Nikon D90 not getting Sharp Photos

[oktato]

I bought a Nikon D90 camera and have a couple of months with it, i'm a newbie on advanced photography but i'm trying to get as many tips as possible, my problem is that eventhough I know for sure that the Nikon D90 is a great camera, i'm not getting sharp stills, so I really need your help to know if i'm doing anything wrong or it is something with the camera.


All of these photos were taken with the "auto function"

http://www.flickr.com/photos/52387156@N06/4921351851/
This is slightly out of Focus (3216x2136, f/36, 1/125 s)


http://www.flickr.com/photos/52387156@N06/4921945108/
In Focus (3216x2136, f/36, 1/4000 s)



I'm using a 24" inch monitor (i don't know if that has something to do with it), but i've seen sharper photos on it that the one I show you.


thanks

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[Markw]

F/36 is your problem! At F/36, your ISO is at ISO3200! On the D90, I wouldnt go above ISO600 if you didnt have to. I own one too. Keep the F/# under 16 and the ISO under 600 and they should sharpen up in a heatbeat.

Ill let someone else explain.
Mark

[oldmacman]

Wow, how are you doing f36 with 1/4000 shutter on a shot in shadow? Looking at the pic, it seems as if the far end of the table is in focus. are these hand held and what lens are you using?

[Markw]

Wow, how are you doing f36 with 1/4000 shutter on a shot in shadow?

He lives on Mercury.

Mark

[oktato]

Wow, how are you doing f36 with 1/4000 shutter on a shot in shadow? Looking at the pic, it seems as if the far end of the table is in focus. are these hand held and what lens are you using?

I'm using a Nikon VR 18-105 mm

[emh]

Looking at the EXIF data:
The first pic was taken at f/36, 1/125s, ISO 3200, +0EV
The second pic was f/5.6, 1/4000s, ISO 3200, +2/3EV

I think what you are seeing as softness in the first pic is the noise due to high ISO. The second pic is better because it's brighter thanks to the +2/3EV exposure compensation, which reduces noise despite the high ISO.

I second Markw's recommendation -- stay below ISO 600 or so whenever possible.

[Markw]

..The first photo has these settings:

F/36, 1/125s ISO3200

...the second, however, was not shot at F/32.

F/5.6 1/4000s ISO3200

Mark

[Markw]

Ahh, emh. You beat me to it.

Mark

[KmH]

Read your camera users manual.

Get the ISO set to 200, not 3200.

Read about depth-of-field (DOF) and how small lens apertures like f/32 soften focus because of diffraction.

[AdrianC]

F/36, 1/125s ISO3200
F/5.6 1/4000s ISO3200

Very random settings. Lower that ISO to 100 or whatever the minimum is and go from there. I would use F/8.

[Alan92RTTT]

All of these photos were taken with the "auto function"

I think you just pointed out your problem. The default for auto mode if multi-point focus. The camera selects the focus points and they may be "wrong" for the result you want.

This image is a good example http://mi3si.org/imagesjpg/230090814/DSC_0644.JPG (Its full rez so I linked it) If you look close the car is slightly out of focus and the bushes behind it are sharp. If I look at the image in the Nikon software it shows that the camera focus points were in the bushes.

Change the cameras to run in single point focus mode and you should get better results.

[NateS]

I have never heard anybody say to not go above ISO600 on the D90. ISO800 is perfectly usable and if exposed properly shows hardly any grain. ISO 1600 is very usable as well if you are willing to do a pass through noise reduction in post. I will agree that 3200 is too high unless you are only printing 4x6's, but 800-1600 is very good on this camera if used correctly.

[oktato]

I went to my manual to find out how to lower the ISO and took some photos on ISO 500, they look really good, here's an example DSC_0018 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

you can even see the dust on the dog's head


thanks for all your help, if you ever need some guidance on oil and gas refining process contact me, that I master.

thanks again

[AdrianC]

Try taking pics at 100ISO, they will be even sharper...

[NateS]

Try taking pics at 100ISO, they will be even sharper...

No they won't. ISO 100 (fake ISO) is going to look probably about the same as 400-500. ISO200 is the base iso and where they lens will be sharpest with best quality.