Hi everyone. I have a nikkor 70-300mm AF-P 4.3-6.3 lens that I bought second hand. I know that this is a really cheap lens but whenever I shoot with it it looks like I’m shooting through a layer of haze.
Whenever I look through the viewfinder/live view/raw file it looks almost brighter, hazy and lacking clarity. Is this normal for that lens or is there likely to be a problem?
It’s as if clarity, definition, detail and colour are replaced by a haze. Bizarre.
Thanks in advance
Chris
@Chris_Mitchell. Are your images crisp and clean? Can you post an unsharpened section of an image that has fine details made with the lens? It’s difficult to tell if there is a problem without seeing results.
-P
I can do tomorrow. No they seem dull and hazy is the best way I’d describe them
My wife has that lens as a part of her lightweight hiking kit. It’s sharp around f/8-f/11 and is noticeably soft at max an min aperture, but I wouldn’t call it hazy. Examples would help, and you’re headed that way.
If possible, take the lens off the camera and open the aperture to f4.3. Look through the lens from the objective side and view a contrasty target like a piece of newsprint. If moisture or fungus is present, you will see the light bounce off of the haze and obscure the target from view. When I clean my microscope lenses at work, I examine both sides for dirt and they usually need to be cleaned. Some of these lenses will pick up some moisture and will fog up. It happens…Jim
Thanks Jim
I have that lens and in my opinion there is something wrong with yours. Mine is, for the price, amazingly sharp and clear. I do get some fringing at 300mm but it is easily removed in Lightroom.
Thanks Larry. I’ve tried looking through against newsprint and all seems clear. It could have been the conditions that I was shooting in. I’ll test again in some lovely crisp winter conditions and go from there. Thanks everyone
You might try the old trick of taping a page of the newspaper to the wall and shooting in good light.