AlienBees + Nikon d600 focus problems! Please help!

[Reyna]

Hey everyone,

I've been having this issue for about a year now. When I'm doing a studio session (which is only a few time a year, but still need this fixed) I have major trouble getting the focus. Below are a few examples.

My camera doesn't focus exactly where my focus points are. I will look at the picture straight from my camera, and the focus was RIGHT on the face/eyes. But when I upload it to Lightroom, the focus of off. If you look at the pictures below, the first one is the entire picture straight from the camera, and the second is zoomed into the eyes. See what I mean? The focus isn't tack sharp. Sometimes it will be, but I promise it's not b/c I can't catch the focus, I shoot ALL the time outside and never have this trouble. Plus, when I use my d7000, I never have this problem so it's something in the camera. Hopefully just a setting.

Straight from camera, no editing so no judgement on that please.

AlienBees 800 with Nikon D600 + 24-70 2.8. Each setting is a little different but I'm always on AF-C priority, raw, single focus point (I choose). First picture: 1/200 sec; f/4.0; ISO 400 Manual; Spot metering. Second picture: 1/200 sec; f2.8 (I usually always shoot at f/4 indoor b/c of this trouble) ISO 160.

ANY help will be appreciated. I honestly have no clue how to fix this and need to nail the focus at least 95% of the time like I do outdoor. Thank you! I've got a few errands to run so I won't be on the computer but I will check as soon as I can. Let me know if you can think of something!

 

[robbins.photo]

My first question is, how many focus points are you giving the camera to choose from?

 

[Designer]

My first question is, how many focus points are you giving the camera to choose from?

She wrote "one". "single focus point (I choose)"

 

[tirediron]

Your lights will have no impact on this. Have you done a focus calibration check? Take a sheet of newspaper, page out of a book, whatever, and place it at about the same distance as your camera-to-subject distance, with the camera on a tripod & using mirror lock-up & remote release/timed release and ensuring that the sensor & newspaper are exactly parallel, shoot a few shots at different apertures.

 

[robbins.photo]

My first question is, how many focus points are you giving the camera to choose from?

She wrote "one". "single focus point (I choose)"

Well given the results I doubt that's the case. The terminology involved can be a bit confusing, since there is a AF-S mode but that is not necessarily the same as reducing the number of autofocus points to one. Also she might be thinking that the AF point in the center is the one she's "choosing" but if she has more than one enabled the camera might be choosing any one from those that are enabled.

So before I went any further I just wanted to clarify that she is indeed limiting the number of AF points to one - because if she's putting an AF point on the eye here it doesn't look like that's the one the camera is using.

 

[astroNikon]

I'd 2nd the question about AF-S- Single Focus point as the viewfinder will show one point when you are in d9, d39, etc

As Tirediron mentions a focus check is required here. The above picture has so many things that an AF system would want to focus on (too busy). Making a very simple one object shot will help isolate any problems.

The baby's tshirt script "ONE" is very sharp in the photo, thus thinking the focus point actually was on the shirt.

The camera will put the lens at it's largest opening aperture for focusing and metering duties. Thus your lens will revert to f/2.8 for AF/metering. Then when the shot is ready to be made the camera will move to the selected Aperture. So selecting f/4 because it works better doesn't make sense, so something else is going on here.

 

[Reyna]

My first question is, how many focus points are you giving the camera to choose from?

I am just using single-point AF. So I choose, should I try and change is to 39-point dynamic area AF?

 

[Reyna]

Your lights will have no impact on this. Have you done a focus calibration check? Take a sheet of newspaper, page out of a book, whatever, and place it at about the same distance as your camera-to-subject distance, with the camera on a tripod & using mirror lock-up & remote release/timed release and ensuring that the sensor & newspaper are exactly parallel, shoot a few shots at different apertures.

I will try this! Thank you! I've never done this before. Mirror lock-up.... I'm not sure how to do this part??

 

[Reyna]

My first question is, how many focus points are you giving the camera to choose from?

She wrote "one". "single focus point (I choose)"

Well given the results I doubt that's the case. The terminology involved can be a bit confusing, since there is a AF-S mode but that is not necessarily the same as reducing the number of autofocus points to one. Also she might be thinking that the AF point in the center is the one she's "choosing" but if she has more than one enabled the camera might be choosing any one from those that are enabled.

So before I went any further I just wanted to clarify that she is indeed limiting the number of AF points to one - because if she's putting an AF point on the eye here it doesn't look like that's the one the camera is using.

Hmm... I am using the single-point AF. So every time I choose the focus point, so the camera isn't focusing based on any information from surrounding focus points.

Yes, that's the problem... Why isn't my camera using the AF point I choose which is right on the eye? I can't figure it out.

 

[Reyna]

I'd 2nd the question about AF-S- Single Focus point as the viewfinder will show one point when you are in d9, d39, etc

As Tirediron mentions a focus check is required here. The above picture has so many things that an AF system would want to focus on (too busy). Making a very simple one object shot will help isolate any problems.

The baby's tshirt script "ONE" is very sharp in the photo, thus thinking the focus point actually was on the shirt.

The camera will put the lens at it's largest opening aperture for focusing and metering duties. Thus your lens will revert to f/2.8 for AF/metering. Then when the shot is ready to be made the camera will move to the selected Aperture. So selecting f/4 because it works better doesn't make sense, so something else is going on here.

Yes, I'm using single-point AF. I'm able to choose from all 39 though and move it around.

I will try the focus check. I have no clue on how to begin that so if you do, let me know!

Also, I actually thought the exact same thing awhile back. That maybe my backgrounds are too busy. It's not the case here. I've used very simple cream backdrops and still the same problem. I'll post an example.

Here's an example. No busy backdrop, still same issue. 1/200; f/4.0; ISO 400; Single point AF selected right between daughter and moms face.

 

[tirediron]

Your lights will have no impact on this. Have you done a focus calibration check? Take a sheet of newspaper, page out of a book, whatever, and place it at about the same distance as your camera-to-subject distance, with the camera on a tripod & using mirror lock-up & remote release/timed release and ensuring that the sensor & newspaper are exactly parallel, shoot a few shots at different apertures.

I haven't ever done this before. Mirror lock-up.... I'm not sure how to do this part??

Pg 88 of your manual.

 

[tirediron]

...Yes, I'm using single-point AF...

Yes, but you're using AF-C vice AF-S, so it is possible that as you move your camera around slightly you're changing your point of focus.

 

[Reyna]

...Yes, I'm using single-point AF...

Yes, but you're using AF-C vice AF-S, so it is possible that as you move your camera around slightly you're changing your point of focus.

I've tried both! I've changed it to AF-S and it seemed worse so I changed it back.

 

[robbins.photo]

Yes, that's the problem... Why isn't my camera using the AF point I choose which is right on the eye? I can't figure it out.

My recommendation would be to change to AF-C, then reduce the number of autofocus points to just one. Try a few shots, see if that fixes your issue.

 

[tirediron]

Try the test I've mentioned above; try in AF-S, AF-C and manual. Try it wide open at f8 and f22.