issue: sharpness, please help

[wendellt]

i got my 2nd D3 body back from nikon after it was recalibrated and tested it
i noticed under studio conditions it wasn't as sharp as what im used to
i dont think the lens is out of calibration possibly the body is as ive tested my other body
i've also used the D3's af fine tune function but it didn't improve the matter which i confussing because if i can recalibrate the body it means the lens is out of calibration but this conflicts when i test the lens on my other body and its slightly sharper

shot at 1/250 f4.5 and strobe so there are no technical isues with the way i shoot

other opinions please, before i go back to nikon and complain

straight out of the camers

http://www.zeduce.org/images/test/DSC_8992.JPG

[glamy]

Hi Wendell,
Have you tried increasing the in camera sharpening? Your picture seems to sharpen OK that's why I ask the question.
Cheers,
Gerard

[wendellt]

hi

yes i have increased sharpening on the camera but even when on default settings when i first got the camera it produced sharper results than what is shown here

thankyou

[surenj]

Sounds like an irritating issue Wendell. When I pixel peep, it looks like somesort of motion blur? ? Diffraction

To test this, you will need to use your other D3 and put both on a tripod, timer etc and use the flash to freeze the model and compare the two outputs.

[rex]

natry mo na sa 50mm or prime lens? experience ko din yan sa mga zoom . and then when i tried 50mm f1.8 sobrang sharp tapus less pincushioning.

[biggerry]

I agree that this shot is definitely not sharp and as suren mentioned it looks like very slight motion blur, but this should not be evident at 1/250 - I assume you have tried another lens on the body to compare...

[marcotrov]

Hi Wendell
Am wondering if you tested both cameras with same lens same everything else (i.e. shutter speed, f/stop blah, blah ,blah) so if you are still unhappy after it's return how about trying same with both cameras on tripod with mirror lock up and see if there is still a difference. I agree it seems unlikely to be lens if it works well on one of the bodies, I'm thinking perhaps it's mirror dampening issue or some other mechanical vibration aspect in camera at point of firing. Just a thought
Hope it all works out.
cheers
marco

[Reschsmooth]

Wendell, further to the suggestions above, I would also be testing on a subject which has distinct contrast and is perfectly static as opposed to a person - this would remove the possibility of subject movement (I know, the 1/250th and strobe should take care of this anyway) for the sake of testing the camera(s).

[Alpha_7]

As patrick suggested shooting something with plenty of contrast, and I'd suggest going further and use a tripod and shutter release too, just to really narrow the variables in the equation.