D300 front focus; time for firmware update?

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Sosumi - 25 Dec 2007 12:32 GMT

A few days ago I had a portrait assignment. Everything seemed to go well,
but when I came home, I saw that most pictures had a focus problem. I had
focused on the eyes and then recomposed the picture, but the nose instead of
the eyes were sharp!

I looked around on the net and found a focus chart, printed it and the fun
began. First the 18-55mm lens, which I corrected by +8 steps, the 50mm F1.8
with +18 steps (out of 20!) and the 55-200 VR with only +4 steps.

Does anybody recognize this? If all lenses are in front focus, shouldn't it
be adjusted already in the firmware? Or am I seeing ghosts?

On the other hand: at least the D300 has the ability to fine tune the focus.
As far as I know, the Canon 1Ds MIII is the only other one, but costs 8000.-
The 40D doesn't have this feature at all.

I also tested my D40 and D40x and both had front focus with the 50 and
18-55mm. But not so much as the D300.

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Sosumi

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Frank Arthur - 25 Dec 2007 15:07 GMT

Hundreds of thousands of D300 users do no have focus problems but
"Sosumi" does.
Therefore Nikon is at fault!

>A few days ago I had a portrait assignment. Everything seemed to go
>well, but when I came home, I saw that most pictures had a focus
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
> I also tested my D40 and D40x and both had front focus with the 50
> and 18-55mm. But not so much as the D300.

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Sosumi - 25 Dec 2007 16:22 GMT

Billions of people, but only a one cel one a.shole that reacts...

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Sosumi

> Hundreds of thousands of D300 users do no have focus problems but "Sosumi"
> does.
[quoted text clipped - 19 lines]
>> I also tested my D40 and D40x and both had front focus with the 50 and
>> 18-55mm. But not so much as the D300.

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Jürgen Exner - 26 Dec 2007 16:48 GMT

>Hundreds of thousands of D300 users do no have focus problems but

Wow. Nikon already sold hundreds of thousands D300?
I am very impressed that they could even crank out that many cameras in such
a short time span.
Maybe I should get some Nikon stock.

jue

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Frank Arthur - 26 Dec 2007 22:11 GMT

> On Tue, 25 Dec 2007 10:07:16 -0500, "Frank Arthur"
> <Art@Arthurian.com>
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>
> jue

Jürgen. It doesn't take brains to recognize the value of Nikon stock.
If you imagine
a room full of elves putting together D300 cameras on wooden benches,
screwdrivers in hand
then you are a dreamer. Containers on ships full of Nikon cameras
cross the seven seas!

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C J Campbell - 27 Dec 2007 00:16 GMT

>> Hundreds of thousands of D300 users do no have focus problems but
>
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
> jue

The initial shipment of the D300 quickly sold out. They probably had at
least a couple months' production completed before the camera was even
released. According to Thom Hogan, Nikon was making 60,000 D300s a
month, but has now increased production to 70,000. So, yeah, Nikon has
probably sold a couple hundred thousand D300s.

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Waddling Eagle
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C J Campbell - 27 Dec 2007 00:24 GMT

> A few days ago I had a portrait assignment. Everything seemed to go well,
> but when I came home, I saw that most pictures had a focus problem. I had
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
> I also tested my D40 and D40x and both had front focus with the 50 and
> 18-55mm. But not so much as the D300.

This is why you never should be among the first to buy a new camera,
Sosumi! :-)

Seriously, almost all camera models have some problems with back or
front focus. It is a mechanical problem and it can vary from one lens
to another. At least the D300 can be re-programmed, even right down to
the specific lens.

However, if your camera is consistently front-focusing, it is time to
let Nikon know, while the camera is still in warranty.

As you have noted, you can shoot all kinds of subjects without it
becoming much of an issue, but for portraits the focus needs to be
right on. It is also a big deal when shooting things like baby birds in
their nest. I would let Nikon know if the camera is front focusing.

However, didn't you buy a gray market camera? No warranty from Nikon if
you did. This is not a problem with reputable camera dealers, though,
who will themselves provide warranty service as good as, if not better,
than what you can get from Nikon.

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Sosumi - 27 Dec 2007 11:17 GMT

>> A few days ago I had a portrait assignment. Everything seemed to go well,
>> but when I came home, I saw that most pictures had a focus problem. I had
[quoted text clipped - 41 lines]
> will themselves provide warranty service as good as, if not better, than
> what you can get from Nikon.

Hm, I thought, since I can adjust the focus with the camera software, it
might also be adjusted with the firmware?
And do, I didn't buy grey market. I bought from Pixmania, who also have a
store in Lisbon. They're located in France and all their Nikons are from the
official distributor for Europe in the Netherlands. But they come with a
French manual ;-(( so I had to download the English one and print it. But
the price was OK and they were one of the few who really had it in stock.
Still a lot more than in the USA, but what can you do?

I'll take it up with the importer in Lisbon. See what happens and what they
say about this issue.
Thanks.

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Sosumi

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Tony Polson - 27 Dec 2007 22:41 GMT

>Hm, I thought, since I can adjust the focus with the camera software, it
>might also be adjusted with the firmware?
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>I'll take it up with the importer in Lisbon. See what happens and what they
>say about this issue.

It seems strange, to say the least, that an inexperienced photographer
who is having focusing problems with the Nikon D300 he just bought is
so shamelessly criticising Canon's quality control.

In your case, it seems that Nikon's quality control is no better!

You would be well advised not to waste any more of your valuable time
slanderously criticising Canon's quality control on newsgroups.
Instead, why not sort out the problems you have with your Nikon so you
can begin to learn how to use it properly?

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Sosumi - 28 Dec 2007 00:03 GMT

>>Hm, I thought, since I can adjust the focus with the camera software, it
>>might also be adjusted with the firmware?
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
> who is having focusing problems with the Nikon D300 he just bought is
> so shamelessly criticising Canon's quality control.

You don't even have a clue what back or front focus means, do you boy?
With the D300 it can be adjusted perfectly, which is more than the 40D can,
because it doesn't have these options.
And it is something not even close to the real focus problem that Canon can
not (he! That's funny!) completely repair on the 1D mIII.

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Tony Polson - 28 Dec 2007 12:13 GMT

>You don't even have a clue what back or front focus means, do you boy?

Whereas you don't have a clue about photography. Period.

Stop telling lies on newsgroups and go learn about photography.

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