Nikon 35mm f/1.8 - consistent blurred motion

PaulPhilly · Jul 23, 2017

I've owned this lens about 9 months, and it has consistently blurred even the slightest of motion, 100% of the time. I use the lens set either on f/1.8 or f/11, and only indoors. My camera is a D750, set to Aperture priority. Is anyone else experiencing this? If not, can anyone suggest tweaks to my settings?

This blurred motion does not happen on my 28-300,, f/3.5-56 nor my 85mm f/1.8G.

Any assistance is appreciated, even if it's try and get the lens replaced by Nikon.

Thanks!

astroNikon · Jul 23, 2017

Can you provide examples.
and full EXIF information .. ISO, Aperture *and* Shutter speed.

usually blurred motion is due to too slow a Shutter speed and/or camera-hand movement.

Include examples of your 35, 85 and 28-300 if you want for comparison.

Plus f/1.8 is a very thin DOF especially if indoors and I assume closeup. So blur could be due to the thin DOF in certain instances. One again, examples with full EXIF is key here in helping us understand your issues.

I use a D750 too. And I have no blur issue with any lens unless I use too slow a Shutter Speed .. or a shaky hand at a certain shutter speed.

Derrel · Jul 23, 2017

Shooting in Aperture Priority automatiuc at f/11 indoors, without flash...ought to be a VERY long shutter speed in most cases, unless the ISO value is set very high, like 6,400 or 12,800. Agreed also that a f/1.8 some of the "blurring" that your report experiencing might be due to thin depth of field. As mentioned above, a sample photo might help us understand the problem; some of us are pretty good at judging image quality flaws and issues based on seeing an actual image. What seems odd is that the 28-300mm zoom and the 85mm lens do not have issues, but the 35mm lens is causing issues.

PaulPhilly · Jul 23, 2017

Images attached

Derrel · Jul 23, 2017

Candles.jpg is too shallow of a depth of Field...the kids are out of focus because the lens was wide-open. The lens has back-focused on the people behind the children in the foreground. This is not motion blurring, but improper focus placement (back-focusing) combined with too-shallow of a DOF for the shot.

Dogs is inded, motion blurring. Speed looks sloooow....probably shot at f/11 indoors.

Donna.jpg is both motion blurring AND too-shallow of a DOF, and some back-focusing.

There is an EASY solutiuon for ALL of these shots! A powerful speedlight flash unit, bounced up, and off of the ceiling, camera set to 1/60 to 1/180 of a second shutter speed, at ISO 640 and lens set to around f/8...bounced flash could have made every one of these shots successful.

astroNikon · Jul 23, 2017

# 1 - kid birthday cake
No EXIF - at least from the online one that I use

# 2 Dogs
No EXIF

# 3 Donna
No EXIF

but I don't think we need EXIF to figure out the problems ...

astroNikon · Jul 23, 2017

As Derrel mentions.

If you look closely at the birthday cake image - look in the background. You'll see the guys stomach and red cups in focus. So the question comes up *how are you focusing* ?
Are you in an Auto Focus mode and AutoFocus Area ?
ie - are you letting the camera determine where to focus, or are you telling/selecting where to focus?

I would be in AF-S Single and Single Focus Point for this and focus on the child. And have enough DOF say f/11 to get the cake and child in focus. and the appriate shutter speed since the child is probably moving well at say Shutter 1/500 to stop motion.

Documentation from D750 manual

..

astroNikon · Jul 23, 2017

#2 dogs. Let me guess. you were moving the camera while the dogs were moving ?
once again, requiring a much high shutter than what you used.
And again depending upon where you were focusing on as I don't see anything in focus at all even any part of the carpet and furniture.

# 3 - once again, you look at parts of the railing and it's in focus to the left. So once again the Focus Mode and Focus Point being used. You need to learn to control the camera and not be in an "Auto" Focus mode. and an appropriate shutter speed.

Derrel · Jul 23, 2017

As astroNikon stated--we do not need the missing EXIF data to determine the problems...we have ALL shot pics like these....I've seen these issues for decades...

astroNikon · Jul 23, 2017

Just to add a few things.

You need to learn more about each individual aspect of photography that will affect the image.
Each Individually.
1 - Aperture
2 - Shutter Speed
3 - ISO
4 - Focus Modes and Focus Areas
5 - Metering Modes
6 - Exposure Compensation as sooner or later you'll accidentally change it.

Many times in any form of "auto mode" one or a couple of these items can really mess up an image.
By learning about each of those items you'll learn how to better control your camera and know what settings you'll need for each situation you'll find yourself in.

snowbear · Jul 23, 2017

Not every scene can be effectively captured at f/1.8 or f/11; don't limit yourself.

fmw · Jul 27, 2017

Most likely the problem is motion blur caused by a slow shutter speed. Aperture priority sets the shutter speed for you and there isn't enough light to cause a fast enough shutter speed to avoid the blur. The problem is not the lens. Perhaps you need to buy yourself a good flash unit and extension cable for it..