Focus question

I have just acquired a Nikon 28-200mm D lens cheap. I've taken a few shots and it's sharp. My
question is, today I went outside with it on my N80 film camera for the first time to take some
cloud formation shots. I have the camera set to single area focus in the center of the screen.
The clouds are white and dark gray mix and lots of interesting formations. No matter what part of
the clouds I point the camera at it it will focus but not at infinity. There's plenty of texture in
the clouds for the lens to lock on to. Even if I set the focus area 50/50 on the white cloud and the
blue sky it focuses shy of infinity. Is this normal ???? The few indoor shots I took with this lens
on my D80 of my dogs are tack sharp. Everything else outdoors I point it at seems to focus ok...
Any suggestions ???

Thanks
Brian

On Mon, 18 Aug 2008 08:33:05 -0400, wrote:

On Sun, 17 Aug 2008 15:16:20 -0400, in rec.photo.digital Brian
wrote:


I have just acquired a Nikon 28-200mm D lens cheap. I've taken a few shots and it's sharp. My
question is, today I went outside with it on my N80 film camera for the first time to take some
cloud formation shots. I have the camera set to single area focus in the center of the screen.
The clouds are white and dark gray mix and lots of interesting formations. No matter what part of
the clouds I point the camera at it it will focus but not at infinity. There's plenty of texture in
the clouds for the lens to lock on to. Even if I set the focus area 50/50 on the white cloud and the
blue sky it focuses shy of infinity. Is this normal ???? The few indoor shots I took with this lens
on my D80 of my dogs are tack sharp. Everything else outdoors I point it at seems to focus ok...
Any suggestions ???

Is the image not in focus, or are you just worried the indication of
the lens is just short of infinity? Sounds like the later to me, which
is most likely an indication of normal operation to allow for
tolerances as the temperature and length of the lens changes.

I'm certainly no expert here, but isn't that behavior with the
focusing on distant objects pretty desirable and normal? In several
things I've read lately on the subject of "hyperfocal" distance, they
suggest you are better off NOT setting the lens all the way to
Infinity. The DOF will allow things beyond the point of focus to also
be in good focus. If this is not clear, perhaps someone more
knowleable on this subject can help clarify it.

Olin McDaniel

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