Is backfocus or poor focus a "thing" on Nikon's 35mm?

firemachine69 · Oct 29, 2019

So I've got this weird issue. My first foray into 35mm film photography (well, on my own, not my parent's camera) was a Nikon F75. As long as I'm doing my part and the shutter speed is acceptable, I get tack-sharp images with virtually any lens I own.

Not so much with my recently picked-up F100. I swear, it seems like the focus is nearly not as sharp, even with the same lenses. I've been meaning to get the film scanned as hi-res tiffs to make sure (as I'm using a local shop that still hand-processes film, but will only scan to jpegs under 5MB), but even with low-res scans, my F75 has always given me very satisfying pictures.

Even with my 50mm F/1.8G, I find most of the photos are just "meh".

I picked up my F100 on Ebay, and I'm in my final days of Ebay's money back guarantee / leaving negative feedback.

First picture is the F75, second is the F100: I know, different films and lighting conditions, but the overall difference in sharpness is consistent across all film and light.

Les Sarile · Oct 29, 2019

Your title is misleading and that there are no known focus issues on all of Nikon's 35mm slrs - manual focus or AF.
In this case - used equipment, then anything is possible and that your particular F100 could have focus issues but not that I can tell from your samples. If you can return it then I would do so. Good luck.

Alan9940 · Oct 30, 2019

I've owned Nikon SLR's since the early 70's starting with an F2. I own quite a good collection of Nikkor glass that I use on both manual and autofocus bodies and never had a focus issue. Never owned an F100, but if you think there's a problem I'd bet it's your specific camera. Send it back, if you're not satisfied.

jimjm · Oct 30, 2019

Your second photo doesn't necessarily appear like your subject is out-of-focus, although the image has a softer look, to my eye. You're using 2 different films here, in different lighting conditions, so that may be a large part of the reason. I think your second photo is great - it has a classic look to it.

I'd load the same type of film in both cameras, and shoot the same subjects with the same lenses then do a side-by-side comparison of the scans. I've owned over 30 Nikon bodies, MF and AF, and have never attributed any focus issues to the camera or lens. It was either my error, or the AF system focused on a different point than I intended, which only occurred with moving subjects on older AF bodies. I've found the F100 AF to be extremely accurate even for sports photography.

darkosaric · Oct 30, 2019

I never has focus problem with any Nikon - and I have or have had: F80, F801, F801s, F55, F60, F65, F70, F, F2, F3, FG, FG20, EM and nikkormat FTN.

BradS · Oct 30, 2019

No. I've not had any focus issues with any of the Nikons I own nor have ever had any focus issues with any Nikon that I previously owned (and I've owned and still own quite a few).

film_man · Oct 30, 2019

If you focus manually can you hit focus ok? Back/front focus issues are a thing with digital as the tolerance for hitting the sensor at the right spot is much lower vs film. It is still possible that a particular lens/camera combo will be problematic if both are on the opposite ends of the tolerances. In any case, if the same lens on the N75 gets you bang on results and not so good results on the F100 I'd start with manual focus then try another lens. This way you will know if it is the autofocus, the lens on that camera or something else (maybe the film plate is not right or the lens mount could be out of alignment).

RalphLambrecht · Oct 30, 2019

Les Sarile said:
Your title is misleading and that there are no known focus issues on all of Nikon's 35mm slrs - manual focus or AF.
In this case - used equipment, then anything is possible and that your particular F100 could have focus issues but not that I can tell from your samples. If you can return it then I would do so. Good luck.

especially, Nikon's autofocus is impeccable! manual focus depends on you.

GLS · Oct 30, 2019

RalphLambrecht said:
manual focus depends on you.

Assuming the mirror alignment & focusing screen position are not out of spec, of course.

StepheKoontz · Oct 30, 2019

It looks like to me the second shot is slightly front focused. A used camera could easily have been banged around and knocked the AF sensor/mirror out of spec. I'd just send it back and try another sample.

Cholentpot · Oct 30, 2019

pentaxuser · Oct 30, 2019

Before you send it back which is a hassle for you and the seller I'd try the same shot on both cameras with the same film ideally. I think that StepheKoontz' first sentence largely explains the problem.

pentaxuser

Saganich · Oct 30, 2019

I could never get my children in focus.

polka · Oct 30, 2019

I had to adjust manual focus (mirror alignment) on four of my vintage analog cameras : a konica autoreflex, an ashahi pentax spotmatic, a nikkormat and an olympus pen f. It is relatively easy.
POLKa

film_man · Oct 30, 2019

By the way, a note on the sample photos provided. The N75 photo is something far away, ie the focus can be all over the place but it will still be in focus given the distance which results in deeper depth of field. The second shot of the child is clearly front focused as the left leg of the chair shows. However that does not mean a camera error. It looks to me the focus point was the hair above the forehead (see fringe in middle), was that where the focus point was? That bit of hair is in the middle of the frame which is where the focus point would be. If you focused/recomposed from the eyes you could get a bit of focus/recompose shift due to repositioning and shooting up close (ie thin DOF) and wide open (even thinner DOF).

So based on those shots I don't see anything of an issue.

ic-racer · Oct 30, 2019

Is your F100 diopter correctly adjusted for your eyesight? If not this could cause your focus problems.

Sirius Glass · Oct 30, 2019

Never ever had a focusing problem with Nikon sod cameras. The AF is superb.

George Mann · Oct 30, 2019

It surprises me that none of you have heard about the occasional focus misajustment issue with the F90/100 that was commented on when these were new.

This was a warrantee issue that the service centers adequately handled in short order.

Les Sarile · Oct 31, 2019

George Mann said:
It surprises me that none of you have heard about the occasional focus misajustment issue with the F90/100 that was commented on when these were new.

This was a warrantee issue that the service centers adequately handled in short order.

Was handled so well none of us even heard of it . . .

Pioneer · Oct 31, 2019

Haven't you heard?

Nikons are nearly perfect. They never break and they certainly never have focus problems. If they do it is always user error.

Just ask any of the resident Nikon fanboys of whom many are present.

Bikerider · Oct 31, 2019

Les Sarile said:
Your title is misleading and that there are no known focus issues on all of Nikon's 35mm slrs - manual focus or AF.
In this case - used equipment, then anything is possible and that your particular F100 could have focus issues but not that I can tell from your samples. If you can return it then I would do so. Good luck.

Agreed!

I use a F100, F6 and also have a F601 and never have focussing errors with any of the Nikon lenses I use.

cjbecker · Oct 31, 2019

It could possibly be a mirror out of alignment. Set your lens to infinity, choose something out at infinity to focus on. When you move the subject from the top to the bottom of the frame, Is it the same sharpness at the bottom and top? A mirror out of alignment will give a sharp at one and a out of focus for the other.

Just something else easy to try.

blockend · Nov 1, 2019

Of the four AF Nikons I've owned, one of them had focus issues. There is a phenomenon of back focus which may or may not be related to the one described. It's when some very wide aperture lenses miss focus when stopped down, usually when f1.4 and f1.2+ lenses are stopped down between f2 and f4. This is true of manual and AF lenses.

NB23 · Nov 1, 2019

Yes, it’s front focusing.

I hate front-focusing, but I hate back-focusing even more. Uuugh!

Return the thing.

pentaxuser · Nov 1, 2019

Did you ever get the cause, firemachine 69, and what in the end did you decide based on our diverging comments?

pentaxuser

Is backfocus or poor focus a "thing" on Nikon's 35mm?

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