Blurry no matter how I try


Cap_Dingo

Member
Hey folks. Its been over 2 decades since I used a DSLR. Got a new body D7500. And I took this shocker. I tried multiple times with autofocus and tripod and remote clicker, settings I thought should be sharp, but somehow to me its still blurry.
1 is the living room setup
2 is using Google Pixel 6 Pro
3 is D7500 with 50mm fixed, autofocus, 1/13 shutter (auto), f/1.8 (manual), ISO100 (manual). Tripod and remote clicker.
I would have expected 3 to be tack sharp and clear. But I am disappointed. Any obvious things that are wrong? I am leaning towards poor lighting but is that the only reason?

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Some observations, bullet points will be easier to comprehend:

1. Lighting in living room is for home not that it's not bright enough for human eye which is many times a camera sensor's in dynamic range. What you see as bright is not for sensor.
This is not a studio setup while a flash bounced from wall would be better, soft but even lighting relatively.

2. Using phone camera typical using a wide angle lens which has greater depth of field compared to a normal 50mm lens as evident in your photo which the background is blurred compared with phone camera.

3. Now this is a where you should pay attention. D7500 with autofocus. Is it on S or single focus mode or C continuos focus mode.
Your scene is static not moving so should be single focus mode.

3a. It is common knowledge that when a camera is on tripod , VR or image stabilisation should be disabled or switched off. Reason is stabilisation will be confused or keep compensating when it is already quite stable on a tripod.

4. Most cameras are mirrorless now so do not have the problems of dSLR as the focus is you get what you see unless you use live view on dSLR even then what you see is not what get as the focusing sensors are not on the image sensor but a separate module.

5. Because dSLR uses a mirror, when it goes up to let light into the sensor the mirror slap causes camera or mirror box shake. For mirrorless there is no mirror box hence "mirrorless".

6. On dSLR advanced models like D7500 there is MUP / mirror lock up feature when engaged flips the mirror up and subsequent pressing of shutter button or remote reduces camera shake. Do note your shutter speed of 1/13th sec. is not fast and prone to camera shake when handheld or on tripod given the mirror slap problem and image stabilisation switched on.

7. Barring the above solutions if there still is blurry photo then you need to calibrate your lens with the camera body using AF FINE TUNE. This final adjustment should solve the problem of blurry photo. See the videos linked.


 

Last edited:
Some observations, bullet points will be easier to comprehend:

1. Lighting in living room is for home not that it's not bright enough for human eye which is many times a camera sensor's in dynamic range. What you see as bright is not for sensor.
This is not a studio setup while a flash bounced from wall would be better, soft but even lighting relatively.

2. Using phone camera typical using a wide angle lens which has greater depth of field compared to a normal 50mm lens as evident in your photo which the background is blurred compared with phone camera.

3. Now this is a where you should pay attention. D7500 with autofocus. Is it on S or single focus mode or C continuos focus mode.
Your scene is static not moving so should be single focus mode.

3a. It is common knowledge that when a camera is on tripod , VR or image stabilisation should be disabled or switched off. Reason is stabilisation will be confused or keep compensating when it is already quite stable on a tripod.

4. Most cameras are mirrorless now so do not have the problems of dSLR as the focus is you get what you see unless you use live view on dSLR even then what you see is not what get as the focusing sensors are not on the image sensor but a separate module.

5. Because dSLR uses a mirror, when it goes up to let light into the sensor the mirror slap causes camera or mirror box shake. For mirrorless there is no mirror box hence "mirrorless".

6. On dSLR advanced models like D7500 there is MUP / mirror lock up feature when engaged flips the mirror up and subsequent pressing of shutter button or remote reduces camera shake. Do note your shutter speed of 1/13th sec. is not fast and prone to camera shake when handheld or on tripod given the mirror slap problem and image stabilisation switched on.

7. Barring the above solutions if there still is blurry photo then you need to calibrate your lens with the camera body using AF FINE TUNE. This final adjustment should solve the problem of blurry photo. See the videos linked.


thank you so much! I didn't know any of this. My last body was D70s. So yeah its been a long time since those days.
 

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