The Search Begins Again...

I've run new tests...very regimented...tests between the lens that came with the D80 and with an old manual Micro-NIKKOR 55mm 1:2.3 that I used 20 years ago with my Nikon FG. I knew the 55mm was an excellent lens. I had the camera on a tripod, took a photo of a small heather plant I have with the 55mm, then changed to the 18-135mm autofocus lens that came with the camera. I set it for 55mm and let it self-focus. I centered my focus on a particular branchlet for each.

The top photo below is with the manual 55mm, the lower photo is from the 18-135mm. I carefully cropped both to look the same so the eye would not be distracted by different branches showing in the image. Neither are sharpened, both are shown at full resolution (100% size). The camera was 6-7 feet from the plant, so this photo is cropped out of the center few inches of a 53" wide photo.

I then packed up the D80 and returned it. (The store had already told me they would not swap out the lens for another.) At least now I know I'm not nuts, nor am I asking too much of a lens.

Again, thank you all for your help. For now I'm back with my CoolPix 7600. I'm restarting my research.

Follow-up to Woe with Photo details

Olivia asked for details which is great. Happily I have Picture Project 1.7 which gives me the settings from the camera when the photo was taken.

Here's the settings from the first photo below:
Nikon D80
2007/01/08 15:59:03.6
JPEG (8-bit) Fine
Image Size: Large (3872 x 2592)
Color
Lens: 18-135mm F/3.5-5.6 G
Focal Length: 22mm
Digital Vari-Program: Auto
Metering Mode: Multi-Pattern
1/100 sec - F/5
Exposure Comp.: 0 EV
Sensitivity: ISO 200
Optimize Image:
White Balance: Auto
AF Mode: AF-A
Flash Sync Mode: Not Attached
Color Mode: Mode Ia (sRGB)
Tone Comp.: Auto
Hue Adjustment: 0°
Saturation: Auto
Sharpening: Auto
Image Comment:
Long Exposure NR: Off
High ISO NR: Off


Here's the settings for the second photo:
Nikon D80
2007/01/08 15:59:32.2
JPEG (8-bit) Fine
Image Size: Large (3872 x 2592)
Color
Lens: 18-135mm F/3.5-5.6 G
Focal Length: 135mm
Digital Vari-Program: Auto
Metering Mode: Multi-Pattern
1/50 sec - F/5.6
Exposure Comp.: 0 EV
Sensitivity: ISO 400
Optimize Image:
White Balance: Auto
AF Mode: AF-A
Flash Sync Mode: Not Attached
Color Mode: Mode Ia (sRGB)
Tone Comp.: Auto
Hue Adjustment: 0°
Saturation: Auto
Sharpening: Auto
Image Comment:
Long Exposure NR: Off
High ISO NR: Off

Both photos were taken as "jpeg fine". I reduced full frame images from 53" width to 10" width in PS which should have had a sharpening effect I would think.

I was trying to just let the camera do its best without me messing with settings. If you need or want anything else, let me know. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that you will find a magical solution.

KH as to focusing manually.... the focus looks great in the view finder with auto-focus. It's the images that are crummy.

ADDED NOTE 11:07 a.m. PST: I had the camera braced on a window sill with the window open (brrr-rrr-rrr) for these two shots. Ths soft focus doesn't look like motion to me. What do you think?

Woe is Me....

I've gone and done it again. I posted about my "new" cameras (first the Nikon P2 and then the Nikon D80), and I'm coming to the conclusion that like the P2, the D80 is a dud. At least I believe the lens that came with it, an 18-135mm 1:3.5-5.6 is no good. I can't get any good focus from it. Not good enough to my taste anyway. I'm able to use some of my old manual Nikon lenses with the D80 thanks to help from Knucklehead but I'm just so disappointed. Here are a few shots I took with the lens named above.

The first is at 18mm, wide angle.

The second is a similar scene at a similar distance but using the 135mm telephoto function of the zoom lens.

Certainly not the sort of exquisite focus I'm used to or desiring.

What do you all think?

I Did It !!

Today I became Mommy to a Nikon D80 with an 18-135 lens.

Notes: Click image for larger view
Taken with Nikon CP7600 January 2, 2007

Here's my first posting with my Nikon D80.

Notes: Click image for larger view
Taken with Nikon D80 January 2, 2007
This cone is partially eaten by local squirrels and/or birds. The branch came down in a wind storm recently.


This one is exciting only in what it reveals about nature. These are the remains of cones after the squirrels/birds have finished eating. The branch would have been 180 degrees from this position when it was on the tree. Cones hang down.