - it's about 5 years old now and bought new. I've changed lenses, zoomed, un-zoomed, tried auto focus, tried manual focus, varied the aperture, checked that the speed is high enough to avoid shake, switched on the anti-vibration thing, switched it off again.
I've fiddled with several aspects of focus priority and tried it all in several modes A, M, P & S.
I've locked up the mirror and given the innards a good inspection and checked if the mirror is seating OK.
I've even taken to writing notes about each image and comparing notes with what I can see. All in all I've played with it for maybe 5 or 6 hours and I know the focus section of the manual by heart.
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Not much help, but I have the same camera, also bought new and about the same age as yours, and have had no issues.
The thought popped into my head as to whether you have a genuine Nikon battery, and if not, whether it's a power issue? And did it suddenly start following an event which you may be able to pin down?
Perhaps a sensor issue - partially detached/detaching?
Last edited by: Mike H on Wed 11 Jun 14 at 19:30
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On my Olympus, I can alter the zones for focus and light detection. Does yours, and could you have accidentally selected it?
Might be worth reading the book of words (although if like mine, staying awake is difficult as the book is rather big).
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The fact that you can get pics in focus using the LCD and 'live view' (i.e. mirror up using manual focusing?) suggests that the sensor may not be in the right plane.
If it has sensor-based OIS then the sensor my not be rigidly mounted (though I honestly don't know exactly how these things are constructed).
Or the mirror position is wrong as you suggest - but you can presumably see where that seats and that it is sitting correctly.
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And what about this trainee dentist giving it a go at repair?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pfxz-Z_uEfU
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Thanks all - it does seem that this range of cameras does have a problem.
I'll study all the info and maybe give the youtube repair a try.
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I bought a Pentax K-r a while back that had a pronounced front focus tendency. I sent it back and bought the predecessor K-x.
Worth checking, especially with a new camera if the pictures aren't as sharp as you hoped.
You can use a focus chart like this
www.bobatkins.com/photography/technical/focus_testing.html
to see how far in front or behind the point you are aiming at the camera is focusing (set spot focus).
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I gave the "dentist" 2mm hex key adjustment a go and ........
...... hey ..... it has improved things immensely.
It was focussing a bit towards the back of the intended point (back focussing ?) and after much fiddling I got it nearly spot on and in an effort to get it dead right I then went forward too far.
It's time consuming and I'm not there yet but I now know I can do it if I put in the time.
Thank you all, especially Fenlander, for pointing me in the right direction. I've probably saved a couple of hundred quid.
Last edited by: Dulwich Estate on Wed 18 Jun 14 at 19:16
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Glad the links were of use DE. I was alerted to this by a Nikon DSLR on Ebay some months back where the seller said the images were a bit soft but it was probably the lens needed clearing properly and he didn't want to risk doing it himself. A quick Google showed it was likely to be this focus issue so I left alone.
The slightly newer or more expensive models seem to have sorted it with the fine tuning available through the camera menu.
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Thanks again for the tip Fenlander - it's now working beautifully.
It was a very easy fix and I think the chap who did the Youtube guide made a very big meal of it. I reckon I'd get one done again in less that half an hour. So, maybe next time buy a poor focussing Nikon, fix it, and get a decent return on a quick turn around.
You are right, the D5000 does not have a fine tuning option in the menu but I think the D7000 does. These are both a few years old now and I don't know about the 5100 / 5200.
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A little more as far as the fix goes:
You don't need a specially long 2mm hex key and it's no problem slotting it into the bolt head. The only thing I would add is to hold the camera body in such a position as to let the key fall out away from the sensor in the event that you should let it slip.
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Nikon SLR not focussing properly - Fenlander
