Focussing

September 30th, 2015
I was out today with my D810 and had taken a number of shots each showing a focus point. When I zoomed in they were all out of focus? I was shooting portrait and on a tripod so had turned off the VR on my 70-200. I thought it might have been the slow shutter speed but I turned the camera landscape and took a shot and it's sharp. Has anybody any idea why it would be focusing landscape and not portrait?2
September 30th, 2015
@andysg I haven't heard of exactly that behavior before. Have you tried it hand held at a "reasonable" shutter speed? Do you think it is really "out of focus" or could it be "shutter shock" blur even on a tripod? Could the camera orientation on the tripod be not so steady as in landscape mode? Perhaps you didn't fasten it strongly enough and the weight of the camera is pulling on the tripod mount. This can happen in portrait mode more than landscape mode, especially for tripods engineered for "video" which is always horizontal/landscape.The weight of the lens too, the f/2.8 70-200 is a heavy one.

I assume your tripod is rated to carry a weight of 10 pounds or more? More is always better with a heavy kit mounted. You can also try "weighting" the tripod for extra stability, hanging a weight (a bag of sand or similar will do nicely) from the center rod. DPReview http://www.dpreview.com/ have remarked more than once that high megapixel cameras, DSLRs especially, give their "studio" suite fits and this extra weighting is essential to them as they "pixel peek." And you don't have the center rod extended up for extra height? That can be another source of shock.

Shutter shock attributable to mirror action is the downside of high megapixel DSLRs. It's one case where mirror-less cameras (the new Sony a7RII for instance) win over DSRLs. With your D810, you could attempt also to engage "electronic front curtain" or especially on a tripod, frame and focus, raise the mirror and then release the shutter. "Mirror Up" (Mup) on the Nikon "release" dial. You lose the viewfinder while the mirror is up, but if the subject is stationary it shouldn't worry you. A remote shutter release can also help on a tripod.
September 30th, 2015
Thanks again Frank for your invaluable knowledge. I must invest in a remote release and I think it was a combination of factors including using the self timer that was set at 10 seconds and a number of others. The handheld portrait shots I took later in the visit were much better as I had increased the ISO and was getting a decent shutter speed.
September 30th, 2015
Another thought to add to what Frank said. If you were auto focus, it is possible that the focus point changed during the 10 second timer. This would happen if there was any movement.
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