d80 owners that upgraded to d90's ???

[Singletracklovr]

Has your percent of in focus pictures increased with the d90?

thanks for your time...

[Dougjgreen]

There's no reason that it should. The D80 and D90 have basically the same autofocus system and viewfinder.

[Singletracklovr]

There's no reason that it should. The D80 and D90 have basically the same autofocus system and viewfinder.

Hi Dougjgreen,
Did you own a d80 and upgrade to a d90?

I am working thru some focus issues with my d80 and considering upgrading to the d90.

I will never use the video feature of the d90.

So there's CCD size.
Is 12mp producing a better picture than the d80's 10mp did?

What about focus accuracy.
Has your % of infocus photos increased since you upgraded.

I'm looking for real owner feedback.

Note: d80 > d90 owners, If you'd rather not post you comments a PM would be fine.

Thanks again for your time and input.

[Dougjgreen]

Hi Dougjgreen,
Did you own a d80 and upgrade to a d90?

I am working thru some focus issues with my d80 and considering upgrading to the d90.

I will never use the video feature of the d90.

So there's CCD size.
Is 12mp producing a better picture than the d80's 10mp did?

What about focus accuracy.
Has your % of infocus photos increased since you upgraded.

I'm looking for real owner feedback.

Note: d80 > d90 owners, If you'd rather not post you comments a PM would be fine.

Thanks again for your time and input.

No, I still have my D80. I haven't upgraded. As I said, there is not any reason to expect that focus accuracy will improve with a D90, as it uses the same focus system and viewfinder as the D80. 12MP will produce slightly higher resolution photos than 10MP, but the main difference will be at ISOs higher than 800, the D90 images will have noticeably less noise. This improvement at high ISOs is not enough reason for me personally to upgrade to a D90. There are not many other real improvements, aside from the video that you won't use (me either), live view, dust cleaning, and chromatic aberation removal.

It is possible that YOUR D80, or your lens, has some focus issues, but, from a technical standpoint, there is no difference between the focus system of the D80 and D90 - so, unless the problem is a technical issue with your specific camera/lens, you won't see any improvement. BTW, I don't have any focus problems with my D80 camera, so a D90 couldn't improve a problem that my D80 doesn't have. Functionally, the main improvement is better sensor performance at high ISOs. If I were you, I'd get my camera's focus system checked for accuracy before doing anything else.

[Singletracklovr]

Hi Doug,
Thank you for your detailed response.
You said you have no focus issues with your d80.
May I ask which lens/lenses you are using and what do you usually shoot?

I mostly shoot wildlife and landscapes.

[Frog]

I haven't responded here because I haven't upgraded to the D90 either but do wonder what focus problems you are having.
I don't have any focus problems with my D80 using Nikon 18-200, Nikon 50mm, Nikon 18-135, tokina 12-24, and recently Tamron 90 f/2.8.
Can you explain your focus problems and perhaps post an example pic?

[Grandpaw]

I have taken about 11,000 pictures this last year with 5 or 6 different lenses and have not experienced any problems with my D80. I think it would be very helpful to see a couple of pictures and know what method of focusing was used, Jeff

[Singletracklovr]

Hello Frog and Jeff,
I would be happy to post examples. Using Nikons ViewNX software I only resized the RAW file converting to jpeg at max quality compression.

Lens: nikon 300mm f4
Here in shot one I focused on the birds body. As you can see the branch behind is in focus and not the bird. When I saw this in the picture review I moved my focus to front of the log.
Bingo! Birds in focus.
Now this is not a fluke one time bad focus. I have over 2,000 shots simular to these taken over the last 2 months.
Heehee, I know I'm slow to just finely start to figure this problem out.

When I go out shooting I usually take between 100-150 shots. I am lucky if 10 are in focus. Of those 10 three will be keepers.



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Lens: 300mm F/4
Focal Length: 300mm
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Device: Nikon D80
Lens: 300mm F/4
Focal Length: 300mm
Focus Mode: AF-A
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Optimize Image
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Color Mode: Mode IIIa (sRGB)
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[Singletracklovr]

Here’s an example of the 70-300 VR lens.
AF set to Single Area mode. Focus was on the bird in the center of the photo.

Note: This happens when manual focusing as well.



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Device: Nikon D80
Lens: VR 70-300mm F/4.5-5.6G
Focal Length: 300mm
Focus Mode: AF-S
AF-Area Mode: Single
VR: ON
AF Fine Tune:
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Aperture: F/6.3
Shutter Speed: 1/800s
Exposure Mode: Aperture Priority
Exposure Comp.: 0EV
Exposure Tuning:
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ISO Sensitivity: ISO 800
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Sorry for the super large picts. I thought they would help see the problem.

[Frog]

I see the problem. Thank you for the examples.
However, since this is not a common D80 problem as Jeff and I have been shooting for years, as have many others, I think its time to send it in to Nikon.
How long have you had it?
A new D90 probably wouldn't have the problem but the D80 wouldn't be worth anything if you wanted to sell it in that condition.

[Dougjgreen]

That looks like a textbook example of a back focus problem. If that's happening across all of your lenses, your body's focus calibration needs adjustment. If it's only happening on that one lens, then it's the lens's issue.

BTW, this type of thing can happen with any specific camera if it's been either improperly adjusted at the factory, or if it took a hard knock somewhere along the way. It's a sample to sample problem, not something that would be consistent across all D80s (although it could be consistent across a single production run, for example - if Nikon had a QA problem in their factory).

[Singletracklovr]

Hi Doug,
Thanks for sticking with me on this. I do appreciate everyones help.
The woodpecker photos were taken with a nikon 300 f4 lens that's about 5 years old and the birds in the marsh were taken with new (just purchased) nikon 70-300mm VR lens.

Now my nikon AF18-135mm does not show this problem or at lease it's very hard to detect since I mostly use it at 18-30mm / f16-22 for landscape photos. Zoom up on anyones wide landscape photo and everything is soft.

Body calibration... Return to Nikon !?!
Sounds slow, complicated, expensive, time consuming and over all painful.

d80 bodies are going for <500 bucks these days.
Is repairing really worth it?
I'm thinking of just junking this body and buying something else...

[Franglais]

Think about upgrading to a D300. You (the end-user) can fine-adjust the focus for each individual lens (up to 10, I think).

[Grandpaw]

I would suggest dropping by a local camera store and ask if you could try one of their 70-300vr lenses on your camera. Also try your lens on their camera. The first thing you need to know is whether it is the lens or the camera.

Try taking a few pictures with a single subject at 300mm and F4 to see if it focuses and not have multiple points to consider.

Did you double check the camera to see if AF is on and the lens has the VR and other setting correctly set?

Are you using a filters that might be causing a problem?

Is the diopter set to your eyesight? This will effect manual focus.

Changing lenses with the VR active and the camera turned on can cause problems also.

I would like to add that I know several people that have D80 Nikons and non of the have had this problem.

[Frog]

If you decide to just junk it, I'd prefer you send it to me.
I'll get it fixed and give it to my son.

[Singletracklovr]

Think about upgrading to a D300. You (the end-user) can fine-adjust the focus for each individual lens (up to 10, I think).

Hi Charles,
Is this user adjustable lens to lens fine-adjust an easy process? Any additional software or hardware required?

Grandpaw,
I have shown 2 lens examples above.
The woodpecker shots were take with a nikon 300 f4 and the
birds in the swamp taken with a nikon 70-300 VR. The back focus issue is definitely worse on this lens.
I have also listed all the camera setting(EXIF) data and I believe the camera was set up correctly for a proper focus.

To limp by, I have switch the AF from single to Dynamic. In most cases the camera selects an area in front of what I am shooting so I get a usable shot.

I am glad to hear my d80 focus issue is not systemic.

It is tough enough to get out there in perfect conditions, waiting for your subject to turn and smile at you only to wonder in the back of your mind....
Is this thing going to focus right this time...

Thanks again everyone. I have started researching a new body

[Grandpaw]

Bob, I would like you to try something for me and let me know what happens.

Go to your CUSTOM SETTINGS MENU
Next go to #2 AF-area mode
Press the right side of your toggle button
Take your camera OFF DYNAMIC AREA and change it to AUTO-AREA AF and press OK

Now go out and try taking some pictures and let me know what happens, Jeff

Also ,did you check your diopter to see if it is effecting the manual focus?

[Dougjgreen]

FYI, if it's the repair I think it is, it's probably somewhere in the $100-125 range - and would probably include a basic viewfinder and sensor cleaning as well.

Certainly not worth junking a camera that's worth at least 3 times that amount if it's fully working.

[Grandpaw]

Bob, I have been playing with my camera and I think I have probably figured out what your problem is. Look on the back of the camera and see if the focus lock is in the down position. It is the button to the right of the LCD screen below the toggle button and above the OK button. It needs to be in the upward position. When it is down it is locked into wherever the area focus is highlighted at when you look through the viewfinder. When you unlock it you should be able to move what the focus point is focused on in the viewfinder and make it the center focus point if it isn't now. This is made this way so if you want to focus on something that is in a different part of the screen than the center you can pick it for your focus point and keep it framed the same. I think your camera is set on a different focus point than the center and is locked in, so when you point the center spot at the subject it is actually focusing on a different area than what you are pointing at the subject, Jeff

[Singletracklovr]

Bob, I have been playing with my camera and I think I have probably figured out what your problem is. Look on the back of the camera and see if the focus lock is in the down position. It is the button to the right of the LCD screen below the toggle button and above the OK button. It needs to be in the upward position. When it is down it is locked into wherever the area focus is highlighted at when you look through the viewfinder. When you unlock it you should be able to move what the focus point is in the viewfinder and make it the center focus point if it isn't now, Jeff

Wow! Jeff, I know for a fact my focus lock is in the down position. I though that was the off position. When I get home from work tonight I will try both of your tests.
If this is my problem I own you a beer my friend. Thank you so much for not giving up on me.

Also ,did you check your diopter to see if it is effecting the manual focus?

Sorry I don't know what this means.

[Singletracklovr]

FYI, if it's the repair I think it is, it's probably somewhere in the $100-125 range - and would probably include a basic viewfinder and sensor cleaning as well.

Certainly not worth junking a camera that's worth at least 3 times that amount if it's fully working.

Hi Doug, I probably could have found a better word than "junking" It kinda came out in flustration. This body is almost new with only 3000 shutter actuations and has performed flawless for me except the focus issue.
With a little luck Jeff may have solved my problem and I will not have to junk this body.
As someone 2 months from retiring, I was not looking forward to dropping $1600 to replace it.


PS Does anyone know how I can edit the main title of this thread? It's not really d90 related, my bad

[Grandpaw]

Bob, the diopter is the little roller wheel that is located at the top right hand side of your viewfinder. It is there to adjust what your looking at through the finder so you do not have to wear your glasses while taking pictures. This is there to adjust to your vision so what you see is clear and allow you to manual focus correctly'

As far as the focus point you can move it around any of the many focus points you see in the viewfinder and make your camera focus on a subject that is in another location other than the center. Once you unlock it you have to push the shutter button down slightly just as you would to focus normally and then use the toggle button to move it to the location you want in focus. Hope this helps you out, Jeff

[Franglais]

Hi Charles,
Is this user adjustable lens to lens fine-adjust an easy process? Any additional software or hardware required?

I was hoping you weren't going to ask me this because I've never done it. It's explained here (you will like his example):

http://www.photomatter.com/Reviews/NikonD300b.html

I just checked out on my D300. It's in the "spanner" Custom menu with space for 12 lenses. You just fit the lens and keep on making adjustments and tests till it's spot on.

I think that you need something very precise and the D300 (and upwards) is the tool to do it. You can go a long way with amateur material. I love my D60 but for difficult tasks there's only the more sophisticated material that will do.

[Frog]

I really think you have it figured out, grandpaw.
Good job!

[Singletracklovr]

I really think you have it figured out, grandpaw.
Good job!

I think he did as well.
I set my Focus lock to the up position, changed the focus to
AUTO-AREA AF. Put the 70-300 VR lens on since this was the one I considered the worst performer Oh, VR on and AF on.

What do you think? I focused on the third wood piece (the one infocus) These boards are about 12" apart. Yep-py!

File: _DSC3185.NEF
File Size: 8.11 MB
Image Size: L (3872 x 2592)
Date Shot: 3/9/2009 15:57:56.60
Image Quality: Compressed RAW (12-bit)
Device: Nikon D80
Lens: VR 70-300mm F/4.5-5.6G
Focal Length: 300mm
Focus Mode: AF-C
AF-Area Mode: Dynamic
VR: ON
Aperture: F/8
Shutter Speed: 1/640s
Exposure Mode: Aperture Priority
Exposure Comp.: -1.0EV
Metering: Matrix
ISO Sensitivity: Auto (ISO 250)
White Balance: Auto, 0
Color Space: Adobe RGB
High ISO NR: OFF
Long Exposure NR: OFF
Optimize Image: Custom
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Tone Comp.: Normal
Hue Adjustment: 0°
Saturation: Normal
Sharpening: Normal


Another one.. I quickly spun and stopped on my dog, giving the focus virtually no time to focus and fired off this shot.



I've never gotten this kinda performance from this body.

OK, I'm opening my mouth and inserting foot about now...
Let me know the next time you are in Denver Jeff. I own you big time my friend.