Frustrated with my Nikon 24-70mm 2.8G

[CaptainNapalm]

It is time to ditch the DX and move to FX, only then will the lens truly shine.

 

[PaulWog]

It is time to ditch the DX and move to FX, only then will the lens truly shine.

I think that has to be part of it. First of all, better high ISO performance will make a big difference. The other thing is that on dx the lens is a longer focal length, meaning more shake mm for mm. I'm not sure if this has been mentioned... I mean, I guess that's what you're getting at.

I've considered a 24-70 from sigma or tamron on ex, but I'd never consider the Nikon version for dx. That kind of size and weight paired without vr on dx just doesn't seem like a great pair. Such a long barrel would have to add to shakiness even at equal focal lengths to an equivalent prime that is shorter in physical length... Hand holding techniques would help but I assume wouldn't eliminate the difference.

 

[Vince.1551]

Maybe you should really be using a monopod or tripod after all

 

[bigal1000]

Why can't you use a higher iso which will give you faster shutter speed for handholding or just put the lens on a tripod !!!!!

 

[yioties]

It defeats the purpose of having that lens if he can't hand hold it properly! Ditch it brother and try the Tamron version out!

 

[Vince.1551]

Well until you get your technique down it might not be a bad idea to maybe invest a couple of bucks in a monopod - that should do the trick for you nicely. Not quite as convienient as shooting handheld I know, but something to consider my friend.

This is a practical suggestion and should be considered. Further F1.8 on fast primes are only 1 stop from your F2.8 ;-)

 

[manaheim]

I would like to see a large-sized sample image that shows the shake or blur issue you are having, just to look at it closely and maybe see what's going on.

PM sent

Do you have blur issue shooting with the 85mm prime @ f/2.8?

Nope, haven't had any blur issues with it at all - but then again just got the lens. I'll be packing the monopod with me in case I run into a situation or two where I can't get a high enough shutter speed, just to be on the safe side.

I dont have any problems either with my 85mm, just pure joy from my new lens

I'd like to see a big image too. I'm very curious.

 

[hamlet]

I'm shooting with my d3200 and i'm also having trouble getting consistently sharp images. Like for me personally it is just because my skills aren't at a place where my brain and reflexes have figured out how to keep my hands and body steady enough, but my pictures are slowly getting sharper overall to where my image is still sharp even at 1:1 crop.

 

[goodguy]

I'm shooting with my d3200 and i'm also having trouble getting consistently sharp images. Like for me personally it is just because my skills aren't at a place where my brain and reflexes have figured out how to keep my hands and body steady enough, but my pictures are slowly getting sharper overall to where my image is still sharp even at 1:1 crop.

I am past this hurdle, I am now using my beloved 24-70mm 2.8G about 90% of the time.
I constantly get good pictures with it, there is a longer then average adjustment prior to this lens.
Thank god to Derrel and of course me working out my own skills to get me to know and understand this amazing lens.
Today I use it as slow as 1/30 and still get amazing results even though most of the time I use minimum speed at 1/50
Its ana amazing lens and well worth the time and patience to learn and master it because once you do you will never be able to go back.

 

[manaheim]

Oh this was an old thread. Bah.

So, goodguy, what were you doing wrong?

 

[goodguy]

Oh this was an old thread. Bah.

So, goodguy, what were you doing wrong?

I guess its a combination of few things that all lead to the total improvement and satisfaction I have now with this wonderful lens.
I will use slightly faster minimum shutter speed.
I use a different technique when I shoot so I am less susceptible to camera shake
I press slower on shutter botton which used to make me shake camera
Slow down and think before I shoot, just see better what I shoot.
Its just many little things and I cant say one big thing changed it.
I think in general the better the lens is the less forgiving it is and with such a relative big heavy lens compared to the one I had bfroe (24-85mm VR) and lack of VR I needed to tweak my skills to let the lens really shine.

 

[astroNikon]

Oh this was an old thread. Bah.

So, goodguy, what were you doing wrong?

I guess its a combination of few things that all lead to the total improvement and satisfaction I have now with this wonderful lens.
I will use slightly faster minimum shutter speed.
I use a different technique when I shoot so I am less susceptible to camera shake
I press slower on shutter botton which used to make me shake camera
Slow down and think before I shoot, just see better what I shoot.
Its just many little things and I cant say one big thing changed it.
I think in general the better the lens is the less forgiving it is and with such a relative big heavy lens compared to the one I had bfroe (24-85mm VR) and lack of VR I needed to tweak my skills to let the lens really shine.

I use all my non-VR lenses handheld all the time now. Last year I was using a monopod all the time due to shake.
BUT I spent alot of time "training" myself to hold a lens steady. I used my Nikon 500mm Relex MF lens as my training lens. So it really taught me to hold thing steady. So now I can go down to slow speeds, and I've even capturing some nice slow shutter waterfall handheld!

I also learned to roll half my finger onto the shutter button rather then pressing my entire finger down. It decreases the total downward force one gives the camera which can lead to more shake. So my finger is half on/half off the button then I roll the pressure downwards onto the button.

I keep checking the mail too hoping your lens would be in my mailbox .. oh well. :mrgreen:

 

[sm4him]

Hi, a couple of questions.

1) Are you a coffee drinker? I ask because caffeine will cause the jitters and will adversely effect your hand holding ability.

2) Are you using a grip? The D7100 is a fine camera but it may not have the mass to balance out all of that glass sticking off the front. The problem with camera shake in this respect is that if the balance point is too far forward then most of the weight is being supported by the left hand, which is usually a person's weakest. You could work out to strengthen that arm -which wouldn't hurt- or you could add weight to the camera body. Adding mass also helps in this respect because -according to Newton- more mass requires more energy to move the object. In other words because the heavier the camera the harder you have to shake to move it.





Bonus question. Are you also practicing good breathing techniques? If not try breathing in deeply and slowly releasing your breath then press the shutter button after you've started the exhale. Shooting a camera is much like shooting a rifle so most of the good advice applies to either.

Good luck!

1) Glad you have to answer that question, not me. Because if drinking coffee meant I was doomed to have shaky pictures…well, shake away!! :lmao:
I do actually have what's called non-essential hand tremors, and we've long since determined my caffeine intake doesn't have anything to do with it. 70% of the time, my hands are fine. 20% of the time, they get a little shaky, but they usually FEEL shakier than they really are. The other 10% of the time, I wouldn't be able to HOLD the camera.

2) I cannot tell you how much having a grip for my D7000 improved my ability to hold the camera steady, especially with some of the longer, heavier lenses. I use a Sigma 150-500, handheld and now also have a Tamron 70-200 f/2.8 (without VC) that I can hand hold and get good results from--I am absolutely CERTAIN that I would not get usable results from the lenses most of the time if I did not have the battery grip.

 

[hamlet]

I'm shooting with my d3200 and i'm also having trouble getting consistently sharp images. Like for me personally it is just because my skills aren't at a place where my brain and reflexes have figured out how to keep my hands and body steady enough, but my pictures are slowly getting sharper overall to where my image is still sharp even at 1:1 crop.

I am past this hurdle, I am now using my beloved 24-70mm 2.8G about 90% of the time.
I constantly get good pictures with it, there is a longer then average adjustment prior to this lens.
Thank god to Derrel and of course me working out my own skills to get me to know and understand this amazing lens.
Today I use it as slow as 1/30 and still get amazing results even though most of the time I use minimum speed at 1/50
Its ana amazing lens and well worth the time and patience to learn and master it because once you do you will never be able to go back.

I'm glad we could help, welcome to the big leagues buddy!

http://i.imgur.com/p17gBYK.jpg

 

[sm4him]

Oh this was an old thread. Bah.

So, goodguy, what were you doing wrong?

Arrgghh…how did I miss both the date of the OP AND the whole second page that might have clued me in to the fact that this horse was DEAD already?