Nikon D800E focus problems

Nikon D800E Focus Problems

My Nikon D800E has some serious focusing flaws

After having used my Nikon D800E for the better part of a year and persevering with a camera that failed to be able to deliver well focused images 50% of the time I decided to do some tests.

My 4 most used lenses are the Nikon 14-24mm 2.8 Nikon 24-70mm 2.8, Nikon 70-200mm 2.8 and a Nikon 85mm 1.8 prime.

I stopped using my 14-24mm 2.8 a while ago because no amount of AF fine tuning would coax this lens to give an acceptable amount of sharpnesss at any focal length with my D800/E.

As I don’t don’t make a lot of images at very wide angles it kinda got put away and forgotten about.

I got up early this Sunny Sunday morning with no plans in mind for the day, so I decided to gather my lenses together and try and get all things camera and lens wise into some kind of working order. First I set up a test shoot with Reiken Focal a piece of software allegedly to simplify and streamline AF fine tuning.

After a good hour trying to get it to give me an AF tuning setting for my 24-70mm 2.8 lens I gave up.

Next I tried it with my 14-24mm lens same thing no go,no results no use.

I then tried multiple shots of a car number plate at varying AF settings and found the sharpest setting for the 24-70mm was -13. Ok at 2.8 at 24mm this gave me a sharp image. Next I tried the using the lens at different focal lengths.

I found that the more I extended the focal length the further back the point of focus moved. So focusing on a number plate at 70mm moved the actual point of focus a couple of yards back from where the actual focusing brackets were aimed. This was the case for all the lenses I fine tuned and tested except the 85mm of course which as a fixed prime has no other focal length settings.

I did find that everything I tried focusing on with Live View was in focus and perfectly acceptable at all focal lengths.

After trawling the internet and searching for related posts I did find other people who have commented on the same thing happening to them so this is not a unique problem. The interesting thing is that all the focus points (far left far right etc)

produce the same sharpness as each other so the left focusing point problem which seems to be a to be a hot topic among D800/E owners is not in the equation here at all.

So now I am pretty sure I have a lemon of a camera and I am also convinced I am not the only one. I have been lucky in the past, having used Nikon equipment since the F4 film camera and only ever having needed Nikon service once in all that time (which was for a D100 LCD).

So now I have to convince Nikon to look at the camera and not tell me it is within specs or just use all my expensive lenses at F8 to give some degree of sharpness to make useable images with a bigger percentage of keepers.

My personal thoughts about this camera is that it was not ready for release and more research and development was needed before unleashing it on an unsuspecting public.

Anyone else have any thoughts on this problem ? are you having any issues with your cameras? I would like to hear your thoughts on the problems, or if your camera is perfect, maybe we could start a poll ?

As a matter of interest the firmware has been updated and the reports by some users claiming this improved their cameras AF certainly does not apply to my camera.

Category: My Thoughts, Nikon D800 0 Comment(s)

April 10, 2013 by John Harrison

Sanho Updates iUSBport App

iUSBport

Sanho have updated the application for iUSBport camera control to version 1.54. The app now has a redesigned interface and for the short time I could see the App interface, they have also added a histogram.

Unfortunately for me the App crashes whenever I take an image.

Initially when joining the network with my iPad, the firmware on the iUSBport camera control unit (CameraMator) is updated over wifi.

This part went without a hitch.

I then proceeded to test the unit with the IOS App, the live view screen showed up perfectly and touching the screen focused the camera on the part selected, also now a focus rectangle shows exactly where the focus point is (Something that was missing in the previous version)

Taking an image seemed to work initially, with a .Nef image showing up on the film strip.

On trying to load the image for viewing to access sharpness etc, the App crashed.

I then changed the camera settings to take a raw image on the SD card and a basic small jpeg on the secondary CF slot.

On taking a photo the filmstrip showed an image with a raw.jpeg extension which on trying to load said image into the viewer the App again crashed

After restarting everything again I gave it another try and again the App crashed, so as far as I am concerned the IOS app is still unstable and unusable with my Nikon D800E.

The web App on the other hand seems to be a lot more stable and useable, with everything working as advertised. Using the settings for a small basic jpeg on the CF card, only a jpeg loads on the film strip, which can then be loaded to view in the viewer without problems..

I applaud Sanho for taking over the support of the so far ill fated CameraMator, but it seems that more testing is required before releasing applications that simply do not work correctly.

Maybe the problems are camera specific so anybody reading this who has had success with their cameras and the iUSB camera control app leave a comment, maybe it can be narrowed down to just certain cameras showing problems.

I am sure that eventually they (Sanho) will get it right as they certainly seem to be standing behind the product, but so far for me and my camera the IOS App is still unuseable.

Update.

After contacting Hyper Support, I received a very quick reply explaining the reasons for the crashes.

“Are you using iPad 2?

The reason I ask is because iPad 2 is unable to handle the 36 megapixel image taken by the Nikon D800E, hence the app will crash.

Right now when you record both raw and jpg, we are obtaining the 36 megapixel jpg preview image within the raw file.

The reason why we are using the jpg preview within the raw file instead of the actual jpg is because if both raw and jpeg are shot at the same resolution, the jpg preview within the raw file has a smaller file size and will transfer faster than the actual jpg.

In the next version 1.6 which will be available in 1-2 weeks, we will set the app to use the actual jpg instead of the jpg preview of the raw file.

In version 2.0 which will be available in 3-4 weeks, we will allow the user to determine whether to use the actual jpg or jpg preview.

Meanwhile for your case, you can either use the iPad 3 or 4 or shoot in jpg/raw that has smaller than 36 megapixel resolution to prevent the crashing issue.”

Sure enough this worked perfectly reducing the raw file size to the 1.2 setting makes the App work perfectly

Now waiting patiently for the next update. I have to say that the support from Hyper is quick and concise, a very unusual trait these days.

Category: My Thoughts, Nikon D800, Photography News 2 Comment(s)

April 4, 2013 by John Harrison

iUSBport CameraTM

iUSBport

Having got my hands on one of these devices (formerly CamerMator a kickstarter project), I changed the firmware to the Sanho offering from here.

It looked promising as they were offering a web app and also an IOS App (from the Apple App Store). I think it is excellent that Sanho

are offering support for a device that seems to be doomed as far as the original idea is concerned. I have mentioned in previous posts that the app for the original CameraMator is no longer free, also that the original developer (Wooblue) appear to be releasing the unit under a new name of Camnexus with the promise of better,more and new applications.

So where does this leave the unfortunate soles who backed the project and haven’t as yet received their units, as yet nobody seems to know. Sanho have promises of updates for both Android,IOS and their web app.

All these Apps seem to have timelines of next week if one reads their blog, these promised updates have in fact exceeded this timeline. The app’s that are available are for me at least buggy and unuseable as the applications crash,refuse to import images or import the same image twice and then crash.

For an item carrying this kind of price tag I for one find it unacceptable, as I am sure do many others who find themselves in the same position.

I have emailed Wooblue with no reply forthcoming, I also have asked about the upcoming applications from Sanho.

Sanho stated that the Android App due to be released “next week” is actually under development putting it one to two month’s away making it a very long week.

Sanho did say that the IOS app update has been submitted to the app store and is awaiting approval. One can only hope it is a great improvement on the original app.!!

What Is CameraMator

So far it seems that cam ranger is the clear winner for wireless tethering as from what I have read and seen the software is far more slick ,reliable and better supported at this point in time.

Maybe future updates will change this, I am sure that many people who have these so far failed units live in hope.

Category: My Thoughts 0 Comment(s)

April 3, 2013 by John Harrison

Nikon Release Firmware Updates

New Nikon Firmware Updates

Nikon have released firmware updates the link below is for European downloads.

The Firmware Can be downloaded here

Full list of modifications in the new D600 C:1.01 firmware:

Support for the AF-S NIKKOR 800mm f/5.6E FL ED VR has been added.
Subject tracking performance in AF-C (continuous-servo autofocus) autofocus mode with framing using the viewfinder has been improved.
Frame output size has been changed from 95% to 100% when movie live view display is changed to “Information off” and an HDMI-compatible device is connected.
An issue that caused the right edges of images to be somewhat white when captured at an Image area setting of DX (24×16) 1.5x with Active D-Lighting set to Off has been resolved.
When the camera’s shutter-release button was pressed repeatedly for uninterrupted shooting with the “Record to:” option in Camera Control Pro 2′s Storage tab set to “PC+CARD”, the camera would stop responding with displaying “Err” in its control panel. This issue has been resolved.
In some very rare cases, colors would change with shooting when white balance was set to a specific color temperature, as with Preset manual or Choose color temp. This issue has been resolved.

The new Nikon D800 A:1.01 / B:1.02 firmware update contains:

Support for the AF-S NIKKOR 800mm f/5.6E FL ED VR has been added.
Subject tracking performance in AF-C (continuous-servo autofocus) autofocus mode with framing using the viewfinder has been improved.
Gamut for Adobe RGB images displayed in the camera’s monitor has been changed. This enables more vivid display of images.
With live view photography in [M] (Manual) exposure mode, exposure preview was always on. This issue has been resolved.
In some very rare cases when certain memory cards were used, movie recording would stop, even when the time remaining display indicated remaining recording time. This issue has been resolved.
With shooting at an image quality setting of TIFF (RGB) and an image size setting of Small, the right edge of images contained a purple line. This issue has been resolved.
In some rare cases, images recorded in JPEG format could not be opened by some software applications. This issue has been resolved.
In some very rare cases, colors would change with shooting when white balance was set to a specific color temperature, as with Preset manual or Choose color temp. This issue has been resolved

The Nikon D4 and D3X also get firmware updates the Nikon D3X update is for the newly released Nikon 800mm Lens.

The Nikon firmware updates for the D800 are causing rumblings on some discussion boards about improved AF performance, part from the continuous AF mode mentioned I doubt anything has changed. My D800E fortunately focuses as good as it always did. I doubt a firmware upgrade could even improve focusing issues. Ever hear of the Placebo Effect?

One good thing is the improved Live View in manual mode for studio shooters or indeed when shooting in dark places.

Still the trap focus does not work as it did on previous models but Nikon claim this is intentional.

I personally see no difference in the display of the Adobe RGB image on the LCD, but I never had the green tint that people were discussing.

Category: Nikon D800, Photography News 0 Comment(s)

March 26, 2013 by John Harrison

camnexusTM released by Wooblue

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PRLog (Press Release) - Mar. 11, 2013 - IRVINE, CA–(March 11, 2013) – Wooblue, Inc. (“Wooblue” or the “Company”; www.wooblue.com (http://www.wooblue.com)) is pleased to announce the upcoming release of its camnexusTM wireless photography device and app interface. The camnexusTM is a next generation wireless photography device that creates a WI-FI network enabling wireless control of select DSLR cameras and photo sharing directly from a camera to multiple iPad, iPhone or Mac devices through the proprietary app interface. camnexusTM users will enjoy all the benefits of Wooblue’s cameramatorTM with additional features including Apple© and Android© support, multiple simultaneous DSLR camera activations, real-time slideshow builder and viewer, on-camera file browser and photo sharing across social media.

“The enhanced features and multi-device functionality of our innovative camnexusTM tool provide DSLR users with an unprecedented wireless photography experience and access to tools previously unattainable,” said Ian Shanno, Wooblue’s Managing Director.

About Wooblue, Inc.

Wooblue, Inc. is an Irvine, California based technology development company and the creator of cameramatorTM and camnexusTM.

About cameramatorTM

cameramatorTM is a wireless tethered photography device and app interface designed for a host of professional grade DSLR cameras by Nikon and Canon. When connected to a compatible DSLR camera, the cameramatorTM enables wireless control of the camera via an iPad, iPhone or Mac and enables real-time photo sharing. Controls include wireless camera and shutter control, wireless image transfer, live viewfinder, time-lapse, HDR and self-portrait, in addition to multiple image and color manipulation features. cameramatorTM works with CF and SD cards across multiple camera brands, drains no battery power from the DSLR camera, provides internet and Wi-Fi pass-through and supports social media integration.

— End —

More Information at http://camnexus.com/index.html

Category: Photography News 0 Comment(s)

March 25, 2013 by John Harrison

iUSBportCamera (Cameramator Reborn)

iUSBport Camera

CameraMator Update

Following the original app being pulled for this device by Woodblue, Sanho have now taken over development of the software required

to run it.

A firmware update and the new apps for IOS can be found on the HyperShop webpage.

Sanho have released a web app for the device and also a Mac OSX script.

Windows and Android support is to follow late this week.

Sanho Corp Launches iUSBportCAMERA

Wireless Tether For Canon/Nikon DSLRs To iPad, iPhone, Android devices
Turn Mobile Devices Into DSLR Remote Control And High Resolution Viewer

Monday, March 11, 2013 LAS VEGAS, NV – Sanho Corporation (WPPI 2013 Booth #1675), creator of the award-winning HYPER line of mobile and photo accessories, today announced the introduction of the latest member of the iUSBport family: iUSBportCAMERA, the innovative new wireless DSLR Remote Control and Live Viewfinder for iPad, iPhone and Android devices.

iUSBportCAMERA turns mobile devices into both an advanced wireless remote control with access to advanced features of DSLR cameras, and a wireless high-resolution photo viewer to share and review photos beyond the camera’s viewfinder, allowing for increased mobility, productivity and accessibility. Photographers have the added option of sharing photos with clients or other viewers instantly and can better execute challenging shots where the camera must be placed in difficult to reach positions.

“iUSBportCAMERA gives photographers increased capabilities, by enabling instant photo transfers wirelessly, increased mobility with remote camera control through mobile devices and added collaboration with off-site viewers and more,” said Daniel Chin, CEO of Sanho Corp.

Based on the same technology used in the rest of HYPER’s iUSBport line (iUSBport, iUSBportMINI, iUSBportHD), iUSBportCAMERA connects a camera’s USB port to any WiFi enabled mobile devices, including iOS and Android, as well as Mac and Windows devices. By mounting iUSBportCAMERA directly on a DSLR camera’s hot shoe, any accessory cold shoe mount or standard tripod and connecting to a camera’s USB port, photos taken become instantly available on a personal device for easier review, or on a remote device, allowing for collaboration and input from off-site viewers.

In addition to cameras, iUSBportCAMERA, like the rest of the iUSBport line, can also connect to any USB mass storage device like USB flash and hard drive to wirelessly stream media to any mobile device. Stream 1080p HD movies, music, photos and transfer files between mobile and USB devices.

A free companion iUSBport app is available on the Apple App Store. Android, Mac and PC software can be downloaded from our website at http://www.hypershop.com

Key Features

Live Viewfinder

Live, large, enhanced viewfinder through your mobile device
Photos shot are instantly and wirelessly sent to nearby mobile devices (e.g. iPad)
Allow client and photographer to make informed corrections on the spot to get the right shot.

Remote Control

Control your camera from afar
Wirelessly control all camera settings (ISO, aperture, shutter, white balance, etc.) directly from your mobile
device
See live viewfinder feed from the camera on your mobile device as you remotely trigger camera to take
your picture.
Tap anywhere on the live view screen to refocus camera to that point

Video Recording

Shoot photos and videos remotely with Live View
Remotely start and stop video recording
View actual live video feed during recording
Tap anywhere on screen to refocus video
Ability to stream or transfer recorded video to mobile device

USB Media Streamer

Also connects to any USB flash/hard drive to wirelessly stream media
Stream 1080p HD movies, music, photos, files from USB to mobile devices
Transfer files between mobile devices and USB

Hardware Specs
USB Port: USB 2.0 480 Mbps with 5W Power
Wireless: 802.1 1b/g/n (Access Point and Infrastructure Mode)
Battery: 3300mAh Li-Polymer
Transfer Speed: 3MB/sec
Server: HTTP/FTP/Samba/DLNA/WebDAV
File System: FAT32/exFAT/NTFS/HFS+

Pricing and Availability
iUSBportCAMERA is available immediately online at http://www.hypershop.com at the starting MSRP of $299.95. For additional information, please visit us online.

About Sanho Corporation
Sanho Corporation designs, manufactures and markets IT accessories with a focus on Apple accessories, portable power and storage. Sanho is committed to developing cutting edge products with a dedicated focus on performance, quality, value and service, with a sales and marketing office in the U.S. in Silicon Valley, California, a production facility near Shanghai, China, and R&D teams in both countries.

Company Contact
Daniel Chin
daniel@sanho.com

Media Contact
Robert Barsanti
408.710.7961
robert@sanho.com

Information take from http://www.hyperblog.com

Update

Anyone with a CameraMator that still has the original firmware can now purchase the App for £17.99 from the App store. Very generous is it not? considering it was £20.99 two days ago.

Shouldn’t a supporting App be a free download. ?

The plot it seems thickens this unit is destined for the bin…..

The CamRanger seems to be easily winning this battle for wireless tethering, oh and the supporting App to make it useable is a free download, it is a very polished piece of software that works as advertised.

Category: Photography News, Uncategorized 0 Comment(s)

March 5, 2013 by John Harrison

CameraMator Sanho Sues Woodblue

CameraMator Problems

Seems that this KickStarter project has more problems than just no live-veiw or Android app.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Sanho Sues Former Software Developer Partner Wooblue And Wooblue’s CEO Usman Rashid For Unlawful Removal Of CameraMator App From Apple AppStore And For Fraud And Breach Of Contract

FREMONT, CALIFORNIA (February 20, 2013) – Sanho Corporation (“Sanho”) – a leading designer and developer of electronics and electronics accessories – sued Wooblue, Inc. (“Wooblue”) and Wooblue’s CEO, Usman Rashid, for fraud, breach of contract, unfair business practices and other claims in a complaint filed today in Alameda County Superior Court.

“Sanho had no choice but to protect itself and Sanho’s customers after Wooblue and Rashid deliberately and wrongfully disabled the thousands of CameraMator products already in the hands of Sanho’s distributors and customers,” said Sanho President, Daniel Chin. No trial date has yet been set for Sanho’s complaint.

Wooblue and Rashid breached the parties’ development agreement for the CameraMator product and application, which is used with Sanho’s revolutionary Compact Universal Wireless Adapter, (“CUWA”). Sanho’s patent-pending CUWA technology allows a device with a universal serial bus (USB) port (such as a computer, camera, or music player) to communicate wirelessly with other devices, such as a mobile phone or tablet computer. Sanho’s claims arose after Wooblue and Rashid unlawfully removed the CameraMator application from the Apple AppStore and other similar markets. Sanho’s complaint alleges that Wooblue and Rashid took that action knowing that it would harm Sanho’s relationships with its customers and distributors.

After Sanho announced its CUWA technology and made application kits available for developers, Rashid approached Sanho and sought to partner on the development and sale of the CameraMator product and application. According to Sanho’s complaint, after sales of the CameraMator took off following its debut at the most recent CES and Macworld trade shows, Wooblue and Rashid tried to extort more favorable business terms from Sanho by holding Sanho’s customers hostage and taking down the CameraMator application rendering any unsold CameraMator products unusable. Further, by taking down the application, any owners of CameraMator products who did not download the application prior to Wooblue and Rashid removing the application from the AppStore will not be able to use the CameraMator product that they purchased.

Details of the Sanho vs Wooblue/Usman Rashid lawsuit can be found at:

http://www.hyperblog.com/2013/02/sanho-sues-wooblue-for-pulling-of-cameramator-app/

Update

Sanho have now taken over the software side of the Cameramator and renamed it to

iUSBportCAMERA

all the details can be found HERE a new App and Web App have been released. Support for Mac OSX and an Android App are being released next week.

Good news for anyone who has an early version of this unit.

A firmware update has been released and the software now includes Live-Veiw.

Category: Uncategorized 0 Comment(s)

February 28, 2013 by John Harrison

Theatre of Fashion Ebay Seller My Experience

How Ebay Seller Theatre Of Fashion Let Me Down

Popart

This post is very of topic, but I am putting it here because it is related to my photography. I was planning a shoot this weekend and

needed a long riding coat for the model. I had searched and could not find the item I needed locally. I then resorted to the internet.

I found a seller on Ebay who seemed to have the very thing I needed.

After exchanging a couple of emails with seller I went on to purchase this Item for £245.00.

The said item arrived on the second day after ordering. I opened the box and lifted out the coat and a button fell off, not too bad, needle and cotton black thread and it would be sorted.

Before I reached for my needle and thread I had a good look at the coat, the quality did not seem as advertised, the belt at the back sagged and the faux pocket covers did not sit well either.

Now if I had paid half that price for this item I would have been disappointed, but at £245.00 I was even more so.

I contacted the seller who promised to refund the money immediately on receipt of the item’s return, so I sent it back Special Delivery next day signed for and tracked.

I had told the seller that I needed the money back A.S.A.P as I would need to source a coat elsewhere and would need that money to do so.Here is the content of the last message I received from them

The spelling and grammar do not belong to me, this is a copy and paste.

hello john
thank you for your message ~ and how sad that you are disappointed. i have sold a number of these exact laura ashley vintage coats at this price and they’ve been really loved by my buyers, so i’m sorry that you are not happy. and our apologies for the button being in the box ~ everything is so carefully checked before shipping, and it was certainly not loose prior to packing ~ i guess it must have come loose in transit somehow. anyway, you are more than welcome to return ~ but please do make sure that the loose button is enclosed also. please return within 7 days completely unworn etc ~ and on receipt i will refund you. when the item arrives with us, i will message you so you know it has arrived. i hope that this resolves the matter for you ~ and that you might visit us again sometime despite things not working out on this occasion

The item was signed for at around 9-30-10-00 Am . I have as yet not received any refund or a reply to my last contact with them.

I have now opened a PayPal dispute and have yet to hear back from the seller.

It seems that a simple thing like issuing a refund is beyond their capabilities.

I am hoping that as many people as possible read this post and it puts at least one person off buying from them.

Update

I have had my money returned from this seller, although not when he first promised to refund it. Also I don’t personally think that it is a favour, having your money returned from a seller

when the item is not correct. I see it as more of a rule when distance selling is involved. I did though involve Paypal and esculate my dispute to a claim.

Category: Uncategorized Tags: Ebay Seller, Theatre Of Fashion 0 Comment(s)

February 1, 2013 by John Harrison

Jessops Brand May Be Saved

Peter Jones To Buy Jessops’ Brand

Peter Jones of Dragons Den fame may buy the Jessops Brand. The technology entrepreneur, who owns internet specialist Phones International, has been in discussions over the terms of an impending deal and an announcement could be made as early as tomorrow.
Price Waterhouse Coopers took the unusual step of immediately closing all of Jessops’ 187 stores causing the loss of up to 2,000 jobs. It seems that Peter Jones is mainly interested in the brand, but may possibly buy some of the stores also.

Lets hope we can see the Jessop’s name back on the High Street..

More Information can be found here

Category: Photography News 0 Comment(s)

January 26, 2013 by John Harrison

More Snow

More snow fell overnight yet again causing chaos on the roads, but as always it offers a good opportunity for a Photograph.

A-Walk-In-The-Park

Stock Image

The snow offers a good setting for taking images while out and about, so long

as you get in before it turns to slush and goes an awful colour of brown.

This image was taken in North Yorkshire.

If venturing out in the snow remember to take

all the usual precautions.

Warm clothing and always carry a flask of hot coffee in the car.

Category: Stock Images 0 Comment(s)

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