AboutScott Valentine Expertise Most anything about digital post processing (Photoshop, etc), effects, and image restoration, some technical information about digital imaging systems, light and electron microscopy, optical physics and image analysis. I can help with shooting basics, lighting setups, and getting the most out of your digital camera. I am also an 'expert' here for Photoshop (Computers/Technology > Software > Graphics Software > Photoshop).
I am currently writing a book for Adobe Press on composite artwork using Photoshop CS4.
Experience I've been an image analyst and advanced amateur photographer for over 6 years. I run an Adobe user group, focusing on digital media, and have lectured on digital image capture systems. Currently, I am an administrator for a rather large instructional Photoshop forum
Organizations Adobe User Groups, National Association of Photoshop Professionals, Advanced Imaging Specialists
Education/Credentials Bachelor of Physics, University of California, San Diego
Awards and Honors Winner: Best in Show and several category first place awards - Imaging Professionals of the Southwest Print Competition (multiple years)
Expert: Scott Valentine Date: 10/2/2007 Subject: blurry pictures
Question QUESTION: Hi there,
I'm ready to throw my Nikon D-200 in the trash! Had better consistency with my Olympus point and shoot.
I don't mind playing around with aperture priority, etc. but in the meantime i'd be happy if 95% of my pictures would at least be clear. Shooting the exact same object, sometimes the foreground is in focus and sometimes the background is in focus. I'd like the whole picture to be sharp.....unless i'm trying to blur the background on purpose....say at f3.5.
I guess I need to know if this camera can actually shoot like a reliable point and shoot camera or is there always going to be one something in the wrong place....wrong metering....wrong ISO....etc.
For Nikon "P" mode is "Programed Automatic" which is what i have it on and getting tons of blurry pictures. Even after stopping down the shutter button half way to let the camera lens focus automatically.
On a seperate issue, in aperture prioroty mode the camera doesn't seem to want to give me a blurred background even at my lowest aperture f3.5
So, bottom line, when i want blurring I can't get it and when I don't want blurry I get lots of it!
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Wayne
ANSWER: Hi Wayne,
I'm sorry you are having so much trouble. After doing a preliminary web search, it seems that some runs of the D200 had problems with autofocus, as well as a few other issues. You can check this dpreview thread for more details:
You might have a different problem, though, so try these quick solutions:
*Make sure you are not holding down the focus ring on the lens - I've made this mistake before with a lens that supports combined auto and manual focus without using a selector switch.
*Check online for known issues with your lens, unless you used it previously on another body and know it to be good. Also, you can try your lens on another Nikon to see if there's a problem.
*Try shooting in manual mode with only the autofocus enabled. This is how I normally shoot my D100 - ISO 200, manual aperture and shutter speed, in RAW.
*Enable the viewfinder/screen grid and focus indicators. This will help you see where the camera's focus zones are. You can also use the hat button on the back to select a focus zone. Your manual should have info on autoselecting versus manual zone selection.
*Check your settings for focus priority and meter mode. I typically shoot in weighted center unless I want to compose something out of the center of the frame.
If none of these fixes solves your problem, contact the vendor from whom you purchased your camera and see if they have any information on serial numbers or lots with problems, and if they recommend sending in the camera for replacement. If there is a problem, find out before your warranty expires. Nikon is pretty good about in-warranty replacements, but charges for it on the other side if you wait too long.
Best of luck, and if you have further questions, please don't hesitate to ask!
Happy shooting,
-Scott
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Hi Scott,
What's the hat button? And what's does "zone focus" mean? Is it different from auto-focus?
Also, i'm getting several pictures that look like they're getting a dark shawdow at the bottom. My girlfriend things my finger is in front of the lens....but I have a big hood on the front of my lens, so I doubt that's the problem.
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Wayne
ps: Shot a few pics being aware of the focus ring, and all came out clear. Hopefully that's the problem. Also, would it make a difference when shooting flash if I bumped the ISO up to say 400 or higher rather than 200. I notcied that most of my pics shot at ISO 200 with flash in automatic mode were getting a 1/60 shutter speed. Maybe that's too slow when combined with hand shake and possibly touching the focus ring?
Wayne
Answer The 'hat button' is the 4- or 8-way button on the back of the camera. It behaves like a little rocker switch - you use it to navigate the menus and thumbnails. You can also use it to select the zone in the view finder.
The zones you see in the viewfinder (the D200 has 11 metering positions, and 7 wide-area focus zones) are areas selected on the sensor to determine focus, white balance, and exposure. You can manually select any of these areas to tell the camera what you want focused and exposed properly. You can also use various weights in these areas, but that's outside the scope of this answer. Your manual has more detail, but also consider hitting some forums, like dpreview.com or nikonians.com (a pay site) to get more details on real-world use.
The dark shadow you are seeing may be vignetting from your lens hood. Does this happen when you are using the widest lens settings? If so, and if it only happens on the bottom, your lens hood might be a little crooked, or a UV filter might not be on straight (if you are using one).
As for ISO, I usually only shoot in RAW, so I stick to ISO 200 (your camera supports ISO 100, I think) to minimize noise. If you shoot at 400 or higher, switch to JPG at high quality. This lets the camera handle most of the noise via JPG compression. If you double the ISO, you reduce the necessary exposure time by 1/2. Here's a good simulator to help you predict the various settings:
Try playing with it in Manual mode to see the simulated effects on the image.
There is a rule about light versus camera shake, I've copied one version of it here:
"The slowest shutter speed at which you can safely handhold a camera is one over the focal length of the lens in use. As shutter speeds get slower, camera shake is likely to result in an increasing loss of sharpness. So, if you're using a 50mm lens, shoot at 1/60 sec or faster. Not enough light? Use a flash, tripod, or brace your camera against a solid object."
