Test my lens and solution required

[F8&Bthere]

Send it direct to Nikon, sorry I wish there was another solution but that is the only one I know of.

Well that may be good advice except for that I think the poster's equipment is Canon.

Seriously, there's so many factors at play that I would say that, from what I can see from all your sample images, there's nothing screaming out that there's something terribly wrong with this lens. And I think in this digital age with technology so advanced that I see photographers far more experienced than me reminding us all that we are often guilty of PPP (a new term I just fudged meaning Pixel Peeping Paranoia). Of course you can return to the mfg if it's easy enough for you, just to be sure, but after worrying in this same way about every lens I've ever bought I've learned to relax unless it's obvious. Leave the brick wall test shots and MTF resolution reference shots to the rarely satisfied perfectionists. Relax and enjoy. I say this after learning that probably 90% of forum reported sharpness problems are either real and user/situation related more than equipment related, or just a factor of unrealistic expectations- mostly the former.

[Yisehaq]

Thank you all for you comments. Where I am, taking the lens to pros is out of question. I think I have to invest on another lens.

F8&Bthere, I think that is good advice



At least it is good to learn that there was a problem on the equipment not only me I will blame my equipment from now on

[Vladimir Naumoff]

Canon 350D has known issues for focusing. Your body needs to be calibrated most likely. The only thing is that calibration is going to cost you more money then your camera cost now. My friends tried everything and he will be buying a new camera soon. His 350 would do 8 out of 10 photos out of focus and he tried a lot of lenses because me and him like to rent and try different staff. So it wasn't a lens for sure. We found a few people on the net with the same issue and all of them got trapped with this Canon 350D.

Take that lens and put it in to different camera you will see what I am talking about.

My advise is start to save for a new body.

[Vladimir Naumoff]

I looked at the pictures again and I have bad news for you. My body thinks it's the same thing. APO Sigma should give you much better results then this. The only way to be sure you have to test your lens with the same or hight version of Canon's body, XTi or 40D would do for sure. Their is a chance that an other 350D would have the same issue. May be they all after certain amount of shots must be calibrated I wouldn't take a risk.

[Yisehaq]

Thanks Vladimir!
I think that is the only solution now. I spend to much time trying to concentrate on my focusing. I also try to use higher ISO everytime. But the result is baddd and even worse that I am concious about it. I just didn't have the courage to blame it on my equipment. The other day, I had a chance to test a few shots using Nikon 300 and I knew that my skills are not that bad on focusing. The pictures looked very sharp even on the display of the camera itself.
I am getting close to shooting 20,000 pictures now with the 350D. So, I guess you are right to suggest for a new tool.

Thanks a lot any suggestion on equipment would be appreciated. May be we need another forum for that.
but thanks again Vladmir.

[Vladimir Naumoff]

You are welcome! But what is interesting that my body also likes Nikon now and he tried D300 and love it. Canon should make a note here that 350D converts people to Nikonists. Just a jock, but it is true.