Nikon D7100 pictures seems soft

[luisro]

Hi, I recently bought the D7100 as an upgrade to my D5100. When I started shooting and saw the images I found them a little blurry or soft. I looked some info on the internet and apparently, since it collects more details, it could appear less sharp. Also read something about that RAW pictures may seem less sharp than a JPEG on the camera's LCD(I shoot RAW). I took some demo pictures with a tripod using the same settings on the D5100 and the D7100 and the pictures that came out the D7100 are more sharp, but not tack sharp.

I just want to know:

1. What is your experience with sharpness on images taken with the D7100 without post-processing?
2. For an image to be tack sharp I need to work the sharpness on post-processing?
3. Could be there something wrong with my camera?
4. I also read something about fine tuning the AF on the lenses, anyone have some experience with this?

I was about to go to Best Buy and take some test shots with a D7100 there so I can compare them with my camera.

 

[SnappingShark]

Did you buy it new or used?

Either way - reset all your menus and settings and start from scratch in case anybody had set something which has been overlooked.

 

[luisro]

I bought it new.

 

[Tailgunner]

You have have samples you can post?

 

[luisro]

I will post them when i get home

 

[hamlet]

The internet would have been all over that if even a faction of the d7100 had any little issues like softness. Either it is an issue with your specific gear or there was human error. In the majority of the cases it is human error.

 

[dennybeall]

Have you tried shooting in raw+jpg mode and comparing the two. without post-processing.
My understanding is that if you shoot in raw you will have to post-process, at least as much as the camera does when it converts the sensor data to jpg format.

 

[luisro]

This is one example... Please let me know if its just me or if you see anything wrong with the picture...

AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G
ISO 100
f/2.8
1/200

No post processing was done on this one


Same picture with a little post-processing

 

[Derrel]

Processed one looks GOOD! At f/2.8 there is not much depth of field at such a close distance. The camera and lens are fine.

 

[luisro]

Processed one looks GOOD! At f/2.8 there is not much depth of field at such a close distance. The camera and lens are fine.

So you see the original image good? Doesn't seems a little soft to you?

 

[Derrel]

It seems like maybe you're not used to the need for sharpening of d-slr images,and are not familiar with how marginal a 50mm lens at f/2.8 at 1/200 second at ISO 100 indoors really is...f/2.8 means you have a couple of inches' worth of clear sharp focus, and everything else is OUT OF FOCUS. The D7100 has a high resolution sensor, but you've made a sketchy shot, at f/2.8...

F/2.8 at under 10 feet is a bad aperture choice with a d-slr if you want everything to look focused. It is expected that d-slr "keeper" images will undergo post processing. If you want to do less post work, shoot JPEG in-camera and crank the sharpening high. I can tell you this: the problem you are having in this sample photo of the dog is all due to your own expectations and your own photographic technique-related decisions. 50mm at f/2.8 at 1/200 hand-held...with inadequate sharpening and marginal lighting. The fact that POST-processing made a good shot only validates my assertion; that your own working methods and your own misplaced expectations are the cause of the so-called problem.

Again, f/2.8 is a marginal aperture in many cases. High-megapixel digital images have to be re-sampled and shrunken wayyy down to fit on a computer screen. There are a lot of issues at play here. The camera is perfectly normal.

 

[Tailgunner]

Shooting at wide apertures can be tricky and play heck with sharpness. It's basically all about depth of field which effects what is sharp in an image. Your depth of field seems a bit shallow. I would try it a little closes or bump it up a full stop, F/4?

On another subject, I sold my D7100 off a while back but I want to say the Native ISO is 200? I could be wrong

 

[goodguy]

I had the D7000 which had some issues with soft pics so moving to my beloved D7100 was literaly an eye opening experience!!!
Are all my pictures come out sharp ?
Absolutly not, I have lots of soft pictures and they are all because of me, either I use the wrong shutter speed of a wide open aperture, high ISO could also be a big factor here of course.
Bottom line with the proper technique and good lenses the D7100 will produce pictures that will literaly blow you away.

 

[Tinderbox (UK)]

So what is the sweet spot for the "AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G" i usually go f5.6-f8 for the best sharpness on my lenses

At f2.8 the depth of field is not the best unless that was the look you wanted.

Nice photo`s and well presented for out evaluation with the exif details i wish more were like this.

John.