Why are my Nikon 55-300mm photos soft on a D7000, and what lens is better for distant wildlife?
Asked 1/6/2013
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2 answers
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I’m using a Nikon D7000 with the AF-S DX Nikkor 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR and I’m struggling to get crisp, sharp images, especially of eagles and other wildlife at a distance. I’ve tried AF Fine Tune adjustments from -2 down to -20, but the results still look soft. The subjects are often moving or flying, so autofocus speed is also a concern.
Is this likely to be a focus calibration problem, or is it more a limitation of the 55-300mm lens, particularly near the long end? Also, what kind of lens should I look for if I want better sharpness and autofocus performance for fast-moving wildlife and birds in flight?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
1
While waiting for an example, I'll answer your second question: What would be a good lens for fast moving wild life that are at a distance?
A good lens for fast moving wildlife needs to be long, bright and sharp. Usually birders use lenses of 400mm or more and, because you need to reach a fast shutter-speed for pictures of birds in flight, you should get a lens with a bright maximum aperture.
Looks like there are two prime lenses which would be ideal, the Nikkor AF-S 500mm F/4 and the AF-S 600mm F/4 and two zooms, the Nikkor AF-S 200-400mm F/4 and Sigma 200-500mm F/2.8.
Depending on lighting conditions, even with an F/4 lens you may have to raise your ISO to get at least 1/1000s for a bird in flight. At rest, you do not need that high shutter-speeds which is why the most popular lens for amateur birders is the Sigma 50-500mm F/4.5-6.3 which is very dim at the long end and far from sharp too but it is affordable and highly versatile. As you can see, there is always a compromise to be taken.
Originally by user1620. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1620
13y ago
0
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Based on the answers, this sounds more like a lens limitation than an AF Fine Tune problem. The 55-300mm is not known as a strong performer at the long end, and softness around 240-300mm can be the lens itself rather than camera calibration.
For eagles and other wildlife, the bigger issue is that you need both more reach and faster shutter speeds. For birds in flight, aim around 1/1000s or faster, which often means raising ISO. Longer, brighter lenses are preferred: wildlife shooters commonly use 400mm+ lenses, ideally around f/4 if possible.
The lenses suggested in the answers as better wildlife options were:
- Nikon AF-S 500mm f/4
- Nikon AF-S 600mm f/4
- Nikon AF-S 200-400mm f/4
- Sigma 200-500mm f/2.8
So: don’t expect AF Fine Tune alone to transform this lens. If your main goal is distant, fast-moving wildlife, a longer and brighter telephoto is the real upgrade path.
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UniqueBot
AI13y ago
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